3.1 THE PARABLE

Matt.13:24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.

26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'

28 "'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

29 "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"

3.2 JESUS EXPLAINS THE PARABLES TO HIS DISCIPLES

This parable is found only in Matthew 13 in the context of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is peculiar to the Kingdom Age and therefore Jesus does not repeat this parable for other didactic purposes. In the previous parable we have seen a man sowing his field with seeds. This parable simply continues from that stage. What happened after the seed is sown in the good soil. The seed that fell in the good soil did sprout to give rise to good wheat. But then something else happened. The evil one sows weeds among the wheat.

So Our Lord explains the parable thus:

Matt. 13:37 He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.

38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40 "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.

42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

3.3 THE GOOD SEED

 

Jesus did identify the good seed - the wheat as the Son of Man. Even if this was not given could we have identified the good seed of the Kingdom of Heaven as Jesus himself? On several occasions Jesus compared himself as the good seed and the children of this world as the weeds.

Jn. 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Jesus is the seed that fell on this earth and has given rise to abundance of fruits - a multitude of Christ like beings - the Christians. It is because that seed died and that produced the fruit. This is what Jesus referring to. The processes of sowing is an on going process and the food seeds are the Christians.

 

Paul uses this image in 1 Cor thus:

1cor 3: 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

In Galations Paul Identified the seed promised to Abraham as Jesus:

Gal 3: 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.

John defines the children of God and children of the devil based on the seed:

1 Jn3: 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are:

3.4 THE WEEDS

 

Thorns and Thistles and weeds are the product of the fall. It is the sinfulness of man that produces weeds. Weeds are very much like the wheat when it sprouts. It is distinguishable clearly from its fruit - because good seed produces good fruit and bad seed produces bad fruit. It is from the fruit that we distinguish good and the bad. This is why Jesus forbade the weeds be pulled out before times. Their roots are so much entangled together they cannot be pulled out without hurting the each other. The weeds are the sons of the evil one as the wheat is the sons of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Evidently weeds here refers to the sons of the evil ones that follow false teachings as opposed to the true historical Christian faith. The parable indicates clearly that this heretic teachings will start as soon the early church starts their life. The teachings will be so entangled with each other that it is humanly impossible to uproot and destroy without hurting the church as such. False teachings and cults have a way of entangling the believers with subtleties.

Further the parable indicates that these heresies that germinated in the beginning of the Christian church will remain with us to the end of the ages until the final separation and gathering occur. The heretic movements started even when the seeds were planted. We shall now look into the history to see what these heresies were and how they still linger with us.

3.5 HARVESTING.

Harvesting evidently refers to the end times when the Son of Man returns in glory to receive his own.

He sends his angels to gather up the elect and will separate the evil ones to a separate place. Evidently this eon will not be an eon when all will be saved. The righteous ones - the wheat - is gathered into the stores.

This picture is evident all through the old and the new testaments. Notice these references:

Joel’s prophecy of the second advent of the mesia:

Joel 3:13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow-- so great is their wickedness!'

14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

15 The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.

16 The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

The picture is seen in Rev 14:

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."

16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.

What happens to the weeds. They are thrown into the fiery furnace. But the furnace does not burn them up. The annihilation theory will not work. They continue with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Here this story ends. What happens to them the earth is never told. Will they continue to the end or will they have another chance - we are not to know. Some early fathers proposed God’s grace to continue even in this hell till final redemption. But many considers this as a heresy for good reason because it leads to apathy. This indeed is the period of Grace. We do not know much about the next age that follows. The ending of this story is simply:

42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

He who has ears, let him hear.

Rev 21:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

For the unrighteous remains another life and another death a period of separation from God as we had during the Adamic age of fall.

21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

For the righteous remains the new heaven and the new earth with the eternal presence of God. There is no decay nor death.

Evidently here we have the separation two types of universes. One where there is no decay and the other where there is decay.

3.6 BEGINNINGS OF HERESIES

Evidently the period referred here is restricted to one particular period in history. It stretches from the germination of the church to the end of the churches. It started then from the apostolic church and culminated in the Pergamum Church age and continues to flourish.

We shall try to identify these heretic teachings in the early church as best as we can.

a. Arianism

Arianism, is a Trinitarian doctrine promoted by Arius (c250-336). This denied the divinity of Christ and focused on the dissimilarity between the Father and Son. It proposed that the Son had a beginning unlike the eternal Father who always existed. Therefore, the Son was subordinate to the Father and is not only not equal but is not one in essence. He earned his rank from participation in grace or adoption by God. Around 320, Arius's beliefs were questioned by Bishop Alexander of Alexandria. Later, Arius was excommunicated by the entire Egyptian episcopate. Athanasius, successor to Bishop Alexander became the champion of opposing this heresy. Despite these setbacks, Arius gained support from the Western Churches from great fathers like Eusebius of Caesarea and Esubius of Nicomedia during his travels to Palestine, Syria, and Asia Minor. The Arian controversy led to a serious division between the East and West. The Emperor Constantine succeeded in suppressing Arianism for a some time by summoning the Council of Nicaea in AD 325 which proclaimed the Nicean Creed as the authoritative statement of the Churches of East and West. However Arianism never died. It still persists and is essentially the basis of the core of Jehovah Witness. The question simply is "Is Jesus God?" Basis Historical Christian faith is that he is.

