Click here to see Meet the Apostles: Biblical and Legendary Accounts: Part Two After the Twelve

Written by Robert Jones

Acworth, Georgia

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Introduction

New Testament Apostolic Lists

Andrew

Bartholomew/Nathanael

James, Son of Alphaeus

James, Son of Zebedee

John

Judas Iscariot

Matthew/Levi

Peter

Philip

Simon the Zealot

Thaddaeus/Judas son of James

Thomas

Sources

All Christians are familiar with the fact that there were twelve original apostles. The names Peter, John, James,9oubting Thomas, Judas Iscariot, etc. are household words. However, many Christians would be hard-pressed to name all twelve of the original apostles, impeded in part by the fact that at least two apostles have different names in different New Testament books.

Also, many Christians would be hard-pressed to separate Church tradition and legend concerning the apostles from what is actually contained in the New Testament. (Does the New Testament say that Peter was the first Pope? Does the New Testament actually even place Peter in Rome?)

This booklet will examine the original twelve apostles from three points of view (and descending levels of authority):

1. The New Testament
2. Church Tradition Represented herein primarily from two sources. The first is the Ecclesiastical History written by Church Father Eusebius around the time of the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. Eusebius was the Bishop of Caesarea, and is best known for his list of "Accepted", "Rejected/Disputed", and "Impious/Absurd" New Testament-era books. A second source is the third century tract "On The Twelve Apostles - Where Each Of Them Preached, And Where He Met His End", traditionally ascribed to the Church Father Hippolytus (170-236 A.D.)
3. Apocryphal Much of the "Christian Apocrypha" is made up of dubious "Acts" of the various apostles. While these are considered to be of no authority, they do capture some legends about the apostles that are still known today and they may capture at least some authentic second and third century traditions about the apostles, such as where they preached.

Part two of this study (still to be written) will concentrate on apostles named in the New Testament outside of the Gospels, including Paul, James (the brother of Jesus), Barnabas, Matthias, Andronicus and Junias.

1. The New Testament discusses the ministry of Peter in Rome T/F
2. While Peter took a leadership position in the Early Church, he was not the head of the church in Jerusalem T/F
3. Paul was the first apostle to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles T/F
4. The New Testament describes the final fate of at least three of the apostles T/F
5. All four Gospels give lists of the twelve apostles T/F
6. Theinner circle of the apostles of Jesus was comprised of Peter, John, and James, son of Alphaeus T/F
7. According to the New Testament, none of the apostles were married T/F
8. Judas Iscariot was the treasurer of the apostles T/F
9. In the New Testament, only Jesus could raise people from the dead T/F
10. Tradition holds that the Gospel of Matthew was written by Levi the Tax Collector
11. The majority of the apostles were Galilean fishermen T/F
12. On at least two occasions, Peter preaches to the Sanhedrin T/F
13. Peter and Paul never met T/F

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was a Galilean fisherman. Originally from Bethsaida (John 1:44), at the time of the ministry of Jesus, he lived with his brother in a house near the Synagogue in Capernaum (Mark 1:29). Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist (John 1:35-40).

Matthew records that Jesus recruited Andrew and Peter while they were fishing in the Sea of Galilee (Matt 4:18-20). In the account in the Gospel of John (1:35-42), Andrew encounters Jesus first, and then rushes to tell his brother "We have found the Messiah".

Other appearances by Andrew in the New Testament include:

• Andrew was present when Jesus healed the fevered mother-in-law of Peter, and when Jesus began healing people from the house of Andrew and Peter in Capernaum (Mark 1:29-34).
• Andrew was with Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Olives when Jesus gave his sermon on the end times (Mark 13:3).

• Andrew finds the initialfive small barley loaves and two small fish when Jesus feeds the 5,000 (John 6:8-9)
• Andrew is present with Jesus when a voice from heaven booms "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." (John 12:20-30)

According to Hippolytus:

According to Eusebius (Book 3, Chapter 1), Andrews ministry was in Scythia.

