The Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul is the most remarkable of all the Apostles. As noted in the previous chapter, he was the one directly chosen of God to replace the betrayer, Judas. As we read of the wonderful experiences and blessings given to the Apostle Paul, we should think of what Judas lost by not being faithful and obedient. The Scriptures say if we continually waste our blessings, the Lord will take them away and give them to another who will appreciate them. Matt. 25:28 & Luke 19:24

Paul was also known as Saul of Tarsus. His father was a wealthy Roman citizen, and the name Paul was more commonly used in Rome. His family was strongly Jewish and of the religious Pharisees. Saul was well educated in a religious school attended only by the sons of the rich. Saul had advantages in every way: he was well educated, wealthy, extremely religious and honored by his family and countrymen. Acts 22:3

Because Saul was a very dedicated Jew, he served God with all the zeal and love that he could. But although he served God with zeal, it was not based on a knowledge of the wisdom of God. Rom. 10:2,3 He thought he was pleasing God when he severely persecuted the Christian Jews for what the law said was “heresy” punishable by death. He was responsible for giving the command to have the Christian disciple Stephen put to death by stoning.

The last act of persecution Saul would commit would be to order the Christians of Damascus to trial in Jerusalem. Saul set out with a group of men, probably soldiers and other religious men, on the road to Damascus to bring who they thought were hated Christians back to Jerusalem. But on the way, he was met with the most marvelous experience any human would ever know – an experience which would change his life forever! Reprint 550

As Saul travelled at around midday, suddenly there came upon the group of men a brightness that was even brighter than that of the sun. Saul and the others fell to the ground hearing, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul answered “Who are you, Lord?” The voice answered, “I am Jesus, the one whom you persecute.” Saul replied, “Lord, what would you have me to do?” Jesus answered, “Arise and go into the city, and there you will be told what to do.” Not only did Saul hear the voice of Jesus, but he saw Jesus in his glory as a Divine, Immortal Spirit Being! 1 Cor. 15:8 The other Apostles saw Jesus resurrected, but they did not see him as a Divine Spirit. Jesus chose to take on various human forms to appear to the others, so they would not be frightened. The other men who travelled with Saul did not see Jesus, they only heard his voice.

The brightness of this vision blinded Saul’s eyes, but it opened his mind. When Jesus said to Saul, “Why do you persecute me?” He meant, “Saul, why do you persecute those who believe in me?” But why would Jesus come especially to a man like Saul of Tarsus who persecuted to death his followers? Why didn’t he just honor the wishes of the Apostles and make Matthias the Apostle to replace Judas? God wanted to make a beautiful example out of Saul to show that He could take even the most feared of men and change his misguided heart to one of the most loving and merciful! I Cor. 1: 26-29 God also wanted to show how he could prepare such a man from even before his birth and give him the qualities and advantages needed to perform the work of a great Apostle. Gal. 1:15 Even before Saul was born, his family was wealthy, well educated and religious. His father was a Pharisee, and so Saul became a Pharisee. Both were more familiar with God’s law than most men. These qualities would make Saul naturally very useful in the spread of the Gospel to the Jews. But Saul would have to accept the call to leave all and follow Christ. God would not make Saul do anything. Saul had to choose for himself. Acts 9:1-8

Guided by the eyes of his travelling companions, Saul travelled on to Damascus as Jesus had asked. There he fasted and prayed earnestly to the Lord to show him what to do. Saul did not cry and say, “Oh, poor me, I’ve lost my sight!” No, he humbly waited for the direction of the Lord. And while he did, he received a vision that a man named Ananias would come to him to restore his sight. At this same time Ananias, a faithful disciple of Jesus, received a vision. The Lord said, “Ananias, arise and go to the house of Judas for there a man from Tarsus named Saul is praying. Go and restore his sight.” But Ananias said, “Lord, this is the man who persecutes the saints in Jerusalem!” Yet the Lord replied, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” And Ananias did just as the Lord had said. He went straight to Saul, and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me to restore your sight and fill you with the Holy Spirit.” Just then, loose scales of skin fell from Saul’s eyes and he regained most of his sight. Then he arose and was baptized. Saul was ready to serve the Lord and willing to suffer much for his name’s sake. Acts 9:10-20

Saul immediately began preaching in Damascus, proclaiming the name of Jesus in the synagogues saying, “He is the Son of God!” All were amazed to hear Saul, the persecutor of Christians, preach the very name he had despised. Soon the high priests of Damascus became hateful of Saul and plotted to kill him. But the Christians there helped him to escape the city and return to Jerusalem.

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to work along side of the other Christians there, but they were afraid of this persecutor who had sentenced their beloved Stephen to death! The Lord then provided for his disciple Barnabas* to come to Saul’s defense. Barnabas explained all that had happened to Saul and what a wonderful change the Lord had created in him. He showed how Saul was such a zealous witness for Jesus that he was almost killed. Then the Christians of Jerusalem understood and welcomed Saul into their fellowship. They witnessed the great power of their Almighty God!

*It is possible that Barnabas, also called Joses in Acts 4:36, is the same as “Joseph called Barsabas who was surnamed Justus” in Acts 1:23. See also Acts 15:22 Remember that Justus and Matthias were the two on whom the Apostles cast lots when choosing a replacement for Judas.

But imagine how Saul’s family and friends must have felt to see his conversion. They saw this power of God as the power of Satan overtaking their beloved Saul. “What an embarrassment you are to the holy nation of Israel!” they thought. Saul was then persecuted by his family, and all that he had as a Pharisee and son of a wealthy man was taken from him. Saul was left a man without honor in his family and country, and he went from riches to poverty for the sake of Christ. Acts 9:19-30, & Reprint 4355

Saul was not discouraged by this nor tempted to slow down his zeal for the Lord. No, he then travelled to Arabia to study the various prophecies and the law to see how they pointed to his Lord Jesus and how they made clear God’s plan. For three years he studied, becoming mature as a Christian and more capable as the chosen instrument of the Lord. Filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom of God’s plan, he was anxious to return and teach this plan to all. It is interesting to note that three years is about the same amount of time in which the other Apostles studied and learned with their master during his three and a half year ministry. Studying God’s plan and will is most important for every Christian. II Tim. 2:15

And now the time had come for Saul to begin his mission for Christ. Again, the Lord provided Barnabas to help Saul see the direction he should take. Barnabas was a Levite–a Jewish convert to Christianity from the Gentile Island of Cyprus. He knew of the great need in Antioch for help in understanding the word of God. He encouraged Saul to go there that he might strengthen the faith of the new Gentile converts. Barnabas remembered what was said to Saul in the vision “…bear my name before the Gentiles…” Barnabas was known as the “son of consolation” or the “son of encouragement.” Barnabas wanted to encourage his brethren in Antioch and thought of Saul as the best hope for doing so. Barnabas had a special concern for the Gentile converts because his home country, not far from Antioch, was also Gentile, and he had many friends there. Perhaps many had been converted by Barnabas.

