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Andrew, the Lesser-Known Son of Jonah (part 2)

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Andrew is Called by Jesus

While Jesus traveled through Galilee preaching, Andrew and his brother Peter had apparently gone back to work as fishermen with James and John.  After a couple months or more had passed, Jesus came back to Capernaum, possibly staying at Andrew’s house.(1)  Andrew and his brother Peter were at the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath when Jesus spoke with authority and cast out a demon,(2) and afterwards, they went back to their house with Jesus, James, and John.  It was there that Peter’s mother-in-law was horribly sick with a “great fever,” but was healed by Jesus.(3)

According to Luke, who explicitly stated that his gospel account was “in order” (KJV) or “in consecutive order” (NASB),(4) Andrew and Peter’s official call came after the events on the Sabbath.(5)  Jesus had gone near the Sea of Galilee, and a crowd of people found Him.  So he climbed aboard one of the two ships there, the one that belonged to Andrew and Peter, and the boat was shoved off a bit so Jesus could sit down and teach the crowds on the shore without being mobbed by them.  Andrew and Peter were both on the ship with Jesus when the Lord said, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets.”(6)  Andrew heard his brother explain that they’d worked all night, but caught nothing, but they still did as Jesus asked.(7)

Andrew was shocked by what happened next.(8)  The nets started to break, so they called James and John to come over in their ship as well, and the massive amount of fish filled both of the ships to the point of almost sinking.  The four men were amazed, and Jesus said to them, “from this point forward, you will catch men,”(9) “follow me.”(10)  As a result, Andrew (and the others) left his ship and the fishing business behind to follow the “Lamb of God.”

Traveling with Jesus, Andrew was present to see Him cleanse a leper, forgive the sins of a paralyzed man and then heal him, cast out demons, teach parables, and perform many other miracles.(11)  Andrew ate with the Lord and His disciples in the house of Matthew, the tax collector, and learned straight from the lips of our Savior that His mission was to “call sinners to repentance.”(12)

Andrew the Apostle (Limited Commission)

One morning, Andrew was called by Jesus, along with the other disciples, to a mountain.  This was one of the most momentous days in Andrew’s life, because it was on this day that Jesus chose him to be one of the twelve apostles.  From that point onward, Andrew was forever to be connected with the mission of Jesus.  He followed Jesus throughout Galilee, listening to His sermons, watching His miracles, and perhaps even being overwhelmed by what Jesus said on a one particular occasion:

While [Jesus] yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and brothers stood outside, desiring to speak with Him.  Then one said to Him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to speak with you.”  But [Jesus] answered and said to him who told Him, “Who is my mother?  And who are my brothers?”  And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!” (Matthew 12:46-49).

After some more travel with Jesus, Andrew and the other eleven apostles were called to meet privately with Him.  They had seen Him perform many miracles, but now Jesus did something that they probably weren’t expecting:

He…gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick (Luke 9:1-2).

Jesus sent them out “two by two,”(13) and it is probable that Andrew went with Peter.(14)  Andrew took this mission seriously, preaching the gospel,(15) preaching that the hearers should repent, and confirming the message by “cast[ing] out many demons and anoint[ing] with oil many who were sick, and heal[ing] them.”(16)

Once the mission, often called the “Limited Commission,” was finished, Andrew met up with Jesus again in a deserted place near Bethsaida and gave a report of all that he had done in Jesus’ name (as did the other apostles).(17)

Late on that same day, after crowds had been following Jesus, Andrew and the apostles all asked Jesus to send them away to the cities because they didn’t have food to feed them with.  Jesus’ response was, “You give them [food] to eat.”(18)  Andrew found a young boy and brought him to Jesus, and told Him “There is a lad here who had five barley loaves and two fishes.  But what is that among so many?”  Andrew had to be amazed as Jesus blessed the food and fed five thousand people with it, especially after he went around with the other apostles gathering up the leftovers—which filled twelve baskets!(19)

-Bradley S. Cobb

(1) Matthew 4:13.

(2) Mark 1:21-28

(3) Mark 1:29-31

(4) Luke 1:3.  The word means in chronological order.

(5) Matthew and Mark place the call before those events.  There are some who argue that Jesus called them twice: once before the Sabbath in Capernaum, and again after a preaching tour of Galilee (aka, Luke’s account), however, Luke 4:43-44 may be Luke’s explanation that Jesus did indeed do what He planned on doing, but Luke 5:1 appears to be a continuation of the crowd scene from 4:42.  So, the preaching tour of Galilee may have come after the call of Peter and Andrew in Luke’s account.

