Chapter V.—No Less
Evils Have Arisen from the Same Source in the Most Recent Times.
The Martyrdom of Peter and Paul.
But not to dwell upon ancient examples, let us come to
the most recent spiritual heroes.
4023
Let us
take the noble examples furnished in our own generation. Through
envy
4024
and jealousy the greatest and most righteous
pillars [of the church] have been persecuted and put to death.
4025
Let us set before our eyes the
illustrious
4026
apostles.
Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous
labours; and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the
place of glory due to him. Owing to envy, Paul also
obtained
4027
the reward of
patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into
captivity,
4028
compelled
4029
to flee, and
stoned. After preaching both in the east
and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having
taught righteousness
4030
to the whole world,
and come to the extreme limit of the west,
4031
and suffered martyrdom under the prefects.
4032
Thus was he removed from the world,
and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example
of patience.
4023
Literally,
“those who have been athletes.”
4024
I.
ἔριν
(strife).
4025
I.
ἕως
θανάτου
ἤθλησαν
(contended unto
death).
4026
Literally
“good.”
4027
I.
ἔδειξεν
(displayed).
4028
Seven
imprisonments of St. Paul are not referred to in Scripture.
4029
I.
φυγαδευθείς
(having become a fugitive). Archbishop Wake here reads
“scourged.” We have followed the most recent critics
in filling up the numerous
lacunæ
in this
chapter.
4030
I. punctuates
ἔλαβε
δικαιοσύνην
,
(received righteousness, having taught).
4031
Some think
Rome
, others
Spain
, and others even
Britain
, to be
here referred to.
4032
That is, under
Tigellinus and Sabinus, in the last year of the Emperor Nero; but some
think Helius and Polycletus referred to; and others, both here and in
the preceding sentence, regard the words as denoting simply the
witness
borne by Peter and Paul to the truth of the gospel
before the rulers of the earth.