Saul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch for about a year until the new converts were strong in the faith. The brethren in Antioch knew that there were other churches waiting to be helped by Saul and Barnabas, and they unselfishly asked them to go on their way to establish new churches throughout other Gentile cities.

And so, Saul and Barnabas began their missionary journeys preaching to Gentiles and Jews. Saul used his name Paul for it was a more common name among the Gentiles. They used a different method of witnessing when presenting the message of God to the Gentiles. These were a people who had pagan gods, and they didn’t understand the writings of the Hebrew prophets. Paul and Barnabas used the power of the Holy Spirit to heal the sick so that the people would listen to what they had to say. In the Gentile city of Lystra, the people were so amazed that they thought Paul and Barnabas were their pagan gods, Mercury and Jupiter. They immediately brought sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas and began praising them as their gods. But Paul and Barnabas quickly went among them and said that they were just men sent of the only true God who wanted to show them that these sacrifices were wrong. Many of Lystra listened and some even became believers, but then some Jews entered the city to preach against Paul and Barnabas and all began stoning them out of the city. There they were left for dead to be eaten by wild animals. But the few who believed came and ministered to Paul and Barnabas and restored them to health that they might preach again. Fearing for the lives of these new converts, Paul and Barnabas left Lystra so that these babes in Christ would not be harmed. Paul and Barnabas entrusted the care and providence of this young Church to God. Reprint 4369, 4364 & Acts 14:6-22

When the Apostle Paul and Barnabas preached to the Jews, they used a different method of witnessing, for the Jews were in expectation of the Messiah and were familiar with the prophecies. The two would enter into the synagogues, and when it was their turn to talk, they would share the prophecies which pointed to Jesus. Sometimes the Jews would listen and would accept Jesus as the Messiah. But, often times the high priests would get so angry that they would stone them or beat them with rods. Sometimes the priests convinced the Roman government to put them in jail. Little did the priests know that this is exactly what the Lord wanted, for being in jail gave Paul the opportunity to witness to kings. This fulfilled the vision to Ananias, that Paul would bring the name of Christ “before the Gentiles,” “the children of Israel” and “before kings.” Yes, the Apostle Paul spent many years in prison, but because of this, he witnessed to King Agrippa and the two governors, Felix and Festus. Acts 23:12-35 & 24-26

During the missionary journeys of Paul and Barnabas, there arose a controversy about the Gentiles. Some of the Christian Jews began thinking that they were better than the Gentile converts. They thought that Christians should continue to practice certain ceremonies of the law, and they forced these practices on their Gentile brethren. But Paul clearly and forcefully preached that the law was done away with when Christ died on the cross. Col. 2:14 He said repeatedly to the Christian Jews in Jerusalem that the law kept men in bondage, but when Christ died, he freed men from slavery to the law if they accept him as their Savior. In living by the rules of the law, Christians were leaving the freedom in Christ and going back into bondage. Acts 15

As an illustration of bondage to the law, imagine that one day you went into a store and broke a very expensive lamp. The store owner said, “Now you must work two hours a day for the rest of your life to pay for that lamp.” One day when you were working and feeling very sad that you would be working for the rest of your life, a nice man came into the store and said, “I will pay for the lamp so you no longer have to work.” You were so thankful to the man, and for one week you stopped working. But then, the following week you started working again! Now, wouldn’t that be foolish? But this is very similar to what the Christian Jews did. Like the rest of mankind, the Nation of Israel was under bondage to sin and death. God used the Nation of Israel to prove that sinful man is incapable of living a perfect life. He gave them a perfect law to obey saying, “If you obey this law perfectly, you will live, but if you do even the slightest thing wrong, you will die.” They said to God, “All that you command of us, we will do.” Of course, they could not keep this vow, so Jesus came and obeyed the law perfectly for them. Because he was perfect, he was the only one who could keep the law, and as God had promised, he was given the right to live forever. Jesus wanted to help the poor world of mankind, and so he gave up his perfect life that they might live. So the Christian Jews no longer needed to live in bondage under the law when they accepted Jesus as their Savior. But what did they do? They started to do various rituals in the law again, telling the Gentiles that if they didn’t do these rituals too, they were not good Christians. Even the Apostle Peter and Paul’s faithful companion Barnabas started saying these things to the Gentiles.

Because of support from Peter and Barnabas on this error, some of the Christian Jews began to question whether Paul was really an Apostle with clear wisdom from God. At the Antioch Church, when the Apostle Peter started to treat the Gentile Christians with less respect than the Jewish Christians, the Apostle Paul became very angry. Paul defended his Apostleship and the truth. He told Peter in front of everyone that this bondage to the law was a terrible error and that Christ fulfilled all the commands of the law, making all men in Christ equally free. As Christians, we should keep in mind that no one is better than another. We should be loving and kind to everyone, but especially to the household of faith. Gal. 6:10

Eventually, through the loving zeal of the Apostle Paul toward all of the Churches, his Apostleship was fully accepted again by his fellow Christians. There were a few “wolves in sheep’s clothing” that he continued to warn the Churches about, but God permitted these false teachers to test the brethren. Those who truly loved the Lord and the truth remained faithful to Him.

The Apostles Peter and Paul, along with Barnabas, settled their differences and again in harmony preached that Christ died to free the slaves of death. Acts 15:7-12, 22, 25 These two Apostles were probably the most notable in establishing the faith of the early Church. This is why it was so important for the Apostle Paul to clear up this matter with the Apostle Peter. It is important that all of us do what we can to keep from error, for it spreads like weeds in a garden and chokes the beautiful flowers. This is a lesson to Christians today, that we should appreciate the care our elders take in keeping the truth pure.

The Apostle Paul opened the eyes of understanding to this and many other important doctrines. Through his wisdom on the law, he showed how the law was given so that the Jews would be prepared in their hearts to receive Jesus as the Messiah. It was a “schoolmaster to lead them to Christ.” Gal. 3:24 The whole letter to the Hebrews is an explanation of the Tabernacle of the Jews.

He showed how it and the sacrifices of animals pictured Jesus, his church and their sacrifices for the world of mankind. He also showed in this and other letters to the churches how the selection of the Passover lamb pictured Jesus, the “Lamb of God.” So many beautiful truths like these are understood by Christians today because of the loving faithfulness of the Apostle Paul to all the Churches.

