Today is one of my favorite Feast Days in the Church calendar: Saint Nicholas Day. It’s a day when we look to the legacy of a man whose life should inspire us to reflect on the call to live as witnesses for Christ as we remember that faith isn’t simply about what we believe. It’s also about how we live our lives reflecting that faith into the world around us. (Jms 2:14-26)
Now, the truth is, many of the details of Nicholas’ life remain somewhat veiled in history. Most contemporary accounts have, as far as we know, been lost to the annals of time. But the stories we do have – the ones that are documented and the ones that are legendary – offer to us the picture of a man who was utterly devoted to his Savior, passionate in his defense of the faith, and deeply charitable to those in need.
So, Who Was Saint Nicholas?
Nicholas of Myra lived in the 4th century, serving as a bishop in what is now a part of modern-day Turkey. As I stated at the outset, the contemporary accounts of his life are few and far between. Much of what we know and believe about the man comes from writings that emerged well after his death. For example, one of the references we look to when we consider the Bishop is Eustratius of Constantinople, who wrote the 583 treatise De statu animarum post mortem. In this writing he references an late 4th century/early fifth century work called The Life of Saint Nicholas – a work that has been lost to history. His name also appears in the Historiae Ecclesiasticae Tripartitae Epitome, written very early in the sixth century, as one of the attendees of the Council of Nicaea in 325AD.
The truth is that, during a troubling and turbulent time in the Roman Empire, one of much change, it isn’t surprising most contemporary work by or about Nicholas would have been lost to time. It was just a reality of the period. What we do know though is that his impact was great, and within 150 years of his death the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II was ordering the building of a church in Myra named after Saint Nicholas.
Whatever the case may be, what we know from the history, as well as the legends, was that Nicholas’ life was shaped by his unwavering devotion to Christ. Orphaned at a young age, he inherited a substantial fortune – a fortune that he didn’t use for his own comfort. Nicholas poured it into the lives of others, into the lives of those in need. Perhaps one of the most famous stories tells of Nicholas secretly providing dowries for three impoverished sisters, dropping bags of gold through their window under the cloak of night to save them from a life of ruin and humiliation.
It’s act of selfless charity echoes Christ’s command to care for the least of these, not for recognition but out of love, and it’s acts like this that marked the life of the Bishop of Myra.
The Defender of the Faith
Perhaps one of the most famous and most hotly contested and deeply debated stories about Saint Nicholas is the one about his role at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.
In 313 the Western Emperor, Constantine, alongside the Eastern Emperor, Licinius, had issued the Edict of Milan, ending the persecution of Christian and ensuring religious toleration for the Christian faith. By 324 Constanine had become the sole Emperor, defeating Licinius in a series of civil wars. Now though, looking internally within the Empire he saw that a division about the nature of Christ was threatening to tear the Church, and possibly the Empire apart.
In 325 he gathered church leaders to address this division and what would become recognized as the heretical teachings of Arius, a presbyter in the church. It was Arius who denied the full divinity of Christ, claiming that the Son was a created being and not co-eternal with the Father. His famous slogan was “There was a time when the Son was not.” This teaching struck at the very heart of the Gospel, because our salvation hinges on the fact that Christ is fully God and fully man (see my sermon on the Virgin Birth).
As the story goes that Nicholas, passionately defending the truth and increasingly frustrated with the heresy being taught and defended by Arius, confronted him during the council. In some accounts, he went so far as to strike Arius across the face – the slap heard across the Empire as it were.
While this might sound shocking to some modern ears, with some Evangelicals writing Christians should stop perpetuating this story, the truth is that it reflects Nicholas’ zeal for protecting the faith once delivered to the saints. (Jude 3) This wasn’t just some display of random, unchecked anger. It was a bold stand against a false teaching that threatened orthodox Christianity, biblical Christianity as it tried to lead the church and people away from the saving truth of the Gospel.
This event reminds us that standing firm for the faith is not always comfortable or easy. In our world today, we face cultural pressures to compromise biblical truth for the sake of convenience or popularity and we see the rise of ancient heresies we once thought long since gone trying to overtake the faith. Saint Nicholas’ example urges us to hold fast to Christ’s Word, even when doing so requires courage and conviction.
A Witness of Faith and Charity
Saint Nicholas’ life is a powerful example of what it means to be a witness for Christ. He wasn’t content to just pontificate on the faith, or talk about the Gospel; he wanted to live it. He could have lived an easy life, one of wealth and luxury. His acts of charity flowed not from obligation but from a life redeemed by Christ and a heart transformed by God’s grace. His defense of the faith was not about winning arguments, it was about preserving the truth that sets people free.
As we celebrate Saint Nicholas Day, his legacy challenges us in two significant ways:
First, it challenges us to show Christlike charity. Nicholas’ generosity reminds us that our possessions, our time, and our talents are gifts. They are gifts that have been entrusted to us by God to bless others. Whether it’s meeting physical needs, sharing a kind word, or offering a helping hand, our acts of love point to the our Lord, who first loved us.
Second, it challenges us to stand firm in the truth: Like Nicholas, we are called to defend the faith, to defend the truth of God’s Word and the purity of the Gospel. This doesn’t mean being bitter or combative or just picking fifths. It means being bold and unwavering in proclaiming Christ crucified and risen. It means that, in a world filled with competing voices, the Gospel remains our firm foundation, and what we willingly would give everything to protect that salvation through Christ may be proclaimed.
Honoring His Legacy
While some details of Saint Nicholas’ life may perhaps blur the line between history and legend, his witness endures. He points us not to himself but to the Savior he served so faithfully.
As we reflect on his life today, may we be encouraged to follow his example of faith, charity, and courage, because Saint Nicholas’ legacy reminds us of our call to live as faithful witnesses, holding fast to the timeless truth of Christ and generously loving those around us. Saint Nicholas Day isn’t just about remembering a man who lived and died in the fourth century. If it was it would have faded to the palpably obscure long ago.
Saint Nicholas Day is about embracing the same mission he had: to bring glory to God in how we live, love, and stand for the truth. On this day, and every day, may we strive to walk in his footsteps, always pointing to the Savior who redeems and restores us.
