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coram_deo 25-Aug-21, 18:36 |
 A Look At Jesus Christ’s Original 12 Disciples Here is the difference between a disciple and an apostle: “While a disciple is a student, one who learns from a teacher, an apostle is sent to deliver those teachings to others. ‘Apostle’ means messenger, he who is sent. An apostle is sent to deliver or spread those teachings to others. ... We can say that all apostles were disciples but all disciples are not apostles.” www.diffen.com The first of Jesus Christ’s disciple in this thread will be Peter, who was in Jesus Christ’s inner circle and upon whom Jesus said He would build His church. This is a good article but it leaves out as an example of Peter’s impulsiveness and brashness, his use of a sword to cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest who was among those about to arrest Jesus under direction of Jewish religious leaders. I’ll include that account from the Bible at the end of the article. Here is the article from theadvocate.com: “The Apostles: Impetuous Peter overcame mistakes to become leader Church’s building stone Peter was far from perfect. There was a time when his faith wavered and another when he lied under pressure. ‘Peter was the devoted and fallible follower of Christ,’ says the Rev. John ‘Bud’ Traylor, former president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. ‘And I also like to add, ‘Whom Christ made into a living stone that Christ used to build his church,’ continues Traylor, who serves as interim pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Baker. He’s also served as an interim president of Louisiana College in Pineville and was a longtime pastor at First Baptist Church of Monroe. ‘Peter was impetuous,’ adds the Rev. Paul Counce, pastor of the Cathedral of St. Joseph and a canon lawyer. ‘He was brash, and he probably spoke from the heart before his head kicked into gear. Remember in John 21:17, when Jesus asks, ‘Peter, do you love me?’ He asked Peter this three times, and on the third time Peter became impatient, because Jesus kept asking.’ Though Jesus had already been crucified and risen from the dead at this point, the irritation can be detected in Peter’s voice when he answered in verse 17, ‘Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you.’ To which Jesus answered, ‘Feed my sheep.’ Jesus used the metaphor of himself as a shepherd leading his flock as an illustration of his role as head of the church. Peter eventually would take Jesus’ direction and lead the church. ‘Jesus knew Peter’s flaws,’ Counce says. ‘He even told Peter, ‘Get behind me Satan,’ at one point, when Peter said Jesus didn’t have to suffer.’ This happens in Matthew 16:21-23: ‘From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’ Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.’ ‘Peter was trying to get Jesus to turn away from the cross,’ Traylor says. ‘Jesus knew what he had to do to have victory,’ Counce adds. Yet Jesus changed Peter’s name from Simon to Petra, or the rock, and chose him to lead the Christian church. Peter wasn’t the first called among the 12 disciples. That distinction belonged to his brother, Andrew, who introduced Peter to Jesus. Peter and Andrew were fishermen, who were in a business partnership with brothers James and John, who also were called by Jesus. In Matthew 4:18-21, he tells them he will make them ‘fishers of men.’ ‘John, James, Andrew and Peter were the disciples closest to Jesus,’ Traylor says. ‘And Peter was the chief disciple. He wasn’t the first called, but his name always appears at the top of every list. In Luke 8:4-5, for instance, the apostles are identified as ‘Peter and they that were with him.’ Peter’s leadership is clearly shown when he steps up as spokesman for the Twelve when Jesus asks, in Matthew 16: 15-16, ‘But whom say ye that I am?’ ‘The time has come for the disciples to make a decision and render a confession,’ author J. Vernon McGee writes in ‘Thru the Bible: Matthew through Romans.’ ‘Simon Peter evidently was spokesman for the group. He said, ‘Thou art Christ,’ which means the Messiah, the Annointed One, who was predicted in the Old Testament. Also ‘the Son of the Living God.’ Up to this point, that was the best confession and the highest tribute that could be made to him.’ Much has been written about Peter in the New Testament, but several milestones can compile a quick summation of his life and ministry. ‘There are three steps to Peter’s calling,’ Traylor says. ‘The first was when Peter believed when Andrew introduced him to Jesus. The second was when Jesus stood at the Sea of Galilee and called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be fulltime followers of Him and the third was when Jesus established Peter as the chief apostle.’ In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” ‘By the word ‘rock’ the Savior cannot have meant Himself, but only Peter, as is so much more apparent in Aramaic in which the same word (kipha) is used for ‘Peter’ and ‘rock,’ states the Catholic Encyclopedia at newadvent.org. ‘His statement then admits of but one explanation, namely, that he wishes to make Peter the head of the whole community of those who believed in him as the true Messiah … that the spiritual guidance of the faithful was placed in the hands of Peter, as the special representative of Christ.’ ‘And again, I would add that Christ was the foundation and from that He made Peter a living stone on which to build His church,’ Traylor says. But Peter had a lot to learn along the way. The stories of Peter’s mistakes often are in the forefront: when he lost faith and sank when walking on water toward Jesus in Matthew 14:22-33; and when Peter denies knowing Christ three times in John 18:15-27. Yet the high points of Peter’s leadership also are known. ‘Peter is at the center of every aspect of Jesus’ ministry,’ Traylor says. ‘There are four major points of Peter’s ministry, beginning with his confession of Jesus as the son of the living God, then his denial of Christ when he looked at Christ in the courtyard and wept in repentance. He was the chief apostle, but his flesh was weak. He was human.’ The third key point in Peter’s ministry was what Traylor calls Peter’s restoration. ‘That’s when Jesus says, ‘Feed my sheep,’ Traylor says, adding that the fourth is when he ‘opened up the Gospel,’ meaning Peter opened his ministry to both Jews and Gentiles. “The last we hear from Peter in the Bible is as author of I and II Peter, which reveal him as a stable and mature disciple who is about to be martyred for his faith, as predicted by Christ,” Traylor says. Master painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio is probably best known for his depiction of Peter’s martyrdom in 1601 painting, ‘The Crucifixion of St. Peter.’ In it, an aging Peter has been nailed to a wooden cross, which his executioners are in the process of setting upside-down. ‘Peter said he wasn’t worthy of dying in the same way as Christ and requested to be crucified upside down,’ Counce says. The feast day of both saints Peter and Paul is celebrated on June 29, and though there is no direct connection between Peter and Rome in the New Testament, strong church tradition places him in the city. Also, Clement of Rome, the fourth pope, wrote an account of Peter’s crucifixion in Rome. The Catholic church also places Peter first in the line of popes. ‘He was the first bishop of Rome, and the pope is the bishop of Rome,’ Counce says. ‘So, he was the first pope, but not in the sense of what the pope is today. It would be like talking about the president of the United States. George Washington was the first president, and though he was president, he wasn’t president in the sense of the world power that the office is today. Peter wasn’t pope in the same power as the position is today.’ But he was the rock on which Christ build His church. Strong church tradition says St. Peter’s Basilica is built atop Peter’s tomb in Rome. His remains were discovered there in June 26, 1968. ‘You have to remember that other churches were built on that spot before St. Peter’s,’ Counce says. ‘It’s said he died in the year 64. Many priests go there on pilgrimage and view Peter’s tomb. I’ve been there.’ And millions of Christians of both Catholic and Protestant faiths flock to Rome each year to visit the massive church named for the Jesus’ head disciple, a flawed man whose example of repentance and devotion serves as an example for Christians. www.theadvocate.com Here’s the account of Peter cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant as a band of men was about to arrest Jesus: “When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,” (John 18:1-12) And here is the same account in the Gospel of Luke, though Peter is not identified as the disciple who cut off Malchus’ ear: “And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.” (Luke 22:47-51) Note how Peter doesn’t wait for an answer after he (presumably) was among those who asked if they should “smite with the sword.” Peter just goes ahead and does it lol. |
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coram_deo 01-Sep-21, 11:36 |
John seemed to feel a rivalry with Peter that is pretty amusing: • On the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead, John mentions three times that he outran Peter to the tomb where Jesus’ body had been buried. • When Jesus walked on water toward a ship the disciples were in, John doesn’t mention in his gospel that Jesus bid Peter to walk on the water too, though that’s recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (but not in the Gospel of Mark.) • John refers to himself several times in his gospel as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” • John includes in his gospel the Resurrected Christ rebuking Peter when Peter is concerned with what Christ wants John to do (none of the other gospels include that.) There’s probably other examples that reveal John’s competitiveness against Peter, but those are the ones that immediately come to mind. Anyway, here is some information on the Apostle John, who would write, after Jesus Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven, one of the four Gospels and Revelation, the last book of the Bible. He also would write 1 John, which is a tremendous book of the Bible and the first book I handwrote, and two much shorter books (2 John and 3 John.) From overviewbible.com: “Who was John? Most of what we know about John comes from the Bible itself, particularly the gospels. Interestingly, the Apostle John is mentioned by name in every gospel except the one named after him. According to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) John was one of the first disciples Jesus called to follow him. Like many of Jesus’ disciples, he was a fisherman by trade. ‘Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.’ —Matthew 4:21–22 A pillar of the early Christian church When Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians, a false teacher had told them that in order to follow Christ, they needed to follow the Mosaic Law. This is the opposite of what Paul had been teaching them. In order to prove that he was right to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and to teach that they didn’t need to follow the Law to be saved, Paul appealed to the apostles. Particularly, the three apostles who had the most authority: Peter, James, and John. Paul makes a point of saying that even these three apostles had nothing to add to the gospel he preached—so why would the Galatians listen to someone else, and let some random teacher add the weight of the Law to the good news of Christ? ‘On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Cephas [Peter] and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.’ —Galatians 2:7–9 Paul refers to Peter, James, and John as pillars of the church because they played an integral role in supporting, building up, and maintaining the Christian movement. The early church stood on their leadership. When there were disputes about how exactly Christians should behave and what following Jesus looked like, the church appealed to these three original disciples of Jesus, who had witnessed more of his personal ministry than anyone else. Sons of thunder Mark 3 lists the names and nicknames of Jesus’ 12 disciples, and when it gets to James and John, there’s a note found nowhere else in Scripture: ‘These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means ‘sons of thunder’), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.’ —Mark 3:16–19 This is the only place the nickname ‘sons of thunder’ appears, and there’s no explanation as to why Jesus gave them the name. James and John were brothers who may have had dangerous tempers, and it is often assumed that the nickname came from their ‘thunderous nature.’ The most prominent example is recorded in Luke 9. A group of Samaritans didn’t welcome Jesus into their village, so James and John asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ (Luke 9:54). Jesus did not, and he rebuked them. So is this nickname tongue-in-cheek for their explosive personalities? Is it an affirmation of their fervor? We will likely never know. Part of Jesus’ inner circle John was one of Jesus’ three closest disciples. There are three times in the synoptic gospels where Peter, James, and John get to witness Jesus do things no one else saw. Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead, and he doesn’t allow anyone else to watch besides these three (Mark 5:37). Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up to a mountaintop, where he is transfigured before them. Jesus speaks to Moses and Elijah, and John is one of the only three people to witness his glory (Matthew 17:1–11, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36). On the night of his betrayal, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him to pray, and asks them to keep watch (Matthew 26:36–46). These three moments capture the special relationship John had with Jesus, and according to the gospel that bears his name, John may have had an even more privileged relationship with Jesus (or maybe he’s just bragging). The one whom Jesus loved? John (the disciple) is never mentioned in the Gospel of John. In ancient writings it was common for writers to omit themselves from an account or use third person descriptions to disguise their identity. In the Gospel of John, the author uses ‘the one whom Jesus loved’ five times to refer to a disciple who was particularly close to Jesus. It appears in John 13:23, John 19:26, John 20:2, John 21:7, and John 21:20. We know from context that this title isn’t referring to Peter (‘the one whom Jesus loved’ interacts with Peter), and scholars believe James died too early to have written this gospel (he’s executed in Acts 12:2). The author clearly positions ‘the one whom Jesus loved’ as one of the most important disciples, perhaps having the closest relationship with Jesus. Interestingly, with one exception, whenever the beloved disciple is mentioned, it tends to be in contrast to Peter. For example, at the Last Supper, Peter asks ‘the one whom Jesus loved’ to ask Jesus who will betray him: ‘One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, ‘Ask him which one he means.’ Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’—John 13:23-24 And once Jesus is betrayed and arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, only two disciples follow Jesus to his trial from a distance: Peter and the beloved disciple. While the beloved disciple pulls some strings to bring Peter closer to Jesus, Peter denies any association with the Lord (John 18:15–17). But perhaps the most well-known example of ‘the one whom Jesus loved’ comes in John 20 after Jesus died on the cross, when Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb. ‘So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside.’ —John 20:2–9 In case you missed the *three* references to it, the one whom Jesus loved was faster than Peter. Tradition has associated ‘the beloved disciple’ with John since at least the second century, but not all scholars agree that this is referring to him. A disciple of John the Baptist? It’s possible that John was actually a disciple of John the Baptist before he started following Jesus. The author of the Gospel of John never reveals their identity, but there are hints throughout that it could be John the Apostle, and church tradition has accepted his authorship for well over a millennia. In the Gospel of John’s account of Jesus calling the disciples, some speculate that the author omits themself from the story (as the author often does in this gospel) while also suggesting that they were a disciple of John the Baptist: ‘The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, ‘What do you want?’ They said, ‘Rabbi’ (which means ‘Teacher’), ‘where are you staying?’ ‘Come,’ he replied, ‘and you will see.’ So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.’ —John 1:35–42a In any case, we know that John was one of the closest followers of John the Baptist’s cousin (Jesus).” Another excerpt from the same source: “How did John die? Church tradition holds that John was the only apostle to die of old age. The rest were martyred for their faith. Before Jesus died on the cross, he entrusted his mother Mary to John’s care—assuming John actually is the beloved disciple (John 19:26–27). When Mary died, John went to Ephesus and wrote his three epistles. Then he was exiled to Patmos for preaching the gospel, where he received the revelation from Christ and wrote the Book of Revelation. Eventually he made it back to Ephesus and died an ordinary death sometime after 98 AD. Tertullian, a Christian writer from the late second and early third century, wrote that before the Romans banished John, they brought him into a coliseum and dunked him in a vat of boiling oil. When he emerged unharmed, the entire coliseum converted to Christianity. Throughout his later life, John also had some significant students. Polycarp (who eventually became bishop of Smyrna) learned from John and then taught Irenaeus. John taught Ignatius of Antioch as well, whom Peter eventually appointed as the bishop of Antioch. And Papias of Hierapolis learned directly from John as well.” overviewbible.com |
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coram_deo 10-Sep-21, 12:06 |
Before I read this article, I thought he may have been the author of the book of James in the Holy Bible, but that’s not the case - he likely was killed too soon to author a book of the Bible. So while James is mentioned in all four Gospels, he is the only disciple in Jesus’ inner circle not to have written part of the Bible. From learnreligions.com: Meet the Apostle James: First to Die for Jesus By Jack Zavada Updated December 07, 2020 The apostle James was honored with a favored position by Jesus Christ. Not only was he one of the twelve chosen disciples of Jesus, but he was also one of three men in Christ's inner circle. The others were James' brother John and Simon Peter. One more great distinction of the apostle James was to be the first to die a martyr's death. Fast Facts: Apostle James Also Known as: James of Zebedee; Nicknamed by Jesus “Boanerges” or “Son of Thunder.” Known for: James followed Jesus as one of the 12 chosen disciples. This apostle James (for there were two) was the brother of John, and a member of Christ’s inner circle of three, along with Peter and John. He proclaimed the gospel after Jesus' resurrection and was the first apostle to be martyred for his faith. Bible References: The apostle James is mentioned in all four Gospels and his martyrdom is cited in Acts 12:2. Father: Zebedee Mother: Salome Brother: John Hometown: He lived in Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. Occupation: Fisherman, disciple of Jesus Christ. Strengths: James was a loyal disciple of Jesus. He apparently had outstanding personal qualities that are not detailed in Scripture, because his character made him one of Jesus' favorites. Weaknesses: With his brother John, James could be rash and unthinking. He did not always apply the gospel to earthly matters. Who Was the Apostle James? James was among the first of the twelve disciples. When Jesus called the brothers, James and