The 3^rd century Acts And Martyrdom Of The Holy Apostle Andrew describes the ministry and persecution of Andrew at Patrae, on the northwest coast of Achaia (modern-day Greece). The Acts are purported to have been written byboth presbyters and deacons of the churches of Achaia:

The Acts goes on to describe a debate between Andrew and the proconsul Aegeates, who wishes to have the mysteries of Christ revealed to him without accepting Christ and being baptized. Eventually, Aegeates has Andrew tortured and hung on a cross:

The end of Andrew is described thusly:

In the somewhat more lurid Acts Of Andrew And Matthias in The City Of The Man-Eaters, Andrew is carried by angels to rescue Matthias, who has been imprisoned by cannibals. In one paragraph, Andrew is depicted raising people from the dead, baptizing them, and building a church:

While Bartholomew is mentioned in all four lists of apostles in the New Testament, he is not mentioned in any other context. The name means simplyson of Talmai, so he may have had a personal name. This personal name may have been Nathanael, mentioned several times in the Gospel of John.

If Nathanael is equated with Bartholomew, we have at least a few characteristics about this enigmatic apostle. In the first chapter of the Gospel of John (John 1:45-51), Philip goes to find Nathanael (the names Philip and Bartholomew always follow each other in the Synoptic Gospel lists) and tell himWe have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (NIV, John 1:45). Nathanael makes the famous reply "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" (NIV, John 1:46).

Evidently, though, Nathanael has a good heart, as Jesus says about him "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." (NIV, John 1:47). Nathanael has the distinction of being the first apostle to declare that Jesus was both the Son of God and the King of Israel. (NIV, John 1:49)

Nathanael is present at the third post-resurrection meeting of Jesus with the Apostles (John 21:1-14), by the Sea of Galilee. The incident involves a miraculous catch of fish (John tells us 153), and a fish fry on the beach involving Jesus and his disciples. In the passage, we are told that Nathanael is from Cana in Galilee. We may infer that he is a fisherman by trade.

According to Hippolytus, Bartholomew preached in India:

Eusebius, in his Church History, confirms the ministry of Bartholomew in India, and adds an eye witness account:

In the Martyrdom Of The Holy And Glorious Apostle Bartholomew, Bartholomew preaches in India, and becomes actively involved in casting out demons. One demon describes him as follows (perhaps not a very reliable source!):

In the course of a long sermon on the basic tenets of the Gospels to King Polymius, (whose daughter was exorcised of a demon by Bartholomew), the Apostle gives this brief description of his calling:

After King Polymius converts to Christianity, his brother King Astreges is enraged, and orders Bartholomew beheaded:

King Astreges soon dies a horrible death, and his brother Polymius becomes bishop, and rules for 20 years.

Other legends say that Bartholomew was flayed alive in Armenia. His remains are said to be, variously, in Rome and in Canterbury Cathedral in England.

We have almost no canonical information about James, Son of Alphaeus, other than that he appears on all four New Testament apostolic lists. Mark 2:14 identifies that Levi/Matthew the tax collector also had a father named Alphaeus, so the two may have been brothers or half brothers.

Some scholars have linked theJames the younger in Mark 15:40 with James, son of Alphaeus. If this identification is true, then James had a mother named Mary that was present at the crucifixion, and a brother named Joses.

Hippolytus identifies that James was stoned to death in Jerusalem:

Eusebius doesnt mention James in his Church History.

James, son of Zebedee and brother of John is mentioned in all four New Testament apostolic lists. The calling of James (and his brother) is recorded in Matthew:

Thus, we know that James was a fisherman, and that he worked with his father. In Luke 5:10, James and John are identified as Peters partners in the fishing business. Mark 1:20 indicates that the Zebedee family had hired men in the fishing business, perhaps indicating that James and his brother came from a successful family business. Mathew 27:55-56 identifies that the mother of James and John was a follower of Jesus, and was present at his crucifixion.

James and his brother (along with Peter) are traditionally identified as being part of theinner circle of the apostles of Jesus, because they were present at several key events that the other apostles were not. These events included:

During the description of the raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead, the existence of inner circle is clearly outlined:

The inner circle is also present at a miraculous catch of fish on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 5:1-11). The brothers were also present when the resurrected Jesus fried fish for some of the apostles on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, as described in John 21.

