{"id":92753,"date":"2026-04-08T10:45:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T02:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hkbts.edu.hk\/?p=92753"},"modified":"2026-04-30T11:02:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T03:02:07","slug":"the-early-church-fathers-view-on-suffering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hkbts.edu.hk\/en\/?p=92753\/","title":{"rendered":"The Early Church Fathers\u2019 View on Suffering"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"92753\" class=\"elementor elementor-92753\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0e47810 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no\" data-id=\"0e47810\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f74ca23\" data-id=\"f74ca23\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-326432a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"326432a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-326432a{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-716d230 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"716d230\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4>Nathan Ng<\/h4>\nVice President (Academic Affairs)<\/br>\nProfessor of Christian Thought (Church History)\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bbb24bd elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bbb24bd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.hkbts.edu.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/%E9%99%A2%E8%A8%8A%E6%96%87%E7%AB%A0-3.png?fit=1024%2C512&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-92736\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d8f8832 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d8f8832\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-d8f8832{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-81e5abf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"81e5abf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color: #235ba8; font-size: 24px;\"><strong>The Early Church in Tribulation<\/strong><\/h3><p align=\"\u201cjustify\u201d\">\u3000\u3000From its inception, Christianity faced oppression and tribulation of varying degrees. After the Roman Emperor Nero (37-68 AD) set fire to Rome and put the blame on the Christians, the Church became an outlawed organization under the Roman Empire. At that time, merely having faith in Christ was sufficient grounds for a death sentence. In the early second century, the governor Pliny the Younger (61-113 AD) wrote to Emperor Trajan (53-117 AD) for guidance on how to deal with Christians, saying, \u201cFor the moment this is the line I have taken with all persons brought before me on the charge of being Christians. I have asked them in person if they are Christians, and if they admit it, I repeat the question a second and third time, with a warning of the punishment awaiting them. If they persist, I order them to be led away for execution.\u201d <sup>1<\/sup> Trajan responded, affirming that Pliny \u201chad followed the right course of procedure,\u201d while cautioning him: \u201cin the case of anyone who denies that he is a Christian \u2026 make it clear that he is not by worshipping our gods.\u201d <sup>2<\/sup><\/p><p align=\"\u201cjustify\u201d\">\u3000\u3000For over two centuries before Emperor Constantine the Great (272-337 AD) issued the <em>Edictum Mediolanense<\/em> in 313 AD, Christians endured countless brutal persecutions. Some were crucified <em>en masse<\/em>, burned, or torn apart by lions in the arena. Even children were clad in animal skins and devoured by rabid dogs. Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) incited mobs to attack the Church. During his reign, Christians \u201cendured every kind of disgrace that frenzied mobs habitually inflicted upon their enemies and adversaries.