This loving zeal of Paul was seen in that he left all behind to follow Jesus: family, friends, riches, health and comfort. Paul never complained about being poor, he just worked as a tent maker when he needed money. Acts 18:3 When he had earned enough, he would go on his way, preaching the loving plan of God. He never begged for money from his brethren, for he knew that “…God would supply all his needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” And God did provide for Paul through the generosity of some in the early Churches who helped with financial assistance. Paul never got all tangled up in earthly work, for this would take him away from precious time needed to serve the Lord. Paul said to his beloved Philippian brethren, “I have learned that in whatsoever state I am, I will be content.” Phil. 4:11 & 18 and Vol. 6:286

Paul proved his contentment in his physical health as well. Although he thought of his poor eyesight as a “thorn in the flesh” and prayed three times that it might be removed, he concluded that it was far better to endure this loss of health that he might gain the lessons of humility and submission. He also learned from this lesson a compassion for others and a greater reliance on the strength of God. 2 Cor. 12:7-10 & Reprints 2118, 5963 & 4486 He trusted in God that all of his needs were being provided and that he need ask only for God’s will to be done. Phil. 4:19 All Christians must come to this same point of faith and trust in God’s provisions for their every need.

There were so many events in the Apostle Paul’s life covered in the Scriptures that entire books have been written about him. One small chapter cannot possibly cover every event and example of faith in Paul’s life. The Apostle Paul himself summarized his experiences to the Corinthian Brethren; “Seeing that many glory in their wonderful accomplishments, I will glory also, but not in myself. No, I glory in that which I have suffered for Christ. I have labored for the Churches and the Gospel more than any other through more stripes than can be measured. I have been in prison more than any other. Five times I received thirty nine stripes from the Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, and three times I suffered shipwreck. I have suffered perils from robbers, from my own countrymen, from heathens, and from false brethren. I ministered even when weary and in great pain. Often I went hungry and thirsty and fasted, or I went cold and naked. And not only this, but I have had the constant care of all the Churches.” 2 Cor. 11:18-31 paraphrased The Apostle Paul was not complaining of the sacrifices he had made on behalf of Christ and his Church. No, he was rejoicing to have the privilege for their sake. He wanted to let the Churches know how much he had endured and would endure for them, because he loved them. Col. 1:24 and Acts 20:24

The Apostle Paul ministered to his beloved brethren right up to the time when he knew he was about to die. He had a very dear companion, Timothy, and wrote many letters of encouragement to him. When Paul was around sixty-six years old, he was imprisoned by the wicked persecutor of Rome, Nero. Paul wrote to Timothy to be strong and to fight the good fight of faith, rejoicing always! Paul said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course: I have kept the faith.” 2 Tim.4:7 Soon after these final words, the Apostle Paul was put to death for his faithfulness to Christ. Some historians write that he was beheaded for the sake of Christ under Nero’s cruel orders.

From the time that the Apostle Paul was converted until the time he died, he never stopped serving the Lord. His life as a Christian was one of the most beautiful illustrations of self-sacrifice. He never boasted unless it directly pointed to Jesus and God. He never gloried in himself unless it was to defend his effectiveness as an Apostle. He was a firm foundation to the Church and was truly one of the greatest examples of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 2 Tim. 4:7,8

Choosing a Replacement Apostle

After the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus, the eleven faithful Apostles, along with about one hundred of Jesus’ disciples were gathered together in an upper room in Jerusalem, waiting for the promised blessing of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-15 And while waiting, the Apostle Peter remembered the prophecies concerning Judas in the book of Psalms, “Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick [office of an overseer] let another take.” Acts 1:20 From this, Peter urged his brethren that they should choose from among those who were faithful followers of Jesus a replacement for the betrayer, Judas.

This replacement had to be a believer who had witnessed the life and resurrection of their Lord. They selected two honored Christians from among them, Justus* and Matthias, and prayed for the Father to bless which one He wanted to replace Judas. “…and they gave forth their lots: and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” Acts 1:21-26

*It is possible that Justus is the same as Barnabas, also called Joses in Acts 4:36. Joses is the same as “Joseph called Barsabas who was surnamed Justus” in Acts 1:23. More will be written on Barnabas in the next chapter on the Apostle Paul.

Now, Matthias was definitely a faithful example to the early Church. We know he was a Jew, because the call of the Church had not yet gone out to the Gentiles. He was probably from a faithful Jewish household, for his name means “Gift of Jehovah.” It is very possible that he was a former follower of John the Baptist, for Peter noted this as one of the qualifications they looked for in a replacement. Act 1:21,22 And by these qualifications, it is quite likely also that he was one of the 70 disciples that Jesus sent out to preach by the power of the Holy Spirit. Luke 10:1 Matthias would have been a very responsible and active example of a believer, otherwise he would not have been selected to such a place of honor among the brethren.

Even though Matthias was quite capable as a good Christian example to replace Judas, and the Apostles in their zeal were trying to do God’s will, for many reasons they were wrong to jump ahead of the Lord. One reason was that Jesus simply told them to stay in Jerusalem and “wait for the promise of the Father….” He did not direct them to take matters of great importance to the Church into their own hands. Another reason was that they had not yet received the Holy Spirit, which would have given clearer wisdom in such matters. Finally, Peter should have known through the many lessons of his walk with the Lord, that he should beware of his tendency toward acting out first, before considering the consequences. He should have been very cautious with his impetuous nature. Even though the Heavenly Father appreciated the zeal of their hearts, He ignored their error and let time prove to them that He was quite able to make His own choice of an Apostle to replace Judas. Reprint 549-552

Jehovah had another plan and was preparing an instrument of His own choosing—Saul of Tarsus. But, Saul? The Apostles would never have chosen him! He would become known as one of the most noted persecutors of the Church and soon would even assist in the stoning of their beloved Stephen! Acts 7:57-60 God would prove to the early Church and to all believers that He could take the misguided zeal of Saul, and by His Holy Spirit, transform him into the most noted of the twelve Apostles. I Cor. 1:26-29 & II Cor. 11:5 Much is known of the faithful Apostle Paul through the Scriptures, and his conversion and life will be discussed in detail in the next chapter.

But what of Matthias? When he saw that God had not blessed him to be the Apostle to replace Judas, did he become jealous or hurt and fight for his right to be an Apostle? Did he storm off in disgust and leave the flock of the Lord? It is likely that he did not, for history claims him to be very active in the witness of the Gospel. All Christians should learn a lesson by this humble loving spirit which would rejoice in the special blessings of others. In I Corinthians 13:4 we read that love envies not. The fact that others had chosen Matthias to replace Judas was a testimony of his loving character toward the Lord and his brethren.