(6) Luke 5:4.  It is the position of this writer, as well as McGarvey, that this is the same calling as described in Matthew and Mark, both of which place Andrew and Peter in the boat together at the time of their call.

(7) Luke 5:5.

(8) Luke has a habit of not mentioning people by name unless they are either (1) well-known to his original reader or (2) someone who will be an important player later on in his writings (including the book of Acts).  Luke only mentions Andrew by name when he is listing the apostles—which he does once in Luke 6:13-16 and once in Acts 1:13.

(9) Luke 5:10.

(10) Matthew 4:19

(11) See Mark 2 and Luke 5.  If we were to detail everything seen by Andrew, we would almost need to type out every part of the four gospel accounts.  Not only that, we would need to do it for each chapter.  As such, we will be summarizing, and only going into detail when the individuals are specifically named.

(12) Luke 5:29-32

(13) Mark 6:7

(14) In most of the listings of the apostles, Peter and Andrew are mentioned together.

(15) Luke 9:6

(16) Mark 6:12-13

(17) Luke 9:10

(18) Luke 9:12-13

(19) John 6:8-13

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Andrew, The Lesser-Known Son of Jonah (Part One)

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Andrew’s First Journey with Jesus

The Orthodox tradition calls Andrew Protokletos, which means “first-called.”  Andrew was a Jew who lived in Capernaum,*[1] a fishing village off the coast of the Sea of Galilee, though he was a native of Bethsaida.*[2]  A fisherman by trade,*[3] whose father was named “Jonas” or “Jonah,”*[4] Andrew was also religiously-minded.  He was standing on the east coast of the Jordan River with two men, one of whom was John the Baptist (and the other was most likely the future apostle John),* [5] a short time after Jesus returned from His 40-day temptation in the wilderness.*[6]  Being a disciple of John, Andrew was determined to be pleasing to God.  So, when John pointed out that Jesus was “the Lamb of God,” Andrew and John followed Jesus.*[7]

Then Jesus turned and saw them following [Him], and says to them, “What are you seeking?”  They said to Him, “Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted ‘Master’), where are you staying?”  He says to them, “Come and see.”  They came and saw where he was staying, and stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.*[8]

First, Andrew went and found his brother, Simon,*[9] and told him “We’ve found the Messiah!”  He brought Simon to Jesus, and it is there that Jesus gives Simon the name “Cephas, which is by interpretation, Peter [a stone].”* [10]

Two days later, Andrew accompanied Jesus to a wedding in Cana, a town west of Capernaum.  At this wedding, Jesus miraculously turned water into wine, and as a result, Andrew’s belief in Him was confirmed.*[11]  After that, Andrew accompanied Jesus to Capernaum.  In that short period of time—not even a week—Andrew was in intimate company with men who would go on to become some of the most important men in the history of Christianity: Jesus Himself, Peter (Andrew’s brother), Philip and Nathanael (two of the apostles), James and Jude (brothers of the Lord),*[12] and possibly James and John (sons of Zebedee).*[13]

Andrew accompanied Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover, and witnessed first-hand Jesus using a whip to drive out all the sheep and oxen from the temple, overthrowing the tables, and dumping out the money that the exchangers had gathered.  He heard Jesus tell the ones who sold doves to take those things out of His Father’s house.*[14]

It was while in Jerusalem with Jesus that Andrew saw Jesus perform miracles,*[15] and also heard the Lord utter something strange: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  When Jesus rose from the dead after three days, Andrew remembered this saying of Jesus, and his belief was once again strengthened.*[16]

Leaving Jerusalem, Andrew accompanied Jesus into Judea, where they stayed for a while (possibly up to seven months*[17]), baptizing people.*[18]  We aren’t given the names of the individuals who were baptized, but it is possible that this is the time in which Mary, Martha, and Lazarus became disciples of Jesus.  It is also possible that it was during this ministry that Judas Iscariot became a disciple of our Lord.  If this is the case, then it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Andrew himself is the one who baptized some of them, because Jesus didn’t do the baptizing personally.*[19]

Jesus discovered that the Pharisees had heard about His work, making and baptizing more disciples than even John was, He left Judea and went towards Galilee.  But doing that required traveling through Samaria.  Andrew walked with Jesus, and while Jesus stopped at Jacob’s well outside of Sychar because He was worn out from the journey, Andrew and the other disciples went into the city to buy some food.  Coming back to bring Jesus some food, Andrew was shocked, because Jesus was speaking with a Samaritan woman, but he kept his thoughts to himself, as did the other disciples.  After the woman got up and went into the city, Andrew and company urged Jesus to eat.*[20]   It is here that Andrew learned a valuable lesson.

