We all tell the occasional fib, or stretch the truth now and then. Unfortunately, one lie usually needs another to cover it. The process can quickly spiral out of control.
But would you be willing to die for a lie? Would you knowingly put your life in serious danger for something you knew to be completely untrue?
From witness to martyr
The word “martyr” originally meant “witness”. It described someone who gave testimony. Today it means someone killed for their beliefs.
That shift happened largely because of the first Christians. They were persecuted, and often killed, for what they said about Jesus.
Why would anyone accept such suffering, even death, for their testimony about Christ?
Hearsay or eyewitness?
All of us believe things that are not true at times. We may have heard an incomplete account, or never examined the evidence. It is even possible to be so convinced by a lie that we would die for it, without ever knowing it was false.
We live in an age of “fake news”. Separating truth from fiction is hard, largely because we rely on accounts we did not witness ourselves.
Being present at an event is different. If you saw it first-hand, you would not be mistaken about what happened. Even more so if others saw it with you.
Too extraordinary to believe?
Jesus performed miracles that anyone who did not see them would struggle to believe. He healed the blind, raised the dead and walked on water. The greatest miracle of all was His resurrection.
These sound like the tricks of a magician or illusionist. If someone told us about such things today, our first reaction would be disbelief. They run against our instincts and everything we observe about the natural world.
The gospel writers knew this. They take great care to show that their accounts are not fairy tales, but well-researched and accurate records of real events.
The four gospels do differ. Each writer has his own style and focuses on different events. Yet this adds to their credibility. If all four were identical, sceptics would claim they had been contrived.
Consider how Luke opens his gospel:
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4 NIV, emphasis added)
Luke’s gospel rests on eyewitness testimony and careful, honest research. So what happened to those who witnessed the life of Jesus? Did they die for a lie?
The witnesses and their fate
The Bible records only a few of these deaths. Most of what follows comes from early church tradition. The details vary between sources, but the pattern is consistent.
Some of these traditions are very early. Clement of Rome, writing around AD 95, refers to the sufferings and deaths of both Peter and Paul (1 Clement 5). Others come from later sources, such as Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, first published in 1563.
Peter
Peter, also known as Simon, was one of the original twelve apostles. Alongside James and John, he was one of Jesus’ three closest companions. He witnessed the transfiguration and saw Jesus walk on water.
Tradition holds that Peter later travelled to Rome, where he was crucified around AD 64. He is said to have asked to be crucified upside down, believing himself unworthy to die in the same way as Christ.
His death fulfilled Jesus’ own words:
Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. (John 21:18-19 NIV)
Andrew
Andrew was Peter’s brother and one of the twelve apostles. He was originally a disciple of John the Baptist. He was one of the first to follow Jesus, and he brought his brother Peter to Him (John 1:40-42).
Tradition holds that Andrew preached the gospel in Greece and the surrounding regions. He was crucified at Patras in Achaia, around AD 60. He is said to have been bound to an X-shaped cross, which is why the saltire became his symbol and appears on the flag of Scotland.
James, son of Zebedee
James was one of the twelve apostles and the older brother of John. He was among the first to be called by Jesus.
With Peter and John, he was one of Jesus’ closest confidants. He witnessed the raising of Jairus’ daughter, the transfiguration, and Jesus’ betrayal and arrest in Gethsemane.
He is the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the Bible. He was put to death by King Herod Agrippa:
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. (Acts 12:1-2 NIV)
Philip
Philip came from Bethsaida in Galilee and was one of the twelve apostles. According to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, he laboured diligently in Upper Asia. He was scourged, imprisoned and then crucified at Heliopolis in Phrygia, around AD 54.
Bartholomew
Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles, is also known as Nathanael. He is believed to have served as a missionary alongside Philip and Thomas.
He is said to have preached the gospel in India, Lycaonia, Mesopotamia, Persia and Phrygia. He was martyred in Armenia, beaten to death with a whip.
James, son of Alphaeus
James was one of the twelve apostles. According to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, he was beaten, stoned and clubbed to death, thought to be around AD 62.
Thomas
Thomas was one of the twelve apostles. On the evening of the resurrection, he refused to believe that Jesus had appeared to the other disciples (John 20:24-25). This earned him the name “Doubting Thomas”.
Eight days later, Jesus appeared again. This time Thomas was present, and he confessed that Jesus is God (John 20:28).
Tradition holds that Thomas was killed with a spear in India around AD 72, during one of his missionary journeys.
Jude
Jude, commonly known as Thaddeus, was one of the twelve apostles and the brother of James. According to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, he was crucified at Edessa around AD 72.