Tradition states that Matthias helped in spreading the Gospel as far as Armenia and Ethiopia. It is thought that he was imprisoned and blinded by the Ethiopians and then was rescued by the Apostle Andrew. Historians believe that the final mission of Matthias was in Jerusalem where he was stoned to death for his ministry to Jesus.

We recall that Matthias and Justus were present with the 120 disciples gathered in the upper room who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It is certain, through the Scriptural records that Matthias and Justus were well respected by the eleven faithful Apostles and even though they were not numbered as one of the twelve Apostles, they can be respected by the Church as faithful followers of the Lamb.

The Apostles James the Less, Jude Thaddaeus and Simon

James the Less was the brother of Matthew. His family lived in Capernaum in Galilee. James was the youngest son of Alphaeus and Mary. His family was quite blessed with the spirit of God. His mother and father were faithful followers of Jesus. Alphaeus also went by Cleopas: Luke 24:18 & John 19:25

There is little known about James the Less. Information passed down through centuries of tradition states that he was a religious zealot before called to be an Apostle. Traditions are questionable, however, if not supported by Scripture. A zealot in Jesus’ day was a Jew who revolted against the Roman government for its aggression against Israel. Zealots eventually resorted to violence against the Romans, but this violence would have taken place after James had left their cause to follow Christ. If James was a zealot, he would have been very angry with Matthew for becoming a publican who collected taxes from the Jews to give to the hated Roman government.

James the Less wrote the book of James which emphasizes the balance of faith and works in a Christian’s life. “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead.” James 2:17 We can learn much about James the Less by reading his practical and wise admonitions on character development. See Expanded Comments on James

Another item about James passed down through tradition is that he may have travelled to Spain to preach to the Jews in bondage there. It is said that he then travelled back to Jerusalem where he was stoned to death for preaching Jesus to the Jews.

Whether James the Less was a zealot before coming to Christ, or whether he died for the name of his Master is not clear. But certainly he must have been a firm foundation for his brethren in the early Church. The privilege to be called an Apostle and to witness the life, death and resurrection of the Lord would have made him an able teacher to his fellow Christians. Though we know little of him, we know that the Lord chose James the Less to be an Apostle, and Jesus loved and prayed for him. John 17:11-12

Another Apostle of whom little is known is Jude Thaddaeus. He is not to be confused with the Apostle Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. Jude Thaddaeus must have been of a very different character than Judas, for Jude Thaddaeus (also known as Lebbaeus) means “dear heart.”

There are very few references to Jude Thaddaeus in the New Testament beside those that list him as an Apostle. In John 14:22 when the Apostles were sharing the last Passover with Jesus, Jude Thaddaeus asked Jesus, “Lord, how can it be that you will show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus said to Jude and the other Apostles, ”Those who truly love me and keep my Father’s commandments will understand my sayings.” Jesus revealed himself and his mission only to the humble in heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see [and understand] God.” Matt. 5:8 and Reprint 5149 Jesus also wanted the Apostles to know that he and his Father would stay close to them and would guide and protect them. John 14:23 Jesus was comforting Jude Thaddaeus and the other Apostles, because he knew that the next day he would no longer be with them physically, but would be put to death.

One reference listing Jude as an Apostle, speaks of him as the son of James. Luke 6:16 NAS This was probably the Apostle James, brother of the Apostle John who were the sons of Zebedee. He couldn’t have been the son of James the Less or Jesus’ younger brother James, for both were too young to have a child the age of an Apostle. So if Jude is the son of the Apostle James the Great, then Zebedee was his grandfather and John was his uncle. Also, since Jude’s father was Jesus’ cousin, this would make Jude related to Jesus. It is clear, even today, that the Heavenly Father often calls to discipleship from within families. This should encourage us to witness to others in our families who as yet have not accepted the message of truth.

Jude Thaddaeus is the writer of the Book of Jude. Reprint 3044:4 We recall the words of Jesus to Jude, “Those who truly love me and keep my Father’s commandments will understand my sayings.” This is exactly the theme of the Book of Jude where he encourages the followers of Jesus to keep themselves in the love of God by keeping God’s words. This is a very short, but powerful book of the Bible.

History of the Church in Armenia claims that it was the Apostles Jude and Nathanael who preached to this country. Armenia eventually became the first country to claim Christianity as its national religion in 301 A.D. But even with this national claim of Christianity, the Armenian government was at first violently angry with the preaching of Jude and Nathanael and was responsible for putting both to death.

Whether this history is true or not, the Apostle Jude was a faithful servant of the Lord, for he is listed with the other faithful Apostles as having received the gifts of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Acts 1:13 The Lord blessed only those who would use these gifts wisely, for they were given to the Apostles to establish the early Church throughout the earth. As an Apostle loved and prayed for by his Master, Jude would have been faithful to his responsibilities.

Also a faithful Apostle of whom very little has been recorded in scripture is Simon the Canaanite. Canaanite is more properly translated “zealot.” Luke 6:15 & Acts 1:13 As defined earlier, a zealot was a patriotic Jew willing to rebel against the Roman government. But since a zealot was also a fanatic and eventually resorted to violence, Simon would have left this cause when he gave up all to follow Jesus. Jesus always preached nonviolence. Matt. 5:39, 43-44 & Matt. 26:52

It is claimed that Simon was killed for the sake of Christ and that before he died, he had preached even as far as England. But again, unless it is written in the scriptures, we are uncertain if this is true. But of this we are sure, that Simon, along with the other Apostles witnessed the miracles and teachings of Jesus and the miracle of his resurrection. They were with him at the Last Passover and in the Garden of Gethsemane. They would have been present at the time Jesus appeared to Thomas. John 20:26 All but Judas were listed as receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and all were sent out as witnesses of the Gospel of Christ throughout the earth. Acts 1:8 & 13

It was a privilege to be called an Apostle, and all three were given the title which means “he that is sent.” Each of these three had special powers given to them to establish the early Church. God was not unwise in selecting any of His chosen Apostles for Jesus. It is certain that by God’s power and grace, James the Less, Jude Thaddaeus and Simon the Canaanite were firm foundations of the Church and faithful to their calling as Apostles of the Lamb.

The Apostle Thomas

Thomas, like the other faithful Apostles, was a Galilean. It is thought that he must have been a fisherman at the time Jesus called him to be an Apostle. Thomas was also called Didymus which means “a twin.” It is quite possible, then, that Thomas had a twin brother or sister, but the Scriptures do not say who this was.

