Encouragement from Smyrna
When the Roman guards stopped to rest in the seaport of Smyrna before sailing to Rome, the Christians of Smyrna and nearby Ephesus flocked to the prison to encourage Ignatius. His greatest spiritual refreshment came from his friend, Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. These two godly men—Polycarp and Ignatius—were among the last alive who had personally walked with Jesus’ apostles. Together they glorified their Savior for the privilege to proclaim His name among the Roman people. (Forty years later, Polycarp would also face martyrdom in the arena.)
Letters on the Journey
During his journey, Ignatius wrote five letters to the churches of Asia Minor, one letter to the church at Rome and a final letter to Polycarp. Miraculously, all of these letters have survived and are recorded by Eusebius, the early church historian, in his Ecclesiastic History. Ignatius’ letter to Rome is the most famous. It gives us a glimpse of Ignatius’ struggles as he faced the prospect of death in the Colosseum, and also his desire to stand for Christ until the end.
It is probably difficult for us to understand today, but Ignatius actually pleaded with the Roman Christians to do nothing to save him from his martyrdom. He didn’t want to be rescued but wanted instead to go on to his reward in heaven. Here are Ignatius’ own words to the Roman church, written from Smyrna and dated August 24, AD 107 or 108:
For if you are silent concerning me, I shall become God’s; but if you show your love to my flesh [by rescuing me], I shall again have to run my race. Pray, then, do not seek to confer any greater favour upon me than that I be sacrificed to God… that, being gathered together in love, you may sing praise to the Father, through Christ Jesus, that God has deemed me, the bishop of Syria, worthy to be sent… from the world unto God, that I may rise again to Him. Ignatius knew what awaited him in Rome, but he also knew that Jesus would be on the other side of death’s door to welcome him into eternal life.
A Final Declaration
Although we don’t have the details of his martyrdom, we do have his final word on his undivided love for Jesus Christ:
All the pleasures of the world, and all the kingdoms of this earth, shall profit me nothing. It is better for me to die on behalf of Jesus Christ than to reign over all the ends of the earth. For what shall a man be profited, if he gain the whole world, but lose his own soul? Him I seek, who died for us: Him I desire, who rose again for our sake. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21.
Date: 23rd December 2023
Martyr: Ignatius Theophorus
Location: Not specified
Source: God’s Generals: The Martyrs
Author: Roberts Liardon
Suffering Saturday 070
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