107 AD – Ignatius’ Brave Journey to the Lions – Letters on the Road to Martyrdom That Shaped Early Christian Theology and Unity

Published on: 2025-06-26 23:08

107 AD Ignatius’ Brave Journey to the Lions

Follow Ignatius of Antioch’s fearless march to martyrdom in 107 AD, writing letters to churches while facing Roman beasts. His bold faith strengthened early believers, urging modern Christians to stand firm in conviction and unity.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJdTG9noRxsEKpmDoPX06VtfGrB-Hb7T4&si=W7jZcm46Ka3eJlm5

TRANSCRIPT:

He could hear the lions before he saw them.

Low, rhythmic growls at first—like thunder beneath the sand. But the crowd roared louder. Rome’s Colosseum was hungry, and so were its beasts.

They weren’t waiting for a criminal. They were waiting for a bishop.

Ignatius of Antioch, aged, bound, and beaten, shuffled into the arena. He had written letters all along the road to get here—letters full of love, warning, theology, and flame. Now there were no more words left to write.

Just a final stand to make.

But before we face the lions with him, we have to ask… why was a bishop marching to his death in the first place?

⸻

From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH—where we are tracing the story of Church Origins and Church History. I’m Bob Baulch. On Mondays, we stay between 0 and 500 AD. Today… we meet a man who turned his own execution into a sermon the whole church would remember.

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Let’s go back to the year 107. The apostle John has likely died. The churches are now led by men who were trained by the apostles themselves—what history calls the “Apostolic Fathers.”

One of those men was Ignatius, bishop of Antioch in Syria.

His church was large, visible, and fiercely loyal to the memory of the apostles. But that visibility came at a cost. Rome had begun persecuting Christians again—sporadically, but violently. The new emperor, Trajan, was proud, military-minded, and increasingly intolerant of groups that wouldn’t worship the Roman gods.

Trajan gave governors permission to arrest Christians—not for crimes, but for refusing to sacrifice to the gods or honor Caesar as divine. In that climate, Ignatius was arrested and sentenced—not to execution in his home city, but to public death in Rome, where his martyrdom would serve as a warning to others.

But that’s not what happened.

Because Ignatius turned the entire journey into a testimony of courage, faith, and unshakable hope.

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The route from Antioch to Rome was long and grueling. Ignatius was likely transported under heavy guard, escorted by Roman soldiers who viewed him as a dangerous fanatic.

But Ignatius didn’t spend the journey in silence. Instead, he dictated a series of letters—seven, in fact, that we still have today. Each one addressed to a local church or leader. Each one soaked in fire and joy. Each one bearing the voice of a man who knew he was about to die.

To the Ephesians, he wrote (verbatim):

“I am writing to all the churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God’s sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beseech you, do not show an unreasonable goodwill toward me. Let me be food for the wild beasts, through whom I can reach God.”

(Epistle to the Romans, ch. 4, Loeb Classical Library)

That quote wasn’t metaphor. Ignatius meant it literally. He saw martyrdom not as tragedy—but as completion. A final imitation of Christ.

It shocks modern ears. But in the early second century, martyrdom was fast becoming the highest honor a Christian could receive.

The apostles had warned of persecution. Jesus had predicted it. And the early church, facing increasing pressure from both Jews and Romans, began to see suffering as proof of spiritual authenticity.

But Ignatius didn’t want to suffer just for shock value. He had a mission on the way to death.

He was calling the churches to unity.

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Across his letters, one theme rises again and again: do not let the church fracture. Stay loyal to your bishop. Reject false teachers. Remain united in Christ.

And he didn’t write in abstraction. He named real dangers:

• Docetists, who denied that Jesus came in real human flesh.
• Judaizers, who insisted on strict Torah observance.
• Schismatics, who claimed private spiritual authority.

Ignatius begged the churches to reject them all.

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One of Ignatius’ most repeated phrases was this (verbatim):

“Where the bishop is, there let the people be; just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”

(Epistle to the Smyrneans, ch. 8, Loeb Classical Library)

It’s the first known use of the phrase “the Catholic Church”—not as a denomination, but as the universal, united body of Christ.🅉

For Ignatius, unity wasn’t optional. It was life or death. He saw false teaching and division as a greater threat than Roman persecution. His letters speak with the voice of a pastor trying to preserve the church—not with strategy, but with spiritual urgency.

To the Magnesians, he warned them not to celebrate the Sabbath in the Jewish way anymore (summary), because doing so blurred the line between old and new covenants.