Matthew
Matthew was a tax collector before Jesus called him to be one of the twelve apostles. He wrote the first book of the New Testament and witnessed both the resurrection and the ascension.
He is believed to have been killed with a sword in Ethiopia around AD 60.
Simon the Zealot
Simon was one of the twelve apostles. According to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, he preached the gospel in Mauritania, in Africa, and even in Britain. He was crucified in Britain around AD 74.
Other early witnesses
The twelve were not the only ones. Others who witnessed the risen Jesus, or the power of His message, paid the same price.
Stephen
Stephen was a Jewish believer chosen by the disciples to care for the poor in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-5). He performed miracles, but his testimony provoked opposition. He was arrested on a charge of blasphemy (Acts 6:8-15).
His trial ended with him being dragged out of the city and stoned to death. He is traditionally regarded as the first Christian martyr. Acts records his final moments:
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:57-60 NIV)
James, the brother of Jesus
James was the brother of Jesus, yet he did not believe in Him during His lifetime. That changed when the risen Jesus appeared to him (1 Corinthians 15:7).
James went on to lead the church in Jerusalem and wrote the epistle of James. According to early church tradition, he was thrown from the temple and beaten with a club for refusing to deny his faith in Jesus Christ.
His death is also recorded outside the Bible. Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian with no Christian sympathies, writes that the high priest Ananus had “the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James” put to death by stoning, around AD 62 (Antiquities 20.9.1).
Paul
Before his conversion, Paul was known as Saul. He actively opposed the early Christian movement and was present at Stephen’s stoning (Acts 7:58).
Everything changed on the road to Damascus. He was stopped by a blinding light from heaven and encountered the risen Jesus (Acts 9:3-6).
Paul became one of the most influential missionaries in history. He spread the faith across many journeys, despite huge obstacles. He kept preaching even after being imprisoned, stoned and beaten.
He is believed to have been beheaded in Rome around AD 67, during the reign of Nero.
They did not die for a lie
The Bible does not record most of these deaths, and many rest on tradition. But the key point stands. These men were willing to die for what they believed.
Apart from Judas, who betrayed Jesus, and John, who was exiled, tradition holds that every one of the twelve was killed for his witness to Jesus Christ.
They were ordinary men with the same struggles we have today. At times during Jesus’ ministry, they struggled to understand who He really was. But they saw an abundance of clear, first-hand evidence that convinced them of His identity.
If Jesus had not risen, the apostles would have known. They would have known the story of His resurrection was fabricated: a complete lie.
Yet they endured persecution and execution rather than deny it. That is overwhelming evidence for the reality of the resurrection. Christianity would not exist today without it. The apostles’ testimony is powerful evidence in itself. The personal cost makes it more powerful still.
“But people die for their beliefs all the time”
Some will point out that people die for their faith all the time. This is true.
But there is a crucial difference. Others die for what they believe to be true. The apostles were in a position to know whether it was true. They had seen the risen Jesus for themselves.
People may die for a lie they believe. No one willingly dies for a lie they know to be a lie.
Their testimony stands out in another way, too. They did not stay together. They scattered in different directions to spread the gospel. Despite the distance between them, and the new cultures they entered, not one of them recanted the resurrection.
Charles Colson, a key figure in the Watergate scandal, put it into modern perspective:
“I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.” (Charles Colson)
The same is true of the early Christians who followed. Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle John, chose martyrdom rather than renounce Christ. Others, such as Cyprian, did the same. It has been true ever since.
Persecution should not surprise us
The willingness of the witnesses to die is one of the strongest proofs of the resurrection. And persecution should not surprise Christians. We are told to expect it, and it bears witness to the authenticity of the message:
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12 NIV)
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. (John 15:18-19 NIV)
But we are not to fear suffering. There are wonderful promises for those who suffer for their testimony of Christ:
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. (Revelation 2:10 NIV)
We are not to fear those who can only kill the body, but the One who can destroy both body and soul:
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28 NIV)
Instead, we are told to rejoice:
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4 NIV)
Is it really easier to believe a lie than the truth? When we hold a particular worldview, anything that challenges it can be hard to accept.
Would it not make sense to investigate the claims of Christ fully, rather than assume His life or resurrection was a myth?
Jesus taught that judgement is coming, resulting in heaven or hell. If He was right, how would you fare when measured against God’s standards?
It makes no sense to gamble your eternal destiny on the lie that Jesus is not the only way to heaven.
Look at the lives of those who witnessed Jesus’ life. They did not die for a lie. They believed and trusted the truth, and that same truth applies today as much as it did then.
Change your life today and secure your salvation: How To Be Saved.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25 NIV)