b. The Eunomians

The Eunomians were a small Neo-Arian sect thriving in and around Constantinople during the late fourth century named after Eunomius of Cyzicus (died 394). The Eunomians taught that the name "Ungenerated" was the only proper name for God the Father; all other beings were generated, including the Son, who was adopted. Son is not only unequal to, but also unlike, the Father. The Eunomians also taught that the Being of God was wholly comprehensible by human logic. We still have the rationalists who maintain this position.

c. Docetism

The Docetic heresy is a reversal of the Arian Heresy. In order to maintain the divinity of Christ he has been dehumanized. If Jesus was God how can he be human? In what sense is he flesh? Jesus walks on the water and through closed doors. He cannot be captured by his enemies, but at the well of Samaria he is tired and desires a drink. Yet has no need of drink and has food different from that which his disciples seek? He cannot be deceived by men, because he knows their innermost thoughts even before they speak. He debates with them from the vantage point of the infinite difference between heaven and earth. He has need neither of the witness of Moses nor of the Baptist. He dissociates himself from the Jews, as if they were not his own people, and he meets his mother as the one who is her Lord. He permits Lazarus to lie in the grave for four days in order that the miracle of his resurrection may be more impressive. And in the end the Johannine Christ goes victoriously to his death of his own accord . Doceticism considers Jesus as God and he only seemed or looked like a man. So even though he seemed to suffer, he could not have suffered. It was just an apparent reality and not reality. This teaching lingers on today in Christian Scientists.

In a slight variation to this heresy we have the teachings of Simon Magus the great magician of the period. He taught that Jesus had been an incarnation of Simon himself, and that though he had seemed to suffer, he had not in fact suffered .

Basilides taught that the Nous (the Spirit of God) took human form as Jesus in order to make the unborn, nameless Father known. Since the Nous was inhabiting Jesus, he--the Nous--could not actually suffer and die, but changed places with Simon of Cyrene, who was transfigured to resemble Jesus, and was crucified while the actual Jesus/Nous stood aside and laughed .

Cerinthus taught that the Christ descended on Jesus of Nazareth at his baptism and departed from him before his passion, so that although Jesus was physically born, suffered and died, the Christ remained spiritual and untouched by suffering.

Marcion taught that the Word/Christ descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove, and ascended to the Pleroma before suffering.

Valentinians, beleived that the Christ apparently was born of Mary, but that he simply emerged from her "as water [passes] through a tube."

In another version of this Doceticism, ' Savior put on human flesh in order to redeem humanity; when he washed in the Jordan, he received a promise of a spiritual body along with the human body he received from Mary. Thus when the carnal body suffered and died, the Savior redeemed the flesh by means of the flesh, though he himself had stripped off his mortal body.

We still hear the echo of these early heresies in the Christian Science, Ahamadiya Islamic cult and the Muslim opponents.

d. Gnosticism

Gnosticism is an age old establishment which existed even before Christianity came into the world. These are sects who claim to have access to higher knowledge, that is normally hidden to mankind through visions, and direct telepathic and even direct revelation from God or Masters of the Heavens. This is essentially the Hindu tradition. But in its variations existed in all countries including the Hebrew culture. The Western and Eastern Gnosticism though differing in details essentially concur in their pluralistic approach. There is a strong Gnostic presence even today in the Intenet and a Eastern Gnosticism which is alive in Hinduism is slowly conquering the West. Broadly we may define the fundamental traditions as follows:

There is an original and transcendental spiritual unity which came to emanate a vast manifestation of pluralities. This defines One God from which many lower gods arise. among this is the concept of Trinity. From these trinity further coverings and creations emanated . The manifest universe of matter and mind (psyche) was not created by the original spiritual unity but by spiritual beings possessing inferior powers. These creators possessing inferior powers have as one of their objectives the perpetual separation of humans from the unity (God). Alternatively being further away from the One Spirit these inferior creations lost their consciousness of origin because of their involvement in daily activities. The fallen sparks of transcendental holiness slumber in their material and mental prison, their self-awareness stupefied by forces of materiality and mind.

The awakening of the inmost divine essence in humans is effected by salvific knowledge, called Gnosis. Salvific knowledge, or Gnosis, is not brought about by belief, or the performance of virtuous deeds, or by obedience to commandments, for these can at best but serve as preparatory circumstances leading toward liberating knowledge.

Among the helpers of the slumbering sparks a particular position of honor and importance belongs to a feminine emanation of the unity. The name of this emanation is Sophia (Wisdom). She was involved in the creation of the world and ever since remained the guide of her orphaned human children.

From the earliest times of history, messengers of light (Buddhas and incarnations) have been sent forth from the ultimate unity. The task of these messengers has ever been the advancement of Gnosis in the souls of humans.

For the Christian Gnostics the greatest of these messengers in our historical and geographical matrix was the descended Logos of God, manifesting in Jesus Christ.

Jesus exercised a twofold ministry: He was a teacher, imparting instruction concerning the way of Gnosis, and he was a hierophant, imparting mysteries.

