12 ordinary men 1-10 - suntree united methodist church sonlight/12 ordinary men 1-10.pub.pdf · but...

T he twelve disciples of Jesus Christ: Who were these men, these disciples, these apostles, these followers of Jesus Christ? They weren’t saints. They weren’t scholars. They weren’t even religious sages! Most weren’t educated beyond their ability to earn a living. What is most amazing about the disciples is that Jesus ever selected them at all!

So, if all of this is what they weren’t, what were they?

They were all Israelites, Jews. They were common, everyday working people, first century blue collar people whom you

wouldn’t notice on the street when they passed you by!

They were hopelessly human & unremarkable. They were ordinary men. Matthew tells us that Simon, called Peter, was a fisherman, as was his brother Andrew (4:20). Two other brothers, James, son of Zebedee, and his brother

John were also fishermen.

Matthew also tells us when Jesus called them, “and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him (4:22).”

These four humble fishermen, without thought or consequence, dropped what they were doing and immediately followed Je-sus even though they did not know him or his mission or what was expected of them! They were obedient to the Master’s call.

Compare their actions to that of the rich young man of Mat-thew, (19:16–23). When he asked Jesus, “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Jesus told him “to obey the commandments.”

The man bargained, “Which ones?” Jesus named for him

the commandments and once again the young man sought to bargain saying, “All of these I have kept, what do I still lack?” When Jesus told him to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, the young man went away sad because he had great wealth and wasn’t willing to part with it, even for eternal life!

So in one instance, we see immediate obedience to the Lord’s calling, and in another, debate, bargaining, and a total lack of commitment.

In the early days of Jesus’ ministry, there may have been a lot of “rich young men”, as well as those who weren’t well off, who wanted to follow the Master but found it just too tedious, too demanding, too tiresome or too much effort.

Jesus, however, wanted everyone to come to his

Continued on page 4...

�� Part I

By John Nelson

With this edition of Sonlight, contributing writer John Nelson begins a series titled, “Twelve Ordinary Men.”

Over the next few months Sonlight readers will experience a unique perspective about some extraordinary-ordinary men. Who were they? What do we really know about them?

So, sit back and enjoy!

Thank you, John, for giving Sunlight readers an opportunity to get up close and personal with the men who were called to be disciples.

- Editor

The calling of Peter and Andrew

The calling of Matthew

...Continued from page 3 ministry. Matthew was sitting in the tax collector’s booth when Jesus passed by. He said simply, “Follow me” (Matt: 9:9) “and Matthew got up and followed him.”

At this point in the Gospels, we don’t know for sure how the other seven came to be disciples of Jesus. They may have been like the rich young man, but with a different commitment. You can rest assured there was no bargaining, nor were legal contracts made concerning what their duties would be or how long they would have to follow the Master. But Mat-thew tells us their names (10:2-4): Philip and Bartholo-mew (Nathanael), most proba-bly fishermen; Thomas and James, son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus (Judas, not Iscar-iot) - also, most probably a fisherman. There was also Simon the Zealot. These eleven were from Galilee.

Then there was Judas

Iscariot who probably came from Keriothhezron, a humble town south of Judea.

Apparently then, most were common fishermen, one a hated tax collector, another an impulsive political zealot and even a betrayer. Most probably during his ministry Jesus had disciples come and go so that the numbers of His disciples fluctuated up and down. But these twelve were devoted to him and stayed with him during the years of his ministry, and, except for one, followed his resurrection and ascension.

What qualified these men to be disciples/apostles? No intrinsic ability or understand-ing of their own. They were not of the elite. In their day, they were considered low-class, rural, uneducated peo-ple; commoners, nobodies.

But worthless nobodies are just the kind of people God uses. Each was chosen by Jesus. He knew all of their

faults before choosing them, and yet he chose them anyway. That they were able to continue his ministry after his ascension shows the genius of His selection.

God chooses the humble, the lowly, so that there is never any doubt where the power comes from. It is not the man but the power of God in man.

So these are the 12 ordinary men (plus a few others, Mat-thias, John Mark, Barnabas, John the Baptist, Luke, Laza-rus and Paul [Saul]) we will be looking at during this series.

I hope to be able to use them and their lives, their faith, their faults and their failings to show that we too can be effective followers of Jesus, just ordinary men and women. Material for this article has been borrowed from the Holy Bible (ESV), Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur and The Search of the Twelve Apostles, by William McBirnie.

��

I have titled this article “Simon-Peter” because throughout the Gospels he is the disciple referred to sometimes as Simon, sometimes as Simon-Peter and sometimes as Peter. How the Lord referred to him depended on his actions and especially his attitude.

When he was being rebuked, it was Simon. When he was being instructed or praised, it was Simon- Peter. When he got it right, showed leadership, or had faith, it was Peter. All of this was part of his training to make certain he became the leader that Jesus wanted him to be.

Jesus took Simon the fisherman and molded him to be Peter the Apostle (Cephas in Aramaic and Petros in Greek means Peter or rock. It is more a nickname than a formal name, although that is what it became.)

“It was upon this rock, this Peter in whom God resided, that Jesus chose to build his church.” (Matthew 16:18).

In the Gospels (Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:14-16

and in Acts 1:11), the disciples are named in three groups of four. It is interesting to note that the lists in each group - except for the first name - vary from author to author.

They are Peter, Andrew, James, and John in the first group. Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew in the second group. James (son of Alpaeus), Thaddeus

(Lebbaeus), Simon (Judas, not Iscariot) and Judas Iscariot in the third group.

It appears that the first one named is the leader of each group (Peter, Philip, and James) and in all instances, Peter leads

the list of all 12 disciples (just as Judas Iscariot is always listed at the bottom of each and every last group.)

Peter wasn’t the first disciple called. John, James and Andrew were the first men actually called to follow Jesus Christ. Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus later that same day (John 1:41-42). Even though he was not the first to be called, it was Simon

who would be first of the twelve both during and after Jesus’ stay on earth. Matthew (10:2) tells us, “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon who is called Peter.” So it is evident that Jesus chose him to be the spokesman and leader of the twelve. Why?

Only Jesus is mentioned by name more than Peter in the Gospels. Peter speaks more than any other disciple and is spoken to by the Lord more often than the others. Although other disciples are rebuked by the Lord, none more so than Peter. None of the disciples ever rebukes the Lord save Peter and he is the only one Christ ever addressed as Satan (Matthew 16: 22-23)!

So what was there in Simon that Jesus saw which would make him choose this man above all others to lead this very ordinary, extraordinary group? What traits did the fisherman called Simon possess which could make him a Peter?

