MaryEllen Montville

“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” –2 Peter 1:16.

Each Apostle had witnessed Jesus’ life and ministry during the approximate three-plus years He was on earth. And each was so convinced that Jesus was indeed who He’d professed to be while with them, they were willing to die a martyr’s death rather than deny Him—including Matthias, the Apostle chosen by lots to replace Judas’ Iscariot after he’d hung himself. “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” –Acts 1:21-26.

Historians say only the Apostle John, believed to have been the youngest of Jesus’s twelve Apostles, lived to see old age, having died at Ephesus of natural causes. Tertullian, a historian, wrote that Roman Emperor Domitian intended for John to be martyred by being boiled alive in a pot of oil. But God had a different plan for John’s life, so what had been intended to kill him—failed.

Perhaps Jesus was alluding to the way Domitian would attempt to kill John when he spoke these words in answer to John and his brother James’ request to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in His Kingdom. “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” –Mark 10:38-40.

Because concerning Peter’s death, Jesus was the first to tell Peter that, like Himself, he would also be crucified. Directly after reinstating Peter within that now famous dialogue found in John 21:15, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” Jesus says this: “Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

And Peter did follow Jesus—straight to his cross.

Early church historians, such as Eusebius, Clement of Rome, and Tertullian, have each given us extra-Biblical accounts detailing by whose hand and what methods of torture were used to kill all twelve Apostles.

Of Peter, it’s said that when Emperor Nero ordered him to be crucified, he asked his executioners to be crucified upside down, having claimed to be unworthy of being crucified in the same fashion as his Lord. Only God and Peter’s executioners know whether this account of Peter’s final hour is valid.

We do know each Apostle followed their Master’s example as best a sinful man could, including Paul, who, though not an eyewitness of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension, was chosen by Jesus Himself to be His Apostle to the Gentiles and who—and chose death over denying His Lord, And in Romans 5, reminds us:– “Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to willingly give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a good man [one who is noble and selfless and worthy] someone might even dare to die.”  Then, in the next verse, this humbling and incomprehensible Truth is shared: “But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Concerning the Apostles, below are some shared accounts of how each man chose death, to be martyred rather than deny their Lord and Savior. Each took to heart more, with a final act of unwavering certainty and a profound demonstration of unmitigated love; each put legs beneath the Words their Lord had spoken concerning the selfless sacrifice both true love and Life require. “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”—Matthew 10:38-39.

  1. James, John’s brother: the first of the twelve to be put to death. His martyrdom is verified in Scripture. King Herod had him killed by the sword in Jerusalem (Acts 12:2).
  2. Like Peter, his brother Andrew is said to have been crucified by a Roman Governor in Patras, Greece. He was scourged, then bound with leather straps to his x-shaped cross, a “crux decussata,” which, when turned on its side, was intended to mock Christ’s Cross and discourage His followers.
  3. Historians share two different accounts of Phillip’s martyrdom. One account has him beheaded while in Hierapolis, Greece, while another has him and two other Christ followers, possibly Nathaniel, being crucified. This account has Phillip preaching the Gospel as he hung on his cross.
  4. As with Phillip, there are two accounts of Nathaniel’s martyrdom. One says he was skinned alive, while another claims he, too, was crucified while preaching in northern India.
  5. Matthew is said to have been martyred in Ethiopia by the sword.
  6. Mark was martyred in Egypt, having been drug through the streets by a team of horses until he was dead.
  7. Historians say Simon, The Zealot, was sawed from head to toe in Northern Africa.
  8. Jude, or Judas Thadeus, aka “the other Judas,” is said to have been martyred somewhere in Lebanon, having been shot by arrows.
  9. Luke, it is said, was hung from an olive tree.
  10. And Matthias was crucified.
  11. John survived, having been boiled in oil and died of old age on the Isle of Patmos.
  12. Lastly, Peter is said to have been crucified upside down.

And though not eyewitness ourselves, if we profess to be believers, to have received Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives, acknowledging Him as sole Owner and Master of our lives, then we, like all twelve of our brothers mentioned above, and others, like John the Baptist, who, also chosedeath over denying His Lord and Savior, we too, must do as they did—choosing Christ over our own lives. “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.” –1 Peter 1:8.

We’re living in dark days, friends, “perilous times,” as the Bible refers to them—lawless days, where far too many professed believers live in the shadows, running away from taking a bold, fixed stance for Jesus, their faith, and commitment to our Lord.

What about you?

Where do you stand with Jesus?

Do you boldly profess Him as Savior, Lord, and Master of your life?

Like your brothers before you, are you so thoroughly convinced of who Jesus is that you’d lay down your life for Him rather than deny Him?

I pray you will. Because I believe to the very bones of me that if you genuinely believe Jesus is who He said He is, then if asked by Him to face such an hour as our brothers once did, His grace would be sufficient to silence every fear we’d have in the natural.

How can I be so sure of this?

One, my God is not a liar. And two, He has promised us—promised me, it’s meant to be personal.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.” –Deuteronomy 31:6.

Since Jesus is Alpha and Omega, the same yesterday, today, and forever, what He promised to Moses, Aaron, and others throughout Scripture is my promise as His child. Yours, too, if Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

And if you don’t yet know Him as Lord, His Word assures you that you can do so today if you ask Him into your life, acknowledging you are a sinner in need of a Savior. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”—Romans 10:9-10.