Mark 3:17 identifies that James and his brother had the nicknameSons of Thunder, which may apply to their temper or their impetuousness. This temper is exhibited in Luke 9:51-56 when James and John are affronted because a Samaritan village is not interested in hearing Jesus preach:

Their impetuousness is demonstrated in Mark 10:35-41, when James and John ask JesusLet one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory. The other apostles become indignant at this presumptuousness (Mark 10:41).

Post-Pentecostal

James holds the distinction of being the only apostle in the New Testament that has his martyrdom recorded in the Scriptures:

Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, reports that James supported his ministry to the Gentiles:

This would tend to indicate that James the pillar had an important place in the post-Pentecostal church.

According to Hippolytus:

According to Eusebius, James was beheaded:

Eusebius also records another tradition regarding the death of James:

Medieval tradition associates James with a ministry in Spain. Other Medieval legends claim that his remains were brought to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. His head is also said to rest in a 12^th century Armenian Church in Jerusalem.

John, brother of James and son of Zebedee, is named in all four New Testament apostolic lists. Much of what has already been said about his brother James is also true for John, which is summarized here:

• John was a Galilean fisherman who worked with his father and brother. He was called by Jesus with his brother James. (Matthew 4:21/22). In Luke 5:10, John and his brother are identified as Peters partners in the fishing business.

• As noted before, John and his brother are traditionally identified as being part of theinner circle of the apostles of Jesus, because they were present at several key events that the other apostles were not. These events included:

• In Mark 10, John and James incur the displeasure of the other apostles when they ask Jesus, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." (Mark 10:35-39)

• Mathew 27:55-56 identifies that the mother of John and James was a follower of Jesus, and was present at his crucifixion

• Mark 3:17 identifies that James and his brother had the nickname Sons of Thunder, which may apply to their temper (see Luke 9:51-56)

John is also mentioned several times apart from his brother in the Gospels:

• John is mildly rebuked by Jesus in Luke 9:49-50 after John complains about a man9riving out demons in your name"

• In Luke 22:7-13, John (along with Peter) is given the important task of preparing the logistics for the Last Supper

John is not mentioned by name in the Gospel of John. Church tradition (more on this later) identifies John with the9isciple that Jesus loved that is mentioned five times in the Gospel of John:

Post-Pentecostal

In Acts, John is depicted as a close associate of Peter, and is involved in the early preaching and healing activities:

Like his brother James, John is referred to as a pillar of the church in Galatians 2:9. Paul notes that he supported the Pauline ministry to the Gentiles.

There are many strong church traditions regarding John. As early as c. 180 A.D., Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyons from 177-202 A.D.) says that John was the author of the Gospel of John:

Eusebius discusses the reason that John wrote his Gospel:

By tradition, John was also the author of three canonical letters, and the Apocalypse. Eusebius was pretty sure about John I, less sure about John II, III, and Revelation:

However, all three epistles, and the Apocalypse, were firmly entrenched in the New Testament canon by 367 A.D., and have remained there ever since.

According to Hippolytus, John was banished by Domitian to the Isle of Patmos, and later died in Ephesus:

The traditions connecting John with Ephesus and Patmos are well established. Eusebius records:

Eusebius also records that John outlived Domitian:

The emperor Domitian began his rule in 81 A.D., and died in A.D. This would mean that John would have been in his 80s or 90s when he died.

St. Johns Monastery on Patmos Photo by Jan & Ted Lauer Scanned by Garfield Cousins

Eusebius also records the words of Clement of Alexandria regarding the preaching and establishment of churches in Asia by John:

Eusebius also records a tradition regarding the death of John:

Finally, Eusebius records a tradition from Appollonius that John raised a man from the dead:

In the Acts Of The Holy Apostle And Evangelist John The Theologian, John is seized on order of Domitian and brought before him. John drinks poison to prove that Jesus and the Holy Spirit protect him. Then a condemned prisoner is made to drink the poison to prove that it is lethal. The prisoner dies, and John promptly raises him from the dead. John is eventually banished to Patmos:

In this account, there is some doubt cast as to whether John really died:

Judas Iscariot is the most reviled figure in the New Testament - Jesus actually refers to him as a devil in John 6:70-71. He betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin for 30 pieces of silver.

