I thank Christ Jesus our Lord [for] … appointing me to his service.
Summary: Paul’s appointment to the Lord’s service opens the door to an important conversation about the use of the word “martyr.”
When Paul was confronted by Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, he was appointed to the Lord’s service.
Paul didn’t negotiate with Jesus.
He didn’t say, “You want me to do WHAT?!”
He didn’t argue, he didn’t whine, he didn’t even think twice.
Confronted with the presence of the Living God, Paul was simply honored to be chosen for whatever his Lord wanted him to do.
And what did the Lord want him to do? According to Paul, Jesus said:
“Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.” (Acts 26:16)
God called him to be a witness for the truth of the Gospel. In other words, he called him to be a martyr.
Wait a minute … What? A martyr?
Yes — a martyr.
In Paul’s day, the Greek word for a witness, such as a sworn witness giving testimony in a court setting, was “mártys,*” where we get our English word “martyr” from.
Today, our modern usage of the word is “a person who is killed or made to suffer because of their religious or other beliefs.”† Between Paul’s day and ours, the meaning of the word has changed.
The focus of the word has changed from “witness” to “victim.”
Is that where God wants our focus to be?
Jesus didn’t tell Paul, “I have appeared to appoint you to die because of your faith in me.” He was appointed as a servant and a witness to Jesus.
As it turns out, almost all translators use the word “witness” in the Acts 26:16 passage. But what about Stephen?
“And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.” (Acts 22:20)
Here, the translator uses the word martyr to mean that Stephen was the victim of a stoning. But the original Greek pointed to Stephen’s faithfulness as a witness for Jesus.
Which matters more — Stephen’s faithful testimony about Jesus, or the fact that he was stoned? Which best shows God’s love? And does focusing on his suffering help us live for Jesus, or distract us from Him?
As a Christian, focus is everything. The author of Hebrews writes, “… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
The reason Paul didn’t question his appointment was that he had his eyes fixed on Jesus. The cost of being an Apostle was great, but all that mattered to Paul was being a faithful witness.
Application: Keep our eyes on Jesus.
Food for Thought: How does focusing on the pain of death impact our witness for Christ?
*”G3144 – martys – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (NIV).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 6 Feb, 2026. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3144/niv/mgnt/0-1/>.
†Online dictionary.
How does focusing on the pain of death impact our witness for Christ?
As believers we have the assurance of eternal life with our creator. The bodies we occupy today are a temporary housing from which we will be freed when they reach their expiration date known only by God.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our journey toward physical death begins the moment we are conceived. NIV
2 Corinthians 5:1-5, For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Our peace with God, our foreknowledge of eternal life gives each the freedom to witness to those brought into our sphere of influence by God. We focus on sharing Gods truths for what ever time He has predetermined we will spend on earth. For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, when we die and leave these earthly bodies, we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.
As believers we find peace knowing,” In Christ,” these bodies are a temporary housing for our eternal spirits.
Thank you, Ron!
I like how “foreknowledge of eternal life” changes things!
How does focusing on the pain of death impact our witness for Christ?
Focusing on the pain of death really brings us to remembering how fragile we can be as humans. For believers, in placing our trust in Christ, we have assurance that pain is temporary, and death has already been defeated. In sharing in His suffering, our relationship grows closer to Him, His light shines through us more, and we become more like Him. We are able to rejoice in suffering, which is an incredible witness for Christ.
John 11:25–26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
I believe and ready to go.
Me, too, Paul! 🙂
Thank you, Chris!
“We are able to rejoice in suffering…”
That is a concept that makes no sense unless we know Jesus.
Good comments and Bible references as usual. Thank you all.
🙂