The most interesting thing about Thomas was his character. He was a man of great faith and courageous zeal for his beloved Lord. He was willing to oppose all others if he thought his ideas were right. The Scriptures provide two examples of this strong-mindedness which illustrate two very important points. One example shows how Thomas was strong-minded in a correct decision, and one example shows how he was strong-minded and wrong in his idea of the truth.

In the first example, the Apostle Thomas opposed the other Apostles when they warned Jesus to avoid danger. Jesus and the Apostles had just escaped from Jerusalem where angry Jews wanted to stone Jesus for saying he was “the Son of God.” John 10:33, 36-39 They fled to a quiet place out of harm, but soon followed news of the death of Jesus’ dear friend, Lazarus. Jesus said, “Let us go to Judea again.” But all of the Apostles except Thomas said, “Master, the Jews just tried to stone you, and yet you want to return there again?” Jesus explained the importance of returning, and Thomas, knowing well of the danger, spoke out, “Let us also go, that we may die with Jesus!” This was certainly an admirable character trait displayed in Thomas. He willingly and promptly obeyed his Master and encouraged his brethren to do the same, even though they were all shrinking from fear of persecution. In this instance of strong-mindedness, Thomas was sincere and his decision was the right one. It is also a good lesson to the Christian that just because most of our friends believe something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is right.

In the second example of the Apostle’s strong-mindedness, Thomas again opposed the popular ideas of his brethren, but this time he was wrong. One evening after the resurrection of Jesus, ten of the Apostles were meeting in “the upper room” sharing in their joy over the many appearances of their resurrected Lord. Thomas was not with them there that night. Perhaps he couldn’t believe all these reports of the resurrection appearances of his Master, and he didn’t want to be encouraged in what he thought was a deception. Reprint 2804 That night, Jesus appeared to the ten assembled in the upper room. The doors were locked and windows closed, yet he appeared before them with the nail wounds in his hands and feet and the spear wound in his side. Filled with excitement that surely Thomas would believe now, the Apostles went to him and told him of this wonderful appearing. But Thomas said, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” He didn’t think he could trust his own eyes for this may be a deception. He needed to touch the wounds of his Lord.

In this case, Thomas was wrong in his decision to oppose the other Apostles. Here were several of his respected companions who actually saw their resurrected Lord, yet Thomas distrusted their reports. We can only suppose that Thomas sought the Lord in prayer to seek his will in the matter, while he still held to his cautious opinion. This is good advice to every Christian, for the Scriptures assure us that the Lord will direct our path if we seek him in sincerity and truth. James 1:5,6 Thus, Thomas was being put to a test. Would he stubbornly defend his wrong course out of pride when he was proven wrong? Jesus lovingly and patiently gave Thomas the very evidence to make him that help believe. He knew he needed of the Holy difficult the Thomas had not as yet received Spirit at Pentecost to understand this idea of the resurrection. Jesus also knew what a confusing time it was for his beloved followers, and so he had upon compassion Thomas in this time when additional proof was needed.

It was one week after the appearance in the upper room that the Apostles again assembled there. This time Thomas was with the other ten. Perhaps he had prayerfully considered the possibility of these appearances and was ready to be proven wrong if the Lord chose to do so. Suddenly before them stood their resurrected Lord. Jesus immediately went to Thomas and asked him to come forward and not only see, but touch his wounds. How humbled Thomas must have been when he cried, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus was not trying to reprove Thomas, but to show him and all Christians since then that he most certainly was alive forevermore! He said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you believe. Blessed are those who have not seen me, and yet they believe.” John 20:29 Jesus was trying to show that there are two ways to believe in him. Some believe only when they see clear evidence, which is good. But Jesus says that a more excellent faith is one based upon true faith in the testimony of the scriptures and Jesus’ word. Reprint 2802

So, in this lesson, Thomas was almost deceived by his own lack of faith in Jesus’ promise to return. This example was important to the entire Church throughout the ages, for if no one had ever doubted the resurrection, the Lord would not have had the opportunity to provide convincing proof to his followers of the fact. Doubts would have appeared sooner or later and they might have ended in disastrous results.

The lessons in Thomas’ experience are more than proof of the resurrection. They show how, if Jesus was not angry with one who was overly cautious, but was patient and provided proof of important truths, we should also be patient with others who are not easily convinced of the message of the Gospel. We should follow the Lord’s example and lovingly work with them to help them see the truth. There is a saying, “Be patient with me, God isn’t finished with me yet!” If we would want this patient love extended toward us, we should certainly extend it to others. Sometimes it is better if one requires extra proof to believe, for they are more thoroughly convinced of truth in the end. Some actually are too quick to believe and their faith becomes easily shaken later. Each of us has different abilities to learn, and we should be thankful that God provides sufficient evidence of truth for everyone who truly seeks Him. He is patient, but He does expect us to grow once He has clearly shown us the truth. Thomas did believe when he was given the proof needed. Reprint 5236,5237

There is only one more mention in the scriptures of the Apostle Thomas. It was on the shore of Galilee when, after Jesus’ resurrection, he appeared to Thomas and six of the other Apostles and performed the miracle of the great haul of fish. John 21:1-6 We can be sure that Thomas was given added strength of faith by this experience.

Bible commentators say “Thomas doubted that we might have no doubts.” It is often the case that those who require greater evidence to convince them of truth become the greatest supporters of it. This was certainly true of the Apostle Thomas, for the traditional history of the missionary journeys of Thomas shows him to be a most active and convincing defender of the Gospel of Christ. He fearlessly entered such Godless lands as India, Babylonia and Persia to preach boldly for his Lord. Because of this bold witness, it is commonly thought that Thomas was put to death for his love of Jesus and of God’s plan. He was indeed a firm foundation for the Church and an able minister as one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

The Apostle John

The Apostle John

The Apostle John was the younger brother of the Apostle James. In fact, John was said to be the youngest of the Apostles of Jesus. John was a very humble man, and whenever he speaks of himself in his Gospel, he refers to himself as ” that disciple whom Jesus loved.” He didn’t want to be so bold as to say “I did this…” or “I did that, and Jesus loved me best!” So whenever John spoke of himself, it was always by pointing to Jesus’ special love, and thus drawing attention away from himself. John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7,20, Reprint 4115

Much has already been mentioned about John in the previous chapter on his brother. His mother, Salome was the sister of Jesus’ mother. This would make John and James the cousins of Jesus. Also mentioned was the fact that John and James were sons of a successful fisherman named Zebedee. Tradition stated that their family was “well-to-do” and had “connections” and perhaps influence with the social and religious rulers of their day.

