The New Testament gives us an account of the deaths of two of the apostles
— Judas and James.
Judas, who betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver, committed suicide by hanging
himself.
James, the son of Zebedee, was put to death by the sword, probably beheaded in Jerusalem around 44 AD. According to tradition, he died after preaching the Gospel in Spain.
Andrew is reported to have journeyed to Scythia, the region north of the Black Sea, now part of the Soviet Union. More certain is his preaching in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and in Greece where he was said to have been crucified.
Thomas, “doubting Thomas,” was most probably 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.
Philip, so tradition records, preached the Gospel in Heirapolis in Asia Minor where
he converted the wife of the Roman proconsul. In retaliation, her husband had
Philip arrested and cruelly put to death.
Matthew, also known as Levi, is credited with writing the Gospel that bears his
name. Different traditions place him preaching the Gospel in areas as far apart as
Persia and Ethiopia.
Bartholomew, too, had widespread missionary travels attributed to him by tradition: to India with Thomas, back to Armenia, and also to Ethiopia and southern
Arabia. There are various accounts of how he met his death as a martyr.
James, the son of Alpheus, is one of at least three Jameses referred to in the New
Testament, and there is some confusion as to which is which. But this James was
reckoned to have ministered in Syria, and the Jewish historian Josephus says he was stoned and then clubbed to death.
Simon the Zealot, so the story goes, went to Persia and was killed after refusing to
sacrifice to the sun god.
Matthias was the Apostle chosen to replace Judas. Tradition sends him with
Andrew to Syria and to death by burning.
The Apostle John is perhaps the only one of the company thought to have died a natural death from old age. 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 the persecution in Domitian’s reign in the middle 90’s, he was sent into exile on the island of Patmos in the Aegean. There he is credited with writing the last book of the New Testament, the Revelation of John.
(Source : Christian History Institute, Box 540, Worcester, PA. 19490)
— Judas and James.
Judas, who betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver, committed suicide by hanging
himself.
James, the son of Zebedee, was put to death by the sword, probably beheaded in Jerusalem around 44 AD. According to tradition, he died after preaching the Gospel in Spain.
Andrew is reported to have journeyed to Scythia, the region north of the Black Sea, now part of the Soviet Union. More certain is his preaching in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and in Greece where he was said to have been crucified.
Thomas, “doubting Thomas,” was most probably 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.
Philip, so tradition records, preached the Gospel in Heirapolis in Asia Minor where
he converted the wife of the Roman proconsul. In retaliation, her husband had
Philip arrested and cruelly put to death.
Matthew, also known as Levi, is credited with writing the Gospel that bears his
name. Different traditions place him preaching the Gospel in areas as far apart as
Persia and Ethiopia.
Bartholomew, too, had widespread missionary travels attributed to him by tradition: to India with Thomas, back to Armenia, and also to Ethiopia and southern
Arabia. There are various accounts of how he met his death as a martyr.
James, the son of Alpheus, is one of at least three Jameses referred to in the New
Testament, and there is some confusion as to which is which. But this James was
reckoned to have ministered in Syria, and the Jewish historian Josephus says he was stoned and then clubbed to death.
Simon the Zealot, so the story goes, went to Persia and was killed after refusing to
sacrifice to the sun god.
Matthias was the Apostle chosen to replace Judas. Tradition sends him with
Andrew to Syria and to death by burning.
The Apostle John is perhaps the only one of the company thought to have died a natural death from old age. 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 the persecution in Domitian’s reign in the middle 90’s, he was sent into exile on the island of Patmos in the Aegean. There he is credited with writing the last book of the New Testament, the Revelation of John.
(Source : Christian History Institute, Box 540, Worcester, PA. 19490)
