The Testimony of Truth
The foolish - thinking in their heart that if they confess, "We are Christians," in word only (but) not with power, while giving themselves over to ignorance, to a human death, not knowing where they are going nor who Christ is, thinking that they will live, when they are (really) in error - hasten towards the principalities and authorities. They fall into their clutches because of the ignorance that is in them. For (if) only words which bear testimony were effecting salvation, the whole world would endure this thing and would be saved. But it is in this way that they drew error to themselves. ...
... (3 lines unrecoverable)
... they do not know that they will destroy themselves. If the Father were to desire a human sacrifice, he would become vainglorious.
For the Son of Man clothed himself with their first-fruits; he went down to Hades and performed many mighty works. He raised the dead therein; and the world-rulers of darkness became envious of him, for they did not find sin in him. But he also destroyed their works from among men, so that the lame, the blind, the paralytic, the dumb, (and) the demon-possessed were granted healing. And he walked upon the waters of the sea. For this reason he destroyed his flesh from [...] which he [...]. And he became [...] salvation [...] his death ...
... (4 lines unrecoverable)
... everyone [...] how many they are! They are blind guides, like the disciples. They boarded the ship; at about thirty stadies, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. These are empty martyrs, since they bear witness only to themselves. And yet they are sick, and they are not able to raise themselves.
But when they are "perfected" with a (martyr's) death, this is the thought that they have within them: "If we deliver ourselves over to death for the sake of the Name we will be saved." These matters are not settled in this way. But through the agency of the wandering stars they say they have "completed" their futile "course", and [...] say, [...]. But these [...] they have delivered themselves ...
... (7 lines unrecoverable)
... but they resemble [...] them. They do not have the word which gives life. (The Testimony of Truth)
3144. martus ► Strong's Concordance
martus: a witness
in a legal sense: Matthew 18:16; Matthew 26:65; Mark 14:63; Acts 6:13; Acts 7:58; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28.
in an historical sense: Acts 10:41; 1 Timothy 6:12; (2 Timothy 2:2);
one who is a spectator of anything, e. g. of a contest, Hebrews 12:1;
with a genitive of the object, Luke 24:48; Acts 1:22; Acts 2:32; Acts 3:15; Acts 5:32 G L T Tr WH; Acts 10:39; Acts 26:16; 1 Peter 5:1;
with a genitive of the possessor 'one who testifies for one', Acts 1:8 L T Tr WH; ; with a genitive of the possessor and of the object, Acts 5:32 Rec.; μάρτυρα εἶναι τίνι, to be a witness for one, serve him by testimony, Acts 1:8 R G; ; (Luke 11:48 T Tr WH).
He is said to be a witness, to whose attestation appeal is made; hence, the formulas μάρτυς μου ἐστιν ὁ Θεός, Romans 1:9; Philippians 1:8;
It's author is challenging the radical christian bishops who encourage "martyrdom" and accuse them of complicity in murder
Its focus on martyrdom also indicates composition during a period of persecution, making a date prior to the early fourth century more likely
Testim. Truth is clearly not sympathetic to Christians who confess before the Roman authorities and consequently suffer martyrdom. The author describes the ignorance and error of martyrs-by-death as follow:
The Testimony of Truth
The foolish - thinking in their heart that if they confess, "We are Christians," in word only (but) not with power, while giving themselves over to ignorance, to a human death, not knowing where they are going nor who Christ is, thinking that they will live, when they are (really) in error - hasten towards the principalities and authorities. They fall into their clutches because of the ignorance that is in them. For (if) only words which bear testimony were effecting salvation, the whole world would endure this thing and would be saved. But it is in this way that they drew error to themselves. ...... they do not know that they will destroy themselves. If the Father were to desire a human sacrifice, he would become vainglorious. (The Testimony of Truth)
This text depicts “so-called Christians” who undergo martyrdom at the hands of persecutors as misguided fools, who mistakenly believe that “death for the sake of the name will offer them salvation
Testim. Truth casts the idea that a simple confession, “mere words,” saves as so easy that it is ridiculous
These are empty martyrs, since they bear witness only to themselves. And yet they are sick, and they are not able to raise themselves. (The Testimony of Truth)
Note Exposing the misguided motives and “emptiness” of a martyr’s death
The description of their erroneous logic continues: “When they are ‘perfected’ with passion (paqos), this is the thought they have within them, ‘If we deliver ourselves over to death for the sake of the name, we will be saved’”
But when they are "perfected" with a (martyr's) death, this is the thought that they have within them: "If we deliver ourselves over to death for the sake of the Name we will be saved." These matters are not settled in this way. But through the agency of the wandering stars they say they have "completed" their futile "course", and [...] say, [...]. But these [...] they have delivered themselves ... (The Testimony of Truth)
This, therefore, is the true testimony: When man comes to know himself and God, who is over the truth, he will be saved, and he will crown himself with the crown unfading. (The Testimony of Truth)
Having rejected testimony by death, Testim. Truth redefines appropriate martyrdom as an individual enterprise centered on knowledge, relating, “This, therefore, is the true testimony When one knows himself and God who is over the truth, he will be saved, and he will be crowned with the crown unfading” (44,30-45,6).
