The Roman legions fought many long and difficult campaigns. If you were a Veteran Roman Legionnaire, you were conscripted for a 20-year term in the Roman Army. The benefit to this was, at the time of discharge, you were rewarded with lands and monetary compensation, as well as rewards and or honors that were acquired during your time of service to the Empire.
At the conclusion of a long or hard-fought military campaigns the legion commanders would assemble the ranks of soldiers and would erect a stage and three officers would stand on it and call the soldiers forward to receive their reward. This assembly was called the Bamea Tribunal.
The commanders would call forward, before all
the assembled legion, varies Legionnaires
This assembly, this military court of honor,
was not convened as a punitive moment of condemnation and punishment but
rather, of accommodation and reward for their service in the Roman army.
The Bemea Tribunel was
a highly anticipated event in the life of a Roman Legionnaires. It was a high
honor to stand before the Commanders of the Legion and receive from them
rewards of service.
Christian Soldiers
The Roman army was an ever-present realty in
the life of the early Christians. Being a Roman Legionnaire was a way of life
not just an "occupation of military enlistment”.
Christians were familiar with the legionnaires
so much so, that the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of Scripture to draw
on, and uses the images and metaphors of the Roman army and military
life to speak to Christians regarding the life which Christians are called
to live out. We can see these references in the words of the Apostle St. Paul.
St. Paul again speaks of the
panoply armor of the Roman Soldier in.
" let us put on the armor
of light." Rom: 13:12c
This set of Armor, the panoply, was
for many an everyday sight in the Roman Provenances. It was the stranded "dress" of every Legionnaires and spoke of their
continued vigilance and readiness to serve the Empire and the surest means of
personal protection in conflict. It was part of who they were.
This speaks to Christians to be always be
adorned with the "Armor of God", every
day in the life of the Christians we are to put it on, that is, take
it up and be dressed in it walk in it, live in it. This armor should
proclaim that the believer is always on the ready to serve our Lord
Jesus Christ at all times. It is our protection in the conflicts of this life
and a part of who we are.
Civilian Pursuits
The Legionnaire was careful not to be
entangled in the pursuits of civilians, these things would diminish their
ability to be effective in the ranks. Rather, the legionnaire was to be
focused on his place in the ranks and to always sharpen his skills as a
soldier. The Legionnaires were to avoid anything which was outside of the
prescribed life of the Roman army.
Legionnaires would strive to please their
commanding officer; for they knew that from him would come reward and
promotions. Loyalty was highly prized in the legion and at time this was cause
for reward even above skills.
St. Paul address this same thing to all
Christians, though it is written in one of the "pastoral"
epistles to the young pastor St. Timothy.
"Join with me in suffering, like a good
soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian
affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer." 2Tim:2:3-4
For Christians it should be our aim to please
our Lord Jesus Christ in and at all times, to set our minds on things
above not the affairs of this life, to live and to please him, to
show loyalty to our Lord and be ever ready to serve Him at all times, even
in times of conflict.
"Set your affection on things above, not
on things on the earth."Col:3:2
The Epistle to the Philippians was written to
a congregation of Christians in Philippi which had been established as a
retirement community for Roman Legionnaires along the Egnatian Way in the Greek
Province of Thrace. The Church there would have undoubtedly been comprised of
many of these retirees and their families.
These Christians would have understood the
military terms used throughout the Epistle and have been able to apply the
metaphors and lessons to their Christian life that the Apostle St. Paul was
presenting them. Military lessons would have spoken to them and equip them
to live powerful lives for their Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bemea
After a long hard march or extended campaign
and many engagements and battles there was the Bemea Tribunal. All
who served would ultimately be called forward by a tribunal of three
senior officers; and there, the legionnaire's personal performance would
be evaluated and they would receive their rewards. Often it led to promotion
and gain. This was a court of high honor and not a place of judicial
proceedings for punishment, but of accommodations.This was not a
place of fear but was highly sought by each soldier.
Each Christian will, in the same
way, stand before the Bemea of our Great Triune God in the person of our
Lord Jesus, who is the great Judge and the one who evaluates us all.
