"Where did the Apostles go?"...Phillip

The Gospel of John describes Phillip as a man from the village of Bethsaida, in the Judean region known as Galilee. Peter and Andrew, brothers who became part of The Original (12 apostles) were also from the same village of Bethsaida. Bethsaida is written to be more of a desert type terrain and could have possibly been the place Jesus fed the 5000 with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.
 Phillip was thought to have been seeking Jesus while a disciple with John the Baptizer. Phillip was most likely a friend to both Peter and Andrew since they were all from the same village. Bethsaida itself was a fishing village, and an area that produced wine.
 Feeding the 5000 on the plains of Bethsaida would have been ideal since there was plenty of room and numerous streams and irrigation canals nearby.

 Phillip developed a reputation for being practical and was always seemingly "looking ahead". This was somewhat evident in the Gospel of John chapter 6, around verse 5, where the feeding of the 5000 was taking place. In this passage of Scripture Jesus asks His disciples "Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?" It was Phillip who responded to the question from Jesus by saying: " Two hundred denarii worth of bread will not feed the 5000...even if each one only had a little." I am quite sure Jesus was venturing to see where the faith of His disciples were at by this time....maybe hoping they would think "outside the box".

  Yet in John 14: 8-10 is where we find the disciples had much to learn from the original invitation of "Follow Me". In verses 6 and 7 Jesus announces at the Last Supper how "I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life", and goes on to explain how no one is able to enter the Presence of the Father by themselves...or with anyone else. It is imperative Jesus and Jesus only accompany anyone to His Father. Then, at the Last supper Jesus goes on and describes that if you learn to recognize Him and His way of life, then you will have already gotten to know the Father as well. Jesus furthers His thought with these words: " In fact, the truth of the matter is...if you have known Me, then You have seen the Father."

 So, in verse 8-10...what does Phillip do? He follows up this very discourse by Jesus with these words: " Lord, cause us to be able to see the Father...it's really all we want...and we will be content and satisfied."

Ok then...so how does Jesus react to the request made by Phillip? Verse 9 and 10 go something like this: " Phillip, I have been with you all this time...and you still don't get it....you have to get a grip on who I AM.
 Listen to Me...anyone who has seen Me, has seen the Father. Your contentment and satisfaction is not in the idea of showing you the Father. Why? Because I AM in the Father...and the Father is in Me. I am not saying this to you out of  My own strength...these very words I speak to you right now...comes directly from My Father....because He lives in the very heart of My life...a life just like yours. All these works that I do, all the miracles and good deeds that I do...comes directly from the desires of My Father. This is His power...that He gives to Me...a man...just like you! My Father resides in Me...and from each word that comes from My own heart...is a Divine act from His heart."

 The latter part of Phillip's life is unclear, there are the legends of his life and church tradition. It is written he preached the Good News in Greece, Phrygia, and Syria. It is also written he was involved in the conversion of a Roman consul's wife to Christianity and as a result was sentenced to a crucifixion. It is also said he died under persecution and lived with 2 of his older daughters in the ancient city of Hieropolis...in Turkey. Some evidence writes he might have helped in spreading the Good News in areas what we recognize as France. 
 Polycarp, an early church leader records Phillip was married and had children. He is believed to have been around 57 years old when he died.

 Phillip proved faithful to the Lord...throughout his life. He will always be remembered how his heart raced with excitement...when he found the Messiah in a small village in Galilee!

Where did the Apostles go?"...Nathanael (Bartholomew)

Nathanael means "a gift of God". Bartholomew is more of a name given for family reference...meaning son of Tolmai. There really is not a whole lot of information concerning Nathanael, and much of his life we have to rely on church tradition type stories and early church historians like Eusebius of Caesarea.
 Another thought by some historians concerning his name Bartholomew being a son of Tolmai is... this may not be in reference to Bartholomew having a real father named Tolmai. During the time of Bartholomew there was a group of men called "Tolmanians", and they were dedicated to the study of Scripture. The leader of this group was a man named Tolmai, and it is from being a member of the Tolmanians that he might have received his name "Bartholomew".
 In the list of the "Original" (12 disciples) as given in the Gospels, Nathanael's name appears after the name of Phillip. His name of Bartholomew is mentioned in 2 other Gospels besides John, and in John he is referred to as Nathanael.

