5. Persecution of the Christians by the Jews. — We have already referred to the fact tliat Jesus Christ prepared His disciples for persecution. He seemed to have a clear premonition as to the issue of His own life. He was equally certain that fidelity to His teaching would evoke the deep .and implacable hostility of Judaism and of the Roman Empire. Their contention that the Cruci- fied Jesus was the Messiah and a Saviour for all nations would offend Jewish nationalism, and the ethical ideal of the gospel would evoke the scorn and the hatred of tlie Groeco-Ronian world. Jerusalem and Rome would work together in opposition to His disciples, as they had done in opposition to Him, and for the same reasons. The unexpected manner in which references to persecution as the inevitable lot of His faithful followers occur in His speeches proves that it was
ever on His mind. He met every situaticm that arose in tlie liistory of the earl3' Church. Eidclily to Him and His teaching would be suprenjily difficult, but it would not miss its reward, lie pronounced a beatitude on those who would sutler |icrsccuti(m for righteousness' sake — i.e. upon those who would bring upon their own heads the hostility of tlie world on account of their adhcrcnee to llis teaching. Their endurance of persecution for this reason entitled them to membership in the King- dom of God. Through their endurance of the hostility of the world without flinching or denying their faith, thej' would win their souls, and thereby prove their claim to be citizens of the kingdom of heaven (Lk 21'"). The vivid and constant sense of their belonging to another kingdom — real and abiding — would alone enable them to endure the hatred of the world ; no other motive would be sulliciently strong. Persecution was the crucible which tested the faith of the disciple — its genuine- ness and its strength. Persecution would be the form in which the antagonism of the world — Jew- ish and pagan — wonld manifest itself. It would be a tribute to the reality of their faith. The believers would be sheep in the midst of wolves. But theirs was a life which wolves could not harm. ' Let not the lambs fear the wolves when they are dead ' are words which are ascribed to Christ in an ancient homily (J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers, pt. L, London, 1S90, vol. ii. p. 219). Sanhedrins and synagogues — the political and re- ligious institutions — of Judah wouhi be arrayed against the disciples. They would be dragged before kings like Herod Agrippa (Ac 26) or Emperors like Nero (2 Ti 4^) and Roman governors like Felix and Festus (Ac 24-'' 25*). Peter reminds his readers that they must be careful that persec ution is due to their Christian faith and Christian conduct (1 P 4"). Among the rewards of fidelity to Jesus Christ are 'houses . . . w-itli persecutions' (Mk 10'°). We are not surprised when we read of the persecutions that many lapsed from the faith — the good seed was choked (Mt 13'-'). But the true believer will face all the trials and sufferings of life (Ro 8, 1 Co 4'^, 2 Co 4» 12'»).
Jesus' forecast of the future was fulfilled to the letter, and His disciples had not long to wait. The representatives of Rome did not appear on the scene for some time ; the opposition came from the Jews. The earliest Christians were Jews, and the earliest form of apostolic Christi.anily was essenti- ally Jewish. Its early exponents were only dimly aware of the full content of the claim which they made when they contended that Jesus was the Christ. It required many minds to bring out the full meaning of the teaching of the Master. The author of 'Acts' rendered a service in this con- nexion which comes next only to the Gospels and Paul's Epistles. It is clear that the burden of the apostolic preaching was the fulfilment of the Messianic hope in Jesus. Jesus is the Christ. The disciples never abandoned their belief that Jesus was the Messiah — viz. the Messiah qf Jewish belief. ' We hoped that it was he which should redeem Israel' are the pathetic wonls in which two disciples express their poignant dis- appointment (Lk 24'-'). ' Dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Isr.ael?' is the question put to Jesus Christ after His resurrection (Ac l"). 'I'he Crucifixion laid their Jewish hope in ruins. The Resurrection, however, brought ahout a renewal of their faith, but it had changed its content. The apostolic gospel was siniplj' the claim that Jesus, who had been crucified and buried, but who had risen and ascended to heaven, was the Messiah. It is noteworthy that the Sadducees, and not the Phari- sees, began the opposition to Peter and his fellow- disciples. It was the claim that 'Jesus was the
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PERSECUTION