Is there a reason you believe Jesus wasn't speaking literally when He said "do not resist an evil person"? It's true that there are times when Jesus employs hyperbolic language, but surely not everything He said was hyperbole.
As for the martyrs, we have a preponderance of testimony about them. So we actually can look to see how they acted, and in many cases they voluntarily chose martyrdom rather than resistance. Here's just one example: St. Ignatius of Antioch, who had been bishop of the church there for many years, succeeding in the ministry left to him by the Apostles Peter and Paul, was arrested and he offered no resistance. Taken in chains from Antioch to Rome, he penned several letters, one of those letters was sent ahead to the Church in Rome, in this letter he tells them not to do anything to win him his freedom, not to resist, not to try and rescue him. Instead he writes that he is ready to accept whatever men or devil throw at him, because here in his last days he sees the opportunity to finally live up to that high calling of being a disciple of Jesus.
Writing around 107 AD,
"I write to the churches, and impress on them all, that I shall willingly die for God, unless you hinder me. I beseech of you, do not show unseasonable goodwill toward me. Allow me to become food for the wild beasts, through whose instrumentality it will be granted me to go to God. I am God's wheat, and let me be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ. Instead, entice the wild beasts, that they may become my tomb, and may leave nothing of my body; so that when I have fallen asleep, I may be of no trouble to anyone. Then shall I truly be Christ's disciple, when the world shall not so much as see my body. Entreat Christ for me, that by these instruments I may be found a sacrifice. I do not, as Peter and Paul, issue commandments to you. They were apostles; I am but a condemned man. They were free, while I am, even until now, a slave. But when I suffer, I shall be the freed-man of Jesus, and shall rise again emancipated in Him. And now, being a prisoner, I learn not to desire anything worldly or vain.
From Syria even to Rome I fight with beasts, both by land and sea, day and night, bound by these ten leopards (I mean the soldiers), who even when they receive benefits show themselves to be awful. But I am discipled by their attacks, 'yet am I not thereby justified' May I enjoy the wild beasts that are prepared for me. And I pray they may be found eager to rush upon me, which also I will entice to devour me quickly, and not deal with me as with some, who out of fear they have not touched. But if they be unwilling to assail me, I will compel them to. Forgive me, I know what is for my benefit. Now I begin to be a disciple. And let no one, seen or unseen, forbid me that I should go to Jesus Christ. Let fire and cross, let mobs of wild beasts, let tearing, breaking, dislocation of bones, dismemberment, let my whole body even be shattered, may all the horrible torments of the devil come my way--but let me only go to Jesus Christ.
For all the pleasures of the world, and all the kingdoms of this earth, profit me nothing. It is far better for me to die on behalf of Jesus Christ, than to reign over all the ends of the earth. 'For what shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul?' Him I seek, who died for us; Him I desire, who rose again for our sake. This is the gain which is laid up for me. Forgive me, brothers; do not hinder me from living, do not wish to keep me in a state of death. And while I desire to belong to God, do not hand me over to the world. Allow me to obtain this pure light, when I have gone there, I shall indeed be a man of God. Permit me to imitate the suffering of God. If ay one has Him within himself, let him consider what I yearn for, and let him have sympathy with me, as knowing how I am poor." - Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Romans, Ch. 4-6
-CryptoLutheran