The mysteries imparted y Jesus (which are also known as sacraments) are mighty aids toward Gnosis and have been entrusted by him to his apostles and to their successors.

By way of the spiritual practice of the mysteries (sacraments) and by a relentless and uncompromising striving for Gnosis, humans can steadily advance toward liberation from all confinement, material and otherwise. The ultimate objective of this process of liberation is the achievement of salvific knowledge and with it freedom from embodied existence and return to the ultimate unity.

Mormonism is the modern version of Gnosticism which elaborates the process of deification of man.

The Theory of Rebirth teaches that each soul is an integral part of God, enfolding all divine possibilities as the seed enfolds the plant; that by means of repeated existence in an earthly body of gradually improving quality, the latent possibilities are slowly developed into dynamic powers; that none are lost by this process, but that all mankind will ultimately attain the goal of perfection and re-union with God.

Gnosticism still survives to this day by various names such as Roscicurians, theosophy, Sufis etc.

The name Theosophy is an exact translation of the well-known Sanskrit term Brahmavidya. For it is made up of the two Greek words Theos = God and Sophia = Wisdom. Today it has been popularized by the Theosophical Society founded in 1875 by Madame H.P. Blavatsky and Colonel H.S. Olcott.

e. Manicanism

Manicanism is cult generated by a man named Mani. Mani was born in Babylon, near Selecucia-Ctesiphon on the Tigris, April 25th 216CE, to pagan parents. A short time after he was born his father, Pattak, became a member of an obscure monastic community. Mani grew up in this community, more or less assuming the position of servant though Mani`s father had a Persian royal family ancestry.

The Elchesaites , which it is speculated upon where the community that adopted Mani into its fellowship, where strict ascetics, they forbade all displays of art , no music where allowed, no drawings or paintings, no laughter, they where extremely preoccupied with cleanliness and viewed the world from which they willfully exiled themselves as very Hell. At the age of 12, Mani received an Angel by the name of El Tawam , which presented itself as his twin, this twin began to teach him about his origin, about his task on this earth Mani began to paint decoratively and became famous for his artistry. Mani revolted against the extreme asceticism of his community and became a leader which took a group out of this. Mani believed that he was the incarnation of the Paraclete - the Comforter - the Holy spirit which Jesus promised.. He traveled to the East, on ship and by foot to India, what is now Afghanistan, and to China . He assimilated many of the local religions in true Gnostic manner. He became known as Moni Jiao by the Taoists. Mani must have appreciated the figures of Zoroaster and Buddha, since he names them as examples of noble men of Light who transmitted the ways of salvation to mankind. His influence in the East increased greatly after his death reaching its peak just before the dawn of Islam and ending somewhere near the 15th century. He was finally put to death by Zoarastrian on March the 3rd 277.

f. Marcion

Marcion (c 84-160 AD) born to the bishop of Sinop. In his teachings, he proposed that the God of the Hebrew scriptures was an evil, creator God and could not therefore be the same God as the father of Jesus Christ.

g. Monarchianism

Monarchianism is a belief originating in the second century, emphasized the unity of the Godhead or the oneness of divine rule. It arose as a reaction to plurality concept of Trinity. Mainly two varieties existed. Modalist Monarchianism, the most common form, proposed that the Father, Son, and Spirit were just modes of the same being. This form is also known as Sabellianism (after a Roman cleric, Sabellius), and Patripassianism, meaning the Father suffers. The second type, Adoptionist or Dynamic Monarchianism, stated that Jesus was not always God; he was a human until being "adopted" or filled to a unique degree by the Spirit of God.

h. Nestorius

Nestorius (c 381-451AD) became the patriarch of Constantinople in 428 . He believed that there were two persons in Jesus Christ, one human and the other divine. Furthermore, he argued that Mary gave birth to the human person only--though she was the passive recipient of the divine person--and could not, therefore, be called Theotokos (Mother of God ) In 451 the Council of Chalcedon formulated the doctrine that Jesus Christ has two natures, human and divine, united in one person, thereby affirming that Mary could be called Theotokos. Even so, Nestorius' supporters spread his beliefs to the east, and during the fifth century, they formed their own independent body. Nestorianism survives today in parts of Iraq, Iran and Syria and in the Malabar Coast of India.

I. Origenism Or Pelegianism

By this term is understood not so much Origen's theology and the body of his teachings, as a certain number of doctrines, rightly or wrongly attributed to him, and which by their novelty or their danger called forth at an early period a refutation from orthodox writers. They are chiefly: Allegorism in the interpretation of Scripture , Subordination of the Divine Persons and The theory of successive trials and a final restoration.

He also taught that even if Adam had not sinned, he would have died. Adam's sin harmed only himself, not the human race. Children just born are in the same state as Adam before his fall. The whole human race neither dies through Adam's sin or death, nor rises again through the resurrection of Christ.

The (Mosaic Law) is as good a guide to heaven as the Gospel. Even before the advent of Christ there were men who were without sin.

Many similar movements were in existence through the history. As can be seen clearly they are variations of the historical faith mixed with local color and religions of the world. As a result of this syncretism many of them were successful for a period. All these tendencies still continue to exists even today. The differences are very subtle and cleverly interwoven that it is difficult to disentangle these theological mess successfully.

