It is sad to think that there are still those in the Christian faith that have doubts about the events the Bible teaches us. Especially if those events have to do with Jesus. Today I stumbled upon a video of a young man that used to be a youth pastor in a Christian church. He has since converted to Islam and in the video he stated that the Bible had a lot to do with his converting to Islam. I do not really have anything against the Islamic faith, to each individual the right to choose is their own, but this young man was making statements about the death and resurrection of Jesus that I found really quite ridiculous. The evidence of Christ is more than right before our eyes, all one has to do really is look at the Apostles.
"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other." Matthew 24:9-10.
Jesus said in His own words that many would be persecuted and even die because of Him. If the resurrection and other events of Jesus were somehow made up or a lie, wouldn't you think that someone, during their persecution would have confessed so? Well, let's look at the true historical record:
Stephen- Taken outside the city and stoned to death as Saul looked on.
James the Son of Zebedee- Was beheaded 10 years after the death of Stephen in A.D. 44
Philip- Was scourged, thrown into prison, then later crucified in Heliopolis in A.D. 54
Matthew- Slain with a halberd in Nadabah in A.D. 60
James the Less- At the age of 94 he was beat and stoned by the Jews and finally had his brains bashed out with a fullers club.
Matthias- Was the disciple elected to fill the place of Judas Iscariot. He was stoned in Jerusalem and then beheaded
Andrew- The brother of Peter. He was taken in Edessa and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground, hence St Andrews Cross.
Mark- Converted to Christianity by Peter. Was tied up and dragged behind a horse through the streets of Alexandria.
Peter- Crucified together with his wife upside down in the streets of Rome.
Paul- Beheaded with a sword in Rome.
Jude- Commonly called Thaddeus was crucified at Edessa in A.D. 72.
Bartholomew- He was beaten and then crucified in India after translating and propagating the Gospel of Matthew there.
Thomas- Was preaching the Gospel in India and Parthia where he sent the pagan priests into a rage and was run through with a spear.
Luke- He was hanged on an olive tree by the priests of Greece
Simon- Was crucified in Britain in A.D. 74
John- The one called the “beloved disciple” and brother of James. He was, as recorded by witnesses, boiled in scalding oil but by miracle escaped without injury. Afterwards, Domitian banished him to the Isle of Patmos where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only disciple to escape a violent death.
Barnabas- Not much is know except that he was supposed to have died by the sword in A.D. 73.
So, what is the point of making a record of the Apostles deaths? Let’s look at it from this point of view. If the resurrection of Jesus was a fake, wouldn’t you think that one of these men would have cracked under pressure? I mean, people today often turn on others when being tortured of persecuted to get information on someone or something. However, not one of these men ever stated that the death and resurrection of Jesus was a lie. As a matter of fact, most, if not all, were preaching about Christ when they were killed. If Jesus was a lie, why would these men give their lives to protect a lie? Because they wanted to keep their lifestyles? I would ask: What lifestyle? None of them of were rich or made money off of anything they preached about Jesus. Maybe because they wanted to keep the control they had of the people they were converting? I would again ask: What Control? They had no control whatsoever on anyone who came to Christ as a result of their preaching the Gospel. Look at Paul--He was already very high in the Pharisees and probably very wealthy, yet, it was his love and preaching of Christ that got him beheaded.
If any has any doubts about anything the Bible says of our Lord Jesus, all one has to do is look at the record that has been left for us here and now. All of the players in the making of what the church is today, with the exception of John, died horribly while trying to bring the love and hope of the Lord to light in the eyes and lives of others they were ministering too. This persecution is something that has continued even to today as many of our brothers and sisters suffer in other lands, including giving their lives, to bring the gospel of Christ to others.
Friends, we have nothing to doubt or to fear in trusting that the events surrounding our Lord are true and correct. We must trust in our faith and the words given to us through the Scriptures that we are indeed surrounded, guided, protected, and loved by a great and majestic God who truly loves us and wants nothing more than for us to return that same love to Him and to those around us. Jesus said that in the last days the love of many would grow cold, and that friend and relative would turn on each other. We must stand in the knowledge that Jesus is exactly what the Scriptures say He is--Our Lord, our King and God! If the Bible is not good enough to convince us, all one has to do is look at the other evidence left for us.