 Nathanael was  from the area of Galilee in Judea...in a village called Cana. Cana was only a short distance from the town of Nazareth and when Nathanael was introduced to Jesus, the village of Nazareth was brought up in conversation. Other than the mention of Nathanael being present at the Ascension, this is the most we really know of Nathanael in reference to the Scriptures.
 One thing of note: the areas of both Cana and Nazareth had a reputation of being rather unrefined villages in regards to higher education and general lifestyles. What was most troublesome for these villages were radicals who came from both villages that promoted militant dissent against the Roman Empire rule of the area, often stirring trouble to upset and cause others to join them against Roman rule....hoping to overthrow the Romans.
 Yet, Jesus Himself was not embarrassed or afraid to say He came from Nazareth, and Cana was the place Jesus did His first miracle by turning water into wine at a local wedding. 

 So, in the Gospel of John is a passage that describes how Nathanael (or Batholomew) met the Lord Jesus: 
                             A Gleaning from John 1: 43-51

 " The next day Jesus had decided it was time to go to Galilee. As Jesus arrived in Galilee, He found a man named Phillip, who was from Bethsaida...the same village Andrew and Peter were from.
 Jesus spoke to Phillip with the same remark He had addressed Andrew and Peter when He met those 2 brothers...in fact with the very same invitation saying: "Phillip..."Follow Me!" 
 Soon after Phillip sought out his close friend Nathanael and said to him  " Nathanael ...we have found Him!...the very One Moses and all the prophets have written about! His name is Jesus!...a son of Joseph and He comes right from here!...in Galilee...from Nazareth! He is the Messiah!"
 Nathanael upon hearing what Phillip had said and the excitement in his voice responded: "Nazareth? Is there anything good that can come from there? You know there are militants always trying to convince people to join in their cause and overthrow the Romans."
 Phillip then said to Nathanael: " I know...I don't expect you to believe me...come and see for yourself!"
 Now, Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him from a distance...to find out if what Phillip was thoroughly convinced of... was really true. As Nathanael got closer, Jesus walks up to Nathanael and says: " Here is a true Israelite...nothing fake about him...and he comes to Me with no deceit."
 Nathanael then first spoke directly to Jesus and said: " How do You know this...who has given You this idea? You don't even know me?"
 Jesus then replied: "Nathanael, do you remember the day when you were sitting under the fig tree?...contemplating things about the God of Israel...and the Messiah? I was there...watching you."
 Nathanael then thought to himself...no one knew that...and certainly no one knows what I was thinking...then Nathanael looked at Jesus and said:" You are the Son of the Living God!...the Lord and God of Israel...the Messiah!"
 (Then Jesus reversed the conversation...using the same train of thought when Nathanael had asked "How do you know this...what has given you this idea? You don't even know me?")
 So Jesus answered Nathanael " You believe in Me so quickly simply because I was watching you under the fig tree? Nathanael, there is much to know about Me...and the plans I have for you. Follow Me! For the day is coming you will see Me ascend to My Father...with all the angels of Heaven going back and forth...from Heaven itself to the earth...while I return to Him. You will know as you have said this day...I am the Son of man..the very Messiah you seek!"

 Church history with church tradition as well goes on to write of Nathanael's life after that day, when Nathanael responded to those words "Follow Me". 

 It is recorded some of Nathanael's journeys included going to northern India and sharing the Good News of Christ Jesus. It is also recorded by the early historian Eusebius of Caesarea that Nathanael carried with him an early translation of the Gospel of Saint Matthew.
 Some other writings claim he went to Albania...near northern Iraq and even into parts of Turkey. It is written Nathanael met his death in Albania....perhaps crucified upside down, others say he was whipped to the point of death, while others write he was beheaded.

 One thing we do know....Jesus was watching Nathanael under the fig tree...and it makes you wonder...is He watching you?

Nathanael was the first of the apostles to proclaim Jesus as the True Messiah!