Jesus saw in Simon those inbred raw materials, those qualities which could be

This is part 2 in a continuing series. If you have not read part 1 and would like to, contact the church office or go online to wwwsuntreeumc.org to “Sonlight Archives.

�� Part II: Simon-Peter

By John Nelson

molded and shaped to make a great leader. He was inquisitive and he wanted answers. By acquiring answers he gained knowledge. Good leaders need to know what they are about and what is about them.

He had initiative. Leaders, by definition, are good followers with the drive, ambition and energy to break away from the pack. Look in the Gospels and you will see that not only did Peter ask questions, he was often the first to provide answers to questions posed by Jesus. When Jesus asked, “What do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” it was Peter declaring, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:12-17). Some-times he was off base, most often he got it right.

This brings us to the third characteristic of Peter which made him a good leader. He was involved.

When Jesus came to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee during a violent storm, Peter was the only one who jumped out of the boat! The others were debating whether or not they saw a ghost, but Peter acted! Jesus simply said “come” and Peter went (Matthew 14:26-28).

Many criticize Peter for his lack of faith, probably because of Jesus saying “Oh you of little faith, why did you

doubt” (verse 31). But he showed great faith by jumping into the water and walking toward Christ in the first place, thereby showing his true involvement. Then at the Lord’s betrayal, even though he denied Jesus three times, he still had enough faith and involvement to follow his Master to the High Priest’s house to see what would become of him (John 18:15). This was after the others, save John had fled.

Jesus was harsh with Simon whom he called Peter, his rock. He had to be. Think about it, Simon’s time in discipleship was less than half

of what a seminarian receives today! Yet he was called to lead the very beginnings of Christianity!

We know in hindsight what kind of a leader Peter became, yet Jesus knew his

heart and spirit and selected Simon with all his physical failings and faults to build his church. When the test came at Pentecost, it was Peter who stood up and took the lead for which he had been trained. When told that “God had made Jesus both Lord and Christ” the Israelites were “cut to the heart and cried

‘what can we do?’” It was Peter who stood up and told them to turn to God and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so their sins would be forgiven and to accept the gift

of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:36-40). Again, when confronted by the Sadducees, it was Peter who stood up to address the crowd (Acts 4: 1-8).

Having been shaped by Jesus, Simon emerged from being an eager, aggressive, bold and outspoken disciple into a submissive, restrained, humble and loving Apostle.

Peter survived Jesus by about 35 years. His primary ministry was to the Jews but, as the leader of the church, he also opened the way for Gentiles. He was imprisoned in Rome at a place called Tullian. For nine months he was manacled in an upright position, chained to a column, unable to lie down. Even here, however, he converted his jailers and 47 others to Christianity. In 67 A.D. he was crucified upside down at his own request because he felt he was still unworthy to die as Christ had.

Material for this article has been borrowed from the Holy Bible (ESV), Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur and

The Search of the Twelve Apostles, by William McBirnie

��

It is widely believed that Andrew was the first disciple called by Jesus.

He was a companion and friend of John, brother of James and son of Zebedee. Andrew and John were disciples of John the Baptist and their first encounter with Jesus was the day after Jesus’ baptism. They were standing next to John the Baptist when Jesus approached and John said “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:35-36). The men immediately left John’s side and began to follow Jesus (verse 37).

Soon after, Andrew sought out his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus (verses 41-42). This is the crux of the discipleship and ministry of Andrew.

As the least known of the four disciples in this lead group, Andrew is left in the background for most of the Gospels. He is mentioned only nine times (when not counted in with all twelve) and the scriptures don’t mention him at all after Pentecost. Yet he must have had a close and very personal relationship with Jesus because he was the conduit through which others were personally introduced to Christ.

The four disciples in this first group - Simon, Andrew, James and John - were no doubt lifelong friends and

shared a common spiritual interest as well.

Simon was clearly the most dominant and generally the spokesman for the twelve - sometimes whether the others liked it or not! He was also, clearly, selected by Jesus to be the de facto leader. There was a bit of tension in this group primarily because each wanted to be the leader. Their eagerness to be first led to many clashes when they were together as a group. However, it was this very eagerness and ambition which became so valuable when they went their separate ways as Apostles. Jesus saw this raw material and used it to train them for the roles they would play in the early church. For this reason they are mentioned as the foundation of the church with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).

There was Simon, who tended to be impetuous and often said the wrong thing at the wrong time. He was also brash, clumsy, hasty and impulsive. James and John have been nicknamed the Sons of Thunder because of their reckless tendencies. It was they who provoked many of the arguments about who was the greatest (Luke 22:24). Andrew, on the other hand always seems to say the right thing. Search the

scriptures and you will not find any place where dishonor is attached to his name.

Of the four in this first, inner circle, Andrew was the least conspicuous. He lived his life in the shadow of his more outspoken brother. One would expect to find a sibling rivalry in this situation, but events indicate this was not the case. Knowing full well Simon’s penchant to take over, Andrew, without hesitation, brought Simon to Jesus when he first learned He was the Messiah! The

This is part 3 in a continuing series. If

you have not read the other parts and would

like to, contact the church office or go online to wwwsun-

treeumc.org to “Sonlight Archives.

�� Part III: Andrew

By John Nelson

scriptures demonstrate that Andrew had the right temperament for an effective, in-the-background, ministry. He was content to do what he could, given the gifts God had provided him, and he allowed others to do the same.

Andrew did make mistakes, all of the disciples did, but none where his name is expressly mentioned. He was driven by a passion for truth, was a very devout man, and he was an effective leader even though he was seldom in the limelight. He certainly never sought it.

Andrew recognized the value of the individual. Whenever Andrew is mentioned in the Gospels, he is introducing someone to Jesus. The first, as we have already seen, was his brother. It was Andrew who brought the boy with the five loaves and two fish to the Master (John 6:9). This when the other disciples were trying to figure out how to feed the 5,000 or plotting to send them home!

When the Greeks talked about meeting Jesus, Philip came to Andrew for direction (John 12:20-22). In Philip’s mind these men were Gentiles who, maybe, Jesus didn’t want to bother with. Andrew knew that Jesus welcomed all persons to his ministry and with Philip took them to Christ.

He was not confused when someone wanted to meet Jesus, he just took them to Him. He was comfortable with Jesus because he knew He

wanted to meet everyone (John 6:37). In Andrew, then, we have the very first home missionary (to the Jews) when he brought his bother Simon to Jesus, and we have the very first foreign missionary (to the Gentiles) when he brought the Greeks to Jesus!

