Hobbes defines a martyr as someone who witnessed the Resurrection of Christ—not someone who dies in the name of some religious cause. The confusion as to who, and what, a martyr is exactly is an example of the widespread misinterpretation of Holy Scripture that Hobbes claims plagues Christianity.
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Martyr Term Timeline in Leviathan
The timeline below shows where the term Martyr appears in Leviathan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 42: Of POWER ECCLESIASTICALL
...be forced to confess something that endangers their life. Plainly put, those who die as martyrs die needlessly.
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The true definition of a martyr, Hobbes says, is one who witnessed Christ’s Resurrection, not someone who dies rather than cast...
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...church. The first Magisterial officers were the Apostles, who were chosen by Christ to be martyrs—that is, to witness his Resurrection. The first non-martyr Apostle was Matthias, who was chosen by...
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