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“Faithful Unto Death”
Categories: GRAB BAGDid all twelve apostles become martyrs for Christ, and if so, when and how?
Sincerely,
The Funeral Director
Dear The Funeral Director,
There are only two Bible accounts of an apostle’s death: James who was beheaded by Herod (Acts 12:1-2) and Judas Iscariot (the traitor) who died by committing suicide (Matt 27:5). None of the other apostles’ deaths are recorded within the Scriptures. However, there is quite a lot of extra-Biblical tradition that tells us what happened to the rest of the apostles. The following is a list of what secular history says happened. Do not take these as accurate, merely as human tradition handed down by the early christians.
- ANDREW – crucified in Greece where it took him two days to die. He preached from the cross until his death.
- BARTHOLOMEW – flayed to death by a whip while preaching in Armenia.
- JOHN – boiled in oil, miraculously survived unharmed, and the only apostle to die of old age.
- JUDE – crucified in Greece.
- MATTHEW – died in Ethiopia, killed by a sword.
- MATTHIAS (Judas’ replacement) – stoned and then beheaded in Jerusalem.
- PAUL – died in Rome at the hands of Caesar Nero.
- PETER – crucified upside-down (by his own request) by Caesar Nero.
- PHILIP – crucified in Syria.
- SIMON – crucified in Europe.
- THOMAS – stabbed to death with a spear while bringing the Gospel to India.
Regardless of lore, all of these men died unflinchingly believing that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. Having spent forty days with Him after His resurrection (Acts 1:3), they had no doubt in their minds that Jesus really was the risen Savior of mankind. Their willingness to die for their faith is compelling proof that Jesus is the Son of God. Men do not willingly die for a lie… and these men, knowing the truth, were faithful even unto death (Rev 2:10).