Peter and Andrew used very different methods to bring seekers to Christ. Peter preached at Pentecost and 3,000 were saved (Acts 2:41). There is absolutely no record of Andrew ever addressing any crowd. But, if he hadn’t brought his brother Simon to Jesus, Peter would not have had the opportunity to address that crowd!

It was Andrew’s individual act which led to the conversion of the man who preached at Pentecost! Much of the success Peter enjoyed was ultimately due to Andrew’s faithful witness.

Andrew’s legacy is that he saw the value of insignificant gifts and inconspicuous service. People like Andrew may be the ones who accomplish the most for the Lord, not seeking recognition except to hear the Lord say, “well done, good and faithful steward.”

Andrew survived Jesus by about 37 years. His ministry took him to Scythia (modern day Russia) and Byzantium

(modern day Turkey), then finally to Patrae, a city of Achaia (Greece/Macedonia). He was martyred by Aaegaas, the proconsul of Achaia after ordering him to forsake his religion or be tortured. They debated the issue, Aaegaas urging Andrew not to lose his life, Andrew begging Aaegaas not to lose his soul. He was crucified by being tied to an X shaped cross. Tying him up rather than nailing him to the cross prolonged his suffering by two or more days. He died on the last day of November, 69 A.D. To this day, the X- shaped cross is known as the Cross of St. Andrew. Early Christians moved the remains of martyrs as a common practice to protect them from non-believers and marauding armies. Between his death and the 13th century, Andrew’s remains were moved from Patrae to Constantinople to Italy to be placed in the Cathedral of Amalfi where they are today.

��

Material for this article has been borrowed from the Holy Bible (ESV), Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur and The Search for the Twelve Apostles by William McBirnie

If we learned little of Andrew from the scriptures, we know still less of James from that source. We do know that he was the elder brother of John, also of the inner circle.

James was partnered with Simon and Andrew, along with John and his father Zebedee in a fishing business in Galilee. Actually, it may have been Zebedee who started the business and then brought the others into it.

They must have thrived because they employed many fishermen among several boats (Mark 1:20). That Zebedee and his family were well to do & quite well known could also account for the fact that John got a pass for Peter to be admitted to the Chief Priest’s house when Jesus was arrested (John 18:15-16).

James, unlike John, was most likely not a disciple of John the Baptist although he was devout and shared the spiritual interests of his brother. As the eldest son of a prominent family, James may have thought he should play the dominant role among the disciples. However, he never did take first place except in one instance. He was the first of the twelve to be martyred. He also shares the distinction of being one of only two of the

original twelve disciples to have their deaths recorded in the Bible, James (in Acts 12:1-2) and the other, Judas Iscariot (in Matthew 27:5 and Acts 1:18.)

Like the other three of the inner circle, James was brash, impetuous, eager and aggressive. We know he had a fiery and vehement disposition. He has also been described as having a personality which was zealous, passionate and fervent. It was Jesus himself who gave the nickname “Sons of Thunder” to James & John, evidence of James’ zeal and temper, & perhaps of Jesus' sense of humor (Mark 3:17). However, that Jesus saw in

James someone he could train and mold for a greater good is unmistakable. Along with Peter and John, it was James that Jesus permitted to go with him when he raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead (Mark 5:37). The same

three disciples witnessed the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1). James - with

Peter, Andrew and John -questioned the Master on the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:3). Once again in the Garden of Gethsemane James was included with only two others to pray with Jesus (Mark 14:33). So James was present during four of Jesus’ primary moments in his ministry. James saw His power to heal and raise the dead, His glory when he was transfigured, His sovereignty on the Mount of Olives and His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Surely this was meant to help equip and strengthen James for his own suffering & martyrdom.

Unlike Simon and Andrew, the brothers James and John did display a sibling rivalry. A large part of the story of James, and indeed all of the disciples, was the ongoing dispute about who would be the greatest. We include it here in James’ story because

most likely he and John, along with their mother

Salome, were the instigators of the dispute. It no doubt arose when Jesus answered Peter’s question (Matthew 19:27) concerning what they should have since they gave up everything to follow Him. Jesus said, “Truly I say to

This is part 4 in a continuing series. If you have not read the other parts and would like to, contact the church office or go online to www.suntreeumc.org to “Sonlight Archives.”

�� Part IV: James Bar-Zebedee

By John Nelson

Peter, Jesus, and James

you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on the glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Is (Matthew 19:28) Now, Jesus was quick to add, “Many who are first will be last, & the last first” (verse 30). Of course, with their fiery temperaments and overeagerness, what James and John heard was the promise of the thrones! According to Matthew it was Salome who interceded for her sons as to who would sit at the right and left hand of Jesus (Matthew 20:21-22). Jesus, of course, did not make any such promise but he did assure them that they would be baptized with the same baptism he was about to undergo! (Verse 23)

Not unlike many who pray, James - in asking for what he wanted - was given what he needed. He wanted glory; Jesus gave him suffering. He wanted power; he received servanthood. He wanted to rule; Jesus gave him a sword, the instrument of his own destruction. He wanted a place of eminence; he received a martyr’s grave. His Apostleship lasted about 12 years after the Last Supper.

It is significant that James was the first of the Apostles to be killed. He was still a man of passion but his passion was under the control of the Holy Spirit, where he was so successful in the spread of the Gospel it roused the ire of Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:1-2).

At that point in time, James was right where he had always wanted to be. Where Jesus had trained him to be - in the front rank of the army of the Gospel as it advanced and grew. His passion was empowered by the Holy Spirit

into a useful instrument in the hands of God for spreading the word of the Kingdom. At last he had learned to use his gifts for the glory of the Lord rather than his own. He was the first of the Apostles to die for the new church, he had drunk the cup Jesus promised him (Matthew 20:23).

After Pentecost James traveled far and wide, but returned to Jerusalem. There is some evidence that his apostleship took him to the area of Spain soon after the Resurrection where he spread the good word.

