Death of the Apostle

One argument in support of the truth of Christianity is the martyrdom of the Apostles, the close followers of Jesus. Skeptics should concede that if the Apostles had made up their stories about the risen Jesus, they would not have maintained the lie when threatened with very real torture and death. But instead they all defended the gospel to the very end, refusing to deny Jesus, suffering and dying for the sake of what they knew to be the truth. In doing so, they followed the words of their Lord, who told them “…they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify…You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name…By your endurance you will gain your souls.” (Luke 21:12-19) “…whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33) “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

Details of the way the Apostles died are found in writings such as the “History of the Church” by Eusebius, and in Christian Apocrypha like the “Acts of Peter.” Most of these accounts cannot be verified, and sometimes there are different versions that contradict each other, but the traditions are basically trustworthy, presenting a frightening and inspiring history. One tradition says that the Apostles divided the world into sections and cast lots to see who would go to which part of it, so the gospel could be spread to the whole world. But wherever they went, they became martyrs for their faith.

Andrew the fisherman was Peter’s brother. He is said to have preached in (what is modern day) Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Turkey, and southern Greece. In Greece, in the year 60 (during the reign of Nero), on the order of the Roman Governor, he was whipped by seven soldiers, and then tied to an X-shaped cross. “I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it,” said Andrew. He lasted two days before dying, during which he continued to preach to spectators.

Bartholomew (Nathanael bar Tolomai) wrote a gospel (now lost) and preached in (what is modern day) Arabia, Ethiopia, Armenia, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, India, and Egypt. Tradition says that he converted the King of Armenia to Christianity. The King’s brother had Bartholomew killed as punishment. He was flayed alive with a whip, or skinned alive, and beheaded. Other accounts have him crucified head downward until death.

Barnabas, Paul’s traveling companion, was one of the “seventy disciples” (Luke 10). He preached at Antioch, and in Italy and Cyprus. He died in the Greek port city of Salonica, stoned to death.

James (the greater) was a fisherman and the brother of John. He preached in Spain, Samaria, and Judea. Around the year 44 (Acts 12), King Herod Agrippa persecuted the early church. He put James on trial in Jerusalem, where the Apostle spoke and defended his faith. A Roman officer guarding him was converted by what he heard, declared his new faith, and went with James to be executed, beheaded with a sword.

James (the lesser) was the brother of Jude (Thaddeus). He preached in Syria. He died in Jerusalem around the year 62, thrown down from high atop the Jewish Temple by scribes and Pharisees, then stoned and beaten to death with clubs. He was around 90 years old at the time.

John the fisherman was the brother of James (the greater). During his life, he preached in Jerusalem and among the churches of Asia Minor. Of all the Apostles listed here, he alone died of old age. However, tradition says he did face persecution and martyrdom in Rome, nearly dying in a huge basin of boiling oil before being miraculously delivered from it. He was sentenced to the mines on the Aegean prison island of Patmos, where he wrote Revelation. After serving his sentence, he became Bishop of Ephesus in (what is modern day) Turkey. He survived all the other Apostles and died around the year 100.

Jude (Thaddeus) was brother to James the lesser. He preached in Judea and Samaria, and in (what is modern day) Iraq, and Iran. Tradition says Jude carried the burial cloth of Jesus to the King of Edessa (in Turkey) to cure him. He may have joined in traveling with Simon the Zealot, and if so they were both killed by nonbelievers around the year 72 in Edessa, clubbed to death and beheaded with an ax.

Judas Iscariot died as a result of his own actions, as described in Matthew 27:3-10. After delivering Jesus to the Romans and learning of Jesus’ death, he repented and despaired, and hanged himself near Jerusalem.

Matthew (Levi) the tax collector preached in Judea and (what is modern day) Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia. There are different traditions about his death; some say he was not martyred, and others say the King of Ethiopia ordered him killed with a sword. Still others say he was stoned, burned, or beheaded. This illustrates the difficulty in obtaining verifiable historical information about the deaths of the Apostles.

Matthias the tax collector was the Apostle chosen by drawing lots to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1). Various traditions say he preached in Judea, Ethiopia, (what is modern day) eastern Turkey, and near the Caspian Sea. Tradition says he was stoned to death and beheaded in Jerusalem.

Peter (Simon) the fisherman was the brother of Andrew. Jesus made him the “rock” on which the new church would stand, but also told him “…when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (John 21:18) This is taken as a prophecy of Peter’s death. Peter preached in Judea before becoming the first Bishop of Rome. But around the year 64-68, during Nero’s persecution of Christians, Peter was crucified in Rome, upside down at his own request. He asserted that he was not worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord Jesus.

Paul (Saul) the missionary preached all around the Mediterranean as described in Acts. After Acts is concluded, the details of his life and death are uncertain. Acts ends with Paul charged by his fellow Jews and imprisoned in Rome, but he was probably acquitted on appeal to the Emperor. It is said that he preached in Asia Minor and Spain for another three years before being arrested again and sentenced to death. Tradition says Paul was tortured and beheaded in Rome under Nero around the year 64-68. As a Roman citizen, he was exempt from crucifixion.

Philip the coach maker preached in (what is modern day) Turkey. Tradition says he was martyred in the city of Hieropolis (Syria). He was stoned and crucified head downward.

Simon the Zealot may have been a member of the Jewish revolutionary movement. Tradition says he preached in Samaria, Egypt, northern Africa, Britain, and Persia. Several claims are made about his death, including that he was crucified in Samaria, sawn in half in Persia, executed along with Jude, or killed in Iberia.

Thomas preached in (what is modern day) Iran and Iraq, or in China and southern India. Tradition says that around the year 72, he converted the wife and son of King Misdai in India. As punishment, he was sentenced to death and stabbed by four soldiers with spears.

Even the gospel writers Mark and Luke were said to have been martyred. Mark died in Alexandria, Egypt, dragged through the streets by horses. Luke was hanged from an olive tree in Greece.

Truly, this list of martyrs is a testimony to the truth of the gospel. So many followers of Jesus traveled so far across the world and held so tightly to their convictions in the face of death, that it is nearly impossible to believe that their witness to Jesus’ resurrection was false. These men served God all their lives, despite their human failings and flaws. Each of them remained faithful to the very end.