\u201d <sup>3<\/sup> Emperor Decius (201-252 AD) demanded that all citizens must \u201coffer sacrifices, pour libations, and partake of the sacrificial meat\u201d to the Roman gods as proof of their allegiance, threatening torture for those who refused. <sup>4<\/sup> Emperor Diocletian (245-311 AD) went further, ordering churches to be \u201cleveled to the ground and the Scriptures burned.\u201d To subdue Christians who feared no death, he \u201cimprisoned church leaders throughout the empire and employed every means to force them to sacrifice,\u201d aiming to shatter the faith of the Christian community. <sup>5<\/sup><\/p><h3 class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color: #235ba8; font-size: 24px;\"><strong>Exhortations from the Early Church Fathers<\/strong><\/h3><p align=\"\u201cjustify\u201d\">\u3000\u3000It is evident from the extant writings of the early Church Fathers that the early Church, enduring prolonged brutal persecution and suffering, did not give rise to bitterness, resentment, or despair. On the contrary, believers consistently confronted adversity from a spiritual perspective, placing their trust in Christ and looking forward to future glory. The teachings of these Fathers regarding tribulation and suffering can be summarized in the following three exhortations:<\/p><ol><li><em><strong>The Lord is present in tribulation, bringing comfort to suffering saints<\/strong><\/em><strong>:<\/strong> as the presbyter Hippolytus of Rome (c. 170-235 AD) stated, persecution and tribulation stem from the Antichrist\u2019s assault upon the saints, yet believers may look to \u201cthe Lord appearing from heaven.\u201d <sup>6<\/sup> This manifestation enables the saints to turn adversity into victory\u2014either gaining strength to endure suffering or beholding the Lord\u2019s face after martyrdom.<\/li><li><em><strong>Death is not the end of life, but a beautiful moment of temporary rest<\/strong><\/em><strong>:<\/strong> Tertullian (c. 155-220 AD) explained Matthew 6:6, noting that \u201cyour room\u201d symbolizes the grave, where those who depart during the fierce final assault of the Antichrist may rest for a time. <sup>7<\/sup> Therefore, saints need not fear suffering or death; departing to be with the Lord is something to be longed for.<\/li><li><em><strong>The saints who endure to the end in tribulation shall receive the crown of glory<\/strong><\/em><strong>:<\/strong> Irenaeus (c. 125-202 AD), interpreting the great tribulation described in Matthew 24:21, explicitly states, \u201cThis is the final trial of the righteous, and those who overcome shall receive the crown of immortality.\u201d <sup>8<\/sup> Therefore, what saints should fear is not tribulation itself, but rather any weakening or falling away in their faith due to persecution, causing them to lose their portion of heavenly blessings.<\/li><\/ol><p align=\"\u201cjustify\u201d\">\u3000\u3000According to this understanding, saints can face all kinds of persecution and tribulations with joyful hearts, as stated in the Apostolic Father\u2019s work <em>Pastor Hermae<\/em>: \u201cHappy are you who endure the great tribulation that is at hand.\u201d <sup>9<\/sup> They valued the eternal spiritual life in heaven far more than the fleeting physical life on earth. This principle is what they learned from the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p><p align=\"\u201cjustify\u201d\">\u3000\u3000Today, the world is filled with suffering. There are afflictions that we endure clearly for the sake of faith, and in such cases, the teachings of the Church Fathers offer believers fitting encouragement. Yet, for some cases of suffering, it is harder to discern the meaning. Internationally, wars claim countless lives and leave countless displaced; locally, human-made disasters tear families apart and lay waste to homes. These sufferings are real and cause deep lamentation. Nevertheless, the early Church Fathers reminded believers: do not fix your eyes solely on this fleeting world; instead, gaze with spiritual vision toward the eternal future, believing that <em><strong>tribulations are but temporary trials, and Christ is our ever-present help<\/strong><\/em>. Physical suffering, even death, need not be dreaded. By persevering to the end amid tribulations, one will receive the heavenly reward of glory.