[Jesus] said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know of.”  Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has someone brought Him something to eat?”  Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.  Don’t you say ‘There are yet four months and then comes the harvest?’  Behold, I say to you, ‘Lift up your eyes and look on the fields: for they are white already to harvest.’  And he that reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit into life eternal: that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.  Herein is that saying true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’  I sent you to reap that upon which you have put no labor: other men labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

By saying this, Jesus was teaching Andrew that He had work for him to do.  He also hinted at something that would take place later—Andrew was going to be an apostle of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus said, “I sent you…” the word He used was the verb form of apostle.  He literally told Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and probably James and John, “I apostled you.”

After a couple days in Samaria, they went back to Galilee.  It is apparently at this point that Andrew goes back to his home in Capernaum and resumes his fishing trade with Peter, James, and John.*[21]

-Bradley Cobb

[1] *Mark 1:21 places Jesus in the synagogue at Capernaum.  Verse 29 says that when He left the synagogue, he immediately went to Andrew’s house.  Verse 33 says “all the city” came to the door [of the house].  The only city mentioned in the context is Capernaum.  Jesus, in verse 38, says that He wants to go to “the next towns.”  Mark 2:1 says “He entered into Capernaum…and it was reported that He was in the house.”  The only house mentioned in the book up to this point was Andrew’s house, thus Andrew lived in Capernaum.

[2] *John 1:44 says that Andrew was “of Bethsaida.”

[3] *Mark 1:16

[4] *His brother is called “Simon, son of Jonas [or Jonah]” in John 1:42, therefore, Andrew is also the “son of Jonas [or Jonah].”  Different translations render his father’s name differently.  This name is also very similar to “John.”

[5] *John, in his gospel account, makes no mention of his own name, but refers to himself always as “the disciple” or “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  If it is not John speaking of himself, it is strange that he would not mention the name of the other disciple who became one of the first followers of Jesus.

[6] *Matthew, Mark, and Luke are all clear that Jesus was taken to the wilderness to be tempted immediately after He was baptized.  Thus, when Jesus came to John the Immerser in John 1:29, and John spoke of what he had already seen at Jesus’ baptism, it must have been after the temptations had ended.  Thus, when Andrew first met Jesus, it was after the temptations.

[7] *This is recorded in John 1:35-37.

[8] *John 1:38-39.

[9] *There’s a bit of difficulty with the word “first” in John 1:41.  Does it mean before going with Jesus, Andrew went and found his brother?  Or does it mean that Andrew was the first of the two disciples to go find their brothers (the other being John, who would have gone and told his brother James).

[10] *John 1:41-42.

[11]* John 2:1-11, especially note verse 11.

[12]* John 1:12.

[13]* If we are correct in identifying the unnamed disciple in John 1:35-40 as John, then he almost certainly would have told his brother, and they would have been among “His disciples” who were called to the wedding (John 2:1-2).

[14] *John 2:13-17.  Verse 17 is the evidence that Andrew (as well as the rest of Jesus’ disciples up to that point) were in attendance.

[15] *John 2:23.

[16] *John 2:19-22.

[17] *McGarvey suggests that this sojourn in Judea could have lasted from April (the time of the Passover) until December, since Jesus states in the next chapter that the harvest was “four months” away.  Fourfold Gospel, page 132.

[18] *John 3:22.

[19] *John 4:2.

[20] *John 4:3-40.

[21] *For the chronology of events in the life of Andrew and the other apostles, we have leaned heavily on the outstanding work of Professor J.W. McGarvey and his chronological harmony of the gospels, The Fourfold Gospel, which he wrote with Philip Y. Pendleton.

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An Introduction to “The Twelve” Apostles

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The last several weeks’ worth of posts have been dedicated to looking at men who were apostles in one way or another, yet still men that the Bible never includes among “the twelve.”  “The twelve” are the men that Jesus hand-selected to be His official ambassadors to the world.  In the following chapters, we will be considering each of the individuals that the Bible includes as one of “the twelve.”  Since Paul was never numbered with this group—yet was every bit as much an apostle as they were*[1]—he will be considered in his own chapter.  There are thirteen men who were counted among “the twelve.”  They are:

  1. Simon Peter
  2. Andrew
  3. James (son of Zebedee)
  4. John (son of Zebedee)
  5. Philip
  6. Thomas (called Didymus)
  7. Matthew (son of Alphaeus)
  8. Bartholomew (also called Nathanael)
  9. James (son of Alphaeus)
  10. Simon Zelotes (the Canaanite)
  11. Judas of James (also called Thaddeus)
  12. Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus)
  13. Matthias (who was chosen to replace Judas)

When you talk about “the twelve apostles” in the Bible, these are the men who spring to mind.  Each one of them was specifically chosen by Jesus Christ to be His ambassadors to the world.  The original twelve men were selected by Jesus early in His ministry.

