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How Did The Twelve Apostles Die? |
| Introduction | The Original 12 Apostles |
The Dispersion Of The Apostles |
How Did The Apostles Die? |
Influence Of The Apostles Today |
Introduction
How Did The Twelve Apostles Die?
Read how each of the apostles spread out to minister and evangelize and how many of the apostles died for their faith.
KEN CURTIS, PH.D.- APR 28, 2010
https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1-300/whatever-happened-to-the-twelve-apostles-11629558.html
The Original 12 Apostles
- Simon, who is called Peter
- Andrew, Simon's brother
- James the son of Zebedee
- John, James' brother
- Philip
- Bartholomew
- Thomas
- Matthew the tax collector
- James the son of Alphaeus
- Thaddaeus
- Simon the Cananaean
- Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him
Matthias Replaces Judas
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:21-26)
The apostles were not the kind of group you might have expected Jesus to send forth on his mission to reach the world. There was nothing incredibly unique or spectacular about them. The twelve apostles were just ordinary working men. But Jesus formed them into the backbone of the church and gave them the most extraordinary task imaginable: calling the entire world, including the mightiest empire ever known, to repentance and faith in the risen Christ. You can be sure that any educated, first-century Roman citizen would have laughed at any prediction that, within three centuries, the Christian faith would be the official faith of the empire.
The Dispersion of the Apostles
Here are the respective missionary locations for the Apostles as found in Book 3 of the Church History of Eusebius:
- Simon, who is called Peter - Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia - Crucified in Rome
- Andrew, Simon's brother - Scythia
- James the son of Zebedee -
- John, James' brother - Asia - died at Ephesus
- Philip -
- Bartholomew -
- Thomas - Parthia
- Matthew the tax collector -
- James the son of Alphaeus -
- Thaddaeus -
- Simon the Cananaean -
- Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him -
- Paul - Jerusalem to Illyricum, and afterwards suffered martyrdom in Rome under Nero
Meanwhile the holy apostles and disciples of our Saviour were dispersed throughout the world. Parthia, according to tradition, was allotted to Thomas as his field of labor, Scythia to Andrew, and Asia to John, who, after he had lived some time there, died at Ephesus. Peter appears to have preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia to the Jews of the dispersion. And at last, having come to Rome, he was crucified head-downwards; for he had requested that he might suffer in this way. What do we need to say concerning Paul, who preached the Gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and afterwards suffered martyrdom in Rome under Nero? These facts are related by Origen in the third volume of his Commentary on Genesis.
Many wonder how the 12 apostles died, but The New Testament tells of the fate of only two of the apostles: Judas, who betrayed Jesus and then went out and hanged himself, and James, the son of Zebedee, who was executed by Herod about 44 AD (Acts 12:2). Read how each of the apostles spread out to minister and evangelize and how many of the apostles died for their faith.
How Did the Apostles Die?
1. Matthew: Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.
2. Mark: Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.
3. Luke: Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.
4. John: Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered From death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.
5. Peter: He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.
6. James: The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club. * This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.
7. James the Son of Zebedee: was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.
8. Bartholomew: Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.
9. Andrew: Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors For two days until he expired.
10. Thomas: Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent.
11. Jude: Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
12. Matthias: The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.
13. Paul: Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.
Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed minor compared to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the apostles and disciples during their times For the sake of the Faith. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: But he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Influence of the Apostles Today
The names of Jesus' apostles have become the most common names for males in the Western world. How many do you know named John, Pete, Tom, Andy, Jim, Bart, or Phil?
At least four of the apostles were fishermen. Can this be part of why one of the earliest and most prominent Christian symbols was the fish? The Greek word for fish, ichthus, formed an acrostic: Iesous Christos Theou Uios Soter, which means "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior."
After the death of the apostles, we do not find as significant missionary figures of the stature of Paul. Yet the faith continued to spread like wildfire, even though Christianity was declared illegal until the 4th century under Emperor Constantine.
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