He was murdered by King Herod Agrippa I, about the year 44 AD, by being run through with a sword (although some historians say he was beheaded with a sword). As an aside, it is interesting to note that King Herod Agrippa I was the

grandson of Herod the Great who tried to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:13), nephew of Herod Antipas who killed John the Baptist (Mark 6:27), examined Jesus on Good Friday (Luke 23:9), and was father of Herod Agrippa II

who heard the defense of Paul before Festus (Acts 25:22). In order to protect the remains of James, it is widely believed that his followers took parts of his remains to Spain

to protect them from unbelievers, where they rest to this day at Compestela. It is further believed that other parts of his remains are still in Jerusalem where he was initially interred. Unfortunately, these stories are based on postulation; there is no definitive proof of where the remains of James are interred. James’ legacy, not his remains, is what is important and is a lesson for us all. Once empowered by the Holy Spirit, he learned to use his gifts for the glory of the Lord rather than his own. In this manner he became an effective spokesman for Jesus Christ.

��


Of the twelve disciples, we know the most about John. This is largely because he wrote five books of the New Testament, including the Gospel of John, three Epistles and Revelation - the only book of its kind in the New Testament. John did all of his writing in his old age between 90 and 98 AD.

We also know John from the book of Acts and the other Gospels, and have seen that his temperament was similar to that of his brother James, although probably not quite as intense. How did this young disciple known as “Son of Thunder” become the Apostle of Love?

When John is mentioned in the Gospels he is aggressive, self-assertive, and full of impertinent intolerance. For example, in Luke 9:49 and Mark 9:38, John forbids a man to cast out demons in Jesus’ name only because he was not one of the Twelve! This showed an elitism and lack of love for people. Yet as with the other disciples, Jesus saw in John something he could shape and mold into a leader.

We know Jesus held John in high esteem because He entrusted John with the care of His own mother (John 19:26-27). And, as we have already seen in James’ story, he witnessed Jesus’ primary moments in ministry - when

Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mark 5:37), when he was transfigured (Matthew 17:1), His preaching on the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:3), and when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33).

John saw first hand Jesus’ power to heal and raise the dead, His glory at the transfiguration, His sovereignty on the Mount of Olives and His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

John’s change from intoler-ance and assertiveness to love and servitude probably started after he witnessed the transfiguration. During the descent from the mountain, Jesus commanded the disci-

ples to tell no one what they had seen (Mark 9:9-10). Can you

imagine how hard that must have been for these three men, who were always arguing about who was the greatest? This is probably the best example of why Jesus spent so much time teaching all of the disciples humility (Mark 9:35).

Even then, however, they could not see what Jesus was teaching them - He had been sent to serve.

Jesus repeated this lesson again and again, as when He washed their feet (John 13:3-17). It was in all of these lessons that John eventually transitioned from elitism to servitude. He filled a unique role in the early church and his personal influence was stamped on the church for all time.

John learned to balance truth and love. One only has to read the second Epistle of John to see this. The first half is all about love; the second half is about truth. But truth and love alone were not enough. John learned to balance ambition and humility. Again, using the example of John and James’ desire to be seated in places of honor, Jesus showed them that ambition can be a good thing if it is channeled properly. Jesus sought to show them that their error

This is part 5 in a continuing series. If you have not read the other parts and would like to, contact the church office or go online to wwwsuntreeumc.org to “Sonlight Archives.”

�� Part V: John

By John Nelson

was in desiring the position rather than earning it in order to be worthy of the position.

Ambition needs to be tempered by humility. Jesus showed that only the highest positions in His kingdom are reserved for those who are humble on earth (Mark 10:42-45).

Finally, John’s growth was complete when he learned to balance suffering and glory. Of the saved Disciples, only John lived to old age. He alone (except maybe Matthew) did not suffer a martyr’s death. It may have been divine design that John live to old age (John 21:21-23). After all, he didn’t receive the vision to write Revelation until about 98 AD, fully 66 years after Jesus’ Resurrection.

John was no stranger to suffering, far from it. When his brother James was martyred, he suffered much grief and pain. As the final Apostle of the original Twelve, he felt earthly anguish (not unlike many today who outlive family and peers). He suffered long after the others had found their glory.

While he was the pastor of the church at Ephesus, the Roman Emperor, Domitian, ruthlessly persecuted anyone who refused to worship the Roman Goddess Diana (also known by the Greek name Artemis). Because John refused to turn from Christ, Domitian had him banished to

the penal island of Patmos. He was imprisoned in a cave and it was here he described the visions found in the Book

of Revelation. John had learned to bear suffering. His only reference to his problems is when referring to himself as “…your brother and compan-ion in the tribulation and the kingdom and patient endur-ance of Jesus…” (Revelation 1:9). It is obvious he had reconciled himself to looking forward to the day when he would come to the promised glory of the kingdom. It is also evident that John, with the help of the Holy Spirit, learned his lessons to be a humble and loving servant to

Jesus’ satisfaction. This may have been another reason Jesus entrusted him with the care of His own mother (John 19:26-27). Records of the early church confirm that John never left the care of Mary un-til she died.

There is a persistent story concerning John’s old age, given to us by Jerome (more about Jerome when we get to the Disciple Thaddaeus). He was very frail and had to be carried to church meetings. One phrase always on his tongue was, “My little chil-dren, love one another.” When asked why he always said this he would reply, “Because my Lord com-manded it (John 13:34), and if this alone be done, it is enough.”

John survived Jesus by about 68 years and died a natural death about 100 AD. Curi-ously, the remains of all the other saved Apostles - including those of Mathias, Luke, John, Mark and Paul - have purportedly been found, and to this day are venerated in Middle Eastern and Euro-pean Churches and Cathe-drals. The tomb of John (which is near Ephesus) has been located and positively identified, but no remains or relics of the Apostle John have ever been identified!

��


Before we get into the life and times of Philip, let’s briefly review why Jesus needed the disciples and why he choose those that he did. As we have seen so far, the group he selected was unexceptional and of average ability. However, He concluded that they would do!

The task Jesus was giving all of them was daunting. These twelve men were destined, after His death and resurrection, to be His agents with the full power to speak and act in His behalf (Matthew 18:18-20).

The first four, who made up the inner circle, were full of drive, ambition and energy; the remaining eight, not so much. They too had their faults and failings, making them only slightly different from the inner circle of four.

Philip was the leader of the next group of four. He was a student of the Old Testament, which he interpreted literally, and a believer in the Messiah. We know that his spiritual side, his heart, was true even if his faith was weak.

We all know people like Philip. When describing his personality, Philip is referred to as a pragmatist, focused on

facts and figures, went by the book, practical, and not a very forward thinking type of individual. He was narrow- focused, often times missing the big picture. He could readily identify reasons not to do something rather than find the one way something could be done. Philip was a cynic to the point of being a defeatist; he was not a visionary.

But Philip had a seeking heart - the heart of an evangelist - even though his faith was weak. After all, he was in the wilderness in the first place, seeking out John the Baptist.

