Foxe: Voices of the Martyrs

An elderly man in his eighties sitting at a table eating dinner, Polycarp knew his life was in danger. A group of Christians had just been executed in the arena on account of their faith. But Polycarp refused to leave Rome. The Romans were executing any self-proclaimed Christians, and pagans were betraying those they knew to be followers of the Way. After the recent executions, the crowd in the arena had chanted for Polycarp’s death. A renowned follower of Christ and bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp hadbecome a Christian under the tutelage of John the apostle. Recently,the Roman proconsul had been looking for him for days. After arresting and torturing one of Polycarp’s servants, they finally learned wherehe was staying. The soldiers came into the house, but instead of fleeing,Polycarp calmly stated, “God’s will be done.” Polycarp asked that food be brought for the soldiers, and herequested an hour for prayer. Amazed by Polycarp’s fearlessness, especially for a man his age, the hardened Roman soldiers granted hisrequest. He prayed for two hours for all the Christians he knew and forthe universal church, and the soldiers let him. As Polycarp entered the stadium, several Christians present heard avoice from Heaven say, “Be

In contrast to most of the other apostolic figures, little confusionexists about the place of Paul’s death. He always had a passion topreach the Gospel in Rome, and he died there. Paul spent time in Rome twice, on both occasions at the expense ofthe Roman Empire. Neither his travel arrangements nor his accommodations were first class, but they suited the apostle well. Throughout Acts and his letters, Paul conveys an unmistakable sense that his time was short, and he was grateful for every moment he was given. Paul understood God’s grace, not simply as a great theological concept, but also as his own reason for living. He appreciated God’s grace because he knew he needed so much of it. His final thoughts had little to do with regrets and much to dowith the satisfaction that flows from grace-drenched living. He wroteto Timothy: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, andthe time of my departure has come. I have fought the goodfight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Hence forth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day,

Simon, son of John, grew up in Capernaum, on the north end of theSea of Galilee. Raised along with his brother Andrew in a fishingfamily, Simon seemed headed for a career in that business. ThenJesus came walking along the shore and invited Simon to follow Him intoa life of fishing for people. Simon accepted both the invitation and a newname given by Jesus—Peter (from the Greek word petros, meaning “apiece of rock”). For three years, Peter was Jesus’s constant companion. We find it easy to imagine Simon Peter, the rock, smiling over theimmense irony of Jesus’s call on his life as Peter wrote these lines: “As youcome to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosenand precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as aspiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame’” (1 Peter 2:4-6). Peter knew firsthand the depth of that promise of never being put toshame. He knew the unspeakable joy

In the Greek myths, the character Telemachus (meaning “far-awayfighter”) was a timid and diffident child. But as an adult he defendedthe honor of those he loved and became a fighter and a hero. Unlikehis mythological counterpart, the fourth-century monk Telemachus wasanything but a fighter. Or perhaps it can be argued that his greatest fightwas his effort to eradicate fighting. An ascetic hermit from the East and unknown except for his finalact, Telemachus journeyed to Rome just in time for the victory celebrations. After years of aggressive invasions from the continent, Rome had finally defeated the Goth king Alaric in northern Italy in 403. As was common in those times, extravagant gladiatorial contests wereheld in celebration of military victories. The twenty-year-old emperorHonorius decreed that this particular celebration would be held in the50,000-capacity Coliseum, a battleground named for the colossal 130-foot statue of Nero nearby, the emperor made famous for condemningChristians into human torches. If there was one place in all of Rome thata pacifist Christian might consider avoiding, the Coliseum was it. Telemachus, a “rudely clad man of rough but imposing presence,” resolved to interrupt, indeed to stop, the bloody contest in the Coliseum. Thousands had gathered that day. Cries of