There each will be called forth by name and
our lives as Christian Soldiers will be evaluated, our lives will be "tried" by the fire of the Holy Spirit to see what
has been done in His service, to determine whether it has come out of
the flesh or the Spirit and there we will be rewarded accordingly.
Yet even, if in our lives there are found
things of the flesh they will be consumed and we will, by his Grace, still
enter the eternal life, that is, all through Who our Lord is , and what He has
accomplished for us.
"For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his
body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad." 2Cor:5:10
The translation we find in the English
of 2Cor: 5:10, is rather unfortunate, the Greek
carries the understanding that what is being tried or evaluated in quality, not
morality, we see this demonstrated in 1Cor:3:10-15.
St. Paul list building materials as compering
the quality.
"According to the grace of God which is
given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another
builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. For other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any
man build on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because
it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what
sort it is. If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall
receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but
he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." 1Cor:3:10-15
This tells us that even our failures will not
preclude us from entering eternal life. So great is God 's grace toward
and for us. Those things tried, that which was of the flesh is "wood, hay, stubble", will be consumed
and burned away, yet we are still saved, what will remain will be that which is
of the Spirit, “gold, silver, precious stones".
We not need to fear this moment; there is
still the reward of just being a Christian marching in the army of God as
it makes its way through history on the campaign toward eternity. All by His
Grace
Our Lord will evaluate each of us
for what did we did with the
salvation that was given to us by grace. Those who are veterans of
difficult days of the warfare of this life can have anticipation of this moment
that awaits us all.
"For by grace are you saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest
any man should boast." Eph: 2:8-9
Our Judge-Advocate
For the Roman solider retirement was generous, many
things both in lands and wealth were given to retiring soldiers at their
discharge from the legion, these benefits were given based upon their
service and rank and simply by being their part of the legion itself.
If we, as Christians, have gone
through hardship and have served long and in difficult times, your time of
reward is coming; you, like the Roman Soldiers long ago, will
hear your name called and Christ will evaluate your life, what was done by
the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord will reward us for how we
participated with him in this life. Our actions in this life do have
eternal impact. If you are tired veteran and have been, or are
in hard times, be encouraged, for the One Who Judges you is also the
best advocate you can have.
"My little children, these things
write I to you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:And he is the propitiation for our sins:
and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 1Jhn:2:1
This tells us that the one who sits as
our Judge also stands as our defender. How can we fear with Jesus with us
and for us?
For Veterans this is a comfort. The
Scriptures uses varies images to convey the sense that what is awaiting
us, is beyond the languages of humanity to express, but it will be worth
it!
Retirement Benefits
We like the Apostles, in becoming
Christians, and the Roman solders who left their own families, homes and
lands to march in the Legions of Roman, may ask, "what awaits us at our discharge of service?".
St. Peter asking for the twelve, but St. Peter is asking for each of us as
well, inquires of Jesus regarding the reward which awaits his followers at
their discharge of this life.
"Then answered Peter and said to him,
Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed you; what shall we have therefore?
And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, That you which have followed me, in
the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you
also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And
every one that has forsaken houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an
hundred times, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first
shall be last; and the last shall be first." Matt: 19:27-30
What awaits us is beyond our minds to fully
grasp. Jesus uses the language of accommodation so
that we might understand that our reward is great beyond hope. This tells us
that all that we have been through, in the hardships, battles, long marches and
even the wounds and scars inflicted upon us in this life, that in the
end, it will have been worth it. Every moment all the pain suffering
and difficulties will be more than compensated for in Great Glory.
St. Paul in writing again to St. Timothy gives
him, and we all, we who are veterans of our Lord's service, a last
military word of encouragement to see us through to the end of our time of
service, when we, as veterans in the service of the Kingdom of God will stand
and receive all that our Lord has for us. St. Paul tells St. Timothy and
us knowing what lies ahead at your moment at the Bemea for all the veterans.
"But you, man of God, flee from all this,
and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and
gentleness.Fight the good fight of the faith" .1Tim:6:11-12a
Benediction: May we each and all as
soldiers of the Lord, knowing the honors which awaited us fight the good fight,
today, tomorrow and for evermore. Amen
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Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma.
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