Types of Persecution in the Bible and History Today
Persecution, in biblical and historical contexts, encompasses a range of hostile actions against individuals or groups due to their religious beliefs or practices. The Bible records instances of persecution against God's people throughout its narrative, from the Old Testament to the New Testament [10].
One of the earliest recorded instances of religious persecution in the Bible occurred during the reign of King Ahab, instigated by his wife Jezebel, who sought to replace the worship of Yahweh with that of Ashtoreth and Baal [1]. This historical pattern of hostility against God's servants is evident in various forms, including physical violence, social ostracization, and legal penalties [10].
Types of persecution described in the Bible include:
- Physical Violence and Death: This can range from scourging and imprisonment to execution. Jesus himself was persecuted, enduring scourging and crucifixion [2, 9]. The Apostle Paul, before his conversion, actively persecuted followers of "this Way" (Christianity) to the death, imprisoning both men and women [5]. The punishment of scourging was common among Jews and Romans, involving beatings with rods or whips, sometimes with metal pieces attached [7]. The ultimate form of physical persecution is death, as seen in the killing and crucifying of prophets and wise men [9].
- Mocking and Scorning: This form of persecution involves verbal abuse, ridicule, and contempt. Christ endured mocking, as predicted in the Psalms and Isaiah [4]. Saints also suffer scorn for their faith, uprightness, and faithfulness in declaring God's word [4]. This can be particularly directed at those who are considered children of God [8].
- Oppression and Suppression: This includes hindering religious worship, confiscation of goods, and the suppression of prophetic voices. Matthew Henry notes that persecuting God's prophets and silencing them is a sin that greatly provokes God [14]. The tyranny of princes and the tameness of the people in submitting to it are also identified as forms of oppression [12].
- Legal and Social Penalties: These can involve being brought before rulers and authorities, as Jesus warned his disciples would happen [10]. Punishments in ancient societies, while often retaliatory, were also designed to be a warning to others and were inflicted by magistrates or kings [3, 6].
The New Testament teaches that all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution [2]. Jesus instructed his disciples to expect persecution, promising that the Holy Spirit would provide strength [10]. Christians are called to bless those who persecute them, praying for their persecutors [13]. The experiences of God's people in the Old Testament serve as examples for believers in the New Testament dispensation, which is seen as the culmination of previous ages [11].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Persecution — The first great persecution for religious opinion of which we have any record was that which broke out against the worshippers of God among the Jews in the days of Ahab, when that king, at the instigation of his wife Jezebel, "a woman in whom, with the reckless and licentious habits of an Oriental queen, were united the fiercest and sternest qualities inherent in the old Semitic race", sought in the most relentless manner to extirpate the worship of Jehovah and substitute in its place the worship of Ashtoreth and Baal. Ahab's example in this respect was”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Persecution — Christ suffered -- Ps 69:26; Joh 5:16. Christ voluntarily submitted to -- Isa 50:6. Christ was patient under -- Isa 53:7. Saints may expect -- Mr 10:30; Lu 21:12; Joh 15:20. Saints suffer, for the sake of God -- Jer 15:15. Of saints, is a persecution of Christ -- Zec 2:8; Ac 9:4,5. All that live godly in Christ, shall suffer -- 2Ti 3:12. Originates Ignorance of God and Christ. -- Joh 16:3. Hated to God and Christ. -- Joh 15:20,24. Hatred to the gospel. -- Mt 13:21. Pride. -- Ps 10:2. Mistaken zeal. -- Ac 13:50; 26:9-11. Is inconsistent with the spirit o”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Punishments — The earliest theory of punishment current among mankind is doubtless the one of simple retaliation, "blood for blood." Viewed historically, the first case of punishment for crime mentioned in Scripture, next to the Fall itself, is that of Cain, the first murderer. That death was regarded as the fitting punishment for murder appears plain from the remark of Lamech. (Genesis 4:24) In the post-diluvian code, if we may so call it, retribution by the hand of man, even in the case of an offending animal, for blood shed, is clearly laid dawn. (Genesis 9:5,6) Pa”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scorning and Mocking — The sufferings of Christ by, predicted -- Ps 22:6-8; Isa 53:3; Lu 18:32. Christ endured -- Mt 9:24; 27:29. Saints endure, on account of Being children of God. -- Ge 21:9; Ga 4:29. Their uprightness. -- Job 12:4. Their faith. -- Heb 11:36. Their faithfulness in declaring the word of God. -- Jer 20:7,8. Their zeal for God's house. -- Ne 2:19. The wicked indulge in, against The second coming of Christ. -- 2Pe 3:3,4. The gifts of the Spirit. -- Ac 2:13. God's threatening. -- Isa 5:19; Jer 17:15. God's ministers. -- 2Ch 36:16. God's ordinances. -- L”