Judas was the son of Simon Iscariot (John 6:71). Iscariot is variously interpreted as meaning9agger-man (i.e. that Judas was a Zealot), or man of Kerioth", a town near Hebron. If the latter is correct, then Judas was the only non-Galilean among the twelve an outsider from the beginning.

Judas is mentioned in the three Synoptic Gospel lists of the apostles. He is, of course, omitted from the list in Acts.

The betrayal

The betrayal by Judas is mentioned starkly in Matthew:

Luke 22:3 records that Satan entered Judas before he made his deal with the chief priests.

The Last Supper the traitor identified

In Matthew 26:20-25, Jesus discusses the fact that he will be betrayed by one of the twelve, and thatIt would be better for him if he had not been born." When Judas asks "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you.

John 13:27 identifies that Satan entered into Judas at the Last Supper.

The role of Judas in the capture of Jesus

The actual capture of Jesus is variously described in the Gospels:

Character of Judas

The Gospel of John is especially harsh in its characterization of Judas. In the following passage (which also tells us that Judas was the treasurer of the apostles), Judas is referred to as a thief:

Matthew 27:34 records that Judas felt remorse after turning Jesus over to his enemies (=91I have sinned, he said,91for I have betrayed innocent blood.)

Death of Judas

The New Testament offers two versions (not necessarily contradictory) of the death of Judas. Matthew 27:5 records that Judas committed suicide by hanging. Acts gives a somewhat more graphic description of the death of Judas:

Judas and predestination

The life and death of Judas Iscariot is often used as an example of predestination. Both Jesus (John 13:18) and Peter (Acts 1:15-20) speak of the traitorous actions of Judas as being in fulfillment of the Scriptures (Psalms 41:9), and Peter says that his end was also foretold by the prophets (Psalms 69:25, 109:8).

Matthew appears in all four apostolic lists in the New Testament. Mark and Luke also refer to him asLevi. Mark 2:14 identifies Matthew (Levi) as theson of Alphaeus, so Matthew may have been related to James, son of Alphaeus (brother or half-brother).

Matthew was a tax collector (Matt 9:9) a singularly unpopular occupation in 1^st century Palestine! All three synoptic Gospels report that Jesus attended a dinner at the house of Matthew. The version in Luke 5:27-32 identifies that the dinner was held in honor of Jesus by Matthew Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house...

Luke 5:28 tells us that Levileft everything to follow Jesus.

While the Gospel of Matthew bears no author attribution in the text, very early church tradition identifies the Gospel with Matthew. Bishop Papias of Hierapolis, as early as c. 110 A.D., stated:

According to Hippolytus:

In the apocryphalActs And Martyrdom Of St. Matthew The Apostle, Jesus (appearing in the form of a child) sends Matthew to Myrna, the city of the man-eaters. After casting out demons from the wife, son, and daughter-in-law of the King Fulvanus, the king becomes jealous because they want to spend all of their time with Matthew. The King several times tries to burn Matthew to death, but Matthew is protected by Jesus. In time, the fire used to try to burn Matthew burns up most of the Kings kingdom. Matthew eventually dies, and ascends to heaven:

Eventually the king converts to Christianity, and becomes Bishop of his land. The Acts end with the following:

Other traditions record his martyrdom in Ethiopia and in Persia.

An apocryphal Gospel is also attributed to Matthew, that purports to tell about thebirth of the Virgin Mary, and the nativity and infancy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Simon Peter, along with his brother Andrew, was a Galilean fisherman. According to Luke 5:3, he owned a boat. Peter and his brother were originally from the town of Bethsaida (John 1:44), but were living in Capernaum at the time of the ministry of Jesus. It appears that Jesus sometimes used the house of Simon and Andrew as a base of operations in Capernaum (Mark 1:32-34, Luke 4:40-43).