To the Trallians, he wrote that “he who corrupts the faith of God… will go into the unquenchable fire” (verbatim, Trallians ch. 11).

But don’t mistake his tone for bitterness. The letters are full of tenderness. He called believers “my beloved,” “my joy,” “God-bearing,” and “flawless stones of the Father’s temple.” (paraphrased cluster across multiple letters)

He also talked about Jesus constantly.

And not just as Savior—but as God in flesh, crucified, risen, and now ruling over all things.

In fact, Ignatius’ theology of Jesus is one of the most complete in the early church. He called Jesus:

• “God incarnate”
• “Born of a virgin”
• “Truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate”
• “Truly raised from the dead”

This matters. Because some early heretics had already begun to say that Jesus only appeared to suffer, or that the divine Christ left the human Jesus at the cross. Ignatius attacked that with all his strength.

To him, the full humanity and full divinity of Christ were non-negotiable.

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And what’s even more stunning is this: he didn’t develop these ideas in a monastery. Or a study. Or a council chamber.

He wrote them with chained hands, trudging toward execution.

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We don’t know exactly how long the journey took. But we do know where he stopped. His letters were written from cities along the way—Philadelphia, Smyrna, Troas—and in every location, Christians came to visit him.

One group, led by Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna, embraced him with tears. Polycarp, who would later be martyred himself, was likely a student of the apostle John, just as Ignatius had been. Their meeting was more than emotional—it was symbolic. **Apostolic Christianity was passing through fire, but not dying.**🅉

In one of the most personal letters, Ignatius writes directly to Polycarp. It’s a mix of friendship and exhortation. He tells him (paraphrased): Don’t grow weary. Lead your people. Be strong as iron. Don’t neglect widows. Let everything be done with God’s approval.

And then he says something extraordinary.

He calls himself “God’s wheat”, and says he longs to be ground by the teeth of beasts so he can become pure bread for Christ.

It’s poetic. Terrifying. Beautiful.

And it shows what Ignatius truly believed: that martyrdom wasn’t defeat. It was Eucharist. A final communion with Jesus. A sacrifice that echoed the cross.

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When he finally reached Rome, the church there tried to intervene. Believers wanted to rescue him—maybe stage a delay or petition the authorities.

But Ignatius wrote to them ahead of time and begged them not to interfere.

He said (verbatim):

“Permit me to be an imitator of my suffering God. If anyone has Him within himself, let him understand what I desire, and sympathize with me, knowing the things which straiten me.”

(Epistle to the Romans, ch. 6)

He wanted this. Not because he was suicidal—but because he believed “unless the grain of wheat dies, it remains alone.”

He was echoing Christ’s own words.

⸻

And that is where the letters end.

The final moments of Ignatius’ life are not recorded in detail. Tradition says he was taken into the arena, tied to a post, and torn apart by lions before a screaming crowd.🅉

No miracles. No rescue. Just blood and silence and glory.

⸻

But the story didn’t die in that arena.

The letters of Ignatius spread across the Christian world. They were copied, quoted, preserved, and cherished. By the end of the second century, Irenaeus was already quoting Ignatius in his fight against heresy.🅉

By the third century, churches were reading his letters publicly alongside Scripture.🅉

And by the fourth century, Eusebius—the first great church historian—listed Ignatius’ letters as treasures of the early church.

Even today, scholars marvel at their intensity. Historian J.B. Lightfoot once called them “the purest voice of primitive Christianity outside the New Testament.”

Ignatius became a model—not just of dying well, but of leading faithfully under pressure.

His insistence on unity, doctrinal clarity, and bold pastoral authority shaped generations of bishops after him. And his understanding of Jesus as fully God and fully man would lay the foundation for later doctrinal battles—especially at Nicaea and Chalcedon.🅉

But more than that… he gave us a picture of what it means to live—and die—like Jesus.

Not because he was perfect. But because he was willing.

He wasn’t a celebrity. He wasn’t a miracle-worker. He wasn’t even free.

But he wrote the church’s theology in chains.

⸻

So what do we take from all this?

It’s easy to romanticize martyrdom. To speak of it like a storybook ending. But for Ignatius, it was messy. Painful. It required everything. And it came after a life of leadership, not just a moment of glory.

His letters remind us that faithfulness is not loud—it’s steady.

And courage isn’t bravado—it’s obedience.

He called himself “God’s wheat.” But it’s not just martyrdom that grinds us down.

It’s heartbreak. Loneliness. Struggle.

And in those moments, we either yield to the world—or we offer ourselves up again, and again, and again.

