The careers of the Twelve Apostles spanned the times of several Roman emperors and are much ignored in the Scriptures.
But knowing something about what happened to the original Apostles gives a greater understanding of Christianity as well as of the flow of history.
Mark was the helper and writer for Peter.
Mark the Evangelist[a] (Koinē Greek: Μᾶρκος, romanized: Mârkos), also known as John Mark (Koinē Greek: Ἰωάννης Μᾶρκος, romanized: Iōánnēs Mârkos; Aramaic: ܝܘܚܢܢ, romanized: Yōḥannān) or Saint Mark, was the person who is traditionally ascribed to be the author of the Gospel of Mark. Most modern Bible scholars have concluded that the Gospel of Mark was written by an anonymous author rather than an identifiable historical figure, though the topic remains contentious among experts. According to Church tradition, Mark founded the episcopal see of Alexandria, which was one of the five most important sees of early Christianity. His feast day is celebrated on April 25, and his symbol is the winged lion.
However, Mark was not considered an Apostle, but an Apostolic assistant as were:
Timothy
Timothy or Timothy of Ephesus (Greek: Τιμόθεος, Timótheos, meaning “honoring God” or “honoured by God”) was an early Christian evangelist and the first Christian bishop of Ephesus,[9] who the Acts of Timothy relates died around the year AD 97. Timothy was from the Lycaonian city of Lystra or of Derbe in Asia Minor, born of a Jewish mother who had become a Christian believer, and a Greek father. The Apostle Paul met him during his second missionary journey and he became Paul’s companion and missionary partner along with Silas. The New Testament indicates that Timothy traveled with Paul the Apostle, who was also his mentor. He is addressed as the recipient of the First and Second Epistles to Timothy. While included in the Pauline epistles of the New Testament, First and Second Timothy are considered by many biblical scholars to be pseudo epigraphical and not written by Paul.
Titus
Titus Caesar Vespasianus (/ˈtaɪtəs/ TY-təs; 30 December 39 – 13 September AD 81) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, becoming the first Roman emperor ever to succeed his biological father.
Epaphroditus
Epaphroditus (Greek: Ἐπαφρόδιτος) is a New Testament figure appearing as an envoy of the Philippian church to assist the Apostle Paul (Philippians 2:25-30). He is regarded as a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, first Bishop of Philippi, and of Andriaca (there are at least two ancient towns called Andriaca, one in Thrace and one in Asia Minor), and first Bishop of Terracina, Italy. There is little evidence that these were all the same man.
Luke
Luke the Evangelist was one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical gospels. The Early Church Fathers ascribed to him authorship of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Prominent figures in early Christianity such as Jerome and Eusebius later reaffirmed his authorship, although a lack of conclusive evidence as to the identity of the author of the works has led to discussion in scholarly circles, both secular and religious. The New Testament mentions Luke briefly a few times, and the Epistle to the Colossians refers to him as a physician (from Greek for ‘one who heals’); thus, he is thought to have been both a physician and a disciple of Paul. Since the early years of the faith, Christians have regarded him as a saint. He is believed to have been a martyr, reportedly having been hanged from an olive tree, though some believe otherwise. The Catholic Church and other major denominations venerate him as Saint Luke the Evangelist and as a patron saint of artists, physicians, bachelors, notaries, butchers, brewers, and others; his feast day is 18 October.
Barnabus
Barnabas (/ˈbɑːrnəbəs/; Ancient Greek: Βαρνάβας; Syriac: ܒܪܢܒܐ), born Joseph (Ἰωσήφ) or Joses (Ἰωσής), was according to tradition an early Christian, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem. According to Acts 4:36, Barnabas was a Cypriot Levite. Identified as an apostle in Acts 14:14, he and Paul the Apostle undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts against the Judaizers. They traveled together making more converts (c. 46–48 AD), and participated in the Council of Jerusalem (c. 49 AD). Barnabas and Paul successfully evangelized among the “God-fearing” Gentiles who attended synagogues in various Hellenized cities of Anatolia. Barnabas’ story appears in the Acts of the Apostles, and Paul mentions him in some of his epistles. Tertullian named him as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, but this and other attributions are conjecture. The Epistle of Barnabas was ascribed to him by Clement of Alexandria and others in the early church and the epistle is included under his name in Codex Sinaiticus, the earliest extant manuscript of the complete New Testament. A few modern scholars concur with this traditional attribution but it is presently a minority view. Although the date, place, and circumstances of his death are historically unverifiable, Christian tradition holds that Barnabas was martyred at Salamis, Cyprus. He is traditionally identified as the founder of the Cypriot Orthodox Church. The feast day of Barnabas is celebrated on 11 June. Barnabas is usually identified as the cousin of Mark the Evangelist on the basis of the term “anepsios” used in Colossians 4, which carries the connotation of “cousin”. Orthodox tradition holds that Aristobulus of Britannia, one of the Seventy Disciples, was the brother of Barnabas.