"Where did the apostles go?"...Andrew

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter was also known as "Andrew the son of Jonah (or John)".  Because Andrew is mentioned in the Sacred Scripture after Peter, this usually  
was a respectful way of noting Peter was the older brother of the two.....

 Andrew has brought the attention of many Christian historians and theologians. Pope Benedict XVI commented the name Andrew itself was not Hebrew, but of Greek origin. This could be a clear indicator how a new culture was being much more tolerant of the lifestyles between the Jewish people and Gentiles ( non-Jewish). The word Andrew itself is defined as "manly, or that of a strong man".
  The "inner circle" of the 12 apostles, Peter, James and John...did not include Andrew, although Andrew would be a close 4th in his relationship to the Lord Jesus. Yet, it is not fair to measure people by their acceptance,,,so let it be suffice to say...Jesus loved Andrew as He loved all His 12 disciples...including Judas Iscariot.

 Andrew was one of the first followers of the Lord Jesus, and most likely the first of all the apostles. In fact, Andrew has been referred to as the "Protoklete" (Greek), meaning the first called of all the apostles.
 The Gospel of John reveals Andrew to be a disciple of John the Baptizer. When Andrew heard John the Baptizer confirm Jesus as " the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world"...Andrew was quick and accepted Jesus as his Messiah...his Lord...his King! Add to the fact he spent an afternoon with Christ Jesus, Andrew was equally excited to tell his brother Simon (Peter) the Messiah is now here!
 This appears to be a personality trait of Andrew...to react immediately to hearing something announced. In Mark 3: 13-18 Jesus chose who He felt were the "right guys" to continue His message: " Jesus climbed up the mountainside, and then called those He wanted to be with Him...and they came. Jesus had settled on 12..."The Original" to continue walking with Him...so they might be sent out into the world as His representatives...His "Special Messengers"...who will go out into the world with His Authority....to heal the sick...and to have His power to cast out evil spirits.
 Here then...are "The Original":
 1. Simon ( Jesus changed his name to Peter...meaning "rock").
 2. John (the son of Zebedee).
 3. James ( a brother of John who Jesus nicknamed "the Sons of Thunder").
 4. ANDREW
 5. Phillip
 6. Bartholomew
 7. Matthew
 8. Thomas ( my personal favorite!!)
 9. James ( the son of Alphaeus)
 10. Thaddeus
 11. Simon...the Canaanite
 12. Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed Him).

Andrew seemed to have a passion for meeting the need of others. In John 12:21-22, both Phillip and Andrew asked Jesus: " There were some Greeks in the city of Jerusalem during the Passover, for they had approached Phillip who was also from Bethsaida in Galilee...and they asked him: "Phillip, we would really like to meet Jesus...can you help us?" Phillip came and told Andrew, then Andrew and Phillip together went to to Jesus...and told Him."
 Andrew was quick to want to know what was to happen next...and in Mark 13: 3 it reads: 
 " As Jesus had returned to the Mount of Olives, which had full view of the Temple in Jerusalem, there with Him were Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Andrew called Jesus privately and asked Him: "Tell us, when will we know the end is here?....when the Temple will be destroyed?"

  Early Christian church tradition writes the church leaders desired a 4th Gospel to confirm and write from yet another's view on life...being with Christ Jesus while he was here on earth. Tradition also dictates John and Andrew fasted for 3 days and when John began to write his Gospel from his point of view, John was in consultation with Andrew, so the details of the events would be written accurately. Yet even if this traditional view is true, we must always keep in mind it is the Holy Spirit who inspired each one to write the entire New Testament.

 Early church historians also write that Andrew went and preached the Gospel in Asia Minor, in an area we later know as the "Letters to the 7 churches" in the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. This includes the local early Christian churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyratira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. It is equally written Andrew may have ventured as far into eastern Europe as the Ukraine and the village of Kiev in what we now call Russia.
 Yet, the truth remains we are not completely sure where and what Andrew actually did in his first century culture...and our only reliance is on early church historians and church traditions. The New Testament is simply silent as to where and what Andrew might have done after the Resurrection.

