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The Last of the Twelve, December 21
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall
say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be
exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they
the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 5:11, 12
.
John lived to be very old. He witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and
the ruin of the stately temple. The last survivor of the disciples who had been
intimately connected with the Saviour, his message had great influence in setting
forth the fact that Jesus was the Messiah, the Redeemer of the world....
The rulers of the Jews were filled with bitter hatred against John for his
unwavering fidelity to the cause of Christ. They declared that their efforts
against the Christians would avail nothing so long as John’s testimony kept
ringing in the ears of the people. In order that the miracles and teachings of
Jesus might be forgotten, the voice of the bold witness must be silenced.
John was accordingly summoned to Rome to be tried for his faith. Here
before the authorities the apostle’s doctrines were misstated. False witnesses
accused him of teaching seditious heresies.... John answered for himself in a
clear and convincing manner.... But the more convincing his testimony, the
deeper was the hatred of his opposers. The emperor Domitian was filled with
rage. He could neither dispute the reasoning of Christ’s faithful advocate, nor
match the power that attended his utterance of truth; yet he determined that he
would silence his voice.
John was cast into a caldron of boiling oil; but the Lord preserved the life of
His faithful servant, even as He preserved the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace.
As the words were spoken, Thus perish all who believe in that deceiver, Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, John declared, My Master patiently submitted to all that
Satan and his angels could devise to humiliate and torture Him. He gave His life
to save the world. I am honored in being permitted to suffer for His sake. I am a
weak, sinful man. Christ was holy, harmless, undefiled. He did no sin, neither
was guile found in His mouth. These words had their influence, and John was
removed from the caldron by the very men who had cast him in
[362]
37
Ibid., 569, 570
.
376