Early Christian Beliefs About Persecution

Tertullian, De Fuga in Persecutione Direct teaching

2. If, because injustice is not from God, but from the devil, and persecution consists of injustice—for what is more unjust than that the bishops of the true God, and all the followers of the truth, should be treated in the manner of the vilest criminals?—persecution therefore seems to proceed from the devil, by whom the injustice that makes up persecution is carried out, we ought to know this: just as you do not have persecution without the devil's injustice, so you do not have the trial of faith without persecution. The injustice necessary for the trial of faith does not give a warrant for persecution, but supplies an agency. In reality, in reference to the trial of faith, which is the reason for persecution, the will of God goes first. But as the instrument of persecution, which is the way of trial, the injustice of the devil follows. For in other respects too, injustice, in proportion to the enmity it shows against righteousness, gives occasion for attestations of that to which it is opposed as an enemy, so that righteousness may be perfected in injustice, as strength is perfected in weakness. For the weak things of the world have been chosen by God to confound the strong, and

Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Direct teaching

There is a persecution which arises from without, from men assailing the faithful, either out of hatred, or envy, or avarice, or through diabolic agency.

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Supporting witness

Therefore, that bitterness of persecution you speak of is our deliverance, not persecution. And the harm done to us will not bring evil on us, but will lead us to the light of freedom. It is as if some foolish and stupid man thought that he had not punished a man thrown into prison with enough harshness and cruelty unless he attacked the prison itself, smashed its stones, and burned its roof, walls, and doors, and stripped, tore down, and hurled its other parts to the ground. He would not know that by doing this he was giving light to the man he seemed to be hurting, and taking away from him the cursed darkness. In the same way, by the fires, banishments, tortures, and beasts with which you tear apart and rip our bodies, you do not take life from us, but remove us from our skins. You do not know that, the more you attack and try to rage against these shadows and forms of ours, the more you set us free from crushing and heavy chains; and by cutting our bonds, you make us fly up to the light.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

Add to this that righteousness is hated, that all who wish to follow God are not only held in hatred, but are harassed with all reproaches, and are tormented by manifold kinds of punishments, and are driven to the impious worship of gods made with hands, not by reason or truth, but by dreadful laceration of their bodies.

Tertullian, Apology Supporting witness

...an obstinate refusal to offer sacrifices, he found in their religious services nothing but meetings early in the morning for singing hymns to Christ and God, and sealing their way of life by a united pledge to remain faithful to their religion, forbidding murder, adultery, dishonesty, and other crimes. In reply, Trajan wrote back that Christians were by no means to be sought out. But if they were brought before him, they should be punished. O miserable deliverance. Under the necessities of the case, it is a self-contradiction. It forbids them to be sought out, as innocent, and it commands them to be punished, as guilty. It is at once merciful and cruel. It passes by, and it punishes. Why do you play this game of evasion with yourself, O Judgment? If you condemn, why do you not also inquire? If you do not inquire, why do you not also absolve? Military stations are set throughout all the provinces for tracking robbers. Against traitors and public enemies every man is a soldier. Search is made even for their confederates and accessories. The Christian alone must not be sought, though he may be brought and accused before the judge, as if a search had any other end than that! And so

Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Background

And this will become evident, when I relate who were the persecutors of the Church from the time of its first constitution, and what were the punishments by which the divine Judge, in His severity, took vengeance on them.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

Receive also those who are persecuted because of the faith, and who flee from city to city, according to the Lord's commandment in Matthew 10:23. Help them as martyrs, and rejoice that you share in their persecution, knowing that they are considered blessed by the Lord. For He Himself says, "Blessed are you when people reproach you, and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, because your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before us," Matthew 5:11-12. And again, "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you," John 15:20. And later, "If they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For in the world you have tribulation. For they will deliver you into the synagogues, and you will be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, and for a testimony to them." And, "He who endures to the end, the same will be saved," Matthew 10:22. For he who is persecuted for the sake of the faith, and bears witness concerning Him, Christ, and endures, is truly a man of God.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