Simon Peter is mentioned in all four apostolic lists in the New Testament. John 1:42 identifies that Jesus gave Simon the name Cephas, or Peter (which meansrock).

Peter was the son of Jonah (Matt 16:17). He was married - 1 Cor 9:5 records that Peter took his wife on some of his missionary journeys. Peters mother-in-law was healed by Jesus of a fever (Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39).

Calling of Peter

According to the account in Matthew, Andrew and Peter were the first apostles selected by Jesus who tells them in Mat 4:19Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. (Also, Mark 1:16-17) In Luke 5:1-11, the calling of Peter is associated with a miraculous catch of fish, which causes a frightened Peter to sayGo away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!

A somewhat different account in John 1:41-42, depicts that Simon is brought to Jesus by his brother Andrew. John 1 also indicates that Peter may have been a follower of John the Baptist (John 1:35-40).

Peter is given an especially important role in the Gospel of Matthew when he is the first one of the apostles to proclaim that Jesus is the messiah and the Son of God:

The "inner circle"

Peter was part of theinner circle of the apostles of Jesus, along with the brothers James and John. They were involved in several key events that the other apostles werent privy to:

Character and characteristics

Peter is especially endearing as aneveryman, demonstrating his innate practicality when, during the transfiguration, he seems more focused on building some sort of condominiums for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, than on the significance of the two prophets appearing with Jesus:

Peter is often depicted as having dialogues with the Savior. in these dialogues, Peter is portrayed variously as being impetuous, practical, inquiring, enthusiastic, and sometimes even a little slow. On several occasions, Jesus rebukes him.

Prior to Pentecost, Peter is portrayed as a man that wants to have faith, but cannot always maintain it. Matthew 14:25-33 is an example, with Peter believing he can walk on water, but then losing faith because of the strong wind. In Matthew 26:33-35, after Jesus has announced that he will be betrayed, Peter claimsEven if all fall away on account of you, I never will." Jesus knows better, though, and replies...before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." (Also, Mark 14:29-31, Luke 22:33-34). Of course, Peter goes on to disown the Lord three times (once given away by his Galilean accent) (Matt 26:69-75; see also Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-62, John 18:15-27)

Post-resurrection

Peter appears in several key scenes after the resurrection. in Mark 16:1-8, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome are told by a young man dressed in white totell his disciples and Peter that Jesus will see them in Galilee. Some people interpret this to mean that, after disowning Christ three times, Peter is temporarily not considered to be one of the Apostles. in John 21:15-17, Peter is prompted by Jesus to tell him that he loves him three times.

In Luke 24:12 and John 20:1-9, Peter is depicted as viewing the empty tomb. A mysterious reference in Luke 24:34 and 1 Cor 15:5 identifies that Peter was the first apostle to whom the risen Lord appeared. However, there is no other New Testament record of this event.

Along with several other apostles, Simon is present at the miraculous post-resurrection fish catch/fry, depicted in John 21:1-14.

Death of Peter prefigured

Later Church tradition (see section below) says that Peter met his death by crucifixion under Nero. An eerie set of passages at the end of the Gospel of John seems to prefigure his death (John lived long after Peter, and very likely would have known the details of his death):

Post-ascension

After the ascension of Christ, Peter immediately assumes a leadership role - it is Peter that drives the selection of a replacement apostle for Judas, in Acts 1:15-26. This leadership role is seemingly prefigured by Christ in Luke 22:32:

Post-Pentecostal

After Pentecost, Peter, the simple Galilean fisherman, is transformed into a great preacher, healer, and fearless advocate for Jesus Christ. In fact, Peter is accorded the honor of being the first person to preach a sermon in the new church a sermon that garners 3,000 new converts! (Acts 2:14-41). Peters activities in the Primitive Church are summarized below:

• In Acts 3, Peter heals a cripple near the Temple in Jerusalem, and again preaches a sermon at Solomon's Colonnade, which gathers at least 2,000 more converts (Acts 4:4)
• Peter and John are put in prison by the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:1-22). Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, uses the occasion to preach the Gospel of Christ to the rulers of the Sanhedrin. One of the most important verses in all of Acts begins to explain why people gave credence to the early Christians:

• In Acts 5:1-11, Peter is the focus of the event which leads to the death of a husband and wife who lied about a contribution to the young church
• In Acts 5:15-16, people bring their sick to be healed by Peter and the other apostles
• In Acts 5:25-42, the apostles are arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. Peter, the simple fisherman, once again uses the opportunity to lecture the learned Sanhedrin. After being flogged, the apostles are freed.
• In Acts 8:14-25, Peter and John are sent to Samaria to baptize by the laying on of hands. Peter then has a run-in with Simon Magus (Simon the Magician). Later church and apocryphal traditions indicate that the two will meet again in the future.
• In Acts 9:32-43, Peter raises a woman named Tabitha from the dead
• In Acts 10, Peter receives a vision, convincing him that the message of Christ is for Gentiles, too. In Acts 10:44-48, the ministry to the Gentiles blossoms.
• In Acts 11:1-18, Peter successfully defends the baptizing of Gentiles to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem
• In Acts 12:1-9, Peter is arrested by King Herod Agrippa I, grandson of the Herod the Great, and thrown in prison. An angel rescues Peter, perhaps because the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
• In Acts 15:5-12, Peter plays a key role in convincing the Council of Jerusalem that Gentile converts should be allowed into the young church without restriction -We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
• Peter may have preached in Corinth (1 Cor 1:12)

Relationship of Peter with Paul

The New Testament records that Peter and Paul, the two greatest apostles of the Early Church, did have some interaction with each other. Galatians 1:18, for example, records that Paul stayed with Peter in Jerusalem for a period of 15 days. Peter supports Pauls ministry to the Gentiles at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. This is further supported in Galatians 2:7-10, when Peter (apillar) is depicted as being anapostle to the Jews, and supporting Pauls ministry to the Gentiles.

There were some disagreements between the two. In Galatians, 2:11-14 Paul describes an argument that he had with Peter in Antioch. In 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter describes that Pauls letters arehard to understand, but ascribes to them the same authority as the Jewish Scriptures:

Keys to the Kingdom

The most controversial passages (in modern terms) in the New Testament regarding Peter are those describing Peter as therock upon which Jesus will build his Church, and assigning him thekeys to the kingdom. The passages in question are below:

These verses have been traditionally interpreted by the Roman Catholic Church as indicating that the Christian Church has received its authority from the legacy of Peter. The Roman Church also points to passages such as John 21:16, where Jesus says to Peter "Take care of my sheep", as further justification that Peter is the founder of the Christian Church.

Protestants have traditionally interpreted the rock and keys passages to indicate that the faith of Peter is the rock upon which I will build my church, and that faith is thekeys to the kingdom. Protestants often view that Paul, not Peter, is the founder of the Christian Church as we know it today.

Church tradition (see below) also records that Peter was the first Bishop of Rome, and that all Catholic popes are spiritual descendents from Peter.

Mitigating against this Catholic view of Peter-as-the-first-Pope is the fact that nowhere in the Scriptures does it say that Peter preached in Rome. The closest is a cryptic remark at the end of 1 Peter:

Also of interest is the fact that the head of the early Jerusalem Church was James, brother of Jesus, not Peter, as noted in this passage from Eusebius:

Eusebius, quoting Papias of Hierapolis (c. 110 A.D.), records a tradition that the Gospel of Mark preserved the Gospel as preached by Peter:

Irenaeus (c. 180 A.D.) records a similar tradition, and mentions that Peter and Paul founded the Church in Rome:

Two letters in the New Testament are ascribed to Peter. 1 Peter has always been universally accepted as the writing of Peter, with some doubt cast on 2 Peter by some. Eusebius gives his opinion about Peter I and II:

Eusebius also records the tradition that Peter preached in Rome, and fought against the heresy of Simon Magus the Magician (generally considered to be the founder of Gnosticism):

