Whatever Happened To The Disciples Of Jesus?
First of all, the disciples did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. Jesus had told them over and over again that He would die and three days later rise from the grave, but they did not understand Him.
Once Jesus died, the disciples were eleven fearful men, hiding, running for their lives. Their leader was dead and their dreams were shattered.
Yet, within several days after the resurrection this same group became bold, courageous, and visionary. So, what caused such a great change?
Well, it wasn't because they had seen an empty tomb. It was because they had seen Christ alive from the dead!
What would the disciples have to gain by fabricating a story about Christ’s resurrection?
Let me tell you what they gained. All but one died a martyrs’ death.
Some were beheaded, others were crucified, stoned, hanged, burned... all to their deaths, because they claimed that Jesus was alive and offered forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
Here is a list of what became of the disciples because they held on to the declaration that Christ had risen:
Andrew was crucified in Greece.
There are various accounts of how Bartholomew met his death as a martyr for the gospel; one being that he was beaten to death with clubs.
The Jewish historian Josephus reported that James the Less was stoned and then clubbed to death.
John is the only one thought to have died a natural death from old age. Early Latin tradition says he escaped unhurt after being cast into boiling oil at Rome.
Jude Thaddeus was crucified.
It was reported that Matthew the tax collector was stabbed to death in Ethiopia.
Peter was martyred in Rome about 66 AD, during the persecution under Emperor Nero. He was crucified upside down at his request, as he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.
Philip was arrested and cruelly put to death in retaliation for converting the wife of a Roman official in Asia Minor.
Simon the Zealot is said to have ministered in Persia and was killed after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.
Doubting Thomas preached as far east as India, where the ancient Marthoma Christians revere him as their founder. They claim that he died there when pierced through with the spears of four soldiers.
James the Great was beheaded by Herod. James 12:2
Matthias was the apostle chosen to replace Judas. Tradition sends him to Syria with Andrew and to death by burning.
If this story of the resurrection were a lie, they would have known it was a lie. For them to live a lie is certainly inconsistent with what we know about their moral lives.
It is true that a lot of people have died for a lie, but only when they believed it to be the truth. People do not die for a lie that they know it is a lie.
If the disciples did lie, they were deliberately deceiving the whole world, but this certainly is not in line with their teachings and writings in Scripture, or with the moral conduct they were telling people to live by. They taught honesty, integrity and truthfulness.
One reason for the spread of Christianity in the first century, was the pure, honest, sincere and truthful behavior of the disciples. The whole message of Christ is to love one another, to be kind, and to speak the truth.
Could they have been living a colossal lie? No, they had seen the risen Christ and their lives were radically changed!
They went to the world to tell the "Good News" of Christ’s Love for each person - of His Death as their substitute, of His Resurrection that conquered death, and that HE WAS and IS NOW ALIVE!
He stands ready to give life. He is THE WAY and THE TRUTH and THE LIFE to ALL who TRUST IN HIM! ______________________________________________________
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