After the baptism of Jesus and his 40 days alone in the wilderness, Jesus walked past John the Baptist as he was preaching repentance to a crowd of Jews. John the Baptist exclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God!” John, the son of Zebedee, and Andrew who were then disciples of John the Baptist, decided to quickly follow after Jesus. They quietly walked behind Jesus for quite a distance when Jesus turned to them saying, “What do you seek?” John and Andrew said, “Teacher, show us where you live.” John 1:36-39 Jesus showed them, and they stayed with him that day, learning of him.

This faithful, teachable spirit of John was a special blessing to Jesus. Like the Apostle Peter and John’s brother James, John became a close, loving friend of Jesus. Although John was this loving servant of the Lord, he and his brother James were nicknamed the “Sons of Thunder” when they sought to rebuke the Samaritans. Recall Mark 3:17, Luke 9: 54,55 & Reprint 1041

In addition to this incident about the Samaritans, Mark 9:38-40 confirms John’s firm spirit. John spoke out boldly to the Lord against a person who had been casting out devils in Jesus’ name. Jesus corrected him again by saying, “Forbid him not; for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.” In other words, we are to show love to those who claim to have the Lord’s spirit whether they associate with us or not. Reprint 3747 John learned this lesson quickly, because he loved his Lord very much and desired to please him.

This and many other incidents showed Jesus’ special love and trust in his Apostle John. Along with Peter and James, John witnessed the raising of Jairus’ daughter, the transfiguration, and the agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. As mentioned in previous chapters, these three Apostles alone witnessed these very important events.

Another evidence of this special friendship was when Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the Passover for Jesus and the twelve Apostles. Through this they witnessed yet another miracle of Jesus in Luke 22:8-13. Jesus told them to look for a man carrying a pitcher of water on his head, and this man would lead them to the room where they would eat the Passover together. This was unusual, because women were normally the ones to carry pitchers of water on their heads, not men. The miracle was that Jesus knew in advance that a man, at just the right time, would walk by carrying a pitcher of water on his head.

Even though John was called the dearest friend loved of Jesus, he experienced the same fear and confusion as the other Apostles in Jesus’ most trying hour. John didn’t stay to assist Jesus when the religious rulers arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Matt. 26:56 All of the Apostles “forsook him and fled.” This was probably out of a feeling of helplessness, because, up to this time, Jesus was able to escape any harm. Jesus warned them of this hour, and yet, they were not prepared for the prophecies to be fulfilled that pointed to Jesus’ death. John 16;32,33 and Matt 26;37-41 It wasn’t long after abandoning Jesus that John regained his courage. The Scriptures show how John used his “connections” with the religious rulers to gain entrance to the palace of the High Priest, Caiaphas. John and Peter were permitted to be in the courtyard of the High Priest where Peter denied the Lord three times. John 18:13-15

How John’s heart must have ached for his Lord. He must have wanted desperately to free his master. It might have been that John viewed from a distance the proceedings of Jesus’ journey bearing the heavy cross. And then, while John stood helplessly at the foot of his master’s cross, he heard Jesus say to Mary his mother, “Woman, behold thy son!” John 19:25-27 Jesus was so thoroughly trusting of his faithful Apostle, that he asked John to care for his mother. Jesus may have observed how his cousin John showed a special care and concern for Mary all through his life. And Mary must have known of Jesus’ great love and trust in John. So this would have been a special comfort to her as John held her close and cried together with her before the painful cross.

After Jesus had been placed in the tomb, Peter and John were told by Mary Magdalene that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. As they raced to see for themselves, John outran Peter to the tomb. They both saw the burial clothes lying in the tomb, but Jesus’ body was gone. They then knew that Jesus had been resurrected. John 20:1-8 But they and the other Apostles still didn’t know why Jesus had to suffer and die.

Because of their disappointment at the death of Jesus, John and the other Apostles went back to their various jobs. One morning, soon after Jesus’ resurrection, the Apostles John, Peter, James, Thomas, Nathanael and two others were coming back from a long night of fishing with no catch of fish. Nearing the shore, they heard a man say, “Try throwing your nets out on the other side of the boat.” They did as he said and caught a great haul of fish. Because John’s heart was very near Jesus at all times, John recognized the stranger on the shore as being Jesus. He said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” John 21:2-7 This is a good example to the Christian, because if we are living close to the Lord, we will recognize when it is he calling to us and giving us instructions for our lives.

After these many opportunities of witnessing the resurrection of Jesus, the Apostles were ready to receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. John was with the other Apostles when the miracle of Pentecost occurred. Acts 2:5-7 One of the first recorded uses of the gifts of the spirit is shown in Acts 3:1-10 where Peter and John healed a lame man. This miracle provided two important lessons for John and Peter. First, they learned that the gift of healing provided an opportunity to witness to others about their Lord and his coming restitution of all things. Acts 3:11-26 Second, they learned that this would bring an opportunity to suffer with their master for bearing witness to the truth. Because of healing the lame man, they were persecuted by the religious rulers and thrown into prison. But the lame man was so thrilled by the experience that he went to prison with them to show support for these servants of the Lord. They could have become discouraged by their imprisonment, but instead, they saw even this as an opportunity to preach the good tidings of the coming kingdom! When all three were brought before the religious rulers, Peter and John spoke boldly for the truth. Acts 4:1-21 We should all look at our trying experiences in this way–as an opportunity to share the goodness of God to others.

After being imprisoned for the sake of Christ, John lived and preached in Judea, continuing to care for Jesus’ mother. John went on performing miracles to draw out a people for the name of Christ, even when the religious rulers told him not to do so. The Apostle Paul called John, James and Peter “pillars” of the Church and that these three would continue preaching to the Jews while he, Paul, would go the Gentiles. Gal. 2:9

Bible historians state that John moved to Ephesus, a city of Gentiles, just before the destruction of Jerusalem. There John preached until he was banished to the Island of Patmos around 90 A.D. This was a time of great persecution to the early church, and Patmos was a desolate island prison where many were sent as a result of their faithfulness to God. But, as before, John turned his imprisonment into an opportunity to glorify God. John could have said, “Oh, poor me! I’m on this lonely island with nothing to do.” But, no, he again rejoiced in the Lord for being able to experience the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. And because of this positive attitude, God granted a most remarkable blessing, the vision seen in the last book of the Bible known as the Revelation of John.

