What Happened to The Apostles - And Why it Matters?

The Apostles were not the kind of group you might have expected Jesus to send out into the world to deliver his message of hope. There was nothing special or spectacular about them. The twelve apostles were just ordinary working men. But Jesus formed them into the backbone of his movement and gave them the most unimaginable task: calling the entire world, including the mightiest empire ever known, to faith in the resurrected Christ. It’s certain that any educated, 1st Century Roman citizen would have laughed at any prediction that within three centuries the Christian Faith would be the official faith of the Roman Empire.

What Happened to The Apostles After Jesus’ Crucifixion?

During Jesus’ trial and crucifixion his closest disciples scattered out of fear. Some of the disciples went back to their hometown while others hid, as they were afraid that they too might face crucifixion. However, suddenly, out of nowhere the disciples regathered together and started preaching the very specific message that Jesus had risen from the dead; and they began preaching this message in the very town where Jesus had been crucified and buried. Eventually their preaching reached Rome, and as far as India and North Africa, while facing significant persecution and in some cases, even martyrdom.

So, is their martyrdom all that unusual? Many people die as martyrs for causes they strongly believe in. However, while people die for causes, they believe to be worthy and honest, people don’t generally die for a cause they know to be a lie, especially when the truth could easily spare them suffering and death. One plausible explanation for them to suddenly become bold and brave preachers of the resurrection in such a short space of time was that they truly believed that they saw Jesus risen after his death. While their behaviour does not prove Jesus’ resurrection beyond all doubt, it does provide a significant number of eyewitnesses willing to back up their belief in the resurrection with their lives. This would count as overwhelming evidence in a court of law today; and that is why their fate is so important.

If we can establish that they did suffer and were persecuted for their beliefs, then it makes their testimony very compelling. So, what happened to Jesus’ chosen disciples? Like many Christians, they would have faced serious persecution. We have various accounts from Roman sources confirming such persecution of early Christians.

Roman Historian, Cornelius Tacitus, tells us of how, in AD 64, Nero was suspected of starting a fire that destroyed three quarters of Rome, but he used the Christians as scapegoats. Tacitus writes:

"Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired."

And it wasn’t just Nero who blamed Christians for the problems in society, as the 2nd Century Christian Author Tertullian writes:

“If the Tiber rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not send its waters up over the fields, if the heavens give no rain, if there is an earthquake, if there is a famine or pestilence - straight away, the cry is away with the Christians to the lion.”

Roman Historian, Gaius Suetonius, who was born in the 1st Century wrote:

"After the great fire at Rome, punishments were also inflicted on the Christians, a sect professing a new and mischievous religious belief."

When we read these early historical accounts, it is clear to see that the Apostles knew that they were taking their message to hostile groups that wanted them dead.

The Martyrdom of The Apostles

There is strong evidence that at least four Apostles paid with their lives for preaching the resurrection of Christ. The Books of Acts, written around the mid-AD 60s, is the second part of an account that Luke wrote to an educated Roman Citizen, named Theophilus. He tells Theophilus that Peter preached the first Christian sermons and is arrested for doing so multiple times by the Jewish authorities. But what evidence is there that Peter suffered martyrdom for the message he was preaching, as this is not recorded in any of the Bible accounts or letters.

The Martyrdom of Peter

Clement of Rome, who was born a couple of years after Jesus’ crucifixion, wrote the following about Peter:

"Through envy and jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars have been persecuted and put to death. Let us set before our eyes the illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours; and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due to him."

1 Clement 5:11-13

Here, we have a very early non-biblical confirmation of the martyrdom of Peter, written only around 30 years after he died. Later writings then confirm the type of martyrdom that Peter suffered.

Tertullian wrote this on Peter’s martyrdom:

“Since, moreover, you are close upon Italy, you have Rome, from which there comes even into our own hands the very authority (of Apostles themselves). How happy is its church, on which Apostles poured forth all their doctrine along with their blood! Where Peter endures a passion like his Lords!”

Tertullian confirms that Peter suffered a death like that of Christ. Another early Theologian, Origen of Alexandria adds further detail to this:

"Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downwards, as he himself had desired to suffer." This is why an upside down cross is generally accepted as a symbol of Peter, who would not have considered himself worthy enough to die the same way as his Saviour.”

There are many other extra-Biblical Sources that confirm this throughout the first few centuries too. During the early part of the 4th Century, Eusebius wrote a comprehensive history of the Church and he states that Peter was crucified by Nero in Rome. Lactantius, who lived during the 3rd Century and later served as an advisor to Constantine, also stated that Peter came to Rome during Nero's reign and was crucified by Him. Irenaeus attests that Peter preached in Rome in Book III of Against Heresies, written sometime in the 2nd century. Further confirmation of Peter’s martyrdom can be found in writings by Ignaesius, Diagnosis of Corinth and Ignatius of Antioch.

When studying the writings of this period it is clear to see that there is a consensus on the persecution and eventual martyrdom of Peter.

The Martyrdom of Paul

The Apostle Paul was originally persecuting the early Christian Church before he himself became a follower of Christ. In an early account written in The Books of Acts, Paul talks about his persecution of Christians:

“On the authority of the Chief Priests I put many of the Saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many times, I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished - in my obsession against them I even went to foreign cities to persecute them”.

Paul is the most unlikely of early disciples, as he fearlessly persecuted the early Christian church, having early Christians sent to prison and put to death, so he knew that he would face similar persecution for his conversion to Christianity. Paul recalls the situations he faced in the following 1st Century passage written around AD 55, in his letter to the church in Corinth:

“Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes less one, three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three more times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I was adrift at sea, on frequent journeys in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers, in toil and hardship, through many sleepless night, in hunger and first, often without food in cold and exposure”.