- Acts “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. -- Acts 22:4”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Punishments — Antiquity of -- Ge 4:13,14. Power of inflicting, given to magistrates -- Job 31:11; Ro 13:4. Designed to be a warning to others -- De 13:11; 17:13; 19:20. Were inflicted On the guilty. -- De 24:16; Pr 17:26. Without pity. -- De 19:13,21. Without partiality. -- De 13:6-8. By order of magistrates. -- Ac 16:22. By order of kings. -- 2Sa 1:13-16; 1Ki 2:23-46. Immediately after sentence was passed. -- De 25:2; Jos 7:25. By the witnesses. -- De 13:9; 17:7; Joh 8:7; Ac 7:58,59. By the people. -- Nu 15:35,36; De 13:9. By soldiers. -- 2Sa 1:15; Mt 27:27-35. Some”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Scourging — The punishment of scourging was common among the Jews. The instrument of punishment in ancient Egypt, as it is also in modern times generally in the East, was usually the stick, applied to the soles of the feet--bastinado. Under the Roman method the culprit was stripped, stretched with cords or thongs on a frame and beaten with rods. (Another form of the scourge consisted of a handle with three lashes or thongs of leather or cord, sometimes with pieces of metal fastened to them. Roman citizens were exempt by their law from scourging.)”
- Galatians “Galatians 4:29 (LEB) — But just as at that time the child born according to human descent persecuted the child born according to the Spirit, so also now.”
- Matthew “Therefore behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city; -- Matthew 23:34”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 4:1: 4:1-22 Persecution was a common experience of God’s people throughout the Bible. God’s servants often faced hostility and opposition (Deut 30:7; 1 Kgs 18:13; Neh 4:1-3; Jer 37–38; Matt 23:34-37; Luke 11:49-51; 1 Thes 2:14-15). Jesus himself was persecuted (Luke 4:29; John 5:16), and he told his disciples to expect the same kind of treatment (Matt 10:23; 24:9; Mark 13:9; Luke 21:12; John 16:2), but he promised that the Holy Spirit would provide strength (Acts 1:8; Luke 12:11-12; 21:15). Acts records frequent times of persecution (Acts 4:3; 5:17-41; 7:54–8:3; 9:1-2; 11”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 10:11: Now . . . these things . . . ensamples--resuming the thread of Co1 10:6. The oldest manuscripts read, "by way of example." the ends of the world--literally, "of the ages"; the New Testament dispensation in its successive phases (plural, "ends") being the winding up of all former "ages." No new dispensation shall appear till Christ comes as Avenger and Judge; till then the "ends," being many, include various successive periods (compare Heb 9:26). As we live in the last dispensation, which is the consummation of all that went before, our respon”
- Hosea (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hosea 5 (introduction): The scope of this chapter is the same with that of the foregoing chapter, to discover the sin both of Israel and Judah, and to denounce the judgments of God against them. I. They are called to hearken to the charge (Hos 5:1, Hos 5:8). II. They are accused of many sins, which are here aggravated. 1. Persecution (Hos 5:1, Hos 5:2). 2. Spiritual whoredom (Hos 5:3, Hos 5:4). 3. Pride (Hos 5:5). 4. Apostasy from God (Hos 5:7). 5. The tyranny of the princes, and the tameness of the people in submitting to it (Hos 5:10, Hos 5:11). III. They are threatened with”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 12:14: Bless them which persecute you,.... It is the lot of God's, people in this world to be persecuted by the men of it, in some shape or another, either by words or deeds; either by reviling and reproaching them, and speaking all manner of evil of them; or by hindering them the free exercise of religious worship, by confiscation of their goods, imprisonment of their persons, by violently torturing their bodies, and taking away their lives; under all which circumstances they are taught to bless them; that is, to pray for them, that God would show them their evil, give r”
- Micah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Micah 2:6: Here are two sins charged upon the people of Israel, and judgments denounced against them for each, such judgments as exactly answer the sin - persecuting God's prophets and oppressing God's poor. I. Persecuting God's prophets, suppressing and silencing them, is a sin that provokes God as much as anything, for it not only spits in the face of his authority over us, but spurns at the bowels of his mercy to us; for his sending prophets to us is a sure and valuable token of his goodwill. Now observe here, 1. What the obstruction and opposition were which this people ga”