When John was finally released from prison he lived out the rest of his life in Ephesus. John’s loving, yet strong nature made him useful in the Lord’s work. He is responsible, by the Lord’s Holy Spirit, for writing five books of the New Testament: the Gospel of John; the three letters of John to the Church; and Revelation. These inspired writings illustrate John’s wonderful example of Christlikeness. His humble spirit is displayed in Revelation 1:1 where John speaks of him-self as a servant of his master, Jesus. Because of John’s special vision, he could write with a deeper understanding of the Heavenly works of Jesus and their meaning to the Christian. All of John’s writings have this spiritual view of presenting the truth of Jesus’ life and teachings, whether it be the writings of deep symbolism in Revelation, the three letters of encouragement to the Church, or the Gospel of John which records the events of Jesus’ life. The other three Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke tell of Jesus’ earthly work. Reprint 1046

It is interesting to note that the Apostle John was the last Apostle to die, whereas his brother James was the first to die. Almost all of the Apostles met with violent deaths as a result of preaching the Gospel of Christ, but John died a natural death in Ephesus at the advanced age of around one hundred.

The Apostle John was certainly a wonderful example to all believers in Jesus. His life and writings prove to us that in all things, whether good or bad, we can rejoice if we look to the Lord for strength. The Apostle John was worthy to be called one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

The Apostle Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot was from Southern Palestine in Judea, whereas the other eleven of Jesus’ Apostles were Galileans. Judas’ name means “Praise.” It is thought because of this, that his mother and father Simon Iscariot, were faithful Jews.

Judas was probably drawn to his Master by the preaching of John the Baptist. His heart was prepared to receive the teaching of Jesus, because John pointed the way to the coming kingdom and the Messiah. Along with the other Apostles, Judas had been called to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and to share in his sufferings and self-denials. Judas, with the others, preached the kingdom, healed the sick, and cast out demons by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Judas was privileged to be constantly with his Savior for three and a half years. He witnessed the purity of Jesus’ life and his loyalty and obedience to his Heavenly Father. Matt. 10:5-8

The other Apostles and Jesus recognized in Judas a very good business sense and they placed him in charge of their treasury. Jesus and his Apostles didn’t have time to work at temporal jobs. They needed to devote their entire time to preaching the kingdom, and so some of Jesus’ followers voluntarily donated money for their financial support. Luke 8:1-3 Judas was probably very trustworthy at first in his responsibilities with the treasury and in his duties to go forth and preach the kingdom.

All of the Apostles had the same privileges and special guidance of the Holy Spirit, all were tested as to their loyalty to Jesus, and all but Judas were submissive to their testing. Judas had certain expectations of what his Lord would do to bring about the kingdom. He thought that soon Jesus would force his political leadership against the Roman government and Israel would be in command under the leadership of Christ. Then, he thought, “I will be more than just the treasurer of this lowly, despised band of Jesus’ followers. I will be treasurer of a great and powerful kingdom!” But in time Judas saw his ambitions dashed when Jesus repeatedly talked of being put to death. Judas began to fear that Jesus was not working out the plans of God correctly, and soon these hopes of kingdom power would fail.

Judas’ love and devotion to Jesus was tested more and more, and soon the seed of pride and self-will took root. In time it took over his entire character, as Judas became impatient with the loving, humble approach of Jesus’ mission. With all the power of the universe at his fingertips, he thought, why doesn’t Jesus use it in front of greater numbers of people so all can see his power and superiority? But each miracle of Jesus continued to be performed in a quiet, humble way. Judas didn’t listen when Jesus explained how the “Son of Man” must die and that his kingdom was not of this world. He explained that he would someday return to do the work of a General in an army, but not now. The other Apostles didn’t quite understand this either, but they submitted their wills to Jesus and trusted that he was doing the will of God. Reprint 4487

There is an important lesson in this to young Christians today. Have we ever been very upset with our parents for not allowing us to do something our way? There are two ways of handling this situation. One way is to continue to be angry, to argue with them and then do things our way in spite of their wishes. The other method of handling our disagreement with our parents is to obey them and patiently trust that they are wiser than we are. The first way is called rebellion and the second way is called obedience. With which do you think the Lord is pleased? Certainly Judas was rebellious and a bad example when he constantly wanted his way even though he knew Jesus was wiser than he.

The more time went on, the more Judas became entrenched in his own will. “My plans are sure to bring about the kingdom more quickly. God probably needs me to help things along. He must be speaking especially to me and using me to perform this wonderful plan to get Jesus the recognition he deserves.” How it must have irritated him to see year after year go by with only a small number coming to believe in Jesus. Slowly he began to devise a scheme which would bring his expectations to pass–or so he thought.

Judas, no doubt, thought of the treasury as a means to also bring about his plans. He hoarded the purse of money as if it were his own. He became obsessed with the idea of money. Six days before Jesus was crucified, Judas was so concerned about money that he rebuked the Lord for allowing Mary to pour her precious ointment upon his head. He exclaimed, “What a waste! This ointment might have been sold for a year’s wage and given to the poor!” How wrong it was for Judas to have criticized this sweet sacrifice of Mary. And how doubly wrong to criticize his Master in front of all his followers. He even got some of the others to join in the criticism. But Jesus rebuked him back saying, “Leave her alone for she anoints me for my burial!” Judas’ pretended zeal for the poor was really greed for his purse. Matt. 26:7-12 & John 12:3-8 The love of money ensnared Judas and his love was in question for his Lord. I Tim. 6:10 and Reprint 5552

The final event of Judas’ life proved that he no longer lived to serve his Lord Jesus, but he now lived to serve himself and his schemes. He no longer was inspired by his Lord Jesus, but was now inspired by the prince of evil, Satan. John 13:2 After the incident with Mary, Judas went to the chief priests who had already been plotting to rid themselves of Jesus, and he said, “What will you give me if I deliver Jesus to you?” They contracted to pay him 30 pieces of silver. This was prophesied in Zechariah 11:12-13.

From this point on, Judas sought an opportunity to betray Jesus. Matt. 26:14-16 So when the night of the Passover had come, Jesus said to his Apostles, “One of you shall betray me… He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.” Even with all of the many clues, still the other Apostles knew not of Judas’ treachery. John 13:26-29 When someone shared a meal with another it meant a vow of trust and friendship. For Judas to share a meal with Jesus and then be a traitor, would be considered a very serious wrong.

It was after this that Jesus told Judas to leave and be about his evil business. Judas left and went straight to the chief priests. Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane when Judas led a multitude of priests, servants and elders to his Master. Judas came to Jesus and said, “Hail, Master,” and then he kissed Jesus. Even then Judas thought of Jesus as his Master and probably thought of this whole event as a way to get Jesus to take control. But the group seized Jesus and led him away to be crucified. When Judas saw that he was wrong and his plans had failed, he went back to the chief priests the next morning and said, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.” And they said, “So, why come to us, you are responsible for that!” Judas cast down the pieces of silver, ran away and hanged himself from a tree.