So, what could have caused his radical shift in belief and willingness to suffer all manner of pain and imprisonment? By far the most logical explanation is that Paul truly believed he had encountered the risen Christ.

Evidence of Paul’s Martyrdom

Although short on details relating to Paul’s actual death, the first century Bishop, Clement of Rome wrote this around AD 96/97:

“Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and came to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of patience.” (1 Clement 5.5-7)

Tertullian confirms the type of death Paul suffered when he wrote, where Paul wins his crown in a death like Johns!, referring to the beheading of John the Baptist.

Peter of Alexandria confirms this in one of his letters:

“Likewise, also, the renowned Paul having been oftentimes delivered up and brought in peril of death, having endured many evils, and making his boast in his numerous persecutions and afflictions, in the same city was also himself beheaded”.

Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp’s letter to the Phillipians also record Paul’s martyrdom in Rome.

James The Brother of Jesus’ Martyrdom

James, the Brother of Jesus, ultimately became a leader in the church at Jerusalem, despite his prior doubts about who his brother Jesus claimed to be. It is not until after the claims of a resurrection and appearances of Jesus that James becomes part of the Jesus movement. 1st Century Jewish Historian, Josephus wrote:

“when, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity [to exercise his authority]. Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought them the brother of Jesus who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others [or some of his companions]. And when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned.”

Again, the question is what changed James from being a sceptic of his brother to a believer who was willing to die for the cause?

The Martyrdom of James, the brother of John

The martyrdom of James is confirmed in the book Acts but is also recorded in extra-biblical sources such as Clement of Alexandra and Eusebius. The book of Acts records the following in Chapter 12:

“It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also.”

Clement of Alexandria, wrote in the 2nd century:

"The soldier that seized the Saint (James), when he saw his courage, he realized that there must be a better life and asked the Saint for his forgiveness. Then the soldier confessed Christianity and received the crown of martyrdom along with the Apostle in the year AD 44."

Again, we have biblical and non-biblical accounts of this Apostles’ martyrdom, from the 1st and 2nd Century.

The Martyrdom of The Remaining Disciples

There is significantly less solid historical data to work from with regards to how the other Apostles died, but there are various traditions from the 2nd and 3rd Century that give us some clues.

The Martyrdom of Philip

According to records from the 3rd Century, the martyrdom of the apostle Philip took place in Hierapolis (modern day Pamukkale). It is believed the Roman proconsul’s wife became a follower of Jesus Christ through Philip’s preaching and miraculous healing. The proconsul became angered and had Philip tortured. Philip was then crucified around AD 80.

The Martyrdom of Matthew,

Matthew, the Tax Collector and writer of one of the Gospels, is believed to have ministered in Persia and Ethiopia. Some of the oldest reports say he was not martyred, while others say he was slain with a halberd around AD 60.

The Martyrdom of Matthias

The apostle chosen to replace Judas, Matthias, was reportedly stoned and beheaded, whilst preaching in Syria with the Apostle Andrew.

The Martyrdom of Andrew

Andrew went into what is now the Russia. Christians there claim him as the first to bring the gospel to their land. He also preached in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, and in Greece, where he is said to have been crucified.

The Martyrdom of Bartholomew

Tradition has it that Bartholomew was beaten and crucified. He travelled to India with Thomas, back to Armenia, and to Ethiopia and Southern Arabia. There are also various other accounts of how he met his death as a martyr.

The Martyrdom of Thomas

Thomas was probably most active in the area east of Syria. Tradition has him preaching as far east as India, where the ancient Marthoma Christians revere him as their founder. They claim that he died there when pierced with the spears of four soldiers.

The Martyrdom of Simon

Some traditions have Simon preaching and being crucified in Britain around AD 74, whilst others have him preaching in Persia, where he was killed after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.

John

John suffered attempted execution. It is believed he was the only apostle to escape a violent death. He was the leader of the church in the Ephesus area and is said to have taken care of Mary the mother of Jesus in his home. During Domitian's persecution in the middle AD 90s, he was exiled to the island of Patmos. There he is credited with writing the last book of the New Testament: The Revelation. An early Latin tradition has him escaping unhurt after being cast into boiling oil at Rome.

The First Martyrdom Recorded

Though Stephen was not one of the chosen Apostles, his death is the first Christian martyrdom recorded. His proclamation that Jesus was the messiah, and that he was murdered by the Jewish leaders led to him being stoned. This event is recorded as follows:

"they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep."

While we don’t know a great deal about Stephen, it is clear that he had great faith in what he believed, and he happily died a martyr. Nothing could stop him from telling the truth, not even the fear of execution. It is certain that Stephen witnessed something very special in his encounters with the Apostles, to enable him to sacrifice his own life so fearlessly.

Conclusion

There is a wealth of early non-Christian and Christian historical data that confirms the persecution of the early Christian Church, and the martyrdom of at least four of the Apostles. So, why did they choose to go through this suffering? Historically speaking, when leaders of similar movements have been killed, the followers of such movements disperse and look for new movements to get involved with. While this did happen initially with the Apostles, they soon regathered and sincerely claimed they had seen Jesus risen from the dead. They were willing to back up these claims with their lives, which subsequently led to them gaining a huge following in a short space of time. As mentioned earlier, Christianity had become the official religion of the Roman Empire by only the 3rd Century. So, was this all the result of an elaborate lie, or does the fate of those early disciples give us enough evidence to prove the resurrection of Christ and the subsequent growth of the Christian movement? That is a question that must be explored. The resurrection story cannot simply be dismissed as a myth. People do not put their lives on the line for myths and legends.