 With our only reliance being on first century historians and early church tradition, it is said Andrew was crucified...in a village called Petras, in the region of Achea in what we now call Turkey. What had happened is Andrew had continued in sharing the Good News of Jesus, and a lady named Maximillia received the Lord Jesus into her heart. The problem was she was the wife of Aegaeas, the governor of the region. He was very enraged about his wife's conversion and threatened Andrew to be crucified on a cross. It is recorded that Andrew responded to the governor's threat with these words: " Had I feared death of the cross, I should not have preached...the very majesty and gloriousness of the...cross of Christ."

 So, Andrew was crucified.

 It is also written Andrew's crucifixion was different than the one Jesus suffered on His cross. 
Andrew requested to be crucified in the shape of an "X" rather than the traditional cross, in honor of Christ Jesus...in respect to his King.
 Andrew was written to have lived for 2 days while on his cross, and spent this time continuing to spread the message of the Lord Jesus...until Andrew passed away. This would not be uncommon in that day to be hung upon the cross and live for a few days...alot of it depending on the severity of how one was put upon a cross.

 What I remember about Andrew is how he worked "behind he scenes" to help others find a better life by receiving Him. Andrew thought of his own brother first after meeting the Lord Jesus, he was involved with the feeding of the 5000, and even his concern for the Greek men wanting to meet Jesus...the true Messiah.

 Other historians report of Andrew spreading the Gospel as far north as Scotland. Today, Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, as well as Russia and Greece as well. The flag of Scotland today...is  the "X" cross of Saint Andrew.

 He seemed to be a man that was excited to meet Jesus from his very early life...and never lost his excitement for Him...throughout his entire life.

"Where did the Apostles go?"....Simon Peter

One of the most popular of the apostles, Simon Peter, called Cephas...one that is perhaps the most written about of all the Apostles in the Sacred Scriptures as well....

 Peter was said to be a son of John (or possibly Jonah) and from Bethsaida, a village in Galilee. Peter had at least one brother whose name was Andrew, and it was Andrew that introduced Peter to Jesus. Both Andrew and Peter were in the fishing business on the Sea of Galilee,  having a type of "corporation" with James and John of Zebedee, who also became Apostles, all being a part of The Original (the 12 disciples).
 Yet it is in the Gospel of John which reveals how Simon's relationship with Christ Jesus began, and how Simon's brother Andrew had a big part in the event. John the Baptizer had been calling people to repent of their lifestyles and be water baptized in the River Jordan, making a public announcement the need for their hearts to change. In John 1, beginning in verse 32 it reads: " John the Baptizer clinched his witness of seeing the Messiah when he spoke and said: " I was there...I saw the Holy Spirit come down from the sky like a dove, and made His home in the very heart of Him! Prior to this, I didn't know for sure, yet when I saw this happen...and let me confirm this with no doubt..."This is the Son of the Living God!" Simon's brother Andrew was there...listening to John the Baptizer as he spoke these words.

 In the first chapter of John the story continues and describes how on the next day John the Baptizer was continuing to baptize those who came for repentance at the River Jordan, when Jesus came...walking up to John the Baptizer and standing at the shore of the River Jordan nearby. It was here that John the Baptizer proclaimed to everyone there: "Here He is...the very Lamb of God...who takes away...the sins of the world!"
 Simon's brother Andrew was there once again...when John the Baptizer made this public announcement.

 It is in John 1:40-41 that describe how "it all went down": " Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the 2 disciples who had heard John the Baptizer's proclamation of the Messiah, now makes a personal decision himself to follow Jesus. After finding out where Jesus lived and spending an afternoon there with Him, Andrew immediately went to find his brother Simon and tell him of the discovery of the True Messiah. When Andrew came up to his brother Simon, he spoke to him and said: "We have found him Simon!...the Messiah!...He lives!...and lives right among us!" Then Andrew took Simon directly to...Jesus!

 John 1;42 then describes how Simon met The Messiah and it reads: "Jesus looked up and said: " You are John's son...Simon isn't it? From now on, I shall call you "Cephas" or "Peter", which being translated means "rock".

 And so began the life of Simon Peter...one of The Original.

