What is The Meaning of "μάρτυρες"?

In the book of Acts, it is written: "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth," (Acts 1:8 NASB1995).

This passage has been often misinterpreted to mean that Jesus sent groups of martyrs out as the Greek word "μάρτυρες" or "martyres" is used, the same word that we get the English word "martyr" from; however, it must be noted that this word has several meanings other than just a martyr. In the New Testament, the word "μάρτυρες" or "martyres", including other forms of this word, is used about 35 times in the New Testament.

There are three meanings of this word. The most common meaning of the word is an eye witness to an event, but it can also be used to describe a legal witness in a court or a witness to the cost of their own life (Falk).

The usage of "μάρτυς" or "martys" as a martyr is used on some occasions like Revelation 2:13, "I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells," (Revelations 2:13 NASB1995).

In 1 Thessalonians, the word is used in its most common usage: "For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness," (1 Thessalonians 2:5 NASB1995). Also see Revelation 3:14 & Luke 24:48.

In John 8, it is used in the legal sense: "Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true," (John 8:17 NASB1995). Also see Matthew 18:16 & Acts 6:13.

We can know which usage is correct is through the context of the passage. There is no mention of legal aspects in Acts 1:8, so it would seem unlikely for it to be this usage. It would make much more sense for it to be witnesses or preachers of what they had seen to spread the message of the resurrection of the Messiah. The text does not give any reason to assume they would all die as martyrs. As mentioned, the usage of "μάρτυς" as a martyr is its least common usage, but it is not impossible some of these witnesses would become martyrs for Christ.

Acts 1 is in specific reference to the Apostles, as it is written: "until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen," (Acts 1:2 NASB1995). As it is well known, many of the apostles, according to early traditions, did die as martyrs, but we can not assume all of them did based on this passage.

The original word here is μάρτυρες martures, martyrs. From this word the name martyrs has been given to those who suffered in times of persecution. The reason why this name was given to them was that they bore witness to the life, instructions, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, even in the midst of persecution and death. It is commonly supposed that nearly all of the apostles bore witness as martyrs in this sense to the truths of the Christian religion, but of this there is not clear proof. See Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, vol. i. p. 55, 56. Still the word here does not necessarily mean that they to whom this was addressed would be martyrs, or would be put to death in bearing witness to the Lord Jesus; but that they were everywhere to testify to what they knew of him. The fact that this was the design of their appointment, and that they actually bore such testimony, is abundantly confirmed in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 1:22; Acts 5:32; Acts 10:39, Acts 10:42; Acts 22:15," (Barnes).

References:

Barnes' Notes on the New Testament. United Kingdom, Kregel Publications, 1962.

Falk, David. "Live Stream #164: Is Dr. Falk The Biblical David?" YouTube, 21 June 2024, https://youtu.be/l7sVUZAXkas.

Image by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Mosheim, Johann Lorenz. An Ecclesiastical History. United States, Collins & Company, 1821.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse