Unapologetic Justin
on Lessons on Witness from the Second Century’s Negative World
The story of early Christian apologetics is soaked in blood. Perhaps it should not be surprising then to find a connection between the terms “apologist” and “martyr.” The former comes from the Greek apologizesthai, meaning “to give an account,” and the latter originates from the Greek martys, meaning “to witness.” Both words contain the idea of testifying to the truth of Christ and his gospel.
Only one of these terms, however, has evolved to incorporate the idea of suffering to the point of death. Beginning in the New Testament, the meaning of “martyr”evolved to describe a believer who suffers death for his Christian witness. While the meaning of “apologist” has not similarly evolved, history records many early Christian apologists who suffered greatly for their witness, ultimately adding the label “martyr” to their legacy.
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Scott Cole is a Senior Director of Information Technology at a consulting firm and a graduate student at Houston Theological Seminary in the Cultural Apologetics program. He also spent several years in full-time ministry as a worship leader and teacher.
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