(For a detailed study of the early church heresies the reader is directed to the excellent Christian Heresy Resources library on the Internet:

http://www.ptsem.org/heresy/hernet.htm)

Paul knew of these teachings and gave the stern warning:

3.7 THE SMYRNA CHURCH AD 100 to AD 312

This church period was also the period of intense persecution. Jesus writes a loving letter to the smyrnians, comforting them.

A study of this can be seen in my article on the seven churches.

Rev. 2:8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.

9 I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

combining these together we get the full picture of this period. The ten days of persecutions were supposed to be the ten waves of persecution under the Roman Caesars. A good description of these ten waves are given in the Fox’s book of martyrs chapter 2 which I quote in bits and pieces:

(The enitre book of Fox on Martyrs can be read on the internet which goes on with later peresecutions till the reformation; http://www.anet-dfw.com/~ontrowww/martyr/intro.htm)

3.8 THE TEN PRIMITIVE PERSECUTIONS

A. The First Persecution, Under Nero, A. D. 67

The first persecution of the Church took place in the year 67, under Nero, the sixth emperor of Rome. This monarch reigned for the space of five years, with tolerable credit to himself, but then gave way to the greatest extravagance of temper, and to the most atrocious barbarities. Among other diabolical whims, he ordered that the city of Rome should be set on fire, which order was executed by his officers, guards, and servants. While the imperial city was in flames, he went up to the tower of Macaenas, played upon his harp, sung the song of the burning of Troy, and openly declared that 'he wished the ruin of all things before his death.' Besides the noble pile, called the Circus, many other palaces and houses were consumed; several thousands perished in the flames, were smothered in the smoke, or buried beneath the ruins.

This dreadful conflagration continued nine days; when Nero, finding that his conduct was greatly blamed, and a severe odium cast upon him, determined to lay the whole upon the Christians, at once to excuse himself, and have an opportunity of glutting his sight with new cruelties. This was the occasion of the first persecution; and the barbarities exercised on the Christians were such as even excited the commiseration of the Romans themselves. Nero even refined upon cruelty, and contrived all manner of punishments for the Christians that the most infernal imagination could design. In particular, he had some sewed up in skins of wild beasts, and then worried by dogs until they expired; and others dressed in shirts made stiff with wax, fixed to axle trees, and set on fire in his gardens, in order to illuminate them. This persecution was general throughout the whole Roman Empire; but it rather increased than diminished the spirit of Christianity. In the course of it, St. Paul and St. Peter were martyred.

To their names may be added, Erastus, chamberlain of Corinth; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, and Trophimus, an Ephesian, converted by St. Paul, and fellow-laborer with him, Joseph, commonly called Barsabas, and Ananias, bishop of Damascus; each of the Seventy.

B. The Second Persecution, Under Domitian, A. D. 81

The emperor Domitian, who was naturally inclined to cruelty, first slew his brother, and then raised the second persecution against the Christians. In his rage he put to death some of the Roman senators, some through malice; and others to confiscate their estates. He then commanded all the lineage of David to be put to death.

Among the numerous martyrs that suffered during this persecution was Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem, who was crucified; and St. John, who was boiled in oil, and afterward banished to Patmos. Flavia, the daughter of a Roman senator, was likewise banished to Pontus; and a law was made, "That no Christian, once brought before the tribunal, should be exempted from punishment without renouncing his religion."

A variety of fabricated tales were, during this reign, composed in order to injure the Christians. Such was the infatuation of the pagans, that, if famine, pestilence, or earthquakes afflicted any of the Roman provinces, it was laid upon the Christians. These persecutions among the Christians increased the number of informers and many, for the sake of gain, swore away the lives of the innocent.

Another hardship was, that, when any Christians were brought before the magistrates, a test oath was proposed, when, if they refused to take it, death was pronounced against them; and if they confessed themselves Christians, the sentence was the same.

The following were the most remarkable among the numerous martyrs who suffered during this persecution:

Dionysius, the Areopagite, was an Athenian by birth, appointed bishop of Athens.

Nicodemus, Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Milan.

Timothy was the celebrated disciple of St. Paul, and bishop of Ephesus, where he zealously governed the Church until A. D. 97. At this period, as the pagans were about to celebrate a feast called Catagogion, Timothy, meeting the procession, severely reproved them for their ridiculous idolatry, which so exasperated the people that they fell upon him with their clubs, and beat him in so dreadful a manner that he expired of the bruises two days after.

C. The Third Persecution, Under Trajan and Adrian, A. D. 108

In the third persecution Pliny the Second a man learned and famous, seeing the lamentable slaughter of Christians, and moved therewith to pity, wrote to Trajan, certifying him that there were many thousands of them daily put to death, of which none did any thing contrary to the Roman laws worthy persecution. "The whole account they gave of their crime or error (whichever it is to be called) amounted only to this- viz. that they were accustomed on a stated day to meet before daylight, and to repeat together a set form of prayer to Christ as a God, and to bind themselves by an obligation- not indeed to commit wickedness; but, on the contrary- never to commit theft, robbery, or adultery, never to falsify their word, never to defraud any man: after which it was their custom to separate, and reassemble to partake in common of a harmless meal."