Silas
Silas or Silvanus (/ˈsaɪləs/; Greek: Σίλας/Σιλουανός; fl. 1st century AD) was a leading member of the Early Christian community, who according to the New Testament accompanied Paul the Apostle on his second missionary journey.
Priscilla & Acquilla
Priscilla and Aquila were a first-century Christian missionary married couple described in the New Testament. Aquila is traditionally listed among the Seventy Disciples. They lived, worked, and traveled with the Apostle Paul, who described them as his “fellow workers in Christ Jesus” (Romans 16:3). Priscilla and Aquila are described in the New Testament as providing a presence that strengthened the early Christian churches. Paul was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness to them (Romans 16:3–4). Together, they are credited with instructing Apollos, a major evangelist of the first century, and “[explaining] to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). It is thought by some to be possible, in light of her apparent prominence, that Priscilla held the office of presbyter. She also is thought by some to be the anonymous author of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Erastus
Erastus of Corinth (Greek: Ἔραστος, Erastos), also known as Erastus of Paneas, held the political office of steward (Greek: οἰκονόμος, oikonomos), in Corinth, according to the Epistle to the Romans 16:23 of the New Testament. The office is defined as “the manager of household or of household affairs” or, in this context, “treasurer”. The King James Version uses the translation “chamberlain”, while the New International Version uses “director of public works”. A person named Erastus mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:20 and Acts 19:22 is often taken to be the same person. According to the tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Erastus is numbered among the Seventy Disciples. He served as a deacon and steward of the Church at Jerusalem and later of Paneas in Palestine. The Church remembers St. Erastus on January 4 among the Seventy, on July 26 and on November 10. However, researchers have also questioned whether it is even possible to conclude from the mention in the New Testament that Erastus was a Christian. According to this theory, he could also have been a wealthy patron of the church without being a believer himself.
The New Testament as we have it, is the product of: [427]
Matthew, an Apostle
Matthew the Apostle was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. According to Christian traditions, he was also one of the four Evangelists as author of the Gospel of Matthew and thus is also known as Matthew the Evangelist. The claim of his gospel authorship is rejected by most modern biblical scholars, though the “traditional authorship still has its defenders.” The New Testament records that as a disciple, he followed Jesus. Church Fathers, such as Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria, relate that Matthew preached the gospel in Judea before going to other countries.
Peter, an Apostle
Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; died AD 64–68),[1] also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the early Christian Church. He appears repeatedly and prominently in all four New Testament gospels as well as the Acts of the Apostles. Catholic tradition treats Peter as the first bishop of Rome – or pope – and also as the first bishop of Antioch. According to Christian tradition, Peter was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero.
John, an Apostle
John the Apostle (Ancient Greek: Ἰωάννης; Latin: Ioannes; c. 6 AD – c. 100 AD), also known as Saint John the Beloved and, in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Saint John the Theologian, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome. His brother James was another of the Twelve Apostles. The Church Fathers identify him as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder, and the Beloved Disciple, and testify that he outlived the remaining apostles and was the only one to die of natural causes, although modern scholars are divided on the veracity of these claims. John the Apostle, detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, 6th century John the Apostle is traditionally held to be the author of the Gospel of John, and many Christian denominations believe that he authored several other books of the New Testament (the three Johannine epistles and the Book of Revelation, together with the Gospel of John, are called the Johannine works), depending on whether he is distinguished from, or identified with, John the Evangelist, John the Elder, and John of Patmos. Although the authorship of the Johannine works has traditionally been attributed to John the Apostle, only a minority of contemporary scholars believe he wrote the gospel,[16] and most conclude that he wrote none of them. Regardless of whether or not John the Apostle wrote any of the Johannine works, most scholars agree that all three epistles were written by the same author and that the epistles did not have the same author as the Book of Revelation, although there is widespread disagreement among scholars as to whether the author of the epistles was different from that of the gospel
and Paul, a liar and deceiver.
Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle (c. 5 – c. 64/65 AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally regarded as one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age, and he also founded several Christian communities in Asia Minor and Europe from the mid-40s to the mid-50s AD.
It should not be a mystery as to why the Apostles took the long travels that they did, because there were plenty of Jews to preach to all over the Roman Empire, all connected by the excellent Roman roads that led everywhere with regular shipping and passenger service to all ports.
By 52 AD, Mesopotamia was one of the most populace centers of Jewry.
Those Jews were very rich and influential, and they had commercial settlements in many places on the coast of:
- India
- Ceylon
- Malaya
and on the farthest coasts of China. [428]
The Eastern Churches trace their lineage to Babylon and the teachings of Peter.
Peter preached in Babylon (1Peter 5:13) from 44 through 49 AD.
He was crucified in Rome in 49 AD by Nero who had his wife, the Jewish convert, Poppaea Sabina, at his side, watching.
Andrew
Andrew the Apostle (Koinē Greek: Ἀνδρέας, romanized: Andréas [anˈdre.aːs̠]; Latin: Andreas [än̪ˈd̪reː.äːs]; Aramaic: אַנדּרֵאוָס; Classical Syriac: ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, romanized: ʾAnd’raʾwās) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. The title First-Called (Πρωτόκλητος, Prōtoklētos) stems from the Gospel of John, where Andrew, initially a disciple of John the Baptist, follows Jesus and, recognising him as the Messiah, introduces his brother Simon Peter to him. According to Eastern Orthodox tradition, the apostolic successor to Andrew is the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
Andrew was present with Peter on the Mount of Olives.
But to find out any more about this Apostle, we have to go to extra-biblical sources.
Saint Andrew traveled to Sythia (South Russia) around the Black Sea.
He became the patron saint of Russia.
NEW WORLD ORDER: RUSSIA: The Jewish Takeover of Russia – Library of Rickandria
He was stoned and crucified in Scythia.
Some of his relics were transported to Scotland in the fourth or fifth centuries to a place named Saint Andrews.
He became the patron saint of Scotland and Saint Andrews Cross became the official symbol of Scotland.
He was also claimed as the patron saint of both Russian and of Greek Christians. [429]
James the son of Zebedee
James the Great (Koinē Greek: Ἰάκωβος, romanized: Iákōbos; Aramaic: ܝܥܩܘܒ, romanized: Yaʿqōḇ; died AD 44) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was the second of the apostles to die after Judas Iscariot and the first to be martyred. Saint James is the patron saint of Spain and, according to tradition, what are believed to be his remains are held in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. He is also known as James, son of Zebedee, Saint James the Great, Saint James the Greater, Saint James the Elder, or Saint Jacob, James the Apostle or Santiago.
There are only two of the original disciples about whose death we have a Scriptural account, Judas and James.
Judas Iscariot (/ˈdʒuːdəs ɪˈskæriət/; Biblical Greek: Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης, romanized: Ioúdas Iskariṓtēs; died c. 30 – c. 33 AD) was, according to Christianity’s four canonical gospels, one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane, in exchange for 30 pieces of silver, by kissing him on the cheek and addressing him as “master” to reveal his identity in the darkness to the crowd who had come to arrest him. In modern times, his name is often used synonymously with betrayal or treason.
James was the elder brother of John, the beloved disciple.
With John he was a partner with Andrew and Peter in the fishing trade along with Zebedee, his father.
There is also some evidence that James was a first cousin to Jesus Christ and had been acquainted with Him since infancy. [430]
James traveled on a missionary journey to India along with Peter, later he was a missionary to Sardinia and Spain. [431]
After returning to Jerusalem, James was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I, about the year 44 AD.
Herod Agrippa (Roman name Marcus Julius Agrippa; c. 11 BC – c. AD 44), also known as Agrippa I (Hebrew: אגריפס) or Agrippa the Great, was the last king of Judea. He was a grandson of Herod the Great and the father of Herod Agrippa II, the last known king from the Herodian dynasty. He was an acquaintance or friend of Roman emperors and played crucial roles in internal Roman politics.
