The Life of Christ

• He wrote the Gospel of John, the three epistles (1 John, 2 John, 3 John), and the Book of Revelation.

• James and John were sons of Zebedee; their mother was named Salome (Mk. 15:40; Mt. 27:56), whom Edersheim believes was also the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

• If true, this would make James and John first cousins of Jesus.

• John faced martyrdom when Rome attempted to boil him in a huge basin of oil.

• However, John was miraculously delivered from death and then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos. He was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern day Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully. • His peaceful passing also shows that true intimacy with Jesus yields even a higher reward than martyrdom. This helps us to better understand why the “bride/woman company” of believers in Rev. 12 will not face martyrdom like their counterpart, “the rest of her offspring.”

Andrew was Simon Peter’s brother.

• His moment of notoriety was introducing his brother, Peter, to Jesus. Tradition says he preached the Gospel in many Asiatic nations and was martyred in Edessa by being crucified on an x-shaped cross, later referred to as the St. Andrew’s Cross. 18 This occurred after he had been whipped severely by seven soldiers. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: “I have long desired and expected this happy hour.” He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.

Philip

• Philip was from Bethsaida, as were Peter and Andrew (Jn. 1:44), and was there questioned by Jesus where they could buy bread to feed the multitudes.

• Church tradition says that Philip was also crucified upside down and continued to preach from that position until he expired.

Bartholomew

• He was also known as Nathaniel, whom Jesus referred to as an “ Israelite, indeed. ” • Tradition says he preached in several countries, then translated the Gospel of Matthew into the language of India and taught it in that country. For it, he was cruelly beaten and crucified by pagan idolaters. 19

Matthew

• He was a former publican, who also went by the name Levi.

• His greatest accomplishment was to write the Gospel of Matthew, with a specific focus toward the Jews.

• Matthew is never specifically mentioned in Scripture after his initial conversion (Mt. 9:9-13; Lk. 5:27), other than his name appearing in the various lists of apostles.

• He suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by the sword.

18 Fox, The New Foxes Book of Martyrs, n.p.

19 Fox, The New Foxes Book of Martyrs, n.p .

90