In this persecution suffered the blessed martyr, Ignatius, bishop of Antioch next after Peter in succession. and all the malice of the devil, come upon me; be it so, only may I win Christ Jesus!" He said, "I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread."

Trajan being succeeded by Adrian, the latter continued this third persecution with as much severity as his predecessor. About this time Alexander, bishop of Rome, with his two deacons, were martyred; as were Quirinus and Hernes, with their families; Zenon, a Roman nobleman, and about ten thousand other Christians.

In Mount Ararat many were crucified, crowned with thorns, and spears run into their sides, in imitation of Christ's passion. Eustachius, a brave and successful Roman commander, (being a Christian in his heart) martyred.

At the martyrdom of Faustines and Jovita, brothers and citizens of Brescia, their torments were so many, and their patience so great, that Calocerius, a pagan, beholding them, was struck with admiration, and exclaimed in a kind of ecstasy, "Great is the God of the Christians!" for which he was apprehended, and suffered a similar fate.

Many other similar cruelties and rigors were exercised against the Christians, until Quadratus, bishop of Athens, made a learned apology in their favor before the emperor, who happened to be there and Aristides, a philosopher of the same city, wrote an elegant epistle, which caused Adrian to relax in his severities, and relent in their favor.

Adrian dying A. D. 138, was succeeded by Antoninus Pius, one of the most amiable monarchs that ever reigned, and who stayed the persecutions against the Christians.

D. The Fourth Persecution, Under Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, A. D. 162

Marcus Aurelius, followed about the year of our Lord 161, a man of nature more stern and severe; and, although in study of philosophy and in civil government no less commendable, yet, toward the Christians sharp and fierce; by whom was moved the fourth persecution.

The cruelties used in this persecution were such that many of the spectators shuddered with horror at the sight, and were astonished at the intrepidity of the sufferers. Some of the martyrs were obliged to pass, with their already wounded feet, over thorns, nails, sharp shells, etc. upon their points, others were scourged until their sinews and veins lay bare, and after suffering the most excruciating tortures that could be devised, they were destroyed by the most terrible deaths.

Germanicus, was delivered to the wild beasts on account of his faith, behaved with such astonishing courage that several pagans became converts to a faith which inspired such fortitude.

Polycarp, the venerable bishop of Smyrna, was condemned, and burnt in the market place.

Felicitatis, an illustrious Roman lady, of a considerable family, and the most shining virtues, was a devout Christian. She had seven sons, whom she had educated with the most exemplary piety.

Januarius, the eldest, was scourged, and pressed to death with weights; Felix and Philip, the two next had their brains dashed out with clubs; Silvanus, the fourth, was murdered by being thrown from a precipice; and the three younger sons, Alexander, Vitalis, and Martial, were beheaded. The mother was beheaded with the same sword as the three latter.

Justin, the celebrated philosopher, fell a martyr in this persecution. He was a native of Neapolis, in Samaria, and was born A. D. 103.

Several were beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to the image of Jupiter; in particular Concordus, a deacon of the city of Spolito. Some of the restless northern nations having risen in arms against Rome, the emperor marched to encounter them. He was, however, drawn into an ambuscade, and dreaded the loss of his whole army. Enveloped with mountains, surrounded by enemies, and perishing with thirst, the pagan deities were invoked in vain; when the men belonging to the militine, or thundering legion, who were all Christians, were commanded to call upon their God for succor. A miraculous deliverance immediately ensued; a prodigious quantity of rain fell, which, being caught by the men, and filling their dykes, afforded a sudden and astonishing relief. It appears that the storm which miraculously flashed in the face of the enemy so intimidated them, that part deserted to the Roman army; the rest were defeated, and the revolted provinces entirely recovered.

This affair occasioned the persecution to subside for some time, at least in those parts immediately under the inspection of the emperor; but we find that it soon after raged in France, particularly at Lyons.

E. The Fifth Persecution, Commencing With Severus, A. D. 192

Severus, having been recovered from a severe fit of sickness by a Christian, became a great favorer of the Christians in general; but the prejudice and fury of the ignorant multitude prevailing, obsolete laws were put in execution against the Christians. The progress of Christianity alarmed the pagans, and they revived the stale calumny of placing accidental misfortunes to the account of its professors, A. D. 192.

Victor, bishop of Rome, suffered martyrdom in the first year of the third century, A. D. 201. Leonidus, the father of the celebrated Origen, was beheaded for being a Christian. Many of Origen's hearers likewise suffered martyrdom; particularly two brothers, named Plutarchus and Serenus; another Serenus, Heron, and Heraclides, were beheaded. Rhais had boiled pitch poured upon her head, and was then burnt, as was Marcella her mother. Potainiena, the sister of Rhais, was executed in the same manner as Rhais had been; but Basilides, an officer belonging to the army, and ordered to attend her execution, became her convert.

Basilides being, as an officer, required to take a certain oath, refused, saying, that he could not swear by the Roman idols, was beheaded.

Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, was born in Greece, and received both a polite and a Christian education. It is generally supposed that the account of the persecutions at Lyons was written by himself. He succeeded the martyr Pothinus as bishop of Lyons, and ruled his diocese with great propriety; he was a zealous opposer of heresies in general, and, about A. D. 187, he wrote a celebrated tract against heresy. Victor, the bishop of Rome, wanting to impose the keeping of Easter there, in preference to other places, it occasioned some disorders among the Christians. In particular, Irenaeus wrote him a synodical epistle, in the name of the Gallic churches. This zeal, in favor of Christianity, pointed him out as an object of resentment to the emperor; and in A. D. 202, he was beheaded.

The persecutions now extending to Africa, many were martyred in that quarter of the globe; the most particular of whom we shall mention.

Perpetua, a married lady, of about twenty-two years. Those who suffered with her were, Felicitas, a married lady, big with child at the time of her being Apprehended, and Revocatus, catechumen of Carthage, and a slave. The names of the other prisoners, destined to suffer upon this occasion, were Saturninus, Secundulus, and Satur. On the day appointed for their execution, they were led to the amphitheater. Satur, Saturninus, and Revocatus were ordered to run the gauntlet between the hunters, or such as had the care of the wild beasts. The hunters being drawn up in two ranks, they ran between, and were severely lashed as they passed. Felicitas and Perpetua were stripped, in order to be thrown to a mad bull, which made his first attack upon Perpetua, and stunned her; he then darted at Felicitas, and gored her dreadfully; but not killing them, the executioner did that office with a sword. Revocatus and Satur were destroyed by wild beasts; Saturninus was beheaded; and Secundulus died in prison. These executions were in the year 205, on the eighth day of March.

Speratus and twelve others were likewise beheaded; as was Andocles in France. Asclepiades, bishop of Antioch, suffered many tortures, but his life was spared.

Cecilia, a young lady of good family in Rome, was married to a gentleman named Valerian. She converted her husband and brother, who were beheaded; and the maximus, or officer, who led them to execution, becoming their convert, suffered the same fate. The lady was placed naked in a scalding bath, and having continued there a considerable time, her head was struck off with a sword, A. D. 222.

Calistus, bishop of Rome, was martyred, A. D. 224; but the manner of his death is not recorded; and Urban, bishop of Rome, met the same fate A. D. 232.

F. The Sixth Persecution, Under Maximus, A. D. 235

A.D. 235, was in the time of Maximinus. In Cappadocia, the president, Seremianus, did all he could to exterminate the Christians from that province.

The principal persons who perished under this reign were Pontianus, bishop of Rome; Anteros, a Grecian, his successor, who gave offense to the government by collecting the acts of the martyrs, Pammachius and Quiritus, Roman senators, with all their families, and many other Christians; Simplicius, senator; Calepodius, a Christian minister, thrown into the Tyber; Martina, a noble and beautiful virgin; and Hippolitus, a Christian prelate, tied to a wild horse, and dragged until he expired.

During this persecution, raised by Maximinus, numberless Christians were slain without trial, and buried indiscriminately in heaps, sometimes fifty or sixty being cast into a pit together, without the least decency.

The tyrant Maximinus dying, A. D. 238, was succeeded by Gordian, during whose reign, and that of his successor Philip, the Church was free from persecution for the space of more than ten years; but in A, D. 249, a violent persecution broke out in Alexandria, at the instigation of a pagan priest, without the knowledge of the emperor.

G. The Seventh Persecution, Under Decius A. D. 249

This was occasioned partly by the hatred he bore to his predecessor Philip, who was deemed a Christian and was partly by his jealousy concerning the amazing increase of Christianity; for the heathen temples began to be forsaken, and the Christian churches thronged.

Fabian, the bishop of Rome, was the first person of eminence who felt the severity of this persecution and on January 20, A. D. 250, he suffered decapitation.

Julian, a native of Cilicia, as we are informed by St. Chrysostom, was seized upon for being a Christian. He was put into a leather bag, together with a number of serpents and scorpions, and in that condition thrown into the sea.

Peter, a young man, amiable for the superior qualities of his body and mind, was beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to Venus.

Andrew and Paul, two companions of Nichomachus the martyr, A. D. 251, suffered martyrdom by stoning, and expired, calling on their blessed Redeemer.

Alexander and Epimachus, of Alexandria, were apprehended for being Christians: and, confessing the accusation, were beat with staves, torn with hooks, and at length burnt in the fire; and we are informed, in a fragment preserved by Eusebius, that four female martyrs suffered on the same day, and at the same place.

Cyril, bishop of Gortyna, walked cheerfully to the place of execution, and underwent his martyrdom with great fortitude.

The persecution raged in no place more than the Island of Crete; for the governor, being exceedingly active in executing the imperial decrees, that place streamed with pious blood.

Babylas, a Christian of a liberal education, became bishop of Antioch, A. D. 237, on the demise of Zebinus. He acted with inimitable zeal, and governed the Church with admirable prudence during the most tempestuous times. The first misfortune that happened to Antioch during his mission, was the siege of it by Sapor, king of Persia; who, having overrun all Syria, took and plundered this city among others, and used the Christian inhabitants with greater severity than the rest, but was soon totally defeated by Gordian.

