Is John the Baptist a Christian Martyr? [closed]

Question

Merriam-Webster defines martyr as "a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion." John the Baptist did suffer death, the first known associate of Jesus to do so. But it does not seem that he suffered for refusing to renounce his religion, nor did he suffer for witnessing to Jesus. Instead, we are told that he was imprisoned and later beheaded because 'John said to Herod [Antipas], “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”' (Mark 6:18) The issue was that according to Jewish law (Leviticus 20:21), a man must not marry a woman was divorced from his brother (as opposed to his widow). This was the situation between Herod Antipas and his brother, known both as Herod II and Herod Phillip.

This being the case, it seems that John the Baptist died for the political offense of publicly criticizing the ruler. He may be seen as dying for refusing to renounce the particular Jewish law mentioned above, but not for his belief in Jesus. Jesus is not known to have ever mentioned the issue of Antipas' marriage. John is clearly a saint according to many Christian traditions. But do these traditions consider him a martyr of Christian faith?

The question: Is John the Baptist a Christian martyr? I am seeking information on this subject both from experts and from denominational perspectives.

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note: I would appreciate help from the moderators in phrasing the question in case it is thought to be opinion-based.

Answer 1

Is John the Baptist a Christian Martyr?

In all honesty, one would have to say no. But that does not mean he was not in a sense a martyr for Christ. His whole life was one of penance and making ready the way of the Lord.

Seeing that St. John the Baptist was martyred prior to Christ’s death and resurrection and establishing his Church, one would have to say no.

But that does not mean he was not in some way linked to Christ in his martyrdom.

Nevertheless, St. John the Baptist is recognized as the precursor of Christ, a special friend and favorite of Christ, and a glorious martyr of zeal for God's holy law, as indicated in this Litany of St. John the Baptist.

According to the New Testament, John was sentenced to death and subsequently beheaded by Herod Antipas around AD 30 after John rebuked him for divorcing his wife Phasaelis and then unlawfully wedding Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Philip I. Josephus also mentions John in the Antiquities of the Jews and states that he was executed by order of Herod Antipas in the fortress at Machaerus. - John the Baptist

Although not technically a Christian, John the Baptist is recognized as a saint who was martyred because he rebuked Herod Antipas for marrying the wife of his brother Herod Philip I.

He is also known as John the Forerunner in Christianity, John the Immerser in some Baptist Christian traditions. - John the Baptist (Wikipedia)

Several Christian traditions hold that St. Stephen is the first actual Christian martyr or protomartyr in Christianity.

There is no known tradition or historical opinion that John the Baptist was a follower of Jesus, accepted the Christian faith or was even baptized according to the Trinitarian formula. Thus St. John was not a Christian martyr, but a martyr of upholding the Law as laid down by Moses and upholding the institution of marriage.

Answer 2

We are not given many details about events leading to John the Baptist's murder yet enough is said to show that this miracle child of Zechariah and Elizabeth was the greatest of all the prophets up to that time. He was born to fulfil the ancient prophecy about a messenger who would come to prepare the way of the promised Messiah - Jesus Christ (Malachi 3:1-2). John was born a few months before Mary's miracle child was born, and John died a gruesome death a very few years before Jesus died a far more gruesome death. He pointed to Jesus Christ as the Light, and that the only way to see that divine Light was to repent and be baptised. Then such repentant ones would be prepared to receive Jesus Christ by faith. John was the forerunner to the Christ; and he died for the Christ, whose very foot-latches he felt unworthy to handle.

Now, that is the question - did he really die for Christ? The idea presented is that "he did not die for refusing to renounce his religion, nor did he suffer for witnessing to Jesus... it seems that John the Baptist died for the political offense of publicly criticizing the ruler." Well, how many thousands of Christians have been executed by political and religious powers for publicly offending the ruler by disobeying their laws that violated God's laws? Their executioners rarely said they were killed for being Christians (apart from recent decapitations etc. of men in orange boiler-suits). Usually, they are charged with breaking some laws of the land (or of the church, as in dark ages in the past).

Merriam-Webster's definition could really do with an update. Especially by dropping the 'voluntary' bit. Those captured, lined up and beheaded or shot - did they 'voluntarily' submit to that? What does the Bible say about John the Baptist and his wicked murder?

John came to bear witness to the Light, John 1:7, that all through him might be saved. Salvation. "The true light is over there," John effectively said, pointing to Jesus Christ. "Repent and be baptized" he said. Those who did were then prepared to follow that Light because then their hearts had been touched and the good seed of the kingdom would take root therein. To as many as receive Christ, to them he gives power to become the sons of God. Salvation in Christ alone. That startling witness echoes down the centuries to this day. All who proclaim it are Christians.

