Dying Well

I was in Rome last week, and visited the Mamertine Prison where Church tradition says that Apostle Paul was incarcerated in his second imprisonment before he was executed. This happened under the Emperor Nero, who persecuted the Church intensely. The Mamertine was a prison for enemies of the State. Christians refused to worship the Emperor, and so a leader like Paul might fall into that category. The prison has a ground level for the guards and a dungeon underground. Prisoners were lowered down to the dungeon through an opening. The lower room is a grim circular stone room, fearsome even today with a staircase and some electric lighting.

Paul comments that most of his friends abandoned him at this time. “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me.” (2 Tim. 4:16, ESV). Undoubtedly, they were afraid of being arrested and killed as well—who wouldn’t be? But one friend, Onesiphorus, looked all over Rome for him and found him. (2 Tim. 1:16-17). Luke also had stayed with him. In the letter, he asks Timothy to come to him, and bring Mark. He asks for his cloak (to stay warm) and his books and parchments (Paul was trained as a lawyer and scholar). (2 Tim. 4:13, ESV).

Paul likely wrote the book of 2 Timothy from here, to the young man he considered a “beloved child.” (2 Tim. 1:2, ESV). As the last words we have from a man soon to be decapitated for his faith, it’s powerful. He speaks of his impending death. “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. . .” (2 Tim. 4:6-8, ESV).

Paul also gave Timothy some words of wisdom for living in a time of persecution. “[F]or God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:4, ESV). He says that the Gospel “is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” (2 Tim. 1:12, ESV). He encourages him, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (2 Tim. 2:3-4). “If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.” (2 Tim. 2:11-12, ESV). And he gives a warning that is relevant for us too: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted . . .” (2 Tim. 3:12, ESV).

Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic Roman emperor, is said to have commented admiringly about Christians that they died well. A quote from a letter likely written by him states about Christians, “It would indeed be more desirable for them, when accused, to appear to die for their God, than to live. Wherefore also they come off victorious when they give up their lives rather than yield obedience to your commands.” (https://www.gotquestions.org/Marcus-Aurelius.html ).

Being at the Mamertine made me ask, “Am I ready to die well?” And in a time where being a Christian is less and less popular, am I prepared to live well, pleasing Jesus? We die as we’ve lived. But for the Christian, death is only more life.