It came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called to Him his disciples: and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named “apostles”; Simon (whom he also named Peter), and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon [who was] called “Zealot,” and Judas [the son of] of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. (Luke 6:12-16).

But when Judas betrayed Jesus, then, being overcome with grief, killed himself, the Lord chose a replacement.  After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the eleven remaining apostles were gathered together with other of His disciples.  It was then, prior to the coming of the Kingdom of God on the Day of Pentecost, that the issue of replacing Judas came up.

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty), and said “Men and brethren, this scripture must have been fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas, who became [the] guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.”

(Now this man purchased a field with the reward of [his] iniquity; and falling face-first, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, “Aceldama,” that is to say, “The field of blood.”)*[2]

“For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and let another take his office.’  Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”

And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, “You, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show which of these two thou hast chosen, so that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”

And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles (Acts 1:16-26).

There are some who claim this is authority for a continued office of apostle in the church.*[3]  However, the basis on which Peter knew that they needed a replacement for Judas were two Old Testament prophecies regarding enemies of Jehovah’s anointed one.

Pour out Your indignation upon them, and let Your wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.  For they persecute him whom You have smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom You hast wounded. Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and do not let them come into Your righteousness.  Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous (Psalm 69:24-28).

When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.  Let his days be few; and let another take his office (Psalm 109:7-8).

The only way this authorizes a continued apostolic office is if each of the original apostles became evil persecutors of Christianity before their deaths.  Since that is not the case, then this argument is baseless.  Additionally, true biblical apostles were able to perform miracles, including speaking by inspiration, healing the sick, and raising the dead.  However, the Bible is pretty clear that miracles ceased within a generation of the establishment of the church. *[4]  Anyone claiming to be an apostle today does not match up with the description of a true biblical apostle—that person is a fraud.

It was some years after Pentecost that King Herod, troubling the church, captured James (the son of Zebedee) and had him beheaded.*[5]  “The twelve” were down to eleven.

Though the Bible does not record the details, the other eleven apostles were also murdered for their loyalty to Jesus Christ.*[6]  But before their deaths, these men, “the twelve,” worked for Jesus and spread the gospel to the point that it was spread to “all the world.”*[7]

Jesus chose ordinary men as His kingdom subjects—fishermen and the like—rather than rabbis, Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees.  He needed men who were not bound by the traditions of the ages and the prejudices of the people, men who were thoughtful but teachable.  He knew the frailties of these men, but He knew their possibilities as leaders of the people.*[8]

[1] *2 Corinthians 11:5

[2] *This section (verses 18-19) was not spoken by Peter, but was inserted by Luke.  In Luke’s gospel account, he never mentioned anything about the death of Judas, so it would make sense for him to include it for Theophilus at this point.  Also, consider that it says “their proper tongue,” showing that the one who spoke/penned these words was not a Jew.  Had it been Peter saying this, he would have said “in our proper tongue” and wouldn’t have needed to explain the meaning.

[3] *The Mormon Church (the so-called “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints”) has men that they call their “twelve apostles” even today.

[4] *Apostles could also pass miraculous abilities on to others (see Acts 8, 19, and others).  For an extended treatment of the ceasing of miracles, see the author’s book, The Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts, especially the Appendix on the end of miracles.

[5] *Acts 12:1-2.

[6] *Some may argue against this statement, asserting that John died a natural death.  However, if John died a natural death, then Jesus was mistaken when He told both James and John that they would both “drink of the cup” that He was about to drink—being murdered (Mark 10:35-39).  Since such a conclusion is unacceptable, we can know for certain that John was murdered as well for his loyalty to Jesus.

[7] *Colossians 1:5-6, 23; see also Matthew 24:14.