 Some historical data report Peter was a rather slender person, a little tall with a light complexion. He was said to have a short curly beard with light eyebrows.
 Peter was born in Bethsaida but later made his home in Capernaum. Peter's home in Capernaum still stands today! What actually happened was in the 5th century a church was built right on and over the home of Peter's. Some unique things written of Peter's home in Capernaum was the fact it was large enough for his brother Andrew to live, Peter's mother-n-law, and some reports indicate Christ Jesus himself might have lived in Peter's home for a time, along with Peter's own wife and children. Peter's home might have been 2 stories high.

 We often think of Peter as the guy who denied Christ Jesus 3 times on the "Night of the Betrayal", yet after Peter received the Holy Spirit, he became outspoken to all in reference to knowing Christ Jesus, and in the end Peter himself was crucified for having a friendship with Him.
 On the "Day of Pentecost" as described in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, it was Peter who stood and spoke to the crowds that had gathered in Jerusalem. This event was only a couple of months after Jesus had resurrected from the grave.
 Peter was instrumental encouraging "The Original" to replace Judas Iscariot with another, and in so doing they chose a man named Matthias to replace Judas. 

 Yet, as Peter continued on his journey through life after the Resurrection, Peter's fame became well known as both a healer and a source of strength for others against the horrors of persecution... because of their belief in Christ Jesus.
 One well known scene is described in Acts 3:6 where John and Peter are passing by a man who could not walk. It is written Peter spoke and said: " We have not at the moment any money with us to give you, yet what I do have is far greater than any amount of money could ever buy! In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,,,Rise up and walk!"
 Some refer to this passage of Scripture as proof Christianity is "the poor man's religion", yet this is not what this Scripture is really saying at all. And yes, while it is true many of the poor give their lives to the Lord Jesus, the message of the Gospel is for all men.
 Later church history records various miraculous healings that took place in Peter's ministry, some writing when the very shadow of Peter would cover someone in need of healing....miracles were performed...in the Name of the One... Peter now spoke of openly to anyone who might listen.
 Peter was also a proponent of Saint Paul and his ministry, and supported Paul in the efforts of introducing the Christian faith to the Gentiles (those not of Jewish origin), in both Jerusalem and other regions as well.

 Numerous times it is written by early historians that Peter was imprisoned in Jerusalem because of his faith and belief in Christ Jesus. It is said Peter, his wife, and others left Jerusalem and were in Babylon for a time to support the Jewish Christians who also had left Jerusalem because of the rise of persecution against the early believers. It is also thought the letter of 1 Peter was written during the time Peter resided in Babylon. 
 Some early historians conclude Peter never really lived in Babylon, but used the term "Babylon" to refer to Rome...a city of deep pagan beliefs. It is unclear whether this is true or not...we will just have to wait till we "get there"...to Heaven to find out what really happened during this time in Peter's life.

 What most historians do conclude is Peter did end up in Rome. The writer of the Gospel of Mark was with Peter during his time in Rome and supported Peter's ministry in whatever capacity he could. Peter was said to have a deep influence on Mark's writing of...the Gospel of Mark.
 The Roman emperor Nero became a major source of persecution against the early Christian church, and was quoted to have said he was "the chief enemy of God". Because of his hatred toward Christians, Nero was committed to the slaughtering of the Apostles of Jesus...including Peter.
 One heart rendering account reads how Peter saw his own wife be led out to die in the arena in Rome, and how she rejoiced on her "going Home". It is written Peter called her by name and spoke "May we always remember...Him!"

 Peter's death in Rome is written to happen in this matter: some reports say Peter was sent to the horrible prison of Manetris for a period of 9 months and was subjected to total darkness including enduring a variety of tortures while in chains. Throughout this intense time of persecution it is also reported Peter brought the Gospel of Christ Jesus to his jailors and they gave their hearts to the Lord Jesus, including the names of Processus and Martinianus. There were a total of 47 jailors and their friends and families who also gave their hearts to the Lord.
 Is this a true story...or just church tradition?...we really don't know.

 What seems to be a general concensus by early historians is the fact Peter was indeed crucified by the emperor Nero while he was in Rome. It is written Peter requested to be crucified with his head down in honor to his king...the Lord Jesus!
 Peter met his death in 67 A.D. in Rome, in a series of events put on in the colisseum arena for the citizens of Rome called "the circus by Nero".

