There are some martyrs of the early church that were not part of the twelve disciples, but still deserve mention.
*NOTE Again, I am trying to be discreet, but some of the content is violent.

Stephen

Anyone who has read the New Testament knows that Stephen was the first martyr. He was preaching in Jerusalem when the angry Jews stoned him to death. The Scriptures tell us that Stephen's face shined like the sun and he saw a vision of the Son of Man. (Acts 6-7) Many people were affected by his last words, because like Christ, he asked God to forgive his executors.  Saul of Tarsus was present at Stephen's death, he was 'consenting unto his death' and even held the coats of those who actually threw the stones. This is a fact that Saul (now Paul) would struggle with his entire life. He mentions his regret several times in his letters to the early church. (Acts 22:20 and others)

Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus)

After the stoning of Stephen, Paul acquired a force from the priests in Jerusalem with the permission to seek out Christians and beat and/or imprison them.  Saul was very zealous at his persecution, until he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. After Jesus appeared to Paul, he was left blinded and went into the town of Damascus, and there waited, for Jesus had told him that someone there would tell him what to do. Ananias came and  opened Saul's eyes, baptized him, and Saul then spent many days with the believers there. To evidence the change in Saul, his name was changed to Paul, and he spread the gospel with even more zeal that he had in persecuting the early church. A large part of the New Testament is written by Paul. But Paul did not have an easy life. He faced many scourging and persecutions. He was beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked three times, (2 Cor. 11:24-26) but his death did not come until many years later when he finally appeared before Caesar and testified to him in Rome. Paul was then beheaded because as a citizen of Rome, a more cruel death would not have been proper.

Jude

Jude was the brother of James and was also referred to as Thaddeus. He wrote one book that is included in the New Testament, and although a short book, it is packed with great teaching. Jude was crucified at Edessa around A.D. 72.

Tweetables:

The Martyrdom of St. Paul on the #HIStoryBlog Click to Tweet

Have you ever wondered what happened to the Apostles after the book of Acts? For the next few weeks, we'll be looking at each of the apostles and what became of them.

*Note, I'm saying this as nicely as possible, but many of these great men died the death of a martyr, and is therefore violent content.

Thomas the Doubter

The Bible tells us that Thomas was also called Didymus which means "twin". This tidbit has always interested me.  Thomas was a skeptic by nature and had to see Jesus with his own eyes, and put his finger in the scars before he would believe that Jesus had resurrected. He preached the gospel in Parthia and India. Thomas' preaching made the pagan priests so angry, that in a fit of rage, they thrust him through with a spear.

Bartholomew

Bartholomew is an apostle that we don't hear much about in the Bible, but he carried the gospel into several countries. He managed to translate the gospel of Matthew into the language of India and propagated it throughout the country.  As punishment for this crime, he was cruelly beaten, and finally crucified by the impatient idolaters.

Judas the Traitor

Judas is the disciple that betrayed the Son of God with a kiss (thus the term Judas Kiss). His fate is told of in the gospels. After returning the blood money that he received from the priests for the capture of Jesus, (Matt 27:3-8) not being able to live with the guilt he felt, he hung himself from a tree. It is believed that the tree was also near Golgotha.

Matthias

There is less known about Matthias than most of the other disciples. He was elected by the Apostles after the death of Jesus to replace Judas amongst the twelve. (Acts 1:15-26) The disciples cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. He was stoned in Jerusalem, and then beheaded.

This concludes our study on the 12 disciples, however there are many other apostles that are mentioned in the scriptures that I think deserve to be mentioned. We'll explore these men and women in the following weeks as we discover the "Fates of the Earliest Church Martyrs".

Tweetables:

What Ever Happened to the Apostles Part 4 Click to Tweet

Who replaced Judas Iscariot? Click to Tweet

Which of the Apostles killed himself? Click to Tweet

GIVEAWAY ALERT!
Today I'm interviewing on Lena Nelson Dooley's Blog with a giveaway for TWO Ebook copies of The Healer's Touch PLUS an authentic Holy Land Gift Set!

Stop by to read the interview and enter in the drawing!
http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-healers-touch-amber-schamel-two.html

*Note, I'm saying this as nicely as possible, but many of these great men died the death of a martyr, and is therefore violent content.

James the Less

James the less is supposed by some to have been Jesus' earthly brother. Some have said that he was Joseph's son by a former wife. James was elected overseer of the churches of Jerusalem. The book of James is also attributed to this apostle. After a long life and ministry, at the age of ninety four, James was beaten and stoned until the angry Jews finally dashed his head in with a club to make sure he was dead.

Simon Peter

Simon (also called Peter) was a fisherman from Capernaum Galilee, brother to Andrew. Catholic tradition says that Peter was crucified by Nero in Rome, but pleaded with his executioner to crucify him upside down because he was not worthy to die the same death as his Lord. It is, however, uncertain whether Peter visited Rome at all. Other evidence suggests that he ended his days in some other country in Asia.  What we do know is that Jesus' prophesied about his death in John 21:18-19.

Andrew

The brother of Simon Peter was also a fisherman from Galilee. During his ministry, he preached to many Asiatic nations. It was upon his arrival in Edessa that he was taken and crucified on a cross, however, the two ends of the cross were fixed transversely in the ground, thus we have the tradition of Andrew's Cross.

Whatever Happened to the Apostles Part 3 Click to Tweet

Learn the story behind Andrew's Cross Click to Tweet

How did Simon Peter Die? Click to Tweet

Was Peter Crucified in Rome? Click to Tweet

John the Beloved

John "the Beloved Disciple" was the brother of James (the Great) and a distant cousin of Mary, Jesus' earthly mother. John had a great ministry throughout Asia. He founded the churches of Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira. John was sent to Rome where it is said that he was cast into a large pot of boiling oil, but they couldn't burn the love of Christ out of John's heart and he was miraculously protected and escaped from the cauldron without harm.  Seeing that John was divinely protected, Domitian banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he was given the vision and penned the Revelation of Jesus Christ. When Domitian died, Nerva succeeded him and recalled John from the Isle. John returned to Ephesus where he lived out the rest of his days. John was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.  This is very interesting given what Jesus prophesied about him in John 21:20-14

Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

James the Great

James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John the Beloved was also a relative of Mary, because his mother Salome was Mary's cousin. It was not until ten years after the death of the first martyr, Stephen, that the second martyrdom took place, the martyrdom of James.

When Herod Agrippa was appointed governor of Judea, he wished to integrate himself with the Jews and in order to gain their favor he began a sharp persecution of the Christians striking specifically at the Christian Leaders. A man accused James and testified against him. James was then sentenced to death. However, as his accuser witnessed James' extraordinary courage and dauntless faith, he fell down at James' feet and begged for forgiveness, professed Jesus Christ as Lord and resolved that James would not wear the crown of martyrdom alone. Thus, about 44 AD, the accused and accuser were beheaded together for professing the name of Jesus Christ.

Philip

Philip was the first to be called by the name Disciple. His ministry was in Upper Asia where he diligently spread the gospel. It was in Hilopolis, in Phrygia where he was scourged, thrown into prison and finally crucified around AD 54.

Tweetables:

Bet you didn't know this about Saint John Click to Tweet

How did Jesus' Cousins die? Click to Tweet

What Ever Happened to the Apostles? Click to Tweet

If you missed Part 1 of What Ever Happened to the Apostles, Click Here

Today I am participating in the Christian Book Lover's Blog Hop & Giveaway! That means that here on my blog I am giving away a $10 KINDLE GIFT CARD to ONE COMMENTER! So be sure to comment on the post for your chance to win it!
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