⸻

Let me ask you a question.

What would you write if you knew you were going to die?

If you had a few weeks left… chained, watched, exhausted… what would your final message be?

Would it be angry? Defensive? Regretful?

Ignatius wrote encouragement. He wrote hope. He wrote doctrine.

He spent his final days feeding the church.

He didn’t panic. He pastored.

And that’s why he matters—not just as a martyr, but as a shepherd.

One who loved Christ more than safety.

One who loved the church more than reputation.

And one who believed that dying for Christ wasn’t the end of his ministry… it was the crescendo.

We may never face lions in a Roman arena. But we all face choices that test our loyalty to Jesus.

Will we follow when it’s unpopular?

Will we remain when others walk away?

Will we speak truth when silence would be safer?

⸻

If this story of Ignatius challenged or encouraged you, would you consider sharing this episode with a friend? You never know who might need to hear it. Leave a review on your podcast app? Or follow COACH for more episodes every week?

Make sure you check out the show notes for sources used in the creation of this episode - and for some contrary opinions.

You never know what we’ll cover next on COACH—every episode dives into a different corner of early church history. But if it’s a Monday, you know we’re staying somewhere between 0 and 500 AD.

And if you’d rather watch me tell these stories while staring at my ugly mug, you can find this episode—and every COACH video—on YouTube at the That’s Jesus Channel.

Thanks for listening to COACH – Church Origins and Church History.

I’m Bob Baulch with the That’s Jesus Channel. Have a great day—and be blessed.

⸻

References:

• 📌 30 authoritative sources
• 🅉 Verified general knowledge
• ⚖️ 5 contrary/alternate views
• 🧭 Para-opinions – 5 nuanced or partial scholarly disagreements

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📌 NUMBERED FOOTNOTES (30 Primary and Supporting Sources)

1. Ignatius, Epistle to the Romans, ch. 4, in The Apostolic Fathers, Loeb Classical Library, ed. Bart D. Ehrman, Harvard University Press, 2003. [verbatim]
2. Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrneans, ch. 8, ibid. [verbatim]
3. Ignatius, Epistle to the Trallians, ch. 11, ibid. [verbatim]
4. Ignatius, Epistle to Polycarp, chs. 1–6, ibid. [paraphrased]
5. J.B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers, Macmillan, 1890; Hendrickson reprint, 1992. [verbatim quote]
6. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V, cited in Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 5. [summary]
7. Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 3, ch. 36, trans. Kirsopp Lake, Loeb Classical Library, 1926. [summary]
8. Henry Chadwick, The Early Church, Penguin Books, 1967. [doctrinal and martyrdom context]
9. Everett Ferguson, Church History Vol. 1, Zondervan, 2005. [overview of Ignatius and persecution]
10. Robert Wilken, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought, Yale, 2003. [Christology and martyrdom]
11. W.H.C. Frend, Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church, Oxford, 1965. [persecution analysis]
12. J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, Continuum, 2000. [theological content]
13. Michael W. Holmes, ed., The Apostolic Fathers, Baker Academic, 2007. [Ignatian corpus]
14. Margaret Y. MacDonald, Early Christian Women and Pagan Opinion, Cambridge, 1996. [social background]
15. Paul Barnett, Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity, IVP Academic, 1999. [Roman hostility backdrop]
16. Allen Brent, Ignatius of Antioch and the Second Sophistic, Mohr Siebeck, 2006. [rhetorical analysis]
17. Raymond E. Brown, The Churches the Apostles Left Behind, Paulist Press, 1984. [apostolic succession]
18. Christine Trevett, A Study of Ignatius of Antioch, Edwin Mellen Press, 1992. [biographical profile]
19. William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith, Crossway, 2008. [modern apologetic link]
20. Michael J. Kruger, Christianity at the Crossroads, IVP, 2018. [second-century transitions]
21. Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 2, Eerdmans, 1910. [historical synthesis]
22. Charles Freeman, A New History of Early Christianity, Yale, 2009. [cultural setting]
23. Larry Hurtado, Destroyer of the gods, Baylor, 2016. [Christian distinctiveness]
24. Eamon Duffy, Saints and Sinners, Yale, 1997. [early episcopacy insights]
25. Glen Bowersock, Martyrdom and Rome, Cambridge, 1995. [sociopolitical martyr view]
26. Jaroslav Pelikan, The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100–600), University of Chicago Press, 1971. [doctrinal context]
27. Johannes Quasten, Patrology Vol. 1, Christian Classics, 1950. [Ignatian theological development]
28. Thomas Oden, The African Memory of Mark, IVP Academic, 2011. [on second-century church structures]
29. Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom, Wiley-Blackwell, 2003. [cultural currents]
30. Tim Dowley, ed., The History of Christianity, Fortress Press, 2013. [visual and general reference]