John
Salome (/səˈloʊmi, ˈsæləmeɪ/; Hebrew: שְלוֹמִית, romanized: Shlomit, related to שָׁלוֹם, Shalom “peace”; Greek: Σαλώμη), also known as Salome III, was a Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II and princess Herodias. She was granddaughter of Herod the Great and stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She is known from the New Testament, where she is not named, and from an account by Josephus. In the New Testament, the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas demands and receives the head of John the Baptist. According to Josephus, she was first married to her uncle Philip the Tetrarch, after whose death in AD 34 she married her cousin Aristobulus of Chalcis, thus becoming queen of Armenia Minor. The gospel story of her dance at the birthday celebration of her stepfather, who had John the Baptist beheaded at her mother’s request, inspired art, literature and music over an extended period of time. Among the paintings are those by Titian and Gustave Moreau. Oscar Wilde’s 1891 eponymous play and its 1905 operatic setting by Richard Strauss are among the literary and musical realisations which portrayed her. She also appeared in film, for instance in the 1953 Salome starring Rita Hayworth.
John was another of the sons of Zebedee and Salome who was probably a sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Mary[b] was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under various titles such as virgin or queen, many of them mentioned in the Litany of Loreto. The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, and Lutheran churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is the Mother of God. The Church of the East historically regarded her as Christotokos, a term still used in Assyrian Church of the East liturgy.[10] Other Protestant views on Mary vary, with some holding her to have lesser status. She has the highest position in Islam among all women and is mentioned numerous times in the Quran, including in a chapter named after her. She is also revered in the Baháʼí Faith and the Druze Faith.
He grew up in the Galilee and was a partner with his brother and with Andrew and Peter in the fishing business.
He was a disciple of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist (c. 6 BC[18] – c. AD 30) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist Christian traditions, and as the prophet Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyā (Arabic: النبي يحيى, An-Nabī Yaḥyā) in Islam. He is sometimes alternatively referred to as John the Baptizer.
With Peter and James, he was with Jesus at the raising of Jairus’ daughter and at the transfiguration. (Matt 17)
He and his brother were called the “sons of thunder” when they sought to call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village whose inhabitants had refused them hospitality. (Mark 3:17)
He was present at the cross and was there given responsibility for Mary. (John 19:26)
BOOK: EXCERPT: Monsters of Babylon: How the Jews Betrayed Mankind (1200 BC to 1000 AD) – Volume II – Chapter 11: The Gospels According to G_d – The Gospel According to John – Library of Rickandria
His brother James was the first of the disciples to die while John was the last to die about the year 100 AD. [432]
He was buried at Ephesus.
He was the only disciple to live to old age.
TRANSMIGRATION: SOULS: OLD SOULS: OLD AGE – Library of Rickandria
John preached to the Parthians near Russia.
Philip
Philip the Apostle (Greek: Φίλιππος; Aramaic: ܦܝܠܝܦܘܣ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲗⲓⲡⲡⲟⲥ, Philippos) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Later Christian traditions describe Philip as the apostle who preached in Greece, Syria, and Asia-Minor. In the Roman Rite, the feast day of Philip, along with that of James the Less, is traditionally observed on 1 May, the anniversary of the dedication of the church dedicated to them in Rome (now called the Church of the Twelve Apostles). In the short-lived calendar reform of 1960, it was transferred to 11 May, but since 1969 it has been assigned to 3 May. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Philip’s feast day on 14 November.
Philip traveled to Scythia and remained there preaching for twenty years.
He then traveled to Phrygia where he was stoned and crucified at the age of 87. [433]
The Goths of the area later migrated to France where there is a strong tradition of St. Philip.
His body was later moved to Rome.
Bartholomew
Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Most scholars today identify Bartholomew as Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel of John (1:45–51; cf. 21:2).
Bartholomew preached in Armenia and the Armenian Church claims him as their founder.
