Bible scholars-I need help
 

3144
μάρτυς (mártys)
+ Etymology:of uncertain affinity;
- Definition:
a witness (literally (judicially) or figuratively (genitive case)); by analogy, a "martyr"

Acts 1:8 Ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem.....

The word "witnesses" (martys) in this verse, does the context mean "martyrs" or "testifiers" or both?
In other words, can the verse mean "ye shall be martyrs unto me..."?

ARPH:doggyrun

Re: Bible scholars-I need help
 

I'm not what you would call a bible scholar ,but let's look at it this way,as our self will is put to death,then as we let's God's will be done in our lives,we will be witnesses for Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ.

Re: Bible scholars-I need help
 

Hello Arphaxad,

The answer is "both". Martyrdom served as a "witness", but not exclusively. :)

Re: Bible scholars-I need help
 

I believe it could be both however we are all aware to be a christian usually meant you would be a martyr back then.

Re: Bible scholars-I need help
 

Act 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

martus
Thayer Definition:
1) a witness
1a) in a legal sense
1b) an historical sense
1b1) one who is a spectator of anything, e.g. of a contest
1c) in an ethical sense
1c1) those who after his example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death

A.T. Robertson
Our word martyrs is this word martures. In Luk_24:48 Jesus calls the disciples "witnesses to these things" (martures toutōn, objective genitive). In Act_1:22 an apostle has to be a "witness to the Resurrection" of Christ and in Act_10:39 to the life and work of Jesus. Hence there could be no "apostles" in this sense after the first generation. But here the apostles are called "my witnesses." "His by a direct personal relationship" (Knowling). The expanding sphere of their witness when the Holy Spirit comes upon them is "unto the uttermost part of the earth" (heōs eschatou tēs gēs). Once they had been commanded to avoid Samaria (Mat_10:5), but now it is included in the world program as already outlined on the mountain in Galilee (Mat_28:19; Mar_16:15). Jesus is on Olivet as he points to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the uttermost (last, eschatou) part of the earth. The program still beckons us on to world conquest for Christ. "The Acts themselves form the best commentary on these words, and the words themselves might be given as the best summary of the Acts" (Page). The events follow this outline (Jerusalem till the end of chapter 7, with the martyrdom of Stephen, the scattering of the saints through Judea and Samaria in chapter 8, the conversion of Saul, chapter 9, the spread of the gospel to Romans in Caesarea by Peter (chapter 10), to Greeks in Antioch (chapter 11), finally Paul’s world tours and arrest and arrival in Rome (chapter 11 to chapter 28).