Saint And Sinner - Empress Theodora

500–48

Theodora, the sixth-century Byzantine empress, was either the star of an inspiring rags-to-riches story or a conniving manipulator who slept and cheated her way to the top. Either way, she’s on a short list of the most powerful women of all time.

The early details of her life are not in dispute. As a teenager, she worked as an actress at a time when most actresses were also prostitutes. She became the mistress of a provincial governor in North Africa but left him when he became abusive. Wending her way through the empire, she landed in Constantinople, the capital, starting a wholesome new life as a wool spinner. Was it just a happy coincidence that she worked near the palace, drawing the attention of Justinian, the emperor-to-be? He fell hard for her and wedded her—after repealing the law that kept government officials from marrying actresses.

As emperor, Justinian faced numerous challenges, and Theodora was right there beside him—sometimes ahead of him. When riots broke out in the capital in 532, Justinian prepared to flee the city, but Theodora urged him to stay and fight. In a bloodbath, the riots were quelled. The couple made some new enemies, but they kept their power.

The church at the time was badly divided over the nature of Jesus Christ. Some emphasized his single, divine nature, and others followed the Nicene concept that he is fully God and fully man. Here Theodora disagreed with her husband, taking the one-nature position, and occasionally subverting her husband’s actions. Some modern scholars think this public disagreement kept a degree of peace in the empire because both parties were being heard.

Amid all the game playing and manipulation, it appears that Justinian and Theodora really loved each other. They certainly needed each other—and after she died, he was never the same.

How will history remember you? Saint or sinner, or both mashed together? It may not matter what the masses think; what effect are you having on those closest to you, those who know the true you?

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners.

1 Timothy 1:15-16