John were fishermen with their father Zebedee on the Sea of Galilee. They immediately left their father and their business to follow the young rabbi. James was probably the older of the two brothers because he is always mentioned first. Three times James, John, and Peter were invited by Jesus to witness events no one else saw: the raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead (Mark 5:37-47), the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3), and Jesus' agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-37). But James was not above making mistakes. When a Samaritan village rejected Jesus, he and John wanted to call down fire from heaven upon the place. This earned them the nickname "Boanerges," or "sons of thunder." The mother of James and John also overstepped her bounds, asking Jesus to grant her sons special positions in his kingdom. James' zeal for Jesus resulted in his being the first of the twelve apostles to be martyred. He was killed with the sword on order of King Herod Agrippa I of Judea, about 44 A.D., in a general persecution of the early church. Two other men named James appear in the New Testament: James, the son of Alphaeus, another of Christ's chosen apostles; and James, the brother of the Lord, a leader in the Jerusalem church and author of the book of James. Life Lessons In spite of everything James experienced as a disciple of Jesus, his faith remained weak until after the resurrection. Once, when he and his brother asked Jesus for the privilege of sitting beside him in glory, Jesus promised them only a share in his suffering (Mark 10:35–45). They were learning that the greatest calling of a servant of Jesus is to serve others. James discovered that following Jesus Christ can lead to hardship, persecution, and even death, but the reward is eternal life with him in heaven. Key Verses Luke 9:52-56 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village. (NIV) Matthew 17:1-3 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. (NIV) Acts 12:1-2 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. (NIV) www.learnreligions.com Here are excerpts from another article on James. I’m not posting the entire article because a lot of information already appears in the article above. From overviewbible.com: James was the first apostle to be martyred, and he’s the only disciple besides Judas whose death is recorded in the Bible (Acts 12:2). And in case you’re wondering, this isn’t the James who wrote the Book of James. (Tradition says that was Jesus’ brother.) For such an important biblical figure, surprisingly little is actually known about James. Beyond the Bible itself, there are only a smattering of rumors about James’ whereabouts and activities in the early church, and legends about what happened after he died. Despite the lack of details about his life, James’ burial site is one of the most popular Christian pilgrimages after Rome and Israel. Why is he called James the Greater? The Apostle James is often referred to as James the Greater to distinguish him from James, the brother of Jesus, who is usually called James the Just or James the Lesser. Jesus’ brother James is traditionally believed to be the author of the Book of James, and he became known as a pillar of the early church along with Peter and John. Some early Christian writings also refer to James the Just as a bishop of Jerusalem. The title “the greater” doesn’t necessarily mean James the Apostle was more important than James the Just, and it probably just indicates that he was either the oldest or tallest of the two. Virtually everything we know about the Apostle James comes directly from the gospels. In the Synoptic Gospels, James is one of the first disciples Jesus calls. He comes onto the scene in Mark 1:19, Matthew 4:21, and Luke 5:10. When we first meet James, the writers of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell us he’s a fisherman. There are slight variations in each account of when James is called, but the main details are pretty consistent: he’s washing or preparing fishing nets, he’s with John, and he immediately drops everything to follow Jesus. Luke mentions that James and John are working with Simon (better known as Peter). “For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.” —Luke 5:9–10 Matthew and Mark both tell us that James and John are with their father, Zebedee, but Mark is the only one who makes a point of letting us know that when they chose to follow Jesus, they left their father “with the hired men”: “When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.” —Mark 1:19–20 Mark could be including the detail about the hired men to let us know that James and John didn’t leave their father helpless to make a living, since a fisherman who couldn’t afford to hire men would have been completely crippled if he lost two sons. Or, Mark might have wanted the audience to know that while they were fishermen, James and John were at least somewhat well off. James wasn’t the first martyr (a guy named Stephen was), and he certainly wasn’t the first of the Twelve to