Did Judas repent of his crime? Only God knows for certain. All we can do is judge Judas’ actions and apply lessons from his experiences to our own characters. Never did he cry unto his Master, “Oh, Lord, forgive! I am sorry, I was so wrong!” No, instead he went to his accomplices in crime, the chief priests who could grant no forgiveness. His pride kept him from facing his brethren and seeking their forgiveness and their help to recover from his sins. When the Apostle Peter sinned by denying the Lord three times, he humbly returned to his brethren and worked to correct his wrong. Judas acted pridefully to the end. Matt. 27:3-10 In his mind he thought the only way out was to kill himself, for to turn back would have meant admitting to all that he was wrong. He didn’t think of the special assistance of the Holy Spirit that he was provided and what a waste it would be to the Lord’s cause if he died. Matt. 13:11,12 He selfishly ended his covenant to deny himself, take up his cross and follow Jesus. Instead, he committed suicide. Reprint 5452-5453

In Judas’ life we see a very important aspect of God’s law of love. Every man is free to decide whether he will or will not obey his God. This is known as a “free moral agency.” God doesn’t interfere if someone wants to take an evil course, but allows the person to manifest his true character with each experience. If God did interfere, the person would be obedient only because he was forced to and not because he loved God and His will. Therefore, God allows us all to be tested, but throughout the testing, gives us warnings and ways to escape from our trials and temptations. I Cor. 10:13

In the case of Judas, Jesus offered many opportunities for Judas to repent. Jesus was of a gentle and generous spirit toward Judas right up the very last act when Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Matt 26:49-50 Judas still had a choice at that point to seek forgiveness from his Master. We should take to heart the lesson of this gentle manner of Jesus when dealing with those who oppose us. We must keep in mind that we are not the judges of our brethrens’ hearts. Both Peter and Judas opposed the Lord, but Jesus was loving and patient with them. He worked with them to help bring them back into harmony with God. God allowed Peter to stray far from faith for a time only to show Peter the lesson of his frail flesh. Some of our fellow Christians may stray far from the Lord as well, and, yet, there is still hope to the end. Let us all do what we can to help our brethren and leave the judgment and lessons of their lives with the Lord. Matt. 7:1-5

Judas Iscariot had every opportunity to be purified by the truth and useful in the work of the Lord, but instead he became a servant of Satan. Jesus said that of the twelve Apostles given to him by his Heavenly Father, none had been lost except the “son of perdition,” Judas. Jesus also said, “Woe unto that man by whom the son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.” Matt.:26:24 and John 6:70 Judas gave up the privilege as a faithful follower of Jesus: one who would be worthy to be called one of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Though we learn lessons from the life of Judas Iscariot, we cannot claim him as one who is a firm foundation to the Church. Instead, the honored place he would have held as being part of the Messiah was filled by another.

The Apostles Philip and Nathanael

The Apostles

Philip was from Bethsaida, the same city as his friend Andrew. They were both disciples of John the Baptist who preached to Israel of the coming deliverer. Like Andrew, Philip was ready in his heart to receive Jesus as his Master. Andrew and his brother Simon Peter sought to find Jesus, but in the case of Philip, Jesus found him. Philip knew at once that this must be the long prayed for Messiah, and he realized the blessed privilege it would be to become Jesus’ disciple.

Filled with excitement, Philip looked for his friend Nathanael (Nathanael is sometimes called Bartholomew). Philip and Nathanael were of one mind and heart in wanting to serve God. In fact, before Philip came to him, Nathanael was praying in the hidden cover of the branches of a fig tree, seeking God’s wisdom and guidance. Nathanael was also a disciple of John the Baptist, and Philip knew his friend of great faith would rejoice when he heard, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” But Nathanael was a very wise and cautious man and felt Philip had accepted Jesus too quickly without examining the facts. Nathanael said, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael knew the Scriptures and questioned to himself, “No prophecies, so far as we know, make any reference to the city of Nazareth. And that city isn’t of great reputation. So, how could anything holy and good come from there?” But Philip insisted, “Come and see for yourself.”

It was good for Nathanael to have this questioning attitude, because it showed that he would not easily be misled by a pretender. When Jesus saw Nathanael, he knew Nathanael’s heart was not hypercritical and he said, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” What a wonderful thing to say! But, Nathanael was still not convinced that this was the Messiah. He thought, We have never met before, so how do you know my deepest character? You could be just flattering me to win me over. Jesus was gentle and loving in his response, “Before that Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael’s heart thrilled, “Only one with the spirit and power of God could know that! I prayed in secret, hidden in the branches of the fig tree!” Nathanael then said aloud, “Rabbi [Master], thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel!” As soon as Nathanael confessed his faith in Jesus as King, Jesus said that Nathanael and all who see with the eyes of faith would behold greater miracles than this. John 1:45-51, Reprints 2572, 4117 and 3483

One such miracle witnessed by Philip and Nathanael was the feeding of the multitudes by just a few loaves and fishes. There, Jesus directed a question right to Philip, “Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?” Jesus knew Philip to be more of a business mind and was hoping to show him that he should exercise faith in the Lord for his provisions and not depend on earthly means alone. Philip answered Jesus by saying that it would take two hundred pennysworth of bread (about a year’s wage) to feed the multitudes. The Apostle Andrew then pointed out the basket of loaves and fishes, but quickly added that it was not nearly enough. Both could have said, “Lord, you can perform a miracle like you did at the wedding in Cana!” But they did not, so Jesus used this as an excellent opportunity to show that all our needs will be provided by His Father’s riches in glory and through God’s Son. Phil. 4:19, John 6:5-12 and Reprint 3503

We are not sure of the lives of the Apostles Philip and Nathanael beyond what is written in the Scriptures. The last accounts of their activities are given in connection with the resurrection of Jesus and the receiving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.* Bible historians state that Philip went on to preach in Asia Minor and was there put to death for preaching against a pagan religion. Nathanael was also said to have preached in Asia Minor and also in India and the northwest parts of Africa. He may have died as a result of preaching the truth in Armenia which was then a country overrun with idolatry.

Even though there is not much written in the Scriptures on these two Apostles, both were faithful in their commissions to preach the truth of the Gospel. Their lives as Apostles of the Lamb were firm foundations for the Church!

*There is another Philip mentioned in the Bible who was also a faithful disciple of Jesus. Acts, chapters 6 and 21 speaks of Philip the deacon and evangelist who preached to the Ethiopian and throughout Samaria. Although Philip the Evangelist was not an apostle, he was a good example, as was the Apostle Philip, in his service to the Lord, the truth and the brethren.