Yes, John the Baptist's preaching was from heaven, a fact Jesus challenged the religious leaders of his day with - Mat.21:25. Yes, John bore witness to Christ - John 3:26. Yes, he frankly rebuked the ruler for his immorality and was then imprisoned. But did that rule out the two other clear indicators that he was the first follower of Christ at the time of Christ - in other words, a Christian? And that he was murdered for not recanting the biblical truth he had stated or for not paying a bribe to Herod - does that mean he could not be a martyr for the Christian faith? John preached publicly in order to get people prepared for salvation in Christ. That he fell foul of a political ruler by condemning sexual immorality in the court does not negate his Christianity. Or, are we becoming so conditioned by today's fluid standards of sexuality, that we won't say "Boo!" to a "goose" on that front even though Christians are to be sexually pure, even in their thoughts? Do those claiming to be Christians today think biblical requirements for Christian conduct have no part to play in witnessing for God and Christ? John's example exposes hypocrisy, and if one has to die for speaking plainly, then so be it.

In Mark's gospel (chapter 1) John preached the baptism of repentance unto [eis] the remission of sins. He preached of Christ coming after him, mightier than him. In his ministry, John challenged behaviour of all who heard him, long before he challenged Herod. Sins were exposed; sins were to be admitted; sins were to be confessed. Herod had his sins exposed by John; Herod did not deny his sin but neither did he admit it; Herod never confessed his sin. (Mark 6:14-29) To quote:

"Eventually, Herod decided to please Herodias who had attempted to kill John for his words, but could not, Herod being, apparently, so keen to observe, hear and hear gladly, the man who had told him what was not lawful. But time, and life, and circumstances, worked together to expose the heart, as they always will. And Herod's true evaluation of the man he seemed so diligent to hear, and observe and hear again, gladly, was to be seen by all men...

But Herod desired to please his - unlawful - woman, rather than to hearken to the messenger sent of God to prepare the way of the Lord... How did Herod value [John]? Less than the opinion of them that sat there and less than half of his kingdom... How shall we value the messenger who prepares the way of the Lord? Do we not realise that, without him and his words, we shall never see the Lord?

Herod's fearing; Herod's hearing; Herod's observing; were all, utterly, worthless. For Herod did not repent. He was preoccupied with pleasing others - his unlawful woman and those who sat to watch a damsel dance.

Later, he killed the apostle James, John's brother, with the sword and saw that it pleased the Jews. So he proceeded to take Peter also. After Peter's release by angelic means, Herod ascended a throne and was lauded as a god by the crown. Had he but spake the words in denial, he would have been spared. But he loved the praise of men and judgment fell upon him... But Herod never wanted to please the One for whom John was sent to prepare the way. For Herod never repented." The Beginning of the Gospel, pp. 30-33, Nigel Johnstone, Belmont Publications, 2012

Why would Herod's murders of James and Peter cause them to be called 'martyrs' but not that of John the Baptist? Consider Revelation 6:9-11 as the final word on the matter:

"I saw under [heaven's] altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (A.V.)

John the Baptist was slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which he held fast to. He is in their number, he really died for Christ. That is the definition of a martyr that the Bible gives us.

Answer 3

John the Baptist was a Christian martyr because he was a Christian because he did believe in Jesus Christ before most people. He recognized Jesus to be Christ at the baptism event. John died because he preached the word of God and he rebuked openly against sin.
He was a prophet of God but unlike previous prophets who also died as martyrs, the new thing about John was that he was one of the first prophets to know by revelation Jesus Christ.

Answer 4

The word martyr from Greek, is translated as witness in English Bibles. Going beyond the English dictionaries, the word only means a witness, spectator. Every evangelist is a martyr of Christ. The modern meaning of the word must have evolved due to the increasing killing of people due to Christian faith. People dying for Christian faith resulted in that word got the meaning of dying for a cause. In this sense, John was not a testifier for a cause/religion in his death, however he was indeed a testifier for Christ in his ministry. Even those believers murdered by the mainstream "churches" for their faith were martyrs for Christ to the point of death. I think we should keep the original meaning of the word in mind which is different from its modern term.

As for associating John the Baptiser as Christian, we should know that scripture says that all prophets testified only about Christ, hence all of them were Christians. "All the prophets prophesied only of the days of the Messiah." [Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 99a]. It is not wrong to call John a Christian.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3144: μάρτυρ

μάρτυρ, μάρτυρός, ὁ, see μάρτυς.