Philip was actually the very first disciple sought out by Jesus (John 1:43), rather than him seeking the Lord, and his first action upon meeting Jesus was to find his friend Nathanael and tell him about the Messiah (John 1:45). In spite of his failings and faults, Jesus saw the positive part of Philip, his seeking heart, and

knew that he could mold and shape this man to his ministry.

The gifts that Philip possessed were used by Jesus to shape the early church and help it grow. Often we have seen that God uses weaker individuals so that all will know it is not the man doing the deed, but God in man doing the deed. This is

clearly illustrated in the discipleship and the apostolic ministry of Philip!

We are given three instances of the character of Philip and Jesus’ training (the Bible says testing) of him in the Gospel of John. At the feeding of the 5000 when Jesus looked up and saw the throng, he singled out Philip and asked, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat (John 6:5)? It appears that Philip was the disciples’ administrator (a task he was well suited for), responsible for the group’s logistics and arranging for meals and lodging. John also tells us that Jesus knew exactly what He was going to do (verse 6). But as part of Philip’s growth, He tested him to see if he was willing to take a leap of faith! And Philip, the ever-practical bean counter answered Him, “Two Hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little” (verse 7).

This is part 6 in a continuing series. If you have not read the other parts and would like to, contact the church office or go online to wwwsuntreeumc.org to “Sonlight Archives.”

�� Part VI — Philip

By John Nelson

(Material for this article has been borrowed from the Holy Bible (ESV), Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur and The Search for the Twelve Apostles by William McBirnie.)

Instead of seeing the spiritual opportunity, Philip only saw the difficult task. Because of the difficulty, he was pessimistic. This is why we say his faith was weak.

The next incident was the visitation by the Greeks. The visiting Greeks most likely sought out Philip to request from him an introduction to Jesus because Philip identified himself as a “Hellenist”. His was a Greek name, rather than a Hebrew name and he spoke Greek. For these reasons, it is natural that he was the disciple they sought to ask their favor.

Now, Philip may have remembered that, on one occasion when Jesus sent those out, He said, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 10:5-6).

This was not meant to prohibit Gentiles from ever being introduced to Jesus, only to set the normal priority of His ministry. (Remember, it was Jesus who identified himself first to a Samaritan woman [John 4:26]). But in Philip’s ordered mind, there was no protocol for introducing Gentiles to Jesus and he wasn’t about to do anything unconventional. He had a good heart, though, and took the Greeks to Andrew.

We can assume Jesus received the Greeks because scripture tells us Andrew took Philip and “went and told

Jesus” (John 12:20-22) and also because previously Jesus had said “the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37).

In the Upper Room at the Last Supper, Jesus knows that this is the eve of His passion. He knows the formal training of His disciples is over and yet their faith was still weak. This was particularly true of Philip. Everything he taught them

appears to have gone unheeded. Jesus’ heart was heavy because he knew they were ill-prepared from a human perspective. He wanted to comfort them and encourage them about the Holy Spirit.

He began by telling them not to be troubled (John 14:1-2), He promised to return (verse 3) and He told them there really was a Heaven (verse 4). They were still slow to learn (verse 5) and Jesus showed them the way (verse 6). He decided to get very explicit and in verse 7 - in the clearest language possible - He told them He was God! “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father

also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” It couldn’t have been clearer and yet Philip speaks up: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us” (verse 8).

Jesus replied, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’ “ (verse 9)? For emphasis, Jesus makes it very clear in verses 10-20!

Jesus knew and accepted Philip anyway; He still saw usefulness in the heart of Philip. Jesus knew it was only the reality of the facts which clouded his faith, not that which was in his heart.

We know that through the Holy Spirit, Philip overcame his human tendencies and grew mightily in his faith. He was greatly used in the spread of the early church. (However, do not confuse the Evangelist Philip [Acts 8-26 and Acts 8:40], with the Apostle Philip; they are not the same man.) The Apostle Philip spread the word in southern Russia and Asia Minor.

He was stoned and crucified at Hierapolis, Phrygia (Asia Minor) 14 years after Jesus’ death, about the year 46 AD, having brought a multitude to believe in Jesus. Pope John III acquired Philip’s body and had it interred in Rome in a place known as “The Church of the Apostles.”

��

Matthew, Mark and Luke, in their lists of the Twelve, refer to him as Bartholo-mew, but John calls him Nathanael (John 1:45).

Bartholomew is a Hebrew surname meaning “son of Tolmai.” Nathanael means “God has given.” So he is known as Nathanael Bar-Tolmai. John may have called him Nathanael instead of Bartholomew because the two of them grew up as friends and so it would be only natural to refer to 'a friend' by his first name. Names are important and it is good to know the meaning of his, but we need to look deeper into the character of the man.

Nathanael was a Galilean from the small village of Cana (John 21:2), which is also the site of Jesus’ very first miracle (John 2:11). He was skilled in several languages and has been described as honest, prayerful, friendly and cheerful. He has been called “an authentic Jew, one of the true spiritual offspring of Abraham.”

There was no hypocrisy in him. This was unusual and rare in the first century. He was a true disciple from the start. However, like the rest of the disciples, he had his very

human failings in abundance. He was filled with a bigotry and prejudice common to the time.

As we have already seen, it was Philip who brought Nathanael to Jesus. They were probably close friends and students of the Old Testament who shared a desire to see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

The truth of scripture mattered to them. Philip

This is part 7 in a continuing series. If you have not read the other parts and would like to, contact the church office or go online to www.suntreeumc.org to “Twelve Ordinary Men Series.”

John and Nathanael with donors.

thought the news of Jesus would excite Nathanael. He told him that they had found “Him whom Moses in law and the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45).”

Nathanael’s prejudice was evident in his acknowledg-ment, “Can anything

good come out of Nazareth?” (Verse 46). Nathanael shared the popular notion of the time that Nazareth wasn’t much of a town. Not only did most Israelis feel this way, most Galileans of the time felt this way. It was a small, rough village without much culture, largely unrefined and uneducated. So Nathanael’s prejudice is understandable. It was inconceivable that the Messiah could have come from such a place as Nazareth! It was a place full of sinful people. Of course Nathanael was oblivious to the fact that Cana, his own hometown, was very much in the

same mold as Nazareth!

John Chapter 1 Verse 46 provides our best insight into Nathanael’s character. Although he had been faithful and honest in his devotion to God, he was all too human. Prejudice is not pretty. It is based on feelings of superi-ority, not on actual facts. It continued on next page…


�� Part VIl — Nathanael

By John Nelson

Continued from previous page...

further emphasizes how God uses the common, weak and lowly beings of this world.