die (a guy named Judas Iscariot was). But he was the first of Jesus’ apostles to die for following him. Scholars generally believe that Herod executed the Apostle James in Jerusalem in 44 AD. The moment is recorded in Acts 12: “It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.” —Acts 12:1–2 King Herod was eager to win the favor of the Jews, and since Christianity was spreading, he believed persecuting Christians would earn the Jews’ appreciation. When he killed James, the Jews approved (Acts 12:3), and so Herod had Peter imprisoned. The night before Peter was to go on trial, God sent an angel to rescue him, and he escaped the prison unnoticed. In the fourth century, Eusebius of Caesarea, the father of church history, quotes Clement of Alexandria (not to be confused with Clement of Rome) about James’ death: “It appears that the guard who brought him into court was so moved when he saw him testify that he confessed that he, too, was a Christian. So they were both taken away together, and on the way he asked James to forgive him. James thought for a moment, then he said ‘I wish you peace,’ and kissed him. So both were beheaded at the same time.” —Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History Clement of Alexandria was born a little over 100 years after James died, but it’s very possible that he had access to accounts and records that didn’t survive. And while there are plenty of legends surrounding famous Christians, this one doesn’t sound so farfetched. James’ execution wasn’t the first time Christians were persecuted, and it was far from the last. But it did mark the first time that one of the apostles “drank the cup Jesus drank” (Mark 10:39), and died on account of faith in him. The Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James) is an expansive network of routes leading to the shrine of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages, just behind Rome and Jerusalem, and it has remained active since the mythical discovery of Saint James’ remains in the early ninth century. About 300,000 people make the pilgrimage every year. For many Christians, it is a religious journey or spiritual escape, but non-Christians also make the trek for fitness, recreation, and other non-religious reasons. Fun fact: For a time, the Camino de Santiago could be assigned as penance for crimes. To this day, a region of Belgium releases and pardons a prisoner every year if they agree to take the Camino de Santiago—wearing a heavy backpack and escorted by a guard. Saint James plays a prominent role in the story of the church. But aside from the scattered details in a handful of passages, we don’t know much about him. He was closer to Jesus than anyone else besides Peter or John, but he died in Jerusalem not long after Jesus. While James the Greater may not have lived to become a pillar of the church like his brother John (or James the Lesser), and he probably didn’t travel to Spain, James did help Christianity thrive and spread in the years immediately after Jesus’ death, and he was clearly important enough to draw attention. As the first apostle to be martyred, James was certainly someone people were paying attention to. And while we may not know him as well as some of the other disciples, what we do know is this: Jesus saw something special in him, and perhaps we should, too. overviewbible.com |
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coram_deo 13-Sep-21, 00:00 |
Here is a good and well-written article on Thomas. From overviewbible.com: Thomas the Apostle—often referred to as “Doubting Thomas”—was one of the twelve main disciples of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John, Thomas famously doubted Jesus’ resurrection, telling the other disciples, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). Jesus then appeared and offered to let him do just that. Upon seeing Jesus in the flesh with his own eyes (and possibly touching the wounds), Thomas proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Jesus responded with one of the most powerful and prophetic statements about faith in all of Scripture: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Thomas’ moment of skepticism earned him the nickname “Doubting Thomas,” which evolved into a term for anyone who needs proof before they believe something. Honestly, that’s all you really need to know about the Apostle Thomas. He’s not a major Bible character by any means—he’s only mentioned eight times in the entire New Testament, and four of those times are just lists of the twelve apostles. And while throughout church history people have been happy to fill in the details of his life, few of those details are reliable. (For example, one ancient text even claimed he was Jesus’ twin brother . . . what?!) But while the Bible tells us little about him, Thomas’ cautious approach to believing in the resurrection laid the foundation for evidence-based faith and for the Protestant teaching of sola fide, or faith alone. And even though he lived 2,000 years ago, Thomas also serves as a foil for Christians today—those who