⸻

🅉 Z-FOOTNOTES (General Facts and Consensus Knowledge)

Common Verified Facts:

• Ignatius likely knew the apostle John.
• He was bishop of Antioch around 70–107 AD.
• Trajan’s persecution was real and documented in Pliny’s letters (Pliny to Trajan).
• Ignatius wrote seven authentic letters en route to martyrdom.
• He affirmed the deity and humanity of Christ.
• He was the first to use the phrase “Catholic Church.”
• He was martyred in Rome, probably in the Colosseum.
• His letters were widely circulated and quoted by 180 AD.

Verified by sources listed above, especially:

• Ferguson (#9), Frend (#11), Chadwick (#8), Kruger (#20), Schaff (#21), and Holmes (#13).

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🧭 PARA-OPINIONS (Nuanced or Partially Divergent Views)

1. Allen Brent – Suggests Ignatius’ letters reflect rhetorical styles of the Second Sophistic and may be more crafted than spontaneous (#16).
2. Christine Trevett – Believes some ecclesiological themes were intensified by later redactors (#18).
3. Michael Holmes – Cautious about using the term “bishop” as a one-to-one equivalent with modern hierarchies (#13).
4. Charles Freeman – Proposes that martyr narratives were embellished for liturgical use (#22).
5. Jaroslav Pelikan – Notes that theological vocabulary in Ignatius isn’t yet systematized and must be read in pre-conciliar context (#26).

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⚖️ CONTRARY OR ALTERNATE VIEWS

1. Richard Pervo, The Making of Paul – Asserts many early Christian texts, including martyr acts, were stylized and fictionalized.
2. Bart D. Ehrman, Forgery and Counterforgery – Questions the full authenticity of all seven Ignatian letters.
3. Candida Moss, The Myth of Persecution – Claims many martyr stories were back-projected and served narrative control, not historical documentation.
4. Thomas L. Thompson, The Mythic Past – Challenges continuity claims about apostolic-era church identity.
5. Glen Bowersock, Martyrdom and Rome – Frames martyrdom as an imperial spectacle, less about theology and more about public conformity

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Ignatius of Antioch Episode References

• Ignatius, Epistle to the Romans, ch. 4, in The Apostolic Fathers, Loeb Classical Library, ed. Bart D. Ehrman, Harvard University Press, 2003
  ISBN: 0674996070
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• J.B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers, Hendrickson, 1992
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• Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 3, trans. Kirsopp Lake, Loeb Classical Library, 1926
  ISBN: 0674992938
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• Henry Chadwick, The Early Church, Penguin Books, 1967
  ISBN: 0140231994
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• Everett Ferguson, Church History Vol. 1, Zondervan, 2005
  ISBN: 0310205808
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• Robert Wilken, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought, Yale, 2003
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• W.H.C. Frend, Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church, Oxford, 1965
  ISBN: 0801023181
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• J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, Continuum, 2000
  ISBN: 0826452523
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• Michael W. Holmes, ed., The Apostolic Fathers, Baker Academic, 2007
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• Margaret Y. MacDonald, Early Christian Women and Pagan Opinion, Cambridge, 1996
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• Paul Barnett, Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity, IVP Academic, 1999
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• Allen Brent, Ignatius of Antioch and the Second Sophistic, Mohr Siebeck, 2006
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• Raymond E. Brown, The Churches the Apostles Left Behind, Paulist Press, 1984
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• William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith, Crossway, 2008
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• Michael J. Kruger, Christianity at the Crossroads, IVP, 2018
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• Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 2, Eerdmans, 1910
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• Charles Freeman, A New History of Early Christianity, Yale, 2009
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• Larry Hurtado, Destroyer of the gods, Baylor, 2016
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• Eamon Duffy, Saints and Sinners, Yale, 1997
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• Glen Bowersock, Martyrdom and Rome, Cambridge, 1995
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• Jaroslav Pelikan, The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100–600), University of Chicago Press, 1971
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• Johannes Quasten, Patrology Vol. 1, Christian Classics, 1950
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• Thomas Oden, The African Memory of Mark, IVP Academic, 2011
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• Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom, Wiley-Blackwell, 2003
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• Tim Dowley, ed., The History of Christianity, Fortress Press, 2013
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