 For myself...I will always remember Peter saying those words when he was with Christ Jesus while He was... one of us. In Saint Matthew 16: 15-16 it reads:
 " But who do YOU say that I Am?" Simon Peter spoke and said: " You are the Christ, our very Messiah, You truly are...the Son of the Living God." 

"Faith has to begin with...His Peace" Philippians 4:6

Worry and fear play important roles in living a Christian life by faith....

 Our minds at times are plagued by various challenges we face in daily life and we find difficulty understanding the present purpose God may have in what we are to do. It is at these times in life the very choices we make are crucial in order for God's power to have an effect and intervene in our time of need." 
 In the New Testament, Saint Paul gives us some specific instruction as to what we are to do. In the letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul writes in chapter 4, verse 6:

" Do not be anxious...about anything! Instead, in every situation, in every circumstance you face in life...concerning anything that concerns you...it is of the utmost you begin...to pray! Allow your petitions, your supplications, coupled with a heart of gratefulness and thanksgiving, give all these concerns, needs, and specific requests to God...let them be made known to God, exchanging all the worries and fear that haunt you presently, and replace them with His Peace. As you continue to practice this in your Christian life, you will find He will become the very center of all that concerns you and you can be at peace, putting your faith and trust in Him."

 In this passage of Scripture, there are 5 specific things that seem to "stick out" as I begin to live a life of faith in Christ Jesus.
 First, the word "pray" or in other translations "prayer". The Greek word for prayer is the word "proseuche". It is a common word used in many of the letters and is found 127 times in the New Testament alone. Actually, the Greek word is a compound word, the first part is "pros"...a preposition meaning to "move toward or get closer", carrying with it the idea of drawing close to a point of being face to face.
 The second part of the word prayer in Greek is the word "euche". This is an ancient word even in the Greek language and is defined as having a wish, a desire, a type of prayer that is sealed with a vow.
 The whole point  seems to me is when we begin to pray or enter into prayer...it begins the exchange: giving to the Lord Jesus our present worries and burdens by faith and receiving from Him...His very Peace. This is where our faith in Him...begins!

 The second word is petition or supplication. The Greek word is "deisis" and means a person who has a need or lack in their life and pleads rather strongly for help in this matter. It has a connotation of being a very passionate request...an immediate request that comes from the heart of the one asking.

 The third word is "thanksgiving". This also is a compound word from the Greek language. The word in Greek is "eucharis", and the first part "eu" simply means good...or all is well. The word "charis" is defined as grace...an in this sense, His Grace. So, putting these two Greek words together is could be viewed as "receiving a portion of God's Grace into our lives that is freely given to us from the very goodness of God Himself. It is an action that comes from the heart, beginning in prayer that is received by Our Father and now as we allow His Peace to enter into us, He assures us He has not only heard our prayer...but will answer our prayer!...all of this stemming from our faith... that begins with our own heart learning to put our trust in Him. Now we give to God a genuine and sincere outpouring of "giving thanks to the Holy One".

 The fourth word is requests....particularly those specific requests. It comes from the Greek word "aiteo" and has the meaning of being very serious in regards to a specific request...even adamant in a respectful manner, letting God know this is a matter of dire interest and really demands His attention. This part of our prayer are coupled with a secure reliance, a type of confidence, and most of all a trust in God that He is even more concerned about our request...than even we are.

 The fifth word in these 2 verses in Philippians is...known. This is the Greek word "gnoridzo" and basically means to "declare something" or to make something "undoubtedly clear". Making something known in this sense is an act of boldness on our part in our prayer, yet it comes from our heart that has been encouraged by God for us to do so...to stand before Him face to face and have the utmost confidence He is totally interested in what we have..."to declare."

 I happen to have a cat named "Bean Dip". She seems to always know when it is time for her to be fed, and will sit on the floor nearby. As I approach her, she continues to sit in the same position with her eyes directly on me as until I am literally standing right over her. She doesn't move, she simply keeps her eyes directly focused on me. She has developed a trust in me...and to be honest...expects me to feed her...without fear... even if she may have knocked something over on a table or counter a few minutes before, she still remains sitting and looking at me with a complete trust I am about to feed her...without reservation.