Jesus saw through Nathanael’s prejudice, knew he could make a change here and use this man’s basic goodness and faith to his own ends. And Nathanael, once he had met and spoken with Jesus, recognized Him and expressed his true faith, “Rabbi, you are the son of God! You are the King of Israel (Verse 49).” Most of the other disciples, even after three years of teaching, had a difficult time just to get to the place where Nathanael stood at his first meeting with Jesus.

Prejudice colors all thinking. It can and does cut people off from the truth. It was partly for this reason that much of Israel rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Who in their right mind would believe the Messiah could come from such a place as Nazareth!

During their tenure, the disciples were actually mocked by the general populace. Who did these uneducated Galileans think they were kidding? Even Nicodemus, one of their own, was taunted by the Pharisees (John 7:50-52).

In His hometown Jesus was derided as Joseph’s son (Luke 4:22). Jesus taught only one sermon in His hometown and the people were ready to throw him off of a cliff (Luke 4:28-29)! It is no wonder that

the people of Israel couldn’t see Jesus as the Messiah; it was prejudice that blinded their view.

Jesus couldn’t possibly be the Messiah, He came from Nazareth, in Galilee, and He was the son of a mere carpenter! Their prejudice extended to Him personally because He was uneducated and not of the religious hierarchy. The Israelites in general were cultural and religious bigots. Their prejudice wouldn’t let them believe that the Messiah could come from Galilee (John 7:41). They could not accept Jesus’ message. It was their prejudice which kept them from learning the Gospel.

In spite of the obvious prejudice Nathanael held, which was already known by Jesus, His first words upon seeing Nathanael, were, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” (John 1:47). This was the highest praise anywhere, especially coming from Jesus. None of the other disciples, even those of the inner circle, enjoyed such accolades from anyone, let alone the Master. In spite of his prejudice, Nathanael’s love for God was sincere and without guile. Recall during this period, hypocrisy was rampant. Not only were the political leaders hypocritical, the synagogues were overflowing. From the highest leaders to the lowly blue collar shepherd,

hypocrisy has been called a plague on that culture. (Read Jesus’ indictment of the entire religious establishment in Matthew 23:13-33.)

But Nathanael was always fully committed. There were no half-way measures for him. He alone among the disciples came to a full understanding and total commitment to Jesus on the very first day! It has even been suggested that he may have been the one who invited Jesus and the disciples to the now famous wedding where Jesus performed His first miracle.

Nathanael’s faith was much stronger than his faults. Under the guiding hand of Jesus he was able to overcome his prejudice. Then, filled with the Holy Spirit, he had a prolific ministry as an Apostle. He preached the Gospel in India, Asia Minor at Heirapolis, and among the Parthians (Iran). He was active in North Africa and Armenia (western Asia). He survived Jesus by 16 years and was martyred by being flayed (skinned) alive while being crucified in Armenia about the year 48 AD. Tradition tells us that his body was originally buried at Albonopolis, Armenia. It is believed that his remains were moved and are now venerated at the church of St. Bartholomew on an island in the Tiber River at Rome, although Canterbury Cathe-dral in England also claims to have portions of his remains.

��

By John Nelson


��

Before we examine Matthew’s relationship with Jesus more closely, we need to understand the taxation systems of the first century. They were elaborate and complicated (not unlike ours today). Under the Romans, tax collection privileges were contracted to local entrepreneurs. These collectors then employed local citizens within the subjugated territories to collect the revenue on behalf of the government.

There were purchase taxes on everything bought and sold. Tolls were rampant - when a bridge was crossed, when main roads were used, when a ship entered or left a harbor, when a market was used or when a traveler entered a walled town. Anyone traveling would have to pay a tax for using the road, on his cart, on its wheels, on its axle, and on the beast which drew the cart. There were taxes on river crossings, ships, harbor quays, dams; there were licensing fees which had to be paid to engage in certain trades. The tax collectors, “publicans,” had considerable latitude in some of the fees they set which lent itself to considerable corruption and corresponding resentment. They were widely known for their graft (Luke 3:12-14; 19:8) thus making the programs oppressive. The publicans were so reviled and distrusted that they were prohibited from testifying in a Jewish court of law. Money changers didn’t want their business, and even charitable gifts were refused. Because they operated in collusion with their pagan superiors they were considered sell-outs. Then too, they frequently had contact with Gentiles and were considered unclean. Scripture indicates that the Jews considered tax collectors in the same category with sinners (Matthew 9:10-11; 11:19; Mark 2:15-16; Luke 5:30; 15:1), harlots (Matthew 21:31-32), and Gentiles (Matthew 18:17). It was deemed ethical by the Jews to resort to any sort of evasion to avoid paying taxes.

Jesus is forthrightly described as familiarly associating with publicans (tax collectors). He let them draw near to him (Luke 15:1), went into their homes (Luke 19:5), sat with them (Matthew 9:10), ate with them (Matthew 9:11), and was a friend to these despicable people (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34). We have already seen that Jesus passed over society’s elite and chose the lowly.

In Matthew he chooses from the dregs of society. Jesus knew beforehand what was in Matthew’s heart though. When he passed his tax booth he simply said, “Follow Me” and immediately Matthew did so (Matthew 9:9). What a potentially disruptive element this could have been! But, as usual, Jesus chose wisely. Matthew himself appears to have been a humble, self-effacing man who kept himself in the background. Deep down he was a Jew who knew and loved the Old Testament. His spirit was hungry and he was a true seeker. We know this because his Gospel quotes the Old Testament

99 times. This is more than the Gospels of Mark, Luke and John combined!

Scripture mentions him two times, once as we have seen when chosen by Jesus, and the only other time when he is listed with the other disciples. But it is a popular belief that it was Matthew himself who held the banquet to celebrate his association with Jesus in his own house (Matthew 9:10). The record of Luke is more complete (Luke 5:29-32), and also notice that Luke addresses Matthew as Levi. Jesus uses Matthew to teach important lessons of forgiveness. On three occasions he uses people like Matthew; there was corrupt tax collector Zaccheus in Luke 19:2-10, the publican mentioned by Luke 18:10-14, and once again in Luke 15:1 we see that “tax collectors and sinners drew near to hear Him.” Matthew must have felt that there was a promise of forgiveness of his sin when Jesus said, “Follow Me.” He knew once he left the taxing system there was no turning back.

universally accepted as soon as it was published. There is further proof that the Holy Spirit was working effectively within Matthew. He preached the gospel to the Jews in Palestine for about 10 years following the

crucifixion (when he left for Ethiopia about the year 42 AD). He was reportedly active in Persia, Macedonia, and Syria, although historians and theologians alike dispute this. Most accounts indicate that Matthew survived Jesus by about 30-35 years. There are too many different stories about him to know exactly where, when and how he died. The most commonly accepted place is Egypt where tradition tells us he was burned at the stake.