have not seen and yet have believed. In this guide, we’ll highlight the things we can observe about Thomas from the Bible and what the early church said about him. Facts about Thomas the Apostle Thomas is mentioned a total of eight times between the four gospels and Acts. Most of what we learn about him comes from the Gospel of John—the only book of the New Testament that gives him any specific role. Between that and a few reliable claims from the early church, here’s what we know. One of the Twelve The New Testament lists all Twelve apostles four times—Matthew 10:2–4, Mark 3:14–19, Luke 6:13–16, and Acts 1:13–16. While there are some variations in the order the apostles appear and even the names they went by, Thomas is listed in all of them. He’s also clearly one of the Twelve in the Gospel of John, though John never explicitly lists them all. This means Thomas was one of the people who was closest to Jesus, and that he spent about three years living with him, witnessing his miracles, and hearing his teachings. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus’ power—including his power to raise people from the dead—and he heard Jesus predict his resurrection, but he still didn’t believe Jesus was resurrected until he saw for himself. “Called the Twin” In three of the times Thomas is mentioned, the Bible notes that he was called didymos, a Greek word meaning “twin,” which was often used as a name. Unless your name is Thomas, it may surprise you to learn that the modern name “Thomas” comes from the Aramaic word tĕʾomâ, which means . . . twin. Yup. The Apostle Thomas doesn’t even have an actual name in the Bible. Everyone literally just refers to him as “the twin.” Interestingly, tĕʾomâ is just a description in Aramaic—it doesn’t appear to be used as a name—but didymos was used as both a description and a name. So while your Bible says some version of “Thomas, called the Twin” in John 11:16, John 20:24, and John 21:2, a literal translation would say “the twin, called the Twin.” Poor guy. We can still call him Thomas. Some early traditions called him Judas Thomas, because some Syriac manuscripts claimed his real name was Judas. But that would probably just cause more confusion for us today, since there are already multiple Judases in the Bible, and one of them did a pretty bad thing. The Bible never mentions who Thomas’ twin is. Interestingly, in the third century, a text called the Acts of Thomas emerged claiming he was Jesus’ twin. And that’s . . . not true. Missionary The earliest mention of Thomas’ missionary work comes from Eusebius of Caesarea, who quotes Origen (a scholar who died in the mid-third century) as saying that Thomas was sent to Parthia (which is in modern day Iran). But according to the more popular church tradition, Thomas travelled to India around 50 AD and evangelized the people there, possibly establishing as many as seven churches. This tradition appears to have begun with the Acts of Thomas, and it remains immensely popular in some churches—especially those claiming to have been established by him. A skeptic Thomas is most known for his role in the Gospel of John, which earned him the moniker “Doubting Thomas.” And while the nickname is often used as a critique of his lack of faith, the reality is that he wasn’t the only one who had doubts about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. According to the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), the other disciples doubted the resurrection, too: “When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” —Luke 24:9-11 Unfortunately for Thomas, he’s the only one the church labeled a “doubter,” thanks to the account in the Gospel of John. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary suggests John focused on Thomas to illustrate the doubt all the disciples shared: “Thomas has been chosen from among the Twelve to dramatize the disbelief of the group. The refusal of the disciples to believe the testimony of those who had seen the risen Lord is a common feature of the gospel tradition (Matt 28:17; Mark 16:11, 14; Luke 24:36–43); the fourth Evangelist alone has chosen Thomas to represent and symbolize this doubt.” But even if Thomas was the only apostle who doubted the resurrection, there’s little reason for Christians to wield doubt as some sort of insult. Even though Jesus repeatedly revealed his plans to the disciples, they never understood the cross and resurrection until after the fact. And as Jewish men, the apostles had no reason to believe the Messiah would rise from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection defied everything the apostles understood and believed about the Messiah—and death—since they were children. It flew in the face of their tradition. And despite everything the apostles saw and heard that proved Jesus was unlike anyone who ever lived, he died just like everyone else. So it’s no wonder Thomas—and Jesus’ other followers—doubted the resurrection until they saw the evidence for themselves. And Jesus’ willingness to engage Thomas in the midst of his doubts