There he was crucified by the king. [434]
Thomas
Thomas the Apostle (Greek: Θωμᾶς, romanized: Thōmâs; Classical Syriac: ܬܐܘܡܐ, romanized: Tʾōmā, meaning ‘the Twin’), also known as Didymus (Greek: Δίδυμος, romanized: Dídymos ‘twin’), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as “Doubting Thomas” because he initially doubted the resurrection of Jesus Christ when he was told of it (as is related in the Gospel of John); he later confessed his faith (“My lord and my God”) on seeing the places where the wounds appeared still fresh on the holy body of Jesus after the Crucifixion of Jesus. Thomas the Apostle, detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, 6th century According to traditional accounts of the Saint Thomas Christians of modern-day state of Kerala in India, Saint Thomas travelled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, traveling as far as Kerala in South India, and eventually reached Muziris (modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in Kerala State) in AD 52. He started the Assyrian Church of the East in the region around the Van Province, Edessa, and Hakkari regions of Upper Mesopotamia (today is in southeast Turkey), presumably sometime between mid-late AD 30s and AD 45, and spent many years evangelizing both Jews and pagans in the area before heading further east in the late AD 40s. In 1258, some of the relics were brought to Ortona, in Abruzzo, Italy, where they have been held in the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle. He is regarded as the patron saint of India among its Christian adherents, and the Feast of Saint Thomas on July 3 is celebrated as Indian Christians’ Day. The name Thomas remains quite popular among the Saint Thomas Christians of the Indian subcontinent. Many churches in the Middle East and southern Asia, besides India, also mention Apostle Thomas in their historical traditions as being the first evangelist to establish those churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, as well as the early church of Sri Lanka.
Along with Peter, Thaddeus and Mari, Thomas preached in Babylon and helped establish the Church of the East which is called the Assyrian Church or the Chaldean Syrian Church.
CIVILIZATION: ORIGINS OF ASSYRIA & GERMANY – Library of Rickandria
There had been merchant moneylenders in India since Sumerian times, but the first colony of Jews in India were established at Cochin in 70 AD. [435]
Thomas went to Cranganore, India in 52 AD to preach to the Jews there.
He also preached in Malabar, India, around 52 AD and there, established churches.
He suffered martyrdom and was buried at Mylapore, India.[436]
Matthew
Matthew the Apostle was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. According to Christian traditions, he was also one of the four Evangelists as author of the Gospel of Matthew and thus is also known as Matthew the Evangelist. The claim of his gospel authorship is rejected by most modern biblical scholars, though the “traditional authorship still has its defenders.” The New Testament records that as a disciple, he followed Jesus. Church Fathers, such as Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria, relate that Matthew preached the gospel in Judea before going to other countries.
Matthew preached in:
- Ethiopia
- Macedonia
- Syria
and Persia.
He wrote his Gospel in Hebrew but it was soon translated into Greek.
He probably died in Ethiopia or Egypt.
Whether he died a natural death or not is unknown but the Babylonian Talmud brags that the Jews killed him [437], so they probably did.
James, son of Alphaeus
James, son of Alphaeus (Greek: Ἰάκωβος, Iakōbos; Aramaic: ܝܥܩܘܒ ܒܪ ܚܠܦܝ;[2] Hebrew: יעקב בן חלפי Ya’akov ben Halfai; Coptic: ⲓⲁⲕⲱⲃⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲁⲗⲫⲉⲟⲥ; Arabic: يعقوب بن حلفى, romanized: Ya’qūb bin Halfā) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, appearing under this name in all three of the Synoptic Gospels’ lists of the apostles. He is generally identified with James the Less (Ancient Greek: Ἰάκωβος ὁ μικρός Iakōbos ho mikros, Mark 15:40) and commonly known by that name in church tradition. He is also labelled “the Minor”, “the Little”, “the Lesser”, or “the Younger”, according to translation. He is distinct from James, son of Zebedee and in some interpretations also from James, brother of Jesus (James the Just). He appears only four times in the New Testament, each time in a list of the twelve apostles.
James was a Zealot, one of the revolutionary groups seeking to overthrow the yoke of both Herod Antipas and Rome.
He probably became an ascetic. [438]
Tradition maintains he was crucified at Ostrakine in Lower Egypt where he was preaching the Gospel.