After Gordian's death, in the reign of Decius, that emperor came to Antioch, where, having a desire to visit an assembly of Christians, Babylas opposed him, and absolutely refused to let him come in. The emperor dissembled his anger at that time; but soon sending for the bishop, he sharply reproved him for his insolence, and then ordered him to sacrifice to the pagan deities as an expiation for his offense. This being refused, he was committed to prison, loaded with chains, treated with great severities, and then beheaded, together with three young men who had been his pupils. A. D. 251.

Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem, about this time was cast into prison on account of his religion, where he died through the severity of his confinement.

Origen, the celebrated presbyter and catchiest of Alexandria, at the age of sixty-four, was seized, thrown into a loathsome prison, laden with fetters, his feet placed in the stocks, and his legs extended to the utmost for several successive days. He was threatened with fire, and tormented by every lingering means the most infernal imaginations could suggest. During this cruel temporizing, the emperor Decius died, and Gallus, who succeeded him, engaging in a war with the Goths, the Christians met with a respite. In this interim, Origen obtained his enlargement, and, retiring to Tyre, he there remained until his death, which happened when he was in the sixty-ninth year of his age.

Gallus, the emperor, having concluded his wars, a plague broke out in the empire: sacrifices to the pagan deities were ordered by the emperor, and persecutions spread from the interior to the extreme parts of the empire, and many fell martyrs to the impetuosity of the rabble, as well as the prejudice of the magistrates. Among these were Cornelius, the Christian bishop of Rome, and Lucius, his successor, in 253.

Most of the errors which crept into the Church at this time arose from placing human reason in competition with revelation; but the fallacy of such arguments being proved by the most able divines, the opinions they had created vanished away like the stars before the sun.

H. The Eighth Persecution, Under Valerian, A. D. 257

The eighth wave of persecution began under Valerian, in the month of April, 257, and continued for three years and six months. The martyrs that fell in this persecution were innumerable, and their tortures and deaths as various and painful. The most eminent martyrs were the following, though neither rank, sex, nor age were regarded.

Stephen, bishop of Rome, was beheaded in the same year, and about that time Saturninus, the pious orthodox bishop of Toulouse, refusing to sacrifice to idols, was treated with all the barbarous indignities imaginable, and fastened by the feet to the tail of a bull and martyr's brains were dashed out.

Sextus succeeded Stephen as bishop of Rome. In the year 258, Marcianus, who had the management of the Roman government, procured an order from the emperor Valerian, to put to death all the Christian clergy in Rome, and hence the bishop with six of his deacons, suffered martyrdom in 258.

A. D. 207, Cyprian was brought before the proconsul Aspasius Paturnus, who exiled him to a little city on the Lybian sea. On the death of this proconsul, he returned to Carthage, but was soon after seized, and carried before the new governor, who condemned him to be beheaded; which sentence was executed on the fourteenth of September, A. D. 258.

The disciples of Cyprian, martyred in this persecution, were Lucius, Flavian, Victoricus, Remus, Montanus, Julian, Primelus, and Donatian.

At Utica, a most terrible tragedy was exhibited: three hundred Christians were, by the orders of the proconsul, placed round a burning lime kiln. A pan of coals and incense being prepared, they were commanded either to sacrifice to Jupiter, or to be thrown into the kiln. Unanimously refusing, they bravely jumped into the pit, and were immediately suffocated.

Fructuosus, bishop of Tarragon, in Spain, and his two deacons, Augurius and Eulogius, were burnt for being Christians.

Alexander, Malchus, and Priscus, three Christians of Palestine, with a woman of the same place, voluntarily accused themselves of being Christians; on which account they were sentenced to be devoured by tigers, which sentence was executed accordingly.

Maxima, Donatilla, and Secunda, three virgins of Tuburga, had gall and vinegar given them to drink, were then severely scourged, tormented on a gibbet, rubbed with lime, scorched on a gridiron, worried by wild beasts, and at length beheaded.

It is here proper to take notice of the singular but miserable fate of the emperor Valerian, who had so long and so terribly persecuted the Christians. This tyrant, by a stratagem, was taken prisoner by Sapor, emperor of Persia, who carried him into his own country, and there treated him with the most unexampled indignity, making him kneel down as the meanest slave, and treading upon him as a footstool when he mounted his horse. After having kept him for the space of seven years in this abject state of slavery, he caused his eyes to be put out, though he was then eighty-three years of age. This not satiating his desire of revenge, he soon after ordered his body to be flayed alive, and rubbed with salt, under which torments he expired; and thus fell one of the most tyrannical emperors of Rome, and one of the greatest persecutors of the Christians.

A.D. 260, Gallienus, the son of Valerian, succeeded him, and during his reign (a few martyrs excepted) the Church enjoyed peace for some years.

I. The Ninth Persecution Under Aurelian, A. D. 274

The principal sufferers were: Felix, bishop of Rome. This prelate was advanced to the Roman see in 274. He was the first martyr to Aurelian's petulancy, being beheaded on the twenty-second of December, in the same year.

Agapetus, a young gentleman, who sold his estate, and gave the money to the poor, was seized as a Christian, tortured, and then beheaded at Praeneste, a city within a day's journey of Rome.

These are the only martyrs left upon record during this reign, as it was soon put to a stop by the emperor's being murdered by his own domestics, at Byzantium.

