The 40 Martyrs of Sebaste
Hello, this is the blog format of 100 Fold Ministries. We are in the middle of a series of stories about unknown Christians who understood the Kingdom of God and the lifestyle it inspires. The lifestyle and in some cases the ‘Deathstyle’ too.
Do you recognize any of these names?
Aetius, Eutychius, Cyrius, Theophilus, Sisinnius, Smaragdus, Candidus, Aggia, Gaius, Cudio, Heraclius, John, Philotemon, Gorgonius, Cirillus, Severianus, Theodulus, Nicallus, Flavius, Xantius, Valerius, Aesychius, Eunoicus, Domitian, Domninus, Helianus, Leontius (Theoctistus), Valens, Acacius, Alexander, Vicratius (Vibianus), Priscus, Sacerdos, Ecdicius, Athanasius, Lisimachus, Claudius, Ile, Melito and Eutychus (Aglaius).
Not so much? Ok, give me a minute and I will introduce you.
Embedded in the doctrines of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, the central teachings of Jesus
while he was on earth with us, is the idea that there is a story of an unseen nature that is happening behind the story that we can see. We see a world with seemingly a very substantial form – asphalt roads, concrete buildings, steel bridges. And the like. They all look very long lasting. But scripture paints a different picture. We read that, "We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). It seems that the things of this world are passing away and that the things of the Kingdom of God are eternal. Good to know!
This verse states simply that there are things going on that we cannot see. Kingdom things. And for me this is a tremendous encouragement when the things that I see are distressing and sad and hurtful – even evil. I can take heart that God is weaving a story behind what we see that will eventually make known God’s redemptive authority, love, and grace, even in the direst of circumstances.
Take for instance these 40 men whose names we do not know and whose stories seem so unfortunate. Have you ever heard of the 40 martyrs of Sebaste?
In 316, the Roman emperor Licinius decreed a persecution of Christians in the East. He threatened death if they failed to renounce their faith. In 320, forty young Christian Roman soldiers, all members of the so-called “Thundering Legion,” refused to sacrifice to idols and were tried before the tribunal at Sebaste, Cappadocia. The governor tried threats, bribery, and torture to persuade the young men, but they stood firm. He put the forty in prison, where it is said that Christ appeared and encouraged them to persevere.
Incensed by the soldiers’ obstinacy, the governor ordered that they be stripped and left to die standing on a frozen lake. He arranged a fire and warm bath on the shore to tempt them to apostatize. All forty signed a will, drafted by St. Meletius, the youngest, that expressed their faith, unity, and courage:
When we by God’s grace and the common prayers of all shall furnish the strife set before us, and come to the rewards of the high calling, we desire that then this will of ours may be respected . . .For although we come from different localities, we have chosen one and the same resting-place because we have set before ourselves one common strife for the prize. These things have seemed good to the Holy Spirit and have pleased us. Therefore we . . . brothers in Christ beseech our honored parents and relatives to have no grief or distress, but to respect the decision of our brotherly fellowship, and to consent heartily to our wishes, so that you may receive from our common Father the great recompense of obedience and of sharing in our sufferings. . . .
We pray with our souls and with the Divine Spirit that we may all obtain the eternal good things of God and his kingdom, now and forever and ever. Amen.
The young men did not wait to be stripped but removed their clothes themselves. And together they prayed, “Lord, we are forty engaged in this contest. Grant that forty may receive crowns and that we may not fall short of that sacred number.” After one night’s ordeal, however, one soldier caved, but died of extreme heat in the bath, losing his martyr’s crown. But an off-duty guard, prompted by the martyrs’ courage and a dream, professed himself a Christian and took his place, thus preserving their number.
After three days the governor had the survivors’ limbs broken, and their bodies burned. Officials hoped that young Meletius would save himself, but his mother herself lifted him onto the wagon, not wanting him to lose his prize. The governor had the ashes of the forty martyrs scattered into a river, but Christians secured some that became treasured relics, inspiring many throughout the Middle Ages. 1
The governor saw his authority being challenged. The soldiers saw the authority of Christ and knew themselves to be citizens of the kingdom of God. One saw only the visible, the other saw the hope of the invisible. This is the Kingdom Way!
Thanks for checking us out here at 100foldministries.org. Check out our Kingdom offerings podcast that is also easy to find on our homepage.