<\/p><h3 class=\"has-text-color\" style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10px;\">____________________________________________<\/h3><p style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><sup>1<\/sup> Pliny the Younger, <em>Epistulae<\/em> 10.96.<br \/><sup>2<\/sup> Pliny the Younger, <em>Epistulae<\/em> 10.97.<br \/><sup>3<\/sup> Eusebius, <em>Historia Ecclesiastica<\/em> 5.1.<br \/><sup>4<\/sup> George Milligan, <em>Greek Papyri<\/em> (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1912), no. 48.<br \/><sup>5<\/sup> Eusebius, <em>Historia Ecclesiastica<\/em> 8.2.<br \/><sup>6<\/sup> Hippolytus, <em>Commentariorum in Danielem<\/em> 2.7.<br \/><sup>7<\/sup> Tertullian, <em>De Carne Christi<\/em> 4.27.<br \/><sup>8<\/sup> Irenaeus, <em>Adversus Haereses<\/em> 5.29.1.<br \/><sup>9<\/sup> <em>Pastor Hermae<\/em>, vision 2.2.<\/p><p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nathan Ng, Vice President (Academic Affairs) and Professor of Christian Thought (Church History), stated that Christianity faced various forms of oppression and calamity from its inception. After the Roman Emperor Nero (37-68 AD) set fire to the city and blamed the Christians, the Church became an illegal organization suppressed by the Roman Empire. Simply adhering to the belief in Christ was enough to warrant a death sentence. In the early second century, Governor Pliny the Younger (61-113 AD) wrote to Emperor Trajan (53-117 AD) asking how to deal with Christians, saying, &quot;When someone is accused of being a Christian before me, I take these actions: I first ask them if they are Christians; if they admit it, I ask them two or three more times and threaten them with punishment; if they still insist, I order their execution.&quot;1 Trajan replied that Pliny the Younger &quot;has taken the right path,&quot; but reminded him, &quot;If people deny that they are Christians, you must rigorously verify them to ensure that they worship our gods.&quot;2 For more than two hundred years before Constantine the Great (272-337 AD) issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, Christians suffered countless cruel persecutions. Some were crucified en masse, some were burned as torches, some were mauled to death by lions in the Colosseum, and children were draped in animal skins and torn apart by rabid dogs. Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) incited mobs to attack the Church; during his reign, Christians &quot;endured the various humiliations that a frenzied mob usually inflicts on their enemies and adversaries.&quot; Emperor Decius (201-252 AD) demanded that all the people of the country &quot;offer sacrifices, libations, and taste sacrificial meat&quot; to the Roman gods to prove themselves, with those who disobeyed facing torture. Emperor Diocletian (245-311 AD) went even further, ordering the &quot;leveling of the Church and burning of the Bibles.&quot; Faced with Christians who were unafraid of death, he &quot;imprisoned church leaders in various places and then used every means to force them to offer sacrifices,&quot; intending to destroy the faith of the believers. 5. The Reminders of the Early Church Fathers: From the extant writings of the early Church Fathers, it is evident that the early Church, suffering prolonged and brutal persecution and mired in hardship, did not develop bitterness, resentment, or despair. On the contrary, believers often faced the situation positively from a spiritual perspective, trusting in Christ and hoping for future glory. The teachings of these Church Fathers regarding calamities and suffering can be summarized in the following three aspects: The Lord is present in times of trouble, bringing comfort to the suffering saints: just as the Roman Elder Hippolytus...