[8] *Roland Q. Leavell, Studies in Matthew: The King and the Kingdom. (Nashville: Convention Press, 1962). Page 32. [Pronoun capitalization added]

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A Brief Biography of Jesus’ Brother (Part Four)

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The Death of James, According to Tradition

Hegesippus, a Jew who was converted to Christ in the second century, said that James lived a life of strict adherence to the Law of Moses, and was “held in the highest veneration by the Jews”*[1] earning him the nicknamed “James the Just.”*[2] Eusebius, quoting him, said that James’ knees were like those of a camel because he spent so much time on them in prayer.*[3]  He also said that James undertook the “government of the Church [universal] along with the apostles”*[4]  It appears that some outlandish legends grew up around James by the third and fourth centuries, with some writers suggesting that James dressed like the Jewish high priest, and was the only one allowed in the Holy of Holies in the temple.* [5]

Both religious and secular history confirms that James died as a martyr.  According to Josephus, the same Annas who tried Jesus*[6] had a son named Annas who served as the high priest after the death of Festus.  Annas was a strict Sadducee, and was “very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews.”  When he gained the high priesthood, he decided he had the opportunity to exercise his authority (Festus’ replacement, Albinus, had not yet arrived).  He “assembled the Sanhedrin of the judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others.  And when he [Annas] had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the Law, he delivered them to be stoned.”  Many of the Jews were very upset, and contacted Agrippa for help, and appealed to Albinus for aid to stop the dictatorial acts of lawlessness.  As a result of Annas’ actions, Albinus promised to “bring him to punishment for what he had done,” and removed him from the office of high priest after just three months.*[7]

Eusebius, quoting Hegesippus, gives a slightly different story:

James, the brother of the Lord, succeeded to the government of the Church in conjunction with the apostles. He has been called the Just by all from the time of our Savior to the present day; for there were many that bore the name of James.  He was holy from his mother’s womb; and he drank no wine nor strong drink, nor did he eat flesh. No razor came upon his head; he did not anoint himself with oil, and he did not use the bath.  He alone was permitted to enter into the holy place; for he wore not woolen but linen garments. And he was in the habit of entering alone into the temple, and was frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of a camel, in consequence of his constantly bending them in his worship of God, and asking forgiveness for the people. Because of his exceeding great justice he was called the Just, and Oblias, which signifies in Greek, ‘Bulwark of the people’ and ‘Justice,’ in accordance with what the prophets declare concerning him.

Now some of the seven sects, which existed among the people and which have been mentioned by me in the Memoirs, asked him, ‘What is the gate of Jesus?’ and he replied that he was the Savior.  On account of these words some believed that Jesus is the Christ. But the sects mentioned above did not believe either in a resurrection or in one’s coming to give to every man according to his works. But as many as believed did so on account of James.

Therefore when many even of the rulers believed, there was a commotion among the Jews and Scribes and Pharisees, who said that there was danger that the whole people would be looking for Jesus as the Christ. Coming therefore in a body to James they said, ‘We entreat you, restrain the people; for they are gone astray in regard to Jesus, as if he were the Christ. We entreat you to persuade all that have come to the feast of the Passover concerning Jesus; for we all have confidence in you. For we bear you witness, as do all the people, that you are just, and do not respect persons.

Therefore, persuade the multitude not to be led astray concerning Jesus. For the whole people, and all of us also, have confidence in you. Stand therefore upon the pinnacle of the temple, that from that high position you may be clearly seen, and that your words may be readily heard by all the people. For all the tribes, with the Gentiles also, are come together on account of the Passover.’  The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees therefore placed James upon the pinnacle of the temple, and cried out to him and said: ‘You just one, in whom we ought all to have confidence, forasmuch as the people are led astray after Jesus, the crucified one, declare to us, what is the gate of Jesus.’

And he answered with a loud voice, ‘Why do you ask me concerning Jesus, the Son of Man? He himself sits in heaven at the right hand of the great Power, and is about to come upon the clouds of heaven.’

And when many were fully convinced and gloried in the testimony of James, and said, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ these same Scribes and Pharisees said again to one another, ‘We have done badly in supplying such testimony to Jesus. But let us go up and throw him down, in order that they may be afraid to believe him.’  And they cried out, saying, ‘Oh! oh! the just man is also in error.’ And they fulfilled the Scripture written in Isaiah, ‘Let us take away the just man, because he is troublesome to us: therefore they shall eat the fruit of their doings.’[8]

So they went up and threw down the just man, and said to each other, ‘Let us stone James the Just.’ And they began to stone him, for he was not killed by the fall; but he turned and knelt down and said, ‘I entreat you, Lord God our Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And while they were thus stoning him one of the priests of the sons of Rechab, the son of the Rechabites, who are mentioned by Jeremiah the prophet, cried out, saying, ‘Stop. What are you doing? The just one prays for you.’

