32. Aristarchus, Paul’s Friend
The Martyrdom Of Some Of Paul’s Friends And Brethren Who Were Imprisoned With Him Shortly After He Was Offered Up; Besides Others Who Were Slain Afterwards.
It is related that shortly after the death of the Apostle Paul, his brethren and fellow prisoners, whom he mentions in the epistles which he wrote from his prison, namely, Aristarchus, Epaphras, Aquila, Prisca, Andronicus, Junias, Silas or Silvanus, Onesiphorus, etc., followed in his footsteps in suffering for the name of Christ.
Aristarchus, a Traveling Companion of Paul, Slain at Rome, Under Nero, About A.D. 70
Aristarchus, a native of Thessalonica, was, with Gaius, Paul’s companion in his journey from Macedonia to Asia; with which Gaius he was apprehended at a certain time, in an uproar at Ephesus, but for that time made his escape. Afterwards, however, he was brought to Rome a prisoner, just at the time that Paul also was apprehended for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
This friend of God saluted the church at Colosse by the hand of Paul; of which Paul makes mention, writing, “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner saluteth you.” (Col. 4:10) This imprisonment, however, was not the end of it; for he was also devoured by that cruel lion, Nero, about the time of Paul’s death after having been several years previously a faithful pastor of the church at Thessalonica, A. Mell. 1st Book, van de Hist, der vervolg. en Mart., printed at Dort, Anno 1619, fol. 17, col. 4, from Bedos Usuard. Adon Mart. Rom. 4 aug. Also, Menol. Grose. 14 April.
Thieleman J. Van Braght (1625-1664) was an Anabaptist who is best known for writing a history of the Christian witness throughout the centuries entitled “The Bloody Theater or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their Saviour, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660” (1660).
Thieleman J. Van Braght, Martyrs Mirror