Hmmm...So maybe "Bean Dip" has a grip on what these verses in Philippians mean too...just sayin.

 I would like to thank Rick Renner and his daily devotional "Sparkling Gems" on helping me to understand and giving insight to these verses.

"Where did the Apostles go?"...John the Apostle

John became a close friend of Jesus, long before John left this world.....

 In John's Gospel, he writes of the close friendship which he cherished between himself and Jesus.
 In the Gospel of John, the only Gospel to write this, John writes:
1. John 13:23 "One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to Him."
2. John 19:26 " When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother: "Dear woman, here is your Son." ( Later Jesus asked John to take care of His mother. Many historians conclude John's mother Salome, was a sister to Mary, the mother of Jesus.)
3. John 21:7 "Then the disciple whom Jesus loved, said to Peter: "It is the Lord!"

 John was the brother of James, the sons of Zebedee, who were fishermen in Galilee. In fact, John, James, Peter, and Andrew along with Zebedee might have been partners in some type of fishing business...fishing on the Sea of Galilee...when they heard His words "Follow Me".
 John became a leading figure in Christianity prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and has been reported to have moved to Ephesus and pastor the local early church in Ephesus. Ephesus is later written of in one of the "7 letters to the churches" in the book of Revelation, and was reprimanded by Jesus for losing their "First Love". John was the writer of this letter as given to Him by Jesus on the island of Patmos.

 John seemed to have had good relationships with other early Christian churches throughout the region of Asia Minor, and is indicated through the writings to the 7 churches in the book of Revelation.
 While John's brother James was the first to die as one of The Original in 44 A.D., John was the last apostle to die of The Original, and perhaps died peacefully in Ephesus around 100 A.D. Church tradition writes that Jesus mother Mary may also had been with John for a time in Ephesus.

 While John was a pastor in Ephesus, it was here he ran into problems with the Roman Emperor Domitian, who demanded the worship of himself as a Roman god. Christians could not do that, for their belief was there was only one God, the Lord Jesus Christ. As I have wrote previously, Christians would not suffer harm if they acknowledged other gods within their culture along with their belief in Christ Jesus, Christians would suffer harm if they only acknowledged one God...that being the Lord Jesus Christ.
 The result of this confrontation  was John was sent to the island of Patmos, an island where criminals of the Empire were sent to serve time.

 There is an interesting story about John at the time of his prison sentence given by the Roman emperor Domitian. Ancient historians of that era including Pliny and Tacitus describe the conditions at the island of Patmos. Yet there is another story which is not recorded in the Scriptures, but has been passed down through church tradition. The story goes like this:
 Before the sentencing of John to the island of Patmos, the emperor Domitian had sentenced the Apostle John to be boiled in oil. During that period of history the use of hot oil was a common torture as well as military tactics when engaging with their enemies ( soaking animal fats and hides with hot oil and having them fired upon their enemy). The thing about boiling oil is the temperature of boiling oil is much higher than that of water (212 degrees Fahrenheit). Boiling oil could range from olive oil at 375 degrees to sunflower oil at 510 degrees.
  John was said to have been put into boiling oil and came out totally unharmed. Because of this miracle, many around him were convinced the God John believed in was the True God, and as a result...many came to the Lord. As a result, John was sentenced to the island of Patmos for a time. Turtullian, a 2nd century theologian, writes of this event in "The Prescription Against Heretics" in chapter 36. In the book by John Foxe on "Martyrs" also makes mention of this event. 
 Is it true? No one really knows...yet church tradition has passed this on...

 What we do know is John was sentenced to the island of Patmos. Patmos was an island approximately 30 miles in circumference that was off the west coast of Asia Minor in the Aegean Sea. The word Patmos is translated "my killing" and was a sterile island. A sterile island is one that is unable to produce offspring (like crops) with no fruits or vegetables able to grow because of it's rocky terrain.
 Patmos was used to sentence criminals, and it was here they worked in mines under harsh conditions. The only positive thing that was noted at that time in regards to Patmos is the beauty of it's sunrise and sunsets. Since that time of the Roman Empire, Patmos has gone through numerous changes and there are communities that live there today.
 It was here...in Patmos that John wrote the book of Revelation, in what is called the "Cave of the Apocalypse" in the latter part of the first century. John also wrote the Gospel of John as well as first, second, and third John which are all a part of the New Testament...yet written at earlier dates prior to the book of Revelation.