May God Richly Bless You Today!! H Trent!
"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other." Matthew 24:9-10.
Jesus said in His own words that many would be persecuted and even die because of Him. If the resurrection and other events of Jesus were somehow made up or a lie, wouldn't you think that someone, during their persecution would have confessed so? Well, let's look at the true historical record:
Stephen- Taken outside the city and stoned to death as Saul looked on.
James the Son of Zebedee- Was beheaded 10 years after the death of Stephen in A.D. 44
Philip- Was scourged, thrown into prison, then later crucified in Heliopolis in A.D. 54
Matthew- Slain with a halberd in Nadabah in A.D. 60
James the Less- At the age of 94 he was beat and stoned by the Jews and finally had his brains bashed out with a fullers club.
Matthias- Was the disciple elected to fill the place of Judas Iscariot. He was stoned in Jerusalem and then beheaded
Andrew- The brother of Peter. He was taken in Edessa and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground, hence St Andrews Cross.
Mark- Converted to Christianity by Peter. Was tied up and dragged behind a horse through the streets of Alexandria.
Peter- Crucified together with his wife upside down in the streets of Rome.
Paul- Beheaded with a sword in Rome.
Jude- Commonly called Thaddeus was crucified at Edessa in A.D. 72.
Bartholomew- He was beaten and then crucified in India after translating and propagating the Gospel of Matthew there.
Thomas- Was preaching the Gospel in India and Parthia where he sent the pagan priests into a rage and was run through with a spear.
Luke- He was hanged on an olive tree by the priests of Greece
Simon- Was crucified in Britain in A.D. 74
John- The one called the “beloved disciple” and brother of James. He was, as recorded by witnesses, boiled in scalding oil but by miracle escaped without injury. Afterwards, Domitian banished him to the Isle of Patmos where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only disciple to escape a violent death.
Barnabas- Not much is know except that he was supposed to have died by the sword in A.D. 73.
So, what is the point of making a record of the Apostles deaths? Let’s look at it from this point of view. If the resurrection of Jesus was a fake, wouldn’t you think that one of these men would have cracked under pressure? I mean, people today often turn on others when being tortured of persecuted to get information on someone or something. However, not one of these men ever stated that the death and resurrection of Jesus was a lie. As a matter of fact, most, if not all, were preaching about Christ when they were killed. If Jesus was a lie, why would these men give their lives to protect a lie? Because they wanted to keep their lifestyles? I would ask: What lifestyle? None of them of were rich or made money off of anything they preached about Jesus. Maybe because they wanted to keep the control they had of the people they were converting? I would again ask: What Control? They had no control whatsoever on anyone who came to Christ as a result of their preaching the Gospel. Look at Paul--He was already very high in the Pharisees and probably very wealthy, yet, it was his love and preaching of Christ that got him beheaded.
If any has any doubts about anything the Bible says of our Lord Jesus, all one has to do is look at the record that has been left for us here and now. All of the players in the making of what the church is today, with the exception of John, died horribly while trying to bring the love and hope of the Lord to light in the eyes and lives of others they were ministering too. This persecution is something that has continued even to today as many of our brothers and sisters suffer in other lands, including giving their lives, to bring the gospel of Christ to others.
Friends, we have nothing to doubt or to fear in trusting that the events surrounding our Lord are true and correct. We must trust in our faith and the words given to us through the Scriptures that we are indeed surrounded, guided, protected, and loved by a great and majestic God who truly loves us and wants nothing more than for us to return that same love to Him and to those around us. Jesus said that in the last days the love of many would grow cold, and that friend and relative would turn on each other. We must stand in the knowledge that Jesus is exactly what the Scriptures say He is--Our Lord, our King and God! If the Bible is not good enough to convince us, all one has to do is look at the other evidence left for us.
May God Richly Bless You Today!! H Trent!
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