The Cost of Spreading the Gospel

The Cup of Suffering

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. Acts 12:1-2

As James was led to the executioner, did he remember his conversation with Jesus? He and his brother John had sought seats beside Jesus when he reigned in his kingdom. But Jesus had said to them, “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” Jesus had been focused on what was about to happen—his arrest and crucifixion. “We can,” they’d answered, not knowing they were volunteering to drink from the cup of suffering (Mark 10:35-40).

James was among the three in the innermost circle of disciples: Peter, James, and John. He was probably a powerful leader, but the Scriptures don’t reveal much about his personality except that Jesus called the two brothers “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17).

Nevertheless, James had run away terrified when soldiers came to arrest Jesus. His fear disappeared later when he saw the risen Jesus Christ. Because the Holy Spirit now lived within him, James had the courage to face his own death. He had wanted to be great and do powerful and glorious things for God, but he was martyred.

Herod Agrippa I arrested and persecuted those who later were called Christians (Acts 12:1-2). Stephen was the first Christian martyr. He’d died publicly after giving an incredible defense which covered the Old Testament from Abraham to the prophets (Acts 6:8-7:60). But James, the first apostle to be martyred, died out of public view. An account by Clement recorded by Eusebius, an early church historian, says that the one who led James to the executioner was so moved when he saw him bearing his testimony that he confessed he was a Christian too . . . thus they were both beheaded at the same time.”*

Jesus told James and John that they would indeed “drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with” (Mark 10:39). Biblical scholars estimate that James was martyred around AD 44, ten to fourteen years after Jesus was crucified. John lived decades longer, but throughout his ministry he was persecuted for his faith as his letters suggest (2 John 1:7, 3 John 1:9-10).

Since then, the cup of suffering has been given to many who were martyred because of their faith. Various ages. Various countries. These deaths are precious to God because they demonstrate unwavering faith even in the face of suffering and death (see Psalm 116:15). God may never ask you to give up your life as a martyr, but you, like John, will probably encounter verbal abuse and other kinds of persecution.

The apostle Peter, who was also martyred, wrote “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray” (1 Peter 4:7). In the next verse, he said, “Above all, live each other deeply” (4:8). We need to pray for one another that we will stand strong no matter what kind of persecution we face. We also need to love one another so we can stand strong together, whether we are leaders on the front line of the spiritual battle or supporting those leaders with our time, skills, and money. Who is on your prayer list?

Dig Deeper

Read Mark 10:35-40. James and John were zealous, ambitious. They wanted to become great and to sit next to Jesus when he took the throne in his kingdom. What does their desire say about their faith in Jesus? How did the other disciples react and what did Jesus tell them in verses 41-45?

Read John 15:18-21 and 17:14-26. What warning did Jesus give to his disciples and to us, and what did he promise? What is your response to the warning and the promises?

Those in the inner circle were closer to Jesus and witnessed things that the other disciples didn’t. What did they see of Jesus’s power in Mark 5:37-43, of Jesus’s glory in Mark 9:2-8, and his agony in Mark 14:33-42? How do you think that affected their ministry after Jesus returned to heaven?

Nancy J. Baker

This devotion is part of a series on the Book of Acts.

*Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, quoted in John MacArthur, Twelve Ordinary Men, (Nashville, TN: The W Publishing Group, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. 2002), p.93.