As I studied about the persecution of the church by Rome from c. AD 54 to AD 313, I am amazed at what the church went through and what it became as a result of that persecution.There were ten major persecutions of Christians covering the time spans of ten different Roman emperors. These persecutions can be divided into three segments that differentiate the scale of the persecution of the church. Persecution began as “sporadic,” or not universal and not all of the time. This particular persecution was seen under the reigns of Nero and Domitian from AD 54 – AD96. The next segment of persecution would be classified as “organized,” or put together by imperial decree. This persecution ran under six different emperors from AD 98 – AD 211. Finally, a “universal,” or a persecution that was everywhere and all the time, fell under the reigns of Decius and Diocletian from AD 249 – AD 305.
The church would respond in many ways to the persecution they endured. Some “believers” would do what they had to do to stay alive. Many fell away from the church and from the faith during this period. Others would flee the persecution as much as possible, yet not necessarily denying their belief in Jesus Christ. Many during this time decided that they would not deny, nor would they flee any persecution that would come their way. They would be martyred for the cause of Christ. 3,000,000 people would die for their faith during this time of persecution. Those that fled spread the Gospel to the reaches of the world and many more would come to Christ.
I am amazed at what God did during this time. Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, would be martyred in AD 155. The mobs of Rome were crying out for the “death of the atheists” and wanted Polycarp brought to justice (as a result of Germanicus’ actions during his martyrdom). Polycarp fled for a few days, but then decided that his arrest would be the will of God. He was arrested and brought before the judge. He would not back down from his faith. He stated, “For eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no evil. How could I curse my King, who saved me?” He was burned at the stake while thanking God for deeming him worthy of this kind of death.[1]
Emperor Diocletian’s reign from AD 284 – AD 305 was the toughest persecution the church would see. He had defined his reign in AD 303 as one that would eradicate the church and the world of Christians. God had other plans. Diocletian would abdicate his rule in AD 305 because of his failure to do any harm to the church. He had martyred many Christians, but the church was stronger and more numerous after his reign than it was before it. Tertullian stated that, “The blood of the martyrs is seed.” He that is with us is greater than he that is in the world!!! Praise the Lord!
Through this time of persecution, the church would be forced to make decisions about what they believed and how they practiced that belief. Many in the church weren’t sure if those that fled the persecution or those who denied Christ should be let back into the fellowship as believers. “The question of what should be done about those baptized Christians who sinned divided the Western church repeatedly. It was out of that concern that the entire penitential system developed.”[2] Their meetings would be in secret. They would meet heresy by dealing with who they were in Christ and struggling for purity in the church. Gnosticism forced the church to define its theology, form Christian schools (Alexandria) and develop the canonized Scriptures.[3] Persecution would push the church to the next level in their faith.
[1] Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity. Volume I: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation (New York, HarperCollins Publishers, 1984), 43-44.
[2] Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity. Volume I: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation (New York, HarperCollins Publishers, 1984), 90.
[3] As indicated by Dr. Carl Diemer in the CHHI520 Liberty University DVD Lecture Series. 2005.