Eusebius records that Peter was put to death under Nero in Rome:

Eusebius also records where Peter preached:

According to Hippolytus, Peter was crucified by Nero in Rome:

Eusebius records a tradition from Clement of Alexandria regarding the martyrdom of the wife of Peter:

Church tradition records that Peter was buried in Rome on Vatican Hill, near the gardens of Nero. The first memorial over the grave was placed there in 160 A.D. A huge basilica was place there by Constantine in the 4^th century. A series of excavations instituted by Pope Paul XII in 1940-51, and 1953-7 seems to have verified that the spire of the present St. Peters Church in Rome is located about 300 feet above the underground grave of Peter.

The Acts Of The Holy Apostles Peter And Paul discusses the ministry of Peter in Rome, where he converts the wife (Libia) of Nero to Christianity(!) The bulk of the apocryphal Acts describes the battle in Rome between Peter (and Paul) and Simon the Magician. The battle eventually plays out in front of Nero, and all three (Peter, Paul, Simon) end up dying. The death and burial of Peter is described thus:

A number of apocryphal writings are ascribed to Peter, including a Gospel, an Apocalypse, an Acts (of Peter and Paul), etc. Eusebius gives his opinion of these works:

The second century Gospel of Peter describes the period of time after the death of Jesus, adding details to the story of Joseph of Arimathea, and the women at the tomb. Intriguingly,Mary of Magdala is described as a =9isciple of the Lord.

The second centuryRevelation of Peter contains detailed descriptions of heaven and hell. It has some stylistic similarities to 2 Peter.

Philip appears in all four lists of apostles in the New Testament, apparently linked with Bartholomew in the synoptic versions. This identification is enhanced in the Gospel of John. In John 1:43, Jesus finds Philip and tells himFollow me. Philip (who is identified as being from Bethsaida in John 1:44) goes and tells his friend Nathanael (generally viewed as being Bartholomew, as inNathanael, son of Tolmai):

It is possible that Philip acted in the role of quartermaster or provisioner for Jesus and the apostles, for when Jesus is about to perform his miracle of feeding the 5,000, he says:

Philip also appears in John when a group of Greeks ask him to meet Jesus. After collecting Andrew, the two inform Jesus that he has visitors. (John 12:20-22)

At the Last Supper, in John 14:6-9, Philip asks Jesus toshow us the Father, and Jesus repliesAnyone who has seen me has seen the Father.

According to Hippolytus, Philip preached and was executed in what today is eastern Turkey:

According to Eusebius (quoting Clement of Alexandria) Philip was married, and had daughters:

Eusebius, quoting Polycrates, discusses the death of Philip and his daughters:

Referencing Papias, Eusebius records a tradition that one of Philips daughters rose from the dead (it is unclear in the text as to whether Philip did the raising):

It should be noted, though, that there seems to be at least some confusion in the works of the ancients regarding the daughters of Philip the Apostle, and Philip the Deacon (Acts 6:5, Acts 21:8-9).

The apocryphal Acts Of The Journeyings Of Philip The Apostle has Philip preaching in thecities and regions of Lydia and Asia". After converting the wife of the Roman proconsul, Philip is captured by the irate husband and hung upside down:

An angry Philip places a curse on his captors, and 7,000 men (including the proconsul) are swept into an abyss. Jesus appears and reprimands Philip for rendering evil for evil. Philips punishment is that he will not be able to enter paradise for 40 days after he dies. After Philipgives up the ghost:

In the second part of the same Acts, Philip preaches in Athens in front of 300 philosophers, and eventually ends up in a battle with the Jewish High Priest Ananias (from Jerusalem). Although Philip performs many miracles, Ananias refuses to believe in Christ. Philip buries him, in stages, up to his knees, navel, and neck and finally consigns him to the Abyss (Hades). The Acts end with:

Simon the Zealot is mentioned in all four lists of apostles in the New Testament and no other information is given about him whatsoever. Traditionally, Simon is thought to have been a member of the Jewish Zealot party, a group of nationalists that eventually revolted (disastrously) against the Romans in 66 A.D. However, the name could also be translatedthe zealous one.