Ignatius was an elder of the ecclesia at Antioch, but possessed of a fanatical desire for martyrdom, which was contrary to the instruction of the Lord Jesus, who said, "when they persecute you in one city, flee to another." But instead of this, when the Emperor Trajan came to Antioch, about A.D. 107, on his way to the Parthian war, Ignatius voluntarily delivered himself up to Trajan, into whose presence he was introduced. "What an impious spirit art thou," said the emperor, "both to transgress our commands, and to inveigle others into the same folly to their ruin!"
Polycarp was put to death sixty years after Ignatius, A.D. 167. If he was one of those in Smyrna to whom the Spirit saith, "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty -- but thou art rich;" and if he continued "rich in faith" to the end, (which his martyrdom is no proof of, as many of "the synagogue of the Satan" also suffered),
Many of the Satan's synagogue who rejoiced in Jezebel, possessed spiritual gifts, and could speak with tongues, and prophesy, and understand mysteries, and had the knowledge, and the faith to remove mountains, and bestowed their goods to feed the poor; and not only in some cases gave their bodies to be burned; but in crowds rushed to martyrdom, till the pagan authorities refused to kill them; and told them to become their own executioners. Still, as Paul intimates, they were nothing; for they were destitute of "love." So it is now.
Multitudes had a rage for martyrdom, and gave their bodies to the fire in expiation of iniquity, transgression, and apostasy. These were "those who committed adultery with Jezebel," the clerical fathers, and "her children," who looked up to those fathers as the deluded people of "the religious world" look up now to the clergy who deceive them, regarding them with awe as their "spiritual guides" and "fathers in Cod."
All such, who gave their bodies to be burned, or to be thrown to the wild beasts, or to any other form of martyrdom, were mere "sounding brass and tinkling cymbals;" and heirs of the vengeance to be revealed in "the Second Death." They had not faith to give them the victory over the world; so the world overcame them by its seductions, and exposed them to be "hurt of the Second Death," which is manifested after the resurrection of the flesh. When this time arrives, the "bed" will have been prepared for Jezebel, and she will then be "cast into it;" and not she only, but with her them that commit adultery. This bed is the "great tribulation," or "sorrow," in which the antichristian apostasy is to be destroyed at the apocalypse of Jesus Christ in "the Hour of judgment;" when Babylon, the Great City, falls because of her having prostituted and debauched all the nations with her blasphemies and abominations. The ecclesiasticism of the earth and of the whole habitable, with all the clerical orders by which it is upheld, will be utterly abolished by the wrath of the Deity poured out without mixture, which they will be compelled to drink with great torment in the presence of Jesus and the Saints (Apoc. xiv. 7-11; xviii. 2). Eureka Vol 1
All this voluntary martyrdom was the result of ignorance and misdirected zeal. It was no proof of the sufferers being Christ’s Brethren. We may admit the piety and sincerity of many of them; but Paul has taught us that giving the body to be burned is no equivalent for the want of that "love," which he, after the teaching of the Christ, says is "the fulfilling of the law" -- hoping and believing all the things testified in the truth (1 Cor. 13). Martyrdom, then, is no proof of a man’s being in Christ; and without being in him, he cannot be a brother of Christ.
The most it proves is the sincerity and devotion of the martyr to his profession, whatever that may be. Hence, the martyrdom of Huss, Jerome, Cranmer, Servetus, and such like, proved the sincerity of their anti-romish and anti-calvinistic opinions; it did not alter the fact of their being eminently pious members of the Apostasy; the stain of which cannot be obliterated by body-burning, but only by an intelligent belief and obedience of the truth.