encourages Christians today to bring their doubts to him, too. It’s important to recognize that in Jesus’ response to Thomas, he recognized how much harder it would be for those who had never seen his miracles to believe. A fisherman? The Bible doesn’t explicitly say Thomas is a fisherman, but in the Gospel of John, he does go fishing with fishermen. After Jesus appears to the disciples, Peter gets antsy and decides to go fishing, and some of the other disciples tag along: “Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. ‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘We’ll go with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” —John 21:2–3 Nobody said he was a good fisherman. The passage doesn’t technically call him a fisherman, but Peter, the sons of Zebedee (that’s James and John), and Peter’s brother Andrew—who’s presumably one of the two unnamed disciples here—all were. Thomas in the Bible Aside from the four lists of disciples, Thomas is mentioned four more times in the Bible—all of which occur in the Gospel of John. Here are the passages where we actually learn something about him. The Death of Lazarus (John 11:1–16) When Jesus learns that his friend Lazarus has died, he tells his disciples that they must return to Judea. They try to talk him out of it, because the last time they were there people were ready to stone Jesus to death. He insists. And then Thomas boldly speaks up: “Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’“ —John 11:16 Here Thomas almost takes on a Peter-like quality and, perhaps ironically, appears to have more faith in Jesus than the other apostles. Thomas’ is often quoted with a cynical, Eeyore-type tone, but he may have been one of the more courageous disciples. Jesus the way to the Father (John 14:1–14) After predicting his betrayal and Peter’s eventual denial of him, Jesus comforts his disciples by telling them he is going to prepare a place for them, and that they know the way to the place he is going. Reasonably, Thomas points out: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” —John 14:5 This sets up one of Jesus’ more famous quotes, which only appears in the Gospel of John: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” —John 14:6–7 The gospel writers frequently use the disciples’ questions to tee up Jesus’ teachings. Some Christians use this passage to read into Thomas’ character, but that’s probably not the point. Philip has a similarly blunt line after this to set up another one of Jesus’ important monologues. Jesus appears to Thomas (John 20:24–29) John is the only one who records Thomas’ special encounter with Jesus, which appears to mirror the encounter Jesus had with the others in John 20:19–23. For some unknown reason, Thomas wasn’t with the disciples when Jesus appeared to them the first time, and Thomas refuses to believe his friends, so Jesus declares a do-over. Here’s the entire passage: “Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” —John 20:24–29 The Bible doesn’t tell us whether or not Thomas physically touches Jesus’ wounds. Interestingly, Catholic tradition holds that Thomas did touch them, which has historically supported the idea of using physical rituals and pilgrimages to bolster faith, while Protestant tradition generally holds that Thomas did not touch them, which has been used to reinforce the idea that faith alone is enough for people to be saved. This theological difference is often represented in Catholic and Protestant art portraying Jesus and Thomas. Jesus and the miraculous catch of fish (John 21:1–14) As we’ve already mentioned, after the resurrection, Peter declares that he’s going fishing, and Thomas is listed among the six disciples who comes with him. Thomas doesn’t play any major role in this passage—which mirrors the miraculous catch in the synoptic gospels and primarily serves to set the scene for Jesus to reinstate Peter. How did the Apostle Thomas die? The Acts of Thomas says that he was martyred in Mylapore, India, where he was stabbed with spears. Syrian Christian tradition specifies Thomas was martyred in Mylapore on July 3, 72 AD, noting that he was killed with a spear. An early ecclesiastical calendar entry reads: “3 July, St. Thomas who was pierced with a lance in ‘India’.” No other tradition exists regarding his death. Doubting Thomas Since the Gospel of John makes Thomas the scapegoat for doubt, it’s easy to forget the other apostles doubted the resurrection, too. Christians often treat his skepticism as a weakness, but it’s important to remember: Jesus welcomed Thomas’ skepticism and challenged his doubts with evidence of his resurrection. Thomas the Apostle is a famous symbol for doubt, but if we’re to learn anything from him, it should be this: our doubts may lead us to a deeper, richer faith. Jesus specifically says, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29), but he also doesn’t ask all of us to blindly put our faith in him. Instead, we’re invited to investigate the truth of the resurrection, and explore the way, the truth, and the life. overviewbible.com |