Aurelian was succeeded by Tacitus, who was followed by Probus, as the latter was by Carus: this emperor being killed by a thunder storm, his sons, Carnious and Numerian, succeeded him, and during all these reigns the Church had peace.

Diocletian mounted the imperial throne, A. D. 284; at first he showed great favor to the Christians. In the year 286, he associated Maximian with him in the empire; and some Christians were put to death before any general persecution broke out. Among these were Felician and Primus, two brothers.

In the year of Christ 286, a most remarkable affair occurred; a legion of soldiers, consisting of six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men, contained none but Christians. This legion was called the Theban Legion, because the men had been raised in Thebias: they were quartered in the east until the emperor Maximian ordered them to march to Gaul, to assist him against the rebels of Burgundy. They passed the Alps into Gaul, under the command of Mauritius, Candidus, and Exupernis, their worthy commanders, and at length joined the emperor. Maximian, about this time, ordered a general sacrifice, at which the whole army was to assist; and likewise he commanded that they should take the oath of allegiance and swear, at the same time, to assist in the extirpation of Christianity in Gaul. Alarmed at these orders, each individual of the Theban Legion absolutely refused either to sacrifice or take the oaths prescribed. This so greatly enraged Maximian, that he ordered the legion to be decimated, that is, every tenth man to be selected from the rest, and put to the sword. This bloody order having been put in execution, those who remained alive were still inflexible, when a second decimation took place, and every tenth man of those living was put to death. This second severity made no more impression than the first had done; the soldiers preserved their fortitude and their principles, but by the advice of their officers they drew up a loyal remonstrance to the emperor. This, it might have been presumed, would have softened the emperor, but it had a contrary effect: for, enraged at their perseverance and unanimity, he commanded that the whole legion should be put to death, which was accordingly executed by the other troops, who cut them to pieces with their swords, September 22, 286.

J. The Tenth Persecution, Under Diocletian, A. D. 303

Under the Roman emperors, commonly called the Era of the Martyrs, was occasioned partly by the increasing number and luxury of the Christians, and the hatred of Galerius, the adopted son of Diocletian, who, being stimulated by his mother, a bigoted pagan, never ceased persuading the emperor to enter upon the persecution, until he had accomplished his purpose.

The fatal day fixed upon to commence the bloody work, was the twenty-third of February, A. D. 303, that being the day in which the Terminalia were celebrated, and on which, as the cruel pagans boasted, they hoped to put a termination to Christianity. On the appointed day, the persecution began in Nicomedia, on the morning of which the prefect of that city repaired, with a great number of officers and assistants, to the church of the Christians, where, having forced open the doors, they seized upon all the sacred books, and committed them to the flames.

The whole of this transaction was in the presence of Diocletian and Galerius, who, not contented with burning the books, had the church levelled with the ground. This was followed by a severe edict, commanding the destruction of all other Christian churches and books; and an order soon succeeded, to render Christians of all denomination outlaws.

The publication of this edict occasioned an immediate martyrdom, for a bold Christian not only tore it down from the place to which it was affixed, but execrated the name of the emperor for his injustice. A provocation like this was sufficient to call down pagan vengeance upon his head; he was accordingly seized, severely tortured, and then burned alive.

All the Christians were apprehended and imprisoned; and Galerius privately ordered the imperial palace to be set on fire, that the Christians might be charged as the incendiaries, and a plausible pretense given for carrying on the persecution with the greater severities. A general sacrifice was commenced, which occasioned various martyrdom. No distinction was made of age or sex; the name of Christian was so obnoxious to the pagans that all indiscriminately fell sacrifices to their opinions. Many houses were set on fire, and whole Christian families perished in the flames; and others had stones fastened about their necks, and being tied together were driven into the sea. The persecution became general in all the Roman provinces, but more particularly in the east; and as it lasted ten years, it is impossible to ascertain the numbers martyred, or to enumerate the various modes of martyrdom.

Racks, scourges, swords, daggers, crosses, poison, and famine, were made use of in various parts to dispatch the Christians; and invention was exhausted to devise tortures against such as had no crime, but thinking differently from the votaries of superstition.

A city of Phrygia, consisting entirely of Christians, was burnt, and all the inhabitants perished in the flames.

This was the bloodiest of all persecution until it was stayed by Constantine.

3.8 TWO PRONGED ATTACK BY THE ENEMY

As we saw the enemy - The Evil One and the evil ones of this world combined their forces in a two pronged continued attack to destroy the sown word of God. This attempt started with the birth of Jesus when we have the attempt of Herod to kill the child Jesus. Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness and final temptations in the mount of Gathsemene. When this did not work these forces were at work from then on and continues to this day. The attack is two pronged.

1. Direct persecution

2. Polluting the true Gospel.

and no where in the history this was so pronounced as at the post-Apostolic period. One fact stood out during the persecution. In spite of the severe and cruel persecutions, Christians remained highly moral and were true models of good citizenship.

The direct persecution came to an end in Roman Empire with the acceptance of Christianity as state religion by Emperor Constantine. But the struggle went on else where unabated and still goes on.

It will go on till the end of the ages.

"You shall have tribulations in this world. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome this world."