Origins and Veracity of Christianity
Friday, July 18, 2003
I have recently embarked on a study of 'apostolic martrydom': the claim that some early Christians were killed as a result of their beliefs -- beliefs the truth of which they were in a position to know.
I've often reflected upon the fact that men typically find their own life to be precious. Everything else that they enjoy or love cannot be experienced if their life were to end. So, among many other criteria that I use to judge someone's sincerity of and the probable truth of their claim, is the idea that a man who is willing to die for a particular belief is most likely sincere about that belief. Particularly if he is sure he will die if he does not give up that belief. Summarized (and fashioned to be relevant to the subject matter at hand):
Many men will die for what they believe is true; no man will die for what they know is false.
For an example of some evidence that apostolic martyrdom even occured, we can look at Tacitus' report in BOOK XV of The Annals - wrriten approx 115 AD:
“ [Regarding the burning of Rome and rumors of Nero burning it himself...]
Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired."
There are several other claims to be examined. For more on this subject, see the thread I started on the TheologyWeb discussion boards.
If the disciples knew that Christ had raised Lazarus from the dead, why were they so suspicious of Christ's claims that he would himself be raised after his crucifixion. The fact that he had performed so many miracles -- by employing the power given of his Father -- casts some doubt upon this.
