> Can anyone explain who did poor James in? It seems an odd time for such a
> bloody-minded martyrdom.
>
> Phyllis
Phyllis,
According to Butler, James was both a Christian and a Persian noble
much favoured by King Isdegerdes I, who was very favourably disposed
towards Christians, in general, until a bishop named Abdas got a bit
carried away and burnt a pagan temple. Because Abdas refused to
rebuild the temple, Isdegerdes began persecuting Christians, and
rather than lose his position at the royal court, James renounced his
faith. Upon Isdegerdes death, however, James's Christian mother and
wife managed to convince him to return to the Christian faith,
whereupon Isdegerdes' son and successor, Vararanes V, reproached him
with ingratitude. James refused to abjur his faith again, and
Vararanes threatened him with a slow and lingering death. James
retorted: "Any kind of death is no more than a sleep; 'May my soul
die the death of the just'."
"Death," said the tyrant, "is not a sleep: it is a terror to lords
and kings."
James answered: "It indeed terrifies kings, and all others who
contemn God; because 'the hope of the wicked shall perish' (Prov.
2:28)"
The king then took him up on these words, and said sharply: "Do you
then call us wicked men, O idle race, who neither worship God, nor
the sun, moon, fire, or water, the illustrious offspring of the
gods?"
"I accuse you not," replied James,"but I say that you give the
incommunicable name of God to creatures."
The king was so incensed by this reply that he brought together all
the ministers and judges of his kingdom to think up a new and
particularly horrible and cruel method of execution. And voila.
Vararanes V apparently martyred a few Christians - Butler also
mentions St. Mahorsapor(!!) - before being defeated by Theodosius the
Younger in 427, who forced him to stop his persecutions.
Cheers,
Jim Bugslag
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