“The distinctively ritual manner of the murder, particularly the slicing of fingertips, is convincing observers of the consciously religious motivation of the assassins. The perpetrators seem to have been following the instructions of Sure 8:12, from the Koran. There it says (in the Rudi Paret German translation of the Koran), ‘I will strike terror into the hearts of unbelievers. Flay their necks (with a sword) and strike every finger.’ The last half of the sentence is translated in even more striking terms in some versions. In the Rassoul and Zaidan translation it says, ‘chop off every finger;’ the Azhar and Ahmadeyya translation says, ‘chop off every finger tip’.”
A number of the attackers were quickly arrested by the police. Bear in mind the context of all this. Turkey is a secular state with a predominantly Muslim population. On Sunday a million Turks rallied in Istanbul demanding that democracy not be snatched away. They feared that an Islamist government will soon be set up. The military however wants the secular state to remain. So tensions are high in Turkey, and Christians there have always had great difficulty.
Yet out of this tragedy has been a positive outcome. “There has been an enormous media storm in Turkey following these events. Many Turks sent letters to the newspapers to express their deep disgust. The widow, Susanne Geske, earned tremendous admiration for her words in a TV interview the day after the massacre. She said she forgave the murderers of her husband, the way Christ forgave his murderers, citing Jesus’ prayer, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ This is the reason why she wants to stay in Malatya with her children. Many letters to the newspapers are saying that now they really want to read the New Testament or even to describe themselves as Christians, since they no longer want to have anything to do with Islam.”
It has been said that the blood of the martyrs is the seedbed of the church. That is certainly true here. Two issues arise from this story for believers in the West. One, are we praying for our brothers and sisters in these nations where persecution is so widespread? They desperately need our prayers.
Two, how does our life stack up? Are we as dedicated to Jesus Christ as these three were? Many of us glibly say we are willing to die for Jesus. But the real issue is, are we willing to live for him? Are we totally sold out to Christ, and do we put him first in everything we do? Do we believe in radical discipleship? Have we really counted the cost of following Jesus?
The horrible deaths of these three believers reminds us of just what is really important in life. As martyred missionary Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.”
Bill Muehlenberg is a lecturer in ethics and philosophy at several Melbourne theological colleges and a PhD candidate, Deakin University
Source: http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/
Comments
Christian Martyrs and the Power of Forgiveness
If you are a follower of Jesus today, there is a very real chance – at least in many parts of the globe – that you will have to pay for your faith with your life. There have been more Christians killed in the past hundred years than throughout the previous nineteen hundred years of Christianity. Indeed, there are more than 200 million Christians today who do not have full religious freedom simply because they have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord.
By: Bill Muehlenberg
Posted: Thursday, 3 May 2007, 0:14 (EST)
continue to read > 1 | 2
Copyright © 2007 Christian Today. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Top Stories
Comments Headline