However, there is no firm evidence to support this either. He, like John, very likely could have died of old age. We simply don’t know! His current burial place is in the Cathedral in Salerno, Italy.

Matthew was most likely the best educated of all of the disciples. Ironically this may have been due to his profession. We already know he was a devout Jew, well schooled in the Old Testament. But because of his profession, a publican, he was ostracized. Therefore, he would have had to study and learn on his own. Because he was an outcast, he undoubtedly had a lot of time to devote to his education and studies. Matthew's ministry for Jesus was one of self-denial and cross-bearing. Anyone who would leave all and follow Jesus would surely live such a life. Matthew was indeed worthy to be called one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Think about this. When God wanted to prepare a Gospel record that was especially designed to reach the Jewish people, he chose Matthew to do it! As we have seen, this man represented the lowest, vilest, meanest segment of Jewish society. Yet the Gospel of Matthew is specially designed for the Jews. How could such a procedure possibly be

��

Gospel. We have to keep in mind that God can accomplish what would seem impossible to mere humans. That the divine plan was imminently successful is evidenced by the fact that the Gospel of Matthew was

effective? It is simple, the Holy Spirit was working in Matthew! His writings show his humility, zeal, and loving admiration for his Master. That he was successful and that he was a gifted writer is evident simply by reading his

This is part 8 in a continuing series. If you have not read the other parts and would like to, contact the church office or go online to www.suntreeumc.org to “Twelve Ordinary Men Series.”

According to the Gospel of John, 11:16, Thomas was also called “Didymus” (KJV), which means “the twin.” If he had a twin brother or sister, that person is not identified in Scripture. Most likely “the twin” is a nickname probably given him by Jesus himself because of his penchant for agreeing with others with the comment “me too”. By doing this he identified himself as the twin of the first speaker.

Christians today are most familiar with him as “doubting Thomas.” But, of course, he was much more than that. It is probably fair to say that he was a negative-type person, anxious and angst-ridden.

Today we would most likely label Thomas a worrywart, a brooder. He would anticipate the worst of every situation. Pessimism, rather than doubt ,was most probably his biggest sin. But as always, Jesus saw the good things about Thomas, his tender heart shown through this moody melancholy. Jesus knew He could train Thomas to be an effective Apostle and use him in the construction of His early church. All in all, Thomas seems to have provided wonderful opportunities for Christ to teach us important and eternal truths.

Thomas is only mentioned once in the Gospels of

Matthew, Mark and Luke. These occasions are when the lists of the disciples are provided. Only John provides us any additional information about his character in this story. While He was in the wilderness, Jesus tells the disciples of the illness and then the

death of his friend Lazarus (John 11:1-14). Following the death of Lazarus, Jesus prepares to go to him in Bethany, a few miles from Jerusalem -- dangerously close for someone as unpopular with the religious leaders as He was. Jesus said, “And I am glad for your

sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him” (verse 15). At this point, the disciples finally understood, Jesus had to go to Bethany. Of course they were fearful that He would be killed but Jesus’ mind was made up.

Thomas, in a moment of bravery, rallies the others to stay by their Master when he says; “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (verse 16). When Thomas spoke up, what he said was pessimistic, but it was a heroic pessimism, which was typical of Thomas. He saw trouble of the worst sort ahead, but if that was what his Master was determined to do, he would go and even die if necessary. So, we see that Thomas, at least, had the courage to be loyal.

Loyalty is difficult for pessimists because they are sure that the worst will happen, whereas an optimist always expects the best things to happen!

From this story, we know that Thomas was devoted to Jesus. The popular notion is that John was the most devoted disciple, but it is easy to see that Thomas may have been his equal in this regard. Thomas did not want to live without Jesus. Thomas set an continued on next page...

By John Nelson


Twelve Ordinary Men – A Series Part IX —Thomas, the Twin

Continued from previous page . . .example of strength for the others on that day. It certainly appears that the others fol-lowed his lead for they did indeed go to Bethany. This time, at least, he was not a “me too” type of person.

We see Thomas’ devotion to Jesus once again in John 14:1-5. In the Upper Room Jesus is telling the disciples of His imminent departure and in verse 4 tells them, “And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas replies, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?” (John 14:5) Here again Thomas’ worst fears are about to occur.

Recall, Thomas could not conceive of living without Jesus. His devotion knew no bounds, and yet Jesus was going to leave and he couldn’t go with Him! With the acuity typical of the disciples, Thomas misconstrues Jesus' reference to His death and resurrection.

But it is Thomas' question that provides Jesus an opportunity to teach one of the most profound and difficult truths of His ministry: Jesus said to him: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also; and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have

seen him” (John 14:6-7).

Of course Thomas is best remembered for being absent from the Upper Room the first time Jesus appeared to His disciples after His Resurrec-tion (John 20:24-25); where he said “…and place my hand in His side, I will never believe.” In reality, Thomas required no more proof than the other disciples of the risen Lord (Luke 24:37-38), although he certainly did demand it (John 20:25-27). Also consider that, at the moment when Jesus most required his loyalty, Thomas (along with the other disciples) had run away in fear (Mark 14:50).

Is it possible that Thomas' incredulity grew from his understanding that, if what his friends told him was true, then Jesus, whom he had spoken and eaten and traveled with, must be God?

Thomas' declaration, "My Lord and my God," (John 20:28) is the clearest declara-tion of Jesus' divinity (spoken to the Risen Christ, who had just convinced Thomas He was the same Jesus whom he had known before the Cruci-fixion.) Thomas’ declaration is a statement of faith that Jesus is both man and God - this coming from a pessimist and a Jew, taught his whole life that the Lord is One. Thomas came to the understanding that God was a man and was

killed on a cross - a huge leap of faith. His legacy is that even a pessimist, a doubter, can serve Christ and be an effective apostle.

After the Ascension of Christ, the Holy Spirit entered into Thomas and he is believed to have gone to Babylon and India to preach the Gospel. Some historians say he established a church in China! To this day, Christians in Malabar, on the western coast of India, trace their faith back to his mission.