And one of them, who was a fuller, took the club with which he beat out clothes and struck the just man on the head. And thus he suffered martyrdom. And they buried him on the spot, by the temple, and his monument still remains by the temple. He became a true witness, both to Jews and Greeks, that Jesus is the Christ. And immediately Vespasian besieged them.*[9]

So ends the life of a man who was regarded by some ancient writers as one of the fourteen apostles.*[10]

[1] *Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 2:23.  See McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, Vol. 4, page 755.

[2] *Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 2.1.2

[3] *Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 2.23.6

[4] *McClintock and Strong, Cyclopedia.

[5] *Epiphanius, who claims Eusebius and Clement as evidence, stated that James wore the petalon, which some argue is the ephod of the high priest, and others state is the golden plate which says JHVH, worn on his turban.  See his Haeres. 29:4, 78:13.  Hegesippius (as quoted by Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 2.23.6) said that he always wore linen clothing (like the high priests) which permitted him access into the “holy place.”

[6] *John 18:12-23.

[7] *Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 20.9.1.

[8] *Isaiah 3:10, LXX.

[9] *Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 2, 23:4-18

[10] *Apostolic Constitutions 6.14, says “On whose account also we, who are now assembled in one place, — Peter and Andrew; James and John, sons of Zebedee; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus who is surnamed Thaddaeus; and Simon the Canaanite, and Matthias, who instead of Judas was numbered with us; and James the brother of the Lord and bishop of Jerusalem, and Paul the teacher of the Gentiles, the chosen vessel, having all met together, have written to you this Catholic doctrine for the confirmation of you, to whom the oversight of the universal Church is committed…” See also Eusebius’ commentary on Isaiah which states explicitly his belief that James was one of the “official” apostles.

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A Brief Biography of Jesus’ Brother (Part Three)

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[Okay, admittedly, today’s post is short (other than the footnotes), but we thought the last part (coming Wednesday) deserved its own post].

James the Writer

Though there is dispute about when exactly James (whose name is actually Jacob*[1]) took up his pen and wrote the letter that bears his name, the fact remains that he did indeed write.*[2]  In accordance with his status as a leader within the Jewish congregations and his acknowledgement that his mission was to the circumcision, he wrote his letter to Jewish Christians.*[3]

Throughout the Scriptures, James appears as a man who was interested in putting his religion into action.  He understood the truth of the gospel, but his focus was on “how do we make this practical?”  This is seen in the letter that he wrote in Acts 15, in his request of Paul in Acts 21, and in almost every verse of his epistle.  And since judgment from God is based on one’s works,*[4] James focuses on teaching his readers about the works to do and works to avoid, emphasizing that “faith without works is dead,” and that “by works a man is justified.”*[5]

[1] *In Greek, the name is Iacobus, which is the Hebrew name Jacob spelled in Greek letters.  Some have suggested that the name “James” was used because of King James, but Miles Coverdale, in his translation of 1535, used Iames—before King James was even born.

[2] *This letter was written near the end of James’ life, sometime between AD 62-67.  For a more detailed discussion of the dating of this epistle, see the introduction in Justified by Works: A Study of the Letter from James by this author.

[3] *There are those, such as Guy N. Woods (A Commentary on the Epistle of James, pages 16-17, 31-32), who claim it was written to all Christians—Jew and Gentile—but such a view doesn’t match up with the fact that James called their meeting place a “synagogue” (James 2:2), or that he wrote to the twelve tribes of the diaspora (James 1:1).  When these facts are considered along with his Jew-only mission (Galatians 2:9) and his insistence upon keeping the Law of Moses (Acts 21:17-26), it demands that his letter was written to Jews.  For more information, see this author’s commentary on James.

[4] *See all instances of judgment throughout both testaments, and also consider 2 Corinthians 5:10.

[5] *James 2:20, 24.  Since judgment is made by God on the basis of our works, one must be very cautious before rejecting brethren based exclusively on their beliefs, especially when those beliefs do not affect (1) the plan of salvation, (2) their works [including worship], or (3) anything the Bible connects to salvation.  There are those who reject brethren over such things as their interpretation of the book of Revelation, or of their belief regarding how the Holy Spirit indwells a Christian.  The Scriptures never state that we will be judged based on our level of theological understanding, but on our works.

