Persecution

 

Introduction: 

The word of persecution is so painful. Persecuted people suffer so much sometimes they lose their life. Persecution is an inhumanity. Christian history and Christian life is well known with this word. The Christianity increased through persecution. Many Christian believers became martyr because of persecution.

 

Definition: persecution is the planned torture of an individual or group by another group. The persecution occur for religious, racism and political. Persecution maybe inflicted by official authority or by unauthorized activity of hostile individuals or crowds; it may be limited to insult and scorn, but may extend to the loss of civil rights, imprisonment, torture and death.  According to Christian history persecution mean mistreatment and torture by others for believing and following Jesus Christ.  Christian persecution starts from the time of New Testament.

Features of persecution: persecution occurs not only one way, but persecutor persecute many way. Types of persecution to Christian given bellow:

1. Excluded from society or social discrimination: when a man accepted to Jesus Christ, he or she became out of society. His old society thought he deny their society and religion so he has no right live their society. He or she became their opponent. For this reason early Christian community live together (Acts 2:44-47, Revelation 2:9).

2. Proof as a guilty through false witness:

Many religious and political leaders wanted to punish and kill to Christian. But they don’t find out any fault of Christian people. So they take shelter of false witness to punish Christian (Acts 6:11-14). The gospels warned the disciples that their future could involve suffering and persecution, they could be delivered up to councils and flogged in the synagogues (Mat 10:17-18). In 18 verse said that they also face of false testimony.

3. Arrest and sent to prison: According to New Testament we can see that many apostles were sent to jail for preach the word of God and resurrection of Jesus. Peter arrested for preaching (Acts 12:3).Saul helped religious leader to arrest Christians. And he went to Damascus to arrest and send to prison (Acts 9:1-2). Paul tells us, indeed, that he has taken in prison and beaten with the rods of the lictors three times (2 cor 11:24-25).

4. Torture and killed by Jews community or leader: In the time of early Christian, Jews people and leader   thought Christian, the follower of Jesus is main opponent of them. So they always wanted to destroyed new believers group. They killed Stephen by throwing stone Acts 7: 58-60 .James the brother of john killed Acts 12:2, Antipas killed by Jews (Revelation 2:13).

5. Stopped to preach: when Jews leader can see people believing speech of apostle and accepting huge to Jesus as messiah. So they became afraid about the future of their leadership. Because if all people follow apostles and believe Jesus. They may lose their post. For this reason they always wanted to stop preaching about Jesus, so that Christianity cannot spread. The great Sanhedrin prohibit public preaching to apostles (Acts 4:17-18).

6. Economic persecution by ruler: In during of Roman emperor Domitian second persecution started. He seized many Christians wealth and he distributed a token among people under his empire but not for Christian. Because of they don’t worship Romans gods. He declared that without token no one can buy and sale anything. It was commercial boycott against Christians (Revelation 13:16-17).

7. Forced by dominion power to worship Idol: In the time of Roman emperor Domitian, he took a title god and lord. He declared to worship his statue besides roman gods. But Christian refused to give his as divine honour. Christian people disobeyed to worship his statue as God. For this reason he became so angry to Christian people. He disallowed to buy any goods from market for Christian and chased self-defence rights. He sent many Christian to prison and exile to island because they refused to honour Romans gods and emperor as divine power.

8. Killed by ruler: At the first Jews was only opposition of the Christian church. But in the time of Roman emperor Nero, he started to persecution to Christian. He burned the Rome city and blamed to innocent Christian. He killed many Christian. That time killing Christian became sports. He forced to fight with, dog, dangerous beast and hunger lion. Some were killed by nailed on the cross and some death by burned fire. At this persecution period both apostle peter and Paul were martyred about 68 AD.

Causes of persecution:

1.The hostility of the jews toward the Christian : From in the first Jews was persecuted Christian . they disturb Jesus many time they raise their voice to kill Jesus on the cross. Matthew 27:21-23, Mark 15:9-15. Jews persecuted Christian, because they thought Christian people honour Jesus as messiah. Jews never accepted Jesus as messiah but his disciples preached about resurrection. So its a dishonouring to God. They also thought Christianity harming their religion because of this they always wanted to destroy Christianity. To stop increasing Christianity they persecuted Christian always. They always wanted to show that Christian always make violence to leaders.

Apostles preached at the temple, centre of the town. Many people gather for listen the speech of apostles. And many people accepted Jesus as saviour and took Baptist. The apostles explode the fault of Jews. Stephen show by explaining from scripture that Jesus was messiah whom Jewish killed on the cross. But Jewish took Stephen trial and killed him by throwing stone. They torture and wanted to kill Paul many times (Acts 21:28-29, 22:22-23, 23:13-14).

2.Christian suspected as rebellion :

In the first Roman emperor thought Jews and Christian are same. For this reason they never interfere about Christianity. They thought its Jews own problem, so Roman handover to Jews leader to solve themselves. But Christianity spread speedy all over the Roman Empire and Jews people complain against Christian. That Christian people are rebellion group like zealots group. Who wanted to revolt against Roman Empire. Because that time Christian community became together and worship at night. So people thought that group meet at night to conspiracy against government. For this reason Christian were suspected as rebellion.

3.Great fired in the Rome city:

During the reign of Roman emperor Nero fire broke out in Rome. For six days and nights the fired burned and destroyed greater part of Rome city. The rumour circulated the Nero’s fired the city to increase his palace. But he blame to Christian for this fired. And start to persecution, which makes notorious history of persecution.

4. Disagree to worship Romans gods:

Fundamental to the Christian life style and his cause of endless hostility was the Christian’s rejection of the pagan gods. The Greeks and Romans had gods for every aspect of life - for sowing and harvesting, for rain and wind, for volcanoes and rivers, for birth and death.

But for Christians, these gods are nothing, and rejecting them makes the followers of Jesus "enemies of humanity". People offer meal every day to the pagan but it’s meaningless to Christian. After offering they invite others and take that meal. Christian didn’t join that kind of feast which dedicated to gods. So Christian seemed rude, boorish and discourteous in the society. And also during the Domitian, Christian denied to worship pagan gods and emperor. For this reason Romans persecuted Christian.

 

Conclusion : The foundation of Christianity is faith to Jesus Christ . Jesus came to give salvation and peace. Christianity spread all over the world peacefully through persecution. Persecution is the measuring rod of Christian faith. Christian got victory by the love of Jesus not by power of arms.  Though Christian persecuted by Jews, Romans and others but they never took revenge. Many Christian were killed. At the end we can say persecution is fertilizer to increase Christianity. So Christian should not scare for persecution.