Exhortation to Martyrdom 34

And let us observe this too: that the Savior's prophecies about martyrdom are given not in his words to the multitudes but in those to the apostles. For after it has first been said, “These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them: Do not go into the way of the Gentiles,” and what follows, there is added: “Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how or what you are to speak; for what you are to speak will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking in you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to the next, and if they persecute you from that one, flee to another; for truly I say to you, you will not finish the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” And Luke records similar things: “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how you are to make your defense or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” And after other things: “Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. And not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.” And Mark says similar things: “When they lead you away and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand or meditate what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake; but he who endures to the end will be saved.” And these words also, in Matthew, which urge us on to martyrdom, were spoken to no others than the Twelve; and we too must hear them, as those who will be brothers of the apostles who heard them, and will be counted with the apostles. The sayings run thus: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” And next to this the Lord teaches us that no one comes into the contest of martyrdom without providence. For it is said: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father in heaven. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who confesses in me before men, I also will confess in him before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny him before my Father in heaven.” Equivalent to these are the words in Luke: “I say to you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will show you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who confesses in me before men, the Son of Man also will confess in him before the angels of God; but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” And in another place: “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels.” And Mark recorded something close to this: “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Those, then, who put us to death kill the life of the body; for such is the meaning of “Do not fear those who kill the body,” said in these very words by Matthew and by Luke. And after they have killed the body, even if they wish, they cannot kill the soul; nor do they “have anything more that they can do.” For how is it possible for a soul to be destroyed that has been made alive by its confession itself? For he who urges us to martyrdom in Isaiah, and his Servant, bear witness to it in return, where it is written: “Be witnesses for me, and I am a witness, says the Lord God, and the Servant whom I have chosen.” And note this also: that this commandment was given not to Jesus' servants but to his “friends”: “Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.” We must fear, then, “him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” For he alone “after he has killed has authority to cast into Gehenna.” And he will cast into it those who have feared those who kill the body and have not feared “him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna,” and “him who after he has killed has authority to cast into Gehenna.” And if the hairs of anyone's head “are numbered,” they are clearly numbered for those beheaded for Jesus' sake; let us confess in the Son of God, and before men and not before gods, so that he who has been confessed may repay us by confessing us before his God and Father, and himself confess in heaven the one who confessed him on earth.