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A Brief Biography of Jesus’ Brother (Part Two)

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James the Elder

God did not deem it necessary for us to know when James was made an elder in the church at Jerusalem,*[1] but by the time fourteen years had passed from James’ meeting with Saul of Tarsus, he was one.*[2]  He was extremely influential in the church at Jerusalem, being called a “pillar” of equal standing with Peter and John (Galatians 2:9).  In fact, after Peter’s angelic rescue from prison, he instructed the disciples to go “tell James” about what happened.*[3]  Some trouble had erupted with some Jewish Christians teaching that Gentiles could not be saved without first being circumcised.  Saul (now called “Paul”), along with Barnabas, came to Jerusalem and had a meeting with the “apostles and elders” to discuss the matter.*[4]  James was one of the “apostles and elders” who was present,*[5] and in fact appears to be the one who was supervising the whole proceeding, issuing his “sentence” or “judgment” after hearing Peter, Paul, and Barnabas give their testimony.*[6]

James’ judgment was that the Gentiles were not to be troubled with keeping any part of the Law of Moses.  In accordance with this judgment, James wrote a letter to be sent to the Gentile Christians in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.*[7]  It is also at this time that James (along with Peter and John) gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, acknowledging that Jesus had commissioned them to go to the Gentiles, while James’ (and Peter and John’s) commission was to the Jews.*[8]

Some time afterwards, some men came “from James” to Antioch; and though the circumstances causing this journey is not given,*[9] it does point to James’ status as a leader in the Jerusalem church.*[10]  The apostle Paul even appealed to James as a person of authority when writing to the Christians in Corinth: first, as an approved example of a married man being supported by the church;*[11] second, as a reputable person who was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.*[12]

Several years later, James received a visit from Paul, Timothy, Luke, and several others*[13] in order to receive financial aid sent by predominantly Gentile churches for the poor Jewish saints in Jerusalem.  James, along with the other elders in Jerusalem, met with them and rejoiced at the great work God was doing through Paul’s missionary efforts.  However, there was something that James and the other elders needed to talk to Paul about.*[14]  They had heard rumors—as had the other Christians in Jerusalem—that Paul was teaching Jews to forsake the customs of the Law of Moses, specifically circumcision.  James and the elders knew that this wasn’t truly the case, but they also knew that something needed to be done to prove to the Jewish Christians that the rumors were false.  So, James and the rest of the elders (potentially hundreds of men) asked Paul to purify himself and pay the temple offering for himself and four other Jewish Christians who had taken a vow.  This, they were confident, would be sufficient proof to the Christians that Paul still respected the Law of Moses. Unfortunately, some of the Jews who had caused Paul such problems in Asia had come to Jerusalem as well and stirred up the multitude, almost causing Paul’s death, and rendering James’ suggestion moot.

Many people want to condemn James’ actions here, but the evidence doesn’t warrant condemnation.  The idea that one inspired man (James) and potentially hundreds of other leaders in the church (most of whom probably had miraculous gifts) would ask another inspired man (Paul) to sin—and then that inspired man agreed to sin—is despicable and unworthy of serious consideration.*[15]  The fact that, just a few days after these events, Paul testified that he had lived “in all good conscience” up to that point shows that the inspired apostle didn’t see anything wrong with the request made by James and the elders in Jerusalem—or else he was lying (Acts 23:1).  James and the elders were not asking Paul to reject the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and return to the Old Law; they were asking him to show that he still had respect for the customs of the Jews contained in the Law of Moses (see Acts 21:21).*[16]  In short, James was asking Paul to do something expedient to assist in keeping peace and unity within the Jerusalem church.*[17]

[1] *Epiphanius (Haeres., 78), Chroysostom (Homilies xi in 1 Corinthians 7), as well as others, state that James was made an elder by the Lord Jesus Himself.  Eusebius agrees in one place, but elsewhere states that he was ordained an elder by the apostles (Ecclesiastical History, 2:23).  Clement of Alexandria places James at a higher level in the Jerusalem church than even the apostles, suggesting that Peter, James [son of Zebedee], and John “might well have been ambitious” for it (McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia of biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 4, page755).

[2] *The Scriptures do not describe how or when elders were first installed in the church.  The first mention of elders in the church is in Acts 11:30, and they are portrayed as men who were already seen as the leaders of the church [most likely in Jerusalem].  Since Paul and Barnabas ordained elders in every congregation (Acts 14:23), it would be logical to assume that all the other established congregations (such as Antioch and those congregations outside of Jerusalem) also already had elders at that time as well.