Jude Thaddeus
Jude established the Armenian church during the years 43-66 AD where he was martyred. [439]
Jude (Ancient Greek: Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου translit. Ioúdas Iakóbou; Syriac/Aramaic: ܝܗܘܕܐ translit. Yahwada) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is generally identified as Thaddeus (Ancient Greek: Θαδδαῖος; Armenian: Թադեոս; Coptic: ⲑⲁⲇⲇⲉⲟⲥ) and is also variously called Judas Thaddaeus, Jude Thaddaeus, Jude of James, or Lebbaeus. He is sometimes identified with Jude, the brother of Jesus, but is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus prior to his crucifixion. Catholic writer Michal Hunt suggests that Judas Thaddaeus became known as Jude after early translators of the New Testament from Greek into English sought to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot and subsequently abbreviated his forename. Most versions of the New Testament in languages other than English and French refer to Judas and Jude by the same name. The Armenian Apostolic Church honors Thaddeus along with Saint Bartholomew as its patron saints. In the Catholic Church, he is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. Jude is commonly depicted with a club. He is also often shown in icons with a flame around his head. This represents his presence at Pentecost, when he received the Holy Spirit with the other apostles. Another common attribute is Jude holding an image of Jesus, known as the Image of Edessa. In some instances, he may be shown with a scroll or a book (the Epistle of Jude) or holding a carpenter’s rule.
Simon the Canaanite
Simon the Zealot (Acts 1:13, Luke 6:15), also the Canaanite or the Canaanean (Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18; Ancient Greek: Σίμων ὁ Κανανίτης; Coptic: ⲥⲓⲙⲱⲛ ⲡⲓ-ⲕⲁⲛⲁⲛⲉⲟⲥ; Classical Syriac: ܫܡܥܘܢ ܩܢܢܝܐ), was one of the apostles of Jesus. A few pseudepigraphical writings were connected to him, but Jerome does not include him in De viris illustribus written between 392 and 393 AD.
Simon also preached in Armenia and later in Britain around 50 AD.
He traveled first to Egypt then to:
- North Africa
- Carthage
- Spain
and then to back to Britain, then back to Persia where he was martyred with Simon who was sawed in two and Simon killed with a halberd. [440]
Britain had been firmly established as a trading destination with the Greek mainland since at least 1500 BC.
By the Roman period, it was a well-known outpost of civilization.
Miles Williams Mathis: ROME – Library of Rickandria
Seneca, the mentor of Nero, made large investments in Britian.
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (/ˈnɪəroʊ/ NEER-oh; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his death in AD 68.
So, why should some of the apostles not have traveled there? [441]
The roads and shipping lanes of Rome led everywhere.
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot (/ˈdʒuːdəs ɪˈskæriət/; Biblical Greek: Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης, romanized: Ioúdas Iskariṓtēs; died c. 30 – c. 33 AD) was, according to Christianity’s four canonical gospels, one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane, in exchange for 30 pieces of silver, by kissing him on the cheek and addressing him as “master” to reveal his identity in the darkness to the crowd who had come to arrest him. In modern times, his name is often used synonymously with betrayal or treason.
The name Judas Iscariot is a corruption of Judas of Kerioth.
Kerioth was a small town a few miles from Hebron.
Judas was the only one of the Apostles who was not a Galilean but a Judean.
Judas is a form of the name Judah, his tribe of Judah.
Of course, after his betrayal of the Christ, he hanged himself. [442]
Matthias
After the betrayal of Judas, Matthias was elected by drawing lots as one of the Twelve disciples.
Matthias (/məˈθaɪəs/; Koine Greek: Ματθίας, Matthías [maθˈθi.as], from Hebrew מַתִּתְיָהוּ Mattiṯyāhū; Coptic: ⲙⲁⲑⲓⲁⲥ; died c. AD 80) was, according to the Acts of the Apostles, chosen by God through the apostles to replace Judas Iscariot following the latter’s betrayal of Jesus and his subsequent death. His calling as an apostle is unique, in that his appointment was not made personally by Jesus (who had already ascended into heaven), and it came before the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church.
Matthias was one of the five disciples credited by the Armenian tradition with evangelizing Armenia.
They were:
- Thaddaeus
- Bartholomew
- Simon the Canaanite
- Andrew
and Matthias.
He was stoned to death by the Jews and buried in Jerusalem. [443]
RELIGION: CHRISTIANITY: New Jerusalem – Jesus of Borg – Library of Rickandria
Thus, all of the apostles met violent deaths except for John who lived into old age.
What was it that they saw during their time spent with Jesus which made them go to such trouble and hardship to expound it to the world?
You can know and understand this when you find your own Holy Spirit.
Anyone can do it, but only those who seek, find. So, study carefully Appendix A for the secret to your true Self.