Thomas survived Jesus by about 40-45 years and was martyred about the year 72-78 AD. One inscription on a stone cross says, “the Apostle died on the 21st of December in the 30th year of the promul-gation of the Gospel.”

Near Madras (called Chennai) in India, there is a small hillock called St. Thomas Mount, where the Apostle is said to have been killed with a spear while praying. This would be an ironic form of martyrdom for the one whose faith came to light when he felt the spear mark in his risen Master’s side. Also to be found in Madras is the San Thome Cathedral Basilica to which his mortal remains were supposedly transferred to & afterwards transported to the city of Edessa, in Mesopo-tamia. Traditional evidence indicates his remains rest in Ortona, Italy.

Twelve Ordinary Men — Thomas, the Twin

This is part 9 in the series. If you have not read the other parts and would like to, contact the church office or go online to www.suntreeumc.org to “Twelve Ordinary Men Series.”

Except for the references to his mother, James the Less’ discipleship is obscure. He was the son Mary and the brother of Joses and Salome (Mark 15:40). His mother Mary, a devout follower of Jesus, witnessed the crucifixion and with Mary Magdalene, witnessed His burial (Mark 15:47). She was one of the women who prepared Jesus’ body for burial (Mark 16:1).

There are several people in scripture named James, one of whom we have already met - James, son of Zebedee, brother of John. Another was the son of Mary and Joseph, the half-brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19), who wrote the Epistle which bears his name. James the Less is listed as “son of Alphaeus” (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13).

It is confusing when we consider that James, the brother of Jesus, as well as Matthew (Luke 5:27; and Mark 2:14 who calls Matthew “Levi”) are also described as the “son of Alphaeus”. In these circum-stances, attempts have been made to identify James the Less with one or more of the several people named James found elsewhere in the New Testament. Some people even believe that James and Matthew were brothers,

described as “twins” because of the association of being “the son of Alphaeus”.

Is it possible that there was more than one Alphaeus? Or, are scholars just adding to the confusion because they don’t know?

Even James the Less’ name reflects his influence. The Greek word for less is mikros which literally means little. This can be interpreted as small in stature and therefore may have reflected his physi-cal size. It can also refer to someone who is young in years. In this case he may have been younger than James, son of Zebedee, and therefore received “the Less” title. (The mores of the times would indicate that this is how he would be addressed. If he were older than James, son of Zebedee, he would have been referred to as James, the Elder.)

But the name most probably refers to his influence and is consistent with the low profile he had among the Twelve. So in reality, the distinguish-ing mark of his discipleship is his obscurity!

James the Less is not cred-ited with questioning Jesus, commenting on any of his teachings, miracles, or any other activity except being

listed as a disciple and being recognized as the leader of the third group of disciples.

However, we do know this - he was called by God to serve, and Jesus saw in James the Less something of value to His ministry. Jesus chose each of His disciples for reasons only He knew (John 15:16). Jesus had a purpose for each of them, just as He has a purpose for each of us!

Even though there is very little recorded of him, we know that he, like the others, must have been a student of the Old Testament. He was a seeker of the Messiah and devoted to Jesus. The really important aspect of James is that Jesus knew him and he knew Jesus.

Jesus may have been thinking of James the Less when He spoke of the first being last and the last being first (Matthew 19:30). All of this is conjecture, but it is consistent with what we know about the other disciples and their relationship with Jesus.

So his real distinguishing attribute is that he was one of the Twelve. His name is recorded in the Bible, which in and of itself is a unique place in history! But as obscure as James the Less is to us, he is,

Continued on next page...

By John Nelson


Twelve Ordinary Men – A Series Part X — James, the Less

Continued from page 3… like all of us, well-known to Jesus. We will meet James when we receive our final glory because he will share one of the thrones with Jesus and the others (Matthew 19:28).

I think there is a valuable lesson in James the Less which applies to Christian groups today. We all know of Christians who are seekers and who love Jesus but seldom, if ever, call attention to themselves. Although these people do good works and contribute to the overall mission of their Church, they do not receive much public credit or any accolades for their efforts. Yet they are there, in the background, whenever they are called, giving of themselves for the glory of God.

It’s ironic that there are many ministries where Christians do good works, and the only time they would be noticed is when those works aren’t completed! It’s kind of like the floor, the only time we really notice it is when it hasn’t been cleaned!

There are lots & lots of small tasks needing to be done in and about our congregation which we notice only when they aren’t completed!

There are many legends, traditions and stories sur-rounding James the Less’ life after the resurrection of Jesus.

Theologians, historians, archeologists and students of divinity have linked him with Jesus’ half brother James. Others have linked him with James the Evangelist and once even with James, son of Zebedee. The truth of the matter is that no one knows.

There is a grain of truth, however, to the story that “The seeds of Syrian Christianity had been sown in Jerusalem during the Apostolic Age, and the contention has been made that the first bishop of the Syrian Church was none other than St. James of the Twelve Apostles, identified as ‘St. James the Less’.” (History of Eastern Christianity, by Aziz S. Atiya)

The most authoritative source providing information on how James the Less died comes from Contendings of the Apostles, by E.A. Wallis Budge. He tells us that the

Jewish high priest, Ananias, asked James to stand on the Temple wall and speak against Jesus to the crowds who had gathered for Pass-over. James, filled with the Holy Spirit, instead spoke in favor of Jesus as the Christ. Many heard him and many were converted. The religious leaders threw James down from the Temple wall. He did not die so they began to stone him. He did not die from the stoning, so a man took a fuller club (used to beat out clothing for cleaning) and clubbed him to death, and buried him in the Sanctuary in Jerusalem.

Due to his obscurity, we do not know for certain if this story is true (it sounds a lot like the way James the Just died). Nor do we know the year in which he died. The most likely date is somewhere around 58 AD - 64 AD. The true details of his life and death during the Apostolic Age would be good to know because he was one of the Twelve. It just isn’t there. His legacy of being called by God and chosen by Jesus is what is important. Each of us can benefit from James’ life with Christ, knowing that what we do & say to the glory of God is important, even if we are not recognized for it in this life!

For James, this world doesn’t remember much, but in God’s Kingdom he receives his full reward (Mark 10:29-31).

Twelve Ordinary Men — James, the Less

This is part 10 in the series. If you have not read the other parts and would like to, contact the church office or go online to www.suntreeumc.org to “Twelve Ordinary Men Series.”

12 ordinary men 1-10 - suntree united methodist church sonlight/12 ordinary men 1-10.pub.pdf · but...

Documents