What is a Martyr? Bible Meaning and Examples

The word martyr comes from the Greek word martys (μάρτυς). It means simply to witness. In secular Greek the word carried a specific legal connotation as “one who testifies before the court.” To testify is to be a martyr.

To give you an example, in Acts 1:8 Jesus tells the disciples they will be his “martus (witnesses) in all Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” And in Acts 2:32 Peter says that they were martus of the resurrection. Here the word simply means that they saw something—they were testifying to what they had seen with their own eyes. 1 John 1:1-4 is the language of a martyr, in the sense of being a witness to an event which occurred.

But very quickly the word came to be a reference to those who testified to Christ at the point of death. The word martyr quickly morphed into the concept of martyrdom. The Yale Bible Dictionary captures this well, “martyrdom refers to the act of choosing death rather than renouncing one’s religious principles.” The connection of death with the word martyr is very early. Haykin is likely correct when he says that this change in the word “is an excellent gauge of what was happening to Christians as they bore witness to Christ in the first century.” My guess is that when the Martyrdom of Polycarp (155AD) was written, the transition of meaning from “witness” to “dying for the faith” was firmly established.

What is a martyr? If you ask a first century Greek, they would tell you that it’s a witness who testifies to the truthfulness of an event. But as we’ve borrowed this word, it has taken on a new meaning. If you consult Merriam-Webster today, a martyr is “a person who is killed or who suffers greatly for a religion, cause, etc.”

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Most would have Stephen from Acts 6-7 being the first martyr. Wallace and Rusk outline six features of a stereotypical martyrdom: a hero, opposition, foreseeable risk, courage and commitment, death, audience response.  Most of these features are present in the story of Stephen.

Stephen is presented as “a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.” He was also “full of grace and power” and was “doing great wonders and signs among the people.” But he was quickly opposed by “the synagogue of the Freedmen” among others and they “stirred up the people with the elders and the scribes.” Stephen was opposed, and the plotting at the end of Acts 6 lets us know that Stephen was at a great risk. Yet Stephen courageously spoke the truth and outlined the gospel from the Old Testament narrative. When challenged if “these things were so” Stephen stood his ground and proclaimed Christ. The men were “enraged and ground their teeth at him." This was the result:

^“And he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:56-60).

The only thing missing from the account of Stephen is the audience response. But it’s possible that Luke’s inclusion of Saul in Acts 8:1 is actually a foretelling of his conversion. Was his being present at Stephen’s martyrdom part of his own transformation? As Tertullian would later say, “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church.” In the early church, the gospel often spread through persecution. Stephen was perhaps the first Christian martyr, but he would definitely not be the last. 

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Answering a question like this has one feeling a bit like the author of Hebrews when he said, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about…” However, there are a few notable martyrs within the history of the Christian church.

We know from the Scriptures that John the Baptist, Stephen, and James the son of Zebedee died for being faithful to the mission which God gave them. And we also know that most of the original apostles died a martyr’s death. You can read about these in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.

Within the first 300 years, there are many accounts of martyrs for Christ. In fact, this became a sub-genre of Christian literature. In this regard, a few important people and works are Polycarp of Smyrna, Ignatius of Antioch, and Justin Martyr. The account of Perpetua and Felicity is also an incredibly interesting read.

Many died for their faith during the Middle Ages, but as Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire, persecution was less common. Many died during the Reformation (and the pre-Reformation) to preserve a gospel faith. I think of John Hus, William Tyndale, Lady Jane Grey, Nicholas Ridley, Thomas Cranmer, Hugh Latimer, and many more. Their stories are also told in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.

But there are actually more contemporary martyrs than there have ever been in the history of the church. We are grateful for Voice of the Martyrs, who highlight Christian persecution, which is happening today, and some of the more recent martyrs. There will be many more who give their life for the cause of Christ.

Was Jesus a Martyr?

In one sense, Jesus was indeed a martyr. A hero, opposition, foreseeable risk, courage and commitment, death, and audience response are all part of the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Revelation 1:5 and 3:14 also refer to him as a “faithful martus.” This is often translated as a “faithful witness,” but a letter written in 177AD picks up these words and seems to have more of a “died for his beliefs” meaning. And the Scriptures speak of Christ giving his life—it is not taken from him. Christ is used as a model of suffering and standing firm in the face of opposition, even to the point of death. He was the model for every martyr who came after. Christ is used as a model even in 1 Peter.

Yet, from another perspective, Christ's death isn’t martyrdom; it was a substitutionary act. Christ’s death was necessary for salvation. Acts 2 speaks of this great mystery. On one hand, he was indeed a martyr—struck down at the hands of wicked men. But on the other hand, he was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” There is more that is happening in the death and resurrection of Jesus than martyrdom.

Was Jesus a martyr? I would say, “Yes, but more than that even.”

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Typically, if someone asks, “Why does God…” no matter what fills that blank the answer is “for His glory and our good.” But how can martyrdom be for our good? How does it lead to God’s glory? Listen to one of the earliest martyrs, Ignatius, as he considers the prospect of death:

“To what end have I given myself up to perish by fire or sword or savage beasts? Simply because when I am close to the sword, I am close to God and when I am surrounded by the lions, I am surrounded by God. But it is only in the name of Jesus Christ, and for the sake of sharing his sufferings, that I could face all this: for he the perfect Man, gives me strength to do so.”

It's a great mystery, but suffering actually allows us to be closer to the Suffering Servant. One would not expect that the road of following the King of kings would be one marked with suffering, but this is the path which Christ has trod. There is a way in which God is glorified when our devotion to him is greater than even our life. It shows the preciousness of God. But he is not some insecure god who needs our blood in order to show His significance. No, this is a testimony to reality. To be with Christ is far better.

Martyrdom happens because wickedness is still a reality. Humanity does not like the testimony of God. We would rather turn off the lights than see our sin exposed. And so while wickedness is still present, martyrdom will still be present. Yet, even this Christ is working to remove and restore. Where there once was death there will be life.

Our martyrdom is a testimony that we are awaiting an eternal city. This is the call of Hebrews 11 and it is the call of discipleship. We may not be called to give our lives in martyrdom, but we are called to be perpetual witnesses of Christ—and that witness, in a dark world, will often lead to persecution and suffering.

Someday martyrdom will be no more. But that which we are giving witness to; namely, Christ Jesus—will last for all of eternity.

Sources

The Lexham Bible Dictionary

Haykin, Rediscovering the Church Fathers, 34

Wallace and Rusk, Moral Transformation, 218

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