Anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. (Leviticus 24:16)Notice here the responsibility of the accusing party. It's not enough that an anonymous charge be made against the offender. Witnesses for the prosecution must look the defendant in the eye, lay hands on him, and take part in his execution.
The term witness (n. - martus in the Greek - martyr is from the same root), refers not to someone who just throws some mud and hopes it sticks, but to someone who is willing to sacrifice... to pay in order to make the truth known.
In John 8:59 and 10:31, the Jewish leaders attempt to stone Jesus. The verse for today explains why, but not why he was eventually crucified instead.
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How does this understanding of the word "witness" impact our responsibility in telling the truth? In telling what Christ has done for us?
Understanding the term "witness" from the Greek word "martus" drives home the reality that sharing the Good News could cost us in many ways. We may pay for it with our time, our energy, our resources, our popularity, or our increased attention to modeling the Gospel of which we testify. In countries who don't enjoy the United States' level of religious freedom, Christians may even pay with their health or their lives.
ReplyDeleteIn David Witt's latest book, "The Spirit of Martyrdom," he discusses the contrast between the Islamic concept of martyrdom and that of Scripture. I won't recount that in detail here, other than to echo Witt's proposal for Christians to be "living martyrs."
The ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs supports and tells the stories of Christians worldwide who literally forfeit their lives for their Christian faith. If we are to witness to the truth of what Christ has done for us, we should be prepared and willing to pay the potentially high cost of living out the Gospel message.