...ssed are those who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who search His testimonies and seek Him with their whole heart.” Moreover, the Lord in the Gospel, Himself the avenger of our persecution and the rewarder of our suffering, says: “Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And again: “Blessed will you be when men hate you, and separate you, and cast you out, and revile your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy; for behold, your reward is great in heaven.” And once more: “Whoever loses his life for My sake, that one will save it.” Nor do the rewards of the divine promise belong only to those who are reproached and killed. Even if the suffering itself is lacking for the faithful, if their faith has remained sound and unconquered, and if, having forsaken and despised all his possessions, the Christian has shown that he is following Christ, he also is honored by Christ among the martyrs, as He Himself promises and says: “There is no man who leaves house, or land, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

...is cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me." Matthew 10:37-38 And again: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed will you be when men persecute you and hate you. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for in the same way their fathers persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:10-12 And again: because you will stand before kings and authorities, and brother will hand over brother to death, and father his son, and he who endures to the end will be saved. And, "To him who overcomes I will give to sit on My throne, just as I also overcame and have sat down on the throne of My Father." Moreover, the apostle says: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who has loved us." Romans 8:35

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...ngs, both to spiritual matters and to physical things. For when He said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake," Matthew 5:10, He clearly taught us in every situation to look to the martyr. If that person is poor for righteousness' sake, he bears witness that the righteousness he loves is a good thing. If he hungers and thirsts for righteousness' sake, he testifies that righteousness is the best thing. In the same way, the one who weeps and mourns for righteousness' sake testifies that the best law is beautiful. So then, just as those who are persecuted are called blessed, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness' sake are also called blessed by Him who approves true desire, a desire that not even famine can stop. And if they hunger for righteousness itself, they are blessed. And blessed are the poor, whether in spirit or in outward circumstances, that is, if it is for righteousness' sake. He does not simply call the poor blessed, but those who have chosen to become poor for righteousness' sake. These are the people who have despised the honors of this world in order to gain the good. In the same way, He also blesses those who, through chastity, have

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

... us that, for love of God, we must gnostically despise death. "Blessed are they," He says, "who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for they shall be called the sons of God," Matthew 5:10. Or, as some of those who transpose the Gospels say, "Blessed are they who are persecuted by righteousness, for they shall be perfect." And, "Blessed are they who are persecuted for my sake, for they shall have a place where they shall not be persecuted." And, "Blessed are you when men hate you, when they separate you, when they cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake," Luke 6:22. This is so if we do not hate our persecutors, and if we undergo punishments from their hands without hating them, and without thinking that we have been put on trial later than we expected. Instead, we should know this too: every trial is an occasion for bearing witness.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

But they say, "If God cares for you, why are you persecuted and put to death? Has He handed you over to this?" No, we do not think that the Lord wants us to be caught up in disasters. Rather, He prophetically foretold what would happen: that we would be persecuted for His name's sake, slaughtered, and impaled. So it is not that He wanted us to be persecuted. Instead, He made known beforehand what we would suffer by predicting what would happen. In this way, He trains us to endure, and to that endurance He promised the inheritance, although we are punished not alone, but together with many others. But, it is said, those others are criminals, and so they are rightly punished. Therefore, even unwillingly, they bear witness to our righteousness, since we are unjustly punished for righteousness' sake. But the injustice of the judge does not affect the providence of God. For the judge must be in control of his own opinion, not pulled by strings like lifeless machines that are moved only by outside causes. Therefore, he is judged for his judgment, just as we also are judged according to our choice of desirable things and our endurance. Although we do no wrong, the judge sees us as doing w

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

As, then, those that are persecuted, so also those that hunger and thirst for righteousness' sake, are called blessed by Him who approves of the true desire, which not even famine can put a stop to.

Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians Supporting witness

be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;” and once more, “Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

Luke 6:22 Background

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

Matthew 5:10 Background

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:11 Background

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Matthew 5:12 Background

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Tertullian, Scorpiace Direct teaching

...hild; and children will rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death," He has clearly announced, with reference to the others, this kind of unrighteous conduct, which we do not find shown in the case of the apostles. For none of them experienced a father or a brother as a betrayer, which very many of us have. Then He returns to the apostles: "And you will be hated by all men for my name's sake." How much more will this be true of us, for whom there is the necessity of being handed over even by parents. Thus, by assigning this very betrayal now to the apostles, now to all, He pours out the same destruction on all the possessors of the name, on whom the name will rest together with the condition that it is an object of hatred. "But he who will endure to the end, this man will be saved." By enduring what, if not persecution, betrayal, and death? For to endure to the end is nothing else than to suffer the end. And therefore there immediately follow the words, "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his own lord." Because, since the Master and Lord Himself stood firm in suffering persecution, betrayal, and death, much more it will be the duty

Tertullian, De Fuga in Persecutione Supporting witness

...ance. In fact, there is room for nothing but fear and hope. So even by this very thing we have it clearly proved that persecution, improving as it does the servants of God, cannot be imputed to the devil.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Moreover, the Lord in the Gospel, Himself the avenger of our persecution and the rewarder of our suffering, says: Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Dionysius of Alexandria, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

... them that He speaks these words, and He cannot lie when He says them: "In the world you shall have tribulation." In the same way, He also says through the prophet, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous." But I think He is referring to this not entering into temptation when He speaks, in the prophet's words, of being delivered out of afflictions. For He adds, "The Lord will deliver him out of them all." And this agrees exactly with the Savior's word, by which He promises that they will overcome their afflictions and share in the victory that He has won for them. For after saying, "In the world you shall have tribulation," He added, "But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Again, He taught them to pray that they might not fall into temptation when He said, "And lead us not into temptation," which means, "Do not allow us to fall into temptation." And to show that this did not mean that they should not be tempted, but rather that they should be delivered from evil, He added, "But deliver us from evil." But perhaps you will say, "What difference is there between being tempted and falling, or entering, into temptation?" Well, if someone is overcome by evil—and he will

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

... name is Thegri, and has shut up its mouth, so that it cannot tear you. You have escaped from great tribulation on account of your faith, and because you did not doubt in the presence of such a beast. Go, therefore, and tell the elect of the Lord His mighty deeds, and say to them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation that is coming. If, then, you prepare yourselves and repent with all your heart, and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to escape it, if your heart is pure and spotless, and you spend the rest of the days of your life in serving the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and He will direct them. Trust the Lord, you who doubt, for He is all-powerful, and can turn His anger away from you, and send scourges on the doubters. Woe to those who hear these words and despise them. Better for them not to have been born." Matthew 26:24

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...ue and greatest gift of God, necessary for the weak and glorious for the strong. With its help, the Christian fulfills spiritual grace, is worthy before Christ the Judge, and counts God as his debtor. For this victory of works of salvation, let us strive gladly and eagerly. Let us all run in the contest of righteousness, with God and Christ looking on. And let us, who have already begun to be greater than this life and the world, never slow our course because of any desire for this life or this world. If that day finds us prepared, swift, and running in this contest of love, whether it is the day of reward or of persecution, the Lord will never fail to give a reward for our merits. In peace, He will give us who conquer a white crown for our labors. In persecution, He will add a purple one for our suffering.

Justin Martyr, The Martyrdom of Justin Martyr Direct teaching

Having come together, offer sacrifice with one accord to the gods.” Justin said, “No right-thinking person falls away from piety to impiety.” Rusticus the prefect said, “Unless ye obey, ye shall be mercilessly punished.” Justin said, “Through prayer we can be saved on account of our Lord Jesus Christ, even when we have been punished, because this shall become to us salvation and confidence at the more fearful and universal judgment-seat of our Lord and Saviour.” Thus also said the other martyrs: “Do what you will, for we are Christians, and do not sacrifice to idols.”

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

VIII. But if any one be maliciously prosecuted by the heathen, because he will not still go along with them to the same excess of riot, let him know that such a one is blessed of God, according as our Lord says in the Gospel: Blessed are you when men shall reproach you, or persecute you, or say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

2 Thessalonians 1:4 Background

Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

2 Timothy 3:11 Background

persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

Revelation 2:10 Background

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.