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Tertullian

Chapter 12

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Who, now, should know better the marrow of the Scriptures than

‹ Chapter 11 Chapter 13 ›

the

school

of

Christ

itself

?

—

the

persons

whom

the

Lord

both

chose

for

Himself

as

scholars

,

certainly

to

be

fully

instructed

in

all

points

,

and

appointed

to

us

for

masters

to

instruct

us

in

all

points

.

To

whom

would

He

have

rather

made

known

the

veiled

import

of

His

own

language

,

than

to

him

to

whom

He

disclosed

the

likeness

of

His

own

glory

—

to

Peter

,

John

,

and

James

,

and

afterwards

to

Paul

,

to

whom

He

granted

participation

in

(

the

joys

of

)

paradise

too

,

prior

to

his

martyrdom

?

Or

do

they

also

write

differently

from

what

they

think

—

teachers

using

deceit

,

not

truth

?

Addressing

the

Christians

of

Pontus

,

Peter

,

at

all

events

,

says

,

“

How

great

indeed

is

the

glory

,

if

ye

suffer

patiently

,

without

being

punished

as

evildoers

!

For

this

is

a

lovely

feature

,

and

even

hereunto

were

ye

called

,

since

Christ

also

suffered

for

us

,

leaving

you

Himself

as

an

example

,

that

ye

should

follow

His

own

steps

.

”

And

again

:

“

Beloved

,

be

not

alarmed

by

the

fiery

trial

which

is

taking

place

among

you

,

as

though

some

strange

thing

happened

unto

you

.

For

,

inasmuch

as

ye

are

partakers

of

Christ’s

sufferings

,

do

ye

rejoice

;

that

,

when

His

glory

shall

be

revealed

,

ye

may

be

glad

also

with

exceeding

joy

.

If

ye

are

reproached

for

the

name

of

Christ

,

happy

are

ye

;

because

glory

and

the

Spirit

of

God

rest

upon

you

:

if

only

none

of

you

suffer

as

a

murderer

,

or

as

a

thief

,

or

as

an

evil

-

doer

,

or

as

a

busybody

in

other

men’s

matters

;

yet

(

if

any

man

suffer

)

as

a

Christian

,

let

him

not

be

ashamed

,

but

let

him

glorify

God

on

this

behalf

.

”

John

,

in

fact

,

exhorts

us

to

lay

down

our

lives

even

for

our

brethren

,

affirming

that

there

is

no

fear

in

love

:

“

For

perfect

love

casteth

out

fear

,

since

fear

has

punishment

;

and

he

who

fears

is

not

perfect

in

love

.

”

What

fear

would

it

be

better

to

understand

(

as

here

meant

)

,

than

that

which

gives

rise

to

denial

?

What

love

does

he

assert

to

be

perfect

,

but

that

which

puts

fear

to

flight

,

and

gives

courage

to

confess

?

What

penalty

will

he

appoint

as

the

punishment

of

fear

,

but

that

which

he

who

denies

is

about

to

pay

,

who

has

to

be

slain

,

body

and

soul

,

in

hell

?

And

if

he

teaches

that

we

must

die

for

the

brethren

,

how

much

more

for

the

Lord

,

—

he

being

sufficiently

prepared

,

by

his

own

Revelation

too

,

for

giving

such

advice

!

For

indeed

the

Spirit

had

sent

the

injunction

to

the

angel

of

the

church

in

Smyrna

:

“

Behold

,

the

devil

shall

cast

some

of

you

into

prison

,

that

ye

may

be

tried

ten

days

.

Be

thou

faithful

unto

death

,

and

I

will

give

thee

a

crown

of

life

.

”

Also

to

the

angel

of

the

church

in

Pergamus

(

mention

was

made

)

of

Antipas

,

the

very

faithful

martyr

,

who

was

slain

where

Satan

dwelleth

.

Also

to

the

angel

of

the

church

in

Philadelphia

(

it

was

signified

)

that

he

who

had

not

denied

the

name

of

the

Lord

was

delivered

from

the

last

trial

.

Then

to

every

conqueror

the

Spirit

promises

now

the

tree

of

life

,

and

exemption

from

the

second

death

;

now

the

hidden

manna

with

the

stone

of

glistening

whiteness

,

and

the

name

unknown

(

to

every

man

save

him

that

receiveth

it

)

;

now

power

to

rule

with

a

rod

of

iron

,

and

the

brightness

of

the

morning

star

;

now

the

being

clothed

in

white

raiment

,

and

not

having

the

name

blotted

out

of

the

book

of

life

,

and

being

made

in

the

temple

of

God

a

pillar

with

the

inscription

on

it

of

the

name

of

God

and

of

the

Lord

,

and

of

the

heavenly

Jerusalem

;

now

a

sitting

with

the

Lord

on

His

throne

,

—

which

once

was

persistently

refused

to

the

sons

of

Zebedee

.

Who

,

pray

,

are

these

so

blessed

conquerors

,

but

martyrs

in

the

strict

sense

of

the

word

?

For

indeed

theirs

are

the

victories

whose

also

are

the

fights

;

theirs

,

however

,

are

the

fights

whose

also

is

the

blood

.

But

the

souls

of

the

martyrs

both

peacefully

rest

in

the

meantime

under

the

altar

,

and

support

their

patience

by

the

assured

hope

of

revenge

;

and

,

clothed

in

their

robes

,

wear

the

dazzling

halo

of

brightness

,

until

others

also

may

fully

share

in

their

glory

.

For

yet

again

a

countless

throng

are

revealed

,

clothed

in

white

and

distinguished

by

palms

of

victory

,

celebrating

their

triumph

doubtless

over

Antichrist

,

since

one

of

the

elders

says

,

“

These

are

they

who

come

out

of

that

great

tribulation

,

and

have

washed

their

robes

,

and

made

them

white

in

the

blood

of

the

Lamb

.

”

For

the

flesh

is

the

clothing

of

the

soul

.

The

uncleanness

,

indeed

,

is

washed

away

by

baptism

,

but

the

stains

are

changed

into

dazzling

whiteness

by

martyrdom

.

For

Esaias

also

promises

,

that

out

of

red

and

scarlet

there

will

come

forth

the

whiteness

of

snow

and

wool

.

When

great

Babylon

likewise

is

represented

as

drunk

with

the

blood

of

the

saints

,

doubtless

the

supplies

needful

for

her

drunkenness

are

furnished

by

the

cups

of

martyrdoms

;

and

what

suffering

the

fear

of

martyrdoms

will

entail

,

is

in

like

manner

shown

.

For

among

all

the

castaways

,

nay

,

taking

precedence

of

them

all

,

are

the

fearful

.

“

But

the

fearful

,

”

says

John

—

and

then

come

the

others

—

“

will

have

their

part

in

the

lake

of

fire

and

brimstone

.

”

Thus

fear

,

which

,

as

stated

in

his

epistle

,

love

drives

out

,

has

punishment

.

Notes

1
1 Pet. ii. 20.
2
1 Pet. iv. 12.
3
1 John iii. 16.
4
1 John iv. 18.
5
Rev. ii. 10.
6
Rev. ii. 13.
7
Rev. iii. 10.
8
Matt. xx. 20–23.
9
Rev. vi. 9.
10
Rev. vii. 14.
11
Isa. i. 18.
12
Rev. xvii. 6.
13
Rev. xxi. 8.