# Benjamin, A Deacon Of The Church Of Christ, After Suffering Many Torments For The Name Of The Lord Jesus, Put To Death With A Knotty Stick In Persia, A. D. 456.

456 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: BENJAMIN, A DEACON OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, AFTER SUFFERING MANY TORMENTS FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, PUT TO DEATH WITH A KNOTTY STICK IN PERSIA, A. D. 456.

Source heading; not independently verified

This Benjamin was a deacon of the Christian
church in Persia, who, when opportunity offered
itself, also proclaimed the doctrines of the holy gospel
to the people, at which Geroranes, the King of
Persia, took such offense, that he caused him to be
cast into prison, in which he remained without
deliverance for two years. After this, a certain
ambassador came to the King to transact some state
business. Having heard of Benjamin and his
dreary confinement, he besought the King to set
him free. The King consented, yet on the condition,
that the prisoner should not speak to any of
his magi or priests of the Christian religion or dispute
with them. The ambassador promised the
King in Benjamin’s name that his command should
be heeded. But when he came to Benjamin, and
admonished him to this, Benjamin answered: “I do
not wish to do what you have promised in my
name. I can not withhold the doctrine of the light of
the gospel, which I have received from God, from
others, not communicating it to them; for I have
learned from the gospel how severely those will be
punished, who bury the talent which has been given
them to gain something therewith, in the earth.”

In the meantime, the King, knowing nothing of
the answer which Benjamin had returned to the
ambassador gave command to release him from his
confinement. Benjamin once more free, ceased not
to exhort the people as before, and to set the light of
the holy gospel on the candle-stick. When this had
continued for about the space of one year after his
liberation from prison, new complaints were brought
against him before the King, who had him brought
before him, and commanded him to renounce the
God whom he served, on pain of bodily punishment.
Then Benjamin asked the King: “What
punishment, beloved King, does he deserve, who
deserts and renounces thee and thy government, and
submits himself to, and serves another lord?” The
King answered: “Such a man deserves punishment
on body and property, yea, the severest penalty of
death.” Benjamin asked again saying: “What
punishment does the man deserve who forsakes his
God, the Creator of all things, in order to exalt one
of his servants as God, and to give to a creature the
worship due to God alone?”

These words so incensed the King, that he commanded
his guards to sharpen twenty reeds and to
thrust them between the flesh and the nails of his
fingers and toes. But when the King saw that the
pious martyr endured all this with steadfastness, yea,
regarded it but very little, he, after other torments,
ordered the executioners to prepare a knotty stick,
which by cutting away the branches, was made as
sharp as a stick of thorns. This he caused to be
thrust into the nether part of his body, and then
pulled backwards and forwards, until the faithful servant
and professor of Christ ended his life under the
hands of the executioners, like a defenseless lamb
that is led to the slaughter and opens not its mouth.
Compare the account of Abr. Mellinus, 2d, book,
fol. 260, col. 1, 2, taken from Theod., lib. 5, pag. 38,
and Merul, Graec., with the annotation of P. J.
Twisck, Chron., 5th book, page 191, col. 1, from
Hist. Eccl. Tripart, 2d, part, lib. 11, cap. 33, Hist.
Andr. Hondorff, fol. 20.





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