June: Day 8:
Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates
(On Obedience to Authorities)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates
(On Obedience to Authorities)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
I. Today is the commemoration of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates. Saint Theodore was a "stratelate" (military commander) in the city of Heraclea (on the Black Sea) and converted many pagans to Christ. Hearing that Theodore was converting many to Christ, Emperor Licinius, accompanied by dignitaries of his court and numerous soldiers, set off for Heraclea and ordered that gold and silver idols be carried with them.
That very night a miraculous phenomenon foreshadowed to Theodore that the time of his contest was near. During prayer a heavenly light suddenly shone upon him and he heard a voice saying to him: "Be bold, Theodore, I am with you!" Theodore understood that he would soon have to suffer for the name of Christ, and his heart was filled with joy.
Meanwhile, the emperor was approaching the city. Theodore, having learned of his approach, entered his room and, kneeling, prayed fervently to God: "O Lord God of truth!" he said, "strengthen me and grant me the courage to stand valiantly for Your name, and if need be, to lay down my life for You, Who died for our salvation."
Strengthened by prayer, Theodore donned rich clothing, mounted his horse, and rode out with the citizens and soldiers to meet the emperor, to whom he bowed respectfully. Licinius received Theodore graciously; to the sound of trumpets and kettledrums, he rode triumphantly into the city.
When neither the emperor's flatteries nor threats could force Saint Theodore to bow down to the idols, as the emperor demanded of him, an order was given to subject him to all the horrors of torture. He was beaten with ox sinews, scraped, burned and crucified on a cross, from where at night an angel of the Lord took him down and healed his wounds. Those who came in the morning saw Theodore sitting at the foot of the cross, unharmed and loudly glorifying the Lord... The multitude of people who had been present the day before at the torture of Theodore were amazed by this miracle and many immediately accepted the faith in Jesus Christ, hearing Theodore preaching about Christ.
One of the emperor's close associates went to Licinius and declared to him that the whole city was abandoning the gods and turning to the One whom Theodore preached. Licinius sent an executioner to take Theodore and put him to death. The people rushed at the executioner in rage to kill him, but Theodore pacified the agitated crowd, saying: "It is fitting for me to go to my Lord Jesus Christ." Having prayed and blessed the believers and his servant Abgar, he surrendered himself into the hands of the executioner and went to be executed with submission. The execution was carried out. All the Christians with candles and censers accompanied the body of the Holy Martyr to the burial place.
II. The Holy Great Martyr Theodore the Stratelates, both before his sufferings and during his sufferings, for example, respectfully meeting the emperor and pacifying the people's rebellion, is an example of deep reverence for the emperor and earthly authorities in all cases of life except those when earthly authorities demand that one renounce the true faith in God and true worship of God: then, both by the words and deeds of his life, the Holy Great Martyr Theodore convinces everyone of the truth that God must be listened to more than man.
Following the example of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates, we too must obey earthly authorities.
a) The Holy Scriptures prove the necessity of obedience to earthly authorities by the very fact that they are established by God: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God," says the Holy Apostle Paul; and the existing authorities are established by God. If therefore all authority comes from God, then even more so does the authority of the Autocratic Monarch, an authority that encompasses all other authorities, an authority entrusted with the fate of many people or even entire nations, is established over us by the Almighty Creator and is in direct dependence upon Him. The Lord says, according to the word of God, "By Me kings reign, and rulers decree justice; by Me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth" (Proverbs 8:15, 16). Therefore, each of us, by obeying the king and every authority, is not obeying a man, but God Himself, who established powers and appointed rulers over us. Be submissive to every human authority for the Lord's sake, out of respect for the Lord: or submit to him as to the Lord Himself (1 Peter 2:13). Thus, the Holy Apostle Peter commands and addresses all objections of those people who, not so much for the purpose of correction but to justify their opposition to authority, would point to the unlawful, scandalous actions of their superiors.
Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself confirmed the commandment of obedience to earthly authorities throughout His earthly life. He, the King of kings, the Lord of the living and the dead, did not give the slightest reason to resist the rulers of the earth - His servants. He fulfilled all the duties imposed by them - paid tribute to the king for Himself and for the Apostle Peter, with meekness and humility. He was subjected to the judgment of earthly rulers, remained obedient to them until death and death on the cross, undeserved, to which He went with submission, like a dumb lamb.
But one must obey the authorities not only because they are established by God and because those who do not obey the authorities commit sin (Rom. 13:22) and incur the wrath of the ruler, who does not bear the sword in vain, but also out of conscience and a sense of duty. Indeed, the rulers of the people are the greatest benefactors for those subject to them, both because they lead the latter to eternal salvation and because they arrange public order and well-being, satisfying all the needs of the people. Everyone knows that with the weakening of governmental power everything falls into disorder; "for want of care the people fall" (Prov. 11:14); "neither city, nor village, nor house, nor marketplace, nor anything else will stand," reasons Saint Chrysostom, "but everything will be destroyed by the strongest, devouring the weakest." So we must obey our superiors and unquestioningly fulfill the duties imposed by them on us, so that our own conscience will not reproach us for vile ingratitude to our benefactor. Obedience is required of us by a simple sense of honesty and justice. The government protects us from external and internal enemies, protects our person, guards property, arranges our personal well-being. Therefore, we, on our part, are obliged to pay at least a small share of what it gives us: to care for the integrity, strength and well-being of the state; to faithfully fulfill the duties imposed on us by those titles and services to which we are placed by the Providence of God, and to render, in the words of the Apostle, “to all their due: tax to whom tax is due; to whom tribute is due; to whom fear is due; to whom honor is due” (Rom. 13:7). “Countless blessings,” notes Saint Chrysostom, “come from earthly authorities, therefore, even if some anger follows from a superior against one who breaks the law, even in such a case one must show obedience, so as not to appear shameless and ungrateful before the benefactor” (Homily 23 on Romans).
b) True Christians have historically been unwaveringly faithful to every king, "as second to God and highest over all and lesser than the one true God" (Tertullian, "To Scapula", ch. 2); they unquestionably submitted to all authorities appointed by the king. "In what way have we, Christians, not obeyed earthly authorities?" Saint Justin Martyr asked on behalf of all Christians to their persecutors. "We are the first of all to strive to pay taxes, as commanded to us by Jesus Christ. We worship the one God, and we gladly serve you and pray together for the kings" (Apology). And truly, aside from one religion, in which the conscience of the leading Christians never allowed them to unite with wicked pagans, in all other matters they unconditionally obeyed their rulers. For instance, when the apostate Julian commanded to "offer sacrifices to the idols," the Christians refused; yet when he said, "go forth – fight," they immediately complied with the king's order (Augustine on Psalm 124).
III. Brethren! All that the word of God commands us, and all that our Holy Church – our Mother – bequeaths us to do, should serve as an unchanging rule and guidance for Christians of all subsequent times; and the example of the earliest Christians should be an immutable model for Christians of all ages. And if ancient Christians obeyed the pagan rulers, the enemies of Christianity, and sometimes even the perverters of humanity, then all the more should we obey our pious sovereigns, the firstborn sons of the Church and the principal earthly protectors of faith and piety.
Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