According to Hippolytus, Simon the Zealot was the second Bishop of Jerusalem:

Eusebius identifies thatSymeon, the son of Clopas, was the second Bishop of Jerusalem, but he does not specifically connect this figure with Simon the Zealot.

The apocryphal Passion of Simon and Jude places Simon in Persia.

Matthew and Mark refer to an apostle named Thaddaeus in their apostolic list. Luke (in both lists) refers to aJudas, son of James. Generally, scholars feel these are one and the same. Some manuscripts mention yet a third name Lebbaeus, as shown in this verse from the King James Version:

Thaddaeus/Judas possibly shows up in John, asking the following question:

Some scholars identify Thaddaeus/Judas as the author of Jude, but most scholars view the author of Jude as being the brother of Jesus and James (the Just).

Hippolytus records:

Eusebius reports the contents of a Syriac manuscript that reports that Thaddaeus was sent by Thomas to Edessa, to heal and preach:

The apocryphal Acts Of The Holy Apostle Thaddaeus - One Of The Twelve tells us that Thaddaeus was from the city of Edessa, and was a follower of John the Baptist:

In the Acts, the Governor of Edessa, Abgarus, contracts an incurable disease. He sends a letter to Jesus (!), asking for help. In the course of the reply, Jesus promises to send Thaddaeus to Edessa. The passage is interesting, because it seems to foreshadow the Shroud of Turin:

Thaddaeus eventually baptizes Abgarus, and establishes churches in Edessa and throughout Syria. Finally, the Acts report that Thaddaeus died in Berytus in Phoencia:

This Acts may have slightly more credibility than some others, as many of the story elements are quoted by Eusebius in his Church History (Abgarus writing to Jesus, Jesus writing back (!), Thaddaeus journeying to Edessa to heal, etc.)

Thomas appears in all four New Testament lists of Apostles. in the Gospel of John, Thomass name is listed asThomas (called Didymus). Didymus is Greek fortwin or9ouble. Because the name Thomas is linked with Matthew in the three apostolic lists in the Synoptic Gospels (see, for example, Matt 10:3), some scholars have postulated that Thomas and Matthew were twin brothers.

Thomas appears several times in interesting roles in the Gospel of John. In the 11^th chapter of John, Thomas makes the following curious statement when Jesus suggests that the disciples visit the dead Lazarus:

Thomas also has the distinction of asking the question that prompts one of the most famous answers in the Bible:

However, Thomas is most famous for his doubting that Jesus had resurrected from the dead, earning the sobriquet9oubting Thomas. The incident is described in John 20:24-29, and quotes Thomas as saying 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 it.

Finally, Thomas is present on the Sea of Galilea when Jesus causes a miraculous catch of fish, and prepares breakfast for the apostles on the beach.

Hippolytus records that Thomas was an active missionary, and that he met his fate in India:

Eusebius in his Church History records that Thomas sent other disciples out on missionary journeys:

Eusebius records that Thomas preached in Parthia (near modern-day Tehran):

In the Acts Of The Holy Apostle Thomas, a reluctant Thomas is assigned missionary duty in India:

In the same apocryphal acts, Jesus appears as the brother of Thomas:

Some people believe that this tradition is preserved in Da Vincis Last Supper note the apostle on the far left who looks very much like Jesus.

After an active career as a preacher and healer, Thomas is put to death by order of a King Misdeus, on the charge of heresy. In this account, Thomas is executed by spear:

Later, King Misdeus believes that the bones of the apostle may be able to heal his daughter, who is possessed by a demon. When he goes to the tombhe did not find the bones (for one of the brethren had taken them, and carried them into the regions of the West).

Two Gospels have appeared in the name of Thomas. One is an infancy Gospel, purporting to discuss thegreat things which our Lord Jesus Christ did in His childhood. The second is a Gnostic Gospel, purporting to tell the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymus Judas Thomas recorded. (Miller, p. 305)