μάρτυςμάρτυς (Aeolic μάρτυρ, a form not found in the N. T.; (etymologically one who is mindful, heeds; probably allied with Latinmemor, cf. Vanicek, p. 1201; Curtius, § 466)), μάρτυρός, accusative μάρτυρα, ὁ; plural μάρτυρες, dative plural μάρτυσι; the Sept. for עֵד; (Hesiod, Simonides, Theognis, others); a witness (one who avers, or can aver, what he himself has seen or heard or knows by any other means);

a. 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.

b. 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; Θεός μάρτυς, 1 Thessalonians 2:5: μάρτυρα τόν Θεόν ἐπικαλοῦμαι, 2 Corinthians 1:23; ὑμεῖς μάρτυρες καί ὁ Θεός, 1 Thessalonians 2:10; the faithful interpreters of God's counsels are called God's witnesses: Revelation 11:3; Christ is reckoned among them, Revelation 1:5; Revelation 3:14.

c. in an ethical sense those are called μάρτυρες Ἰησοῦ, who after his example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death (cf B. D. American edition and Dict. of Chris. Antiq. under the word ): Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:13; Revelation 17:6.

Answer 5

No, as John was not a Christian

John was the last Jewish prophet. Because he knew Jesus and recognised him as the Messiah, it's tempting to call him a Christian, but this is a mistake.

Jesus said of John many complimentary things, but seemed to state pretty clearly that John was of the old covenant, not the new revelation of the Kingdom of God:

Matthew 11:11 "Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

We can't ignore that last clause or interpret it away until it's a nullity.

John was on the wrong side of history: he never saw Christ crucified, and he never saw the resurrection. He wasn't born again as we know it. Someone who knows neither that Jesus was crucified or resurrected isn't a Christian; they don't know or believe in the Gospel.

None of that is a criticism of John, it's just a clear eyed assessment of what he did and didn't believe. He was the greatest prophet of the entire old covenant, which is surely honour enough not to offend anyone here.

FWIW, he was certainly a martyr, as were many of the prophets. Had he affirmed Herod's sin, his head would never have ended up on that platter. He's a great martyr for today, given his target of sexual misconduct by the powerful and licentious.

Answer 6

I don't know if you've read the entire Bible yet, but if you have, then you should understand that such laws (Jewish Laws) were given by the God of the Old testament, who was and is the same being as Jesus Christ (see sources below), known in the Old Testament, primarily, by the name of Jehovah. That being known, it is very plain to see that John the Baptist was martyred for standing up for the principles of Christ.

I want to be clear, I am not speaking of the Trinity (I'm sorry, but I cannot see how the idea of a Trinity is possible while I'm reading this verse) when I say that Jesus Christ was Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament, but referring to the following scripture:

John 1:18
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

And we know very well that the only begotten Son is Jesus Christ.

All of this brought to mind, it is indisputable that John the Baptist was a Christian martyr; what He was martyred for was declaring the law that Jehovah, now called Jesus Christ since he had fulfilled the title of Christ after dying for our sins, had put forth by direction from God the Father.

Edit: Someone commented that by my reasoning, all Jews would be Christian. This is not so, because the reason what I said applies to John is that he knew that Jesus was the Christ (John 1:19-34), the Son of God, whereas the other Jews did not recognize him as such.

Edit:

I gave my sources and my reasoning. If you disagree, it is only fitting and proper that you comment anything you see as false, or whatever else you see it as. I see no good reason to downvote without doing so. Please see that you do.

Answer 7

2 Maccabees 7 starts by saying :

On another occasion a Jewish mother and her seven sons were arrested. The king was having them beaten to force them to eat pork.

The chapter goes on to mention how each one of the siblings and finally the mother were put to death for not obliging the King Antiochus. Indeed, the brave mother and her children are considered martyrs.

John the Baptist was jailed by Herod and put to death on the insistence of his illegitimate wife . John was in fact defending the precepts of faith , for which he would have to pay with his life.

So, every death at the hand of someone else , anticipated or otherwise, for defending one's faith or the precepts thereof, is martyrdom.Fr. Maximilian Maria Kolbe (1894-1941) is one of the latest additions to the list of martyrs.

Now, coming to the question if the Baptist is a Christian martyr, we need to have a look at Mtt 5: 17-19:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

So, the New Law given by Jesus does not in any way supplant the Old Law, but builds on it ! And, John the Baptist who died for the precepts of the Old Law died for the New Law also.

By the way, many consider the Innocent Children massacred by Herod as the first Christian martyrs.

The slain children were regarded by the early church as the first martyrs, but it is uncertain when the day was first kept as a saint’s day.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Feast-of-the-Holy-Innocents

And they died for Jesus some thirty years before John the Baptist would be martyred. Can it therefore, be said that the Baptist is a martyr of Old Testament ?

PS: I am not an expert on the subject, nor am the spokesperson of a denomination. I have only tried to put some thoughts together.