 Historians write John was eventually released from the island of Patmos, most likely after the death of Domitian as the Roman Emperor ( he was emperor for 15 years before being killed), and John is said to have returned to Ephesus. One early historian writes: "Founded and built churches throughout all of Asia, and wore out by old age, John died in the sixty-eighth year after the Lord's Passion, and was buried near the same city of Ephesus".

 One other church tradition writes of John in his late age while in Ephesus. It is written he had become quite weak and had to be carried to the church. John would often repeat the phrase, "Little children, love one another"...until one asked John, "Why John,,,why do you keep saying this?" John was said to reply, "If you are able to do this one thing...it is enough."
 Whether this is a valid story or not, again, who really knows.

 What we do know....John loved this man he met at the shore of the Sea of Galilee...and responded to those words "Follow Me"...the very Messiah...the Son of God!

"Where did all the Apostles go?"...James the Apostle

Have you been to a reunion...happy to see an old school mate, a member of a sports team, or a college friend? You greet one another, hug, and sit and catch up on all the latest news about families, employment, where they live, etc.
 How about Jesus...and His close friends?...the 12 disciples...did they have a reunion? Well, yes they have...but it is a little different than what we think of reunions. The reunion of Jesus and His disciples didn't take place...till after they had all died. The 12 disciples...whom I will call "The Original".....

                                                "Where did the Apostles go?"

" The Sacred Scriptures only record what happened to 2 of The Original, one being Judas Iscariot and we know of his hanging himself after taking the money from Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and led them to the "Night of Betrayal".

 The other apostle...his name is James.

 In church history, we have a number of historians that report of what happened to The Original. Early Church Fathers like Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, Origin of Alexandria, and Alexander of Jerusalem wrote of what may have happened. Although their Christian beliefs varied, there are common denominators that appear in their early writings that seem to give a little light to what may have happened to these men...who answered the call "Follow Me".

 James was the first martyr of The Original, and the second martyr recorded in the Scripture after the death of Stephen...for making Jesus their Lord.
 James was not only one of The Original, he was one of what many historians refer to as "the inner circle", 3 disciples that seemed to have a close relationship with Jesus that included James, his brother John, and Peter.
 James was fishing with his brother John on the Sea of Galilee when he heard those words.."Follow Me". James was probably the older brother of the two simply because his name is mentioned first before John.
 Because of James being a part of "the inner circle", he saw things others did not. He saw the daughter of a man named Jarius...raised from the dead ( Mark 5:37-47). He saw The Transfiguration in Matthew 17: 1-3, and he was there at the Garden of Gethsemane on the Night of the Betrayal (Matthew 26: 36-37).
 Yet, not unlike any one of us, James had issues as well when it came to following Jesus...he didn't always "get it". In the Scriptures there is a story about a village in Samaria who did not want to follow Jesus, so both James and John thought Jesus should "call down the thunder"...right on this Samaritan village. They wanted Him to call on Heaven to make one straight shot...from Heaven to this Samaritan village because they refused Him. In fact James and John got a nickname from their outburst...they were called "the sons of thunder".

 Yet it was James, after the death of Stephen that was first to say "good-bye" to this world. James had become a leader in the Early Church in Jerusalem, and spoke boldly about Christ Jesus. The Jewish community was extremely upset for him continuing to spread "this heresy", the Jews thinking Christianity would die off after the crucifixion of Christ Jesus...but it did not, instead, it spread throughout the countryside. King Herod Agrippa I ordered James to be put to death by the sword in 44 A.D., a time when the Early Church was beginning to be hated by many...because in their belief that "Jesus is their only Lord".
  The death of James is recorded in Acts 12:1-2.

The Early Church had begun...and there was much more to come....