<\/p>","protected":false},"author":148,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[353,358],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-_2026","category-358"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>\u65e9\u671f\u6559\u7236\u770b\u707d\u798d\u82e6\u96e3 - \u9999\u6e2f\u6d78\u4fe1\u6703\u795e\u5b78\u9662<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hkbts.edu.hk\/en\/?p=92753\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u65e9\u671f\u6559\u7236\u770b\u707d\u798d\u82e6\u96e3 - \u9999\u6e2f\u6d78\u4fe1\u6703\u795e\u5b78\u9662\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u5433\u570b\u5091 \u526f\u9662\u9577\uff08\u6559\u52d9\uff09\u3001\u57fa\u7763\u6559\u601d\u60f3\uff08\u6559\u6703\u6b77\u53f2\uff09\u6559\u6388 Nathan Ng Vice President (Academic Affairs) Professor of Christian Thought (Church History) \u707d\u96e3\u4e2d\u7684\u521d\u671f\u6559\u6703 \u3000\u3000\u57fa\u7763\u5b97\u6559\u5f9e\u958b\u59cb\u5373\u9762\u5c0d\u5927\u5927\u5c0f\u5c0f\u4e0d\u540c\u7684\u58d3\u8feb\u548c\u707d\u96e3\u3002\u81ea\u5f9e\u7f85\u99ac\u7687\u5e1d\u5c3c\u797f\uff08Nero\uff0c\u516c\u514337-68\u5e74\uff09\u7e31\u706b\u711a\u57ce\u4e26\u5ac1\u798d\u7d66\u57fa\u7763\u5f92\u4ee5\u5f8c\uff0c\u6559\u6703\u4fbf\u6210\u70ba\u7f85\u99ac\u5e1d\u570b\u6253\u58d3\u7684\u975e\u6cd5\u7d44\u7e54\u3002\u50c5\u662f\u5805\u6301\u76f8\u4fe1\u57fa\u7763\uff0c\u5c31\u8db3\u53ef\u5224\u4ee5\u6b7b\u7f6a\u3002\u7b2c\u4e8c\u4e16\u7d00\u521d\uff0c\u5de1\u64ab\u5c0f\u76ae\u91cc\u7d10\uff08Pliny the Younger\uff0c\u516c\u514361-113\u5e74\uff09\u81f4\u4fe1\u7687\u5e1d\u4ed6\u96c5\u52aa\uff08Trajan\uff0c\u516c\u514353-117\u5e74\uff09\uff0c\u8acb\u793a\u5982\u4f55\u8655\u7f6e\u57fa\u7763\u5f92\uff0c\u8aaa\uff1a\u300c\u5728\u6211\u9762\u524d\u6709\u4eba\u88ab\u544a\u767c\u662f\u57fa\u7763\u5f92\uff0c\u6211\u5c31\u63a1\u53d6\u9019\u4e9b\u884c\u52d5\uff1a\u6211\u5148\u554f\u4ed6\u5011\u662f\u4e0d\u662f\u57fa\u7763\u5f92\uff1b\u82e5\u4ed6\u5011\u627f\u8a8d\uff0c\u6211\u5c31\u518d\u554f\u5169\u4e09\u6b21\uff0c\u4e26\u4ee5\u5211\u7f70\u4f86\u5a01\u5687\u4ed6\u5011\uff1b\u82e5\u4ed6\u5011\u4ecd\u7136\u5805\u6301\uff0c\u6211\u5c31\u4e0b\u4ee4\u5c07\u4ed6\u5011\u8655\u6c7a\u3002\u300d1 \u4ed6\u96c5\u52aa\u56de\u8986\uff0c\u6307\u76ae\u91cc\u7d10\u300c\u5df2\u63a1\u53d6\u6b63\u78ba\u7684\u8def\u5411\u300d\uff0c\u4f46\u63d0\u9192\u4ed6\uff1a\u300c\u4eba\u82e5\u5426\u8a8d\u81ea\u5df1\u662f\u57fa\u7763\u5f92\uff0c\u52d9\u5fc5\u56b4\u52a0\u9a57\u8b49\uff0c\u78ba\u5b9a\u4ed6\u5011\u662f\u656c\u62dc\u6211\u5011\u7684\u8af8\u795e\u300d\u30022 \u3000\u3000\u541b\u58eb\u5766\u4e01\u5927\u5e1d\uff08Constantine the Great\uff0c\u516c\u5143 272-337\u5e74\uff09\u65bc\u516c\u5143313\u5e74\u9812\u4f48\u300a\u7c73\u862d\u8aed\u65e8\u300b\uff08Edictum Mediolanense\uff09\u4e4b\u524d\u7684\u4e8c\u767e\u591a\u5e74\u88cf\uff0c\u57fa\u7763\u5f92\u906d\u53d7\u7121\u6578\u6b98\u9177\u7684\u8feb\u5bb3\u3002\u6709\u7684\u88ab\u96c6\u9ad4\u91d8\u6b7b\u5728\u5341\u5b57\u67b6\u4e0a\uff0c\u6709\u7684\u7576\u4f5c\u706b\u628a\u711a\u71d2\uff0c\u6709\u7684\u5728\u9b25\u7378\u5834\u7d66\u7345\u5b50\u54ac\u6b7b\uff0c\u6709\u5b69\u7ae5\u88ab\u62ab\u4e0a\u7378\u76ae\u7d66\u72c2\u72ac\u6495\u54ac\u3002\u7687\u5e1d\u5967\u71b1\u6d41\uff08Marcus Aurelius\uff0c\u516c\u5143121-180\u5e74\uff09\u717d\u52d5\u66b4\u6c11\u653b\u64ca\u6559\u6703\uff1b\u5728\u4ed6\u57f7\u653f\u671f\u9593\uff0c\u57fa\u7763\u5f92\u300c\u627f\u53d7\u72c2\u71e5\u66b4\u5f92\u6163\u5e38\u5c0d\u5f85\u5176\u4ec7\u6575\u548c\u5c0d\u624b\u7684\u90a3\u5404\u7a2e\u7f9e\u8fb1\u300d\u30023 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