[3] *Acts 12:17.  James, the son of Zebedee, had been murdered before Peter’s arrest, eliminating him from possible consideration in this passage.

[4] *Acts 15:1-6.

[5] *If one were to argue that James was not an elder, this phrase requires that they place James among the apostles—which very few would be willing to do.  He is either one or the other (or both, see 1 Peter 5:1-3).

[6] *Acts 19:13-21.  It is difficult to see how James could have authority in this meeting without being an apostle of Jesus Christ.  There are arguments given that there were only twelve full-fledged apostles of Jesus Christ, yet Matthias was a thirteenth (though admittedly, he replaced Judas) and Paul was definitely not one of the twelve.  Paul categorizes James with Peter and John (who were both apostles), and even appears to call James an apostle in Galatians 1:18-19.  If the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus Christ to Paul was enough to commission him to be a full-fledged apostle, why could not the same thing be said of James?  The office of apostle was a miraculous one (2 Corinthians 12:12), and regardless of how many people filled that role, it was one which ended with the age of miracles—that is, when the Scriptures were completed and Jerusalem was overthrown.  See the Appendix in the author’s book The Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts for more information regarding the end of miracles.

[7] *Though the text does not explicitly state James as the author, there are multiple phrases in that short letter which only appear in one other place in Scripture: the letter known as “James,” which was written by the brother of the Lord.   For most commentators, this is sufficient proof that the same man wrote both letters.  See the introduction to this author’s book: Justified by Works: A Study of the Letter from James.

[8] *Galatians 2:7-9.

[9] *There is speculation on almost every aspect of Galatians 2:12.  Commentators dispute among themselves over whether these “certain men” were really sent by James, or if they were simply men who were in agreement with him, or they just claimed to be in agreement with him.  They argue over why James sent these men (if indeed he actually sent them): was it to make sure Peter was behaving according to the Jewish customs, or to tell the Jewish Christians that they were still obliged to follow the Law of Moses, or any number of other things?  They argue over why Peter was scared of them: was it because he was scared of James, or scared of these men who would be upset with him for not following Jewish customs regarding eating with Gentiles, or scared that he—as a Jew—was somehow keeping his national brethren from coming to the truth?

[10] *Whether these men were actually sent by James or simply claimed to be sent by James, the fact remains that the name of James carried such weight that Peter was scared of doing something that would upset him or his emissaries.

[11] *1 Corinthians 9:1-6.Paul’s argument is that he could have demanded that they support him financially, but he didn’t.  He didn’t take advantage of what was proper.  He could have commanded them to provide his food and drink; he could have taken a wife and had the church support both of them like the other apostles, the brethren of the Lord [including James], and Peter himself.  Thus, Paul appeals to James as one of the many examples of a person who was supported by the church full-time because of his work with the congregation.  This matches with 1 Timothy 5:17, where elders have the right to be financially supported.

[12] *1 Corinthians 15:4-7.  There was no reason to mention James by name unless his name held some level of importance within the church.  The fact that his name was well-known to Gentile Christians hundreds of miles from Jerusalem speaks to his importance.

[13] *These others are mentioned by name in Acts 20:4.  The visit itself is recorded in Acts 21:17-ff,

[14] *This speech is most often attributed to James alone by commentary writers, but the text attributes it to the entirety of the elders in Jerusalem—potentially hundreds of men.  See Acts 21:20-25.

[15] *Lipscomb states:

They were not under obligations to observe the law; but as they had been accustomed to its observance, they did not at once see that it was incompatible with faith in Christ Jesus. So they continued to observe it. It is probable that they gradually learned that Jesus was the end of the law, and turned from it by degrees, the destruction of Jerusalem likely enforcing the final truth upon them.

[16] *McGarvey, after noting that this is a “most difficult” section of Acts to explain, said the following:

The truth is, that, up to this time, Paul had written nothing which directly conflicted with the service of the altar, and he did not yet understand the subject correctly. His mind, and those of all the brethren, were as yet in much the same condition on this subject that they were before the conversion of Cornelius, in reference to the reception of the uncircumcised into the Church. If we admit that the proposition above quoted from Galatians, affirming that “we are no longer under the law,” was, when fully understood, inconsistent with the continuance of the sacrifice, we make his case only the more likely like Peter’s in regard to the Gentiles; for he announced propositions, on Pentecost, which were inconsistent with his subsequent course, until he was made to better understand the force of his own words. Peter finally discovered that he was wrong in that matter, and Paul at length discovered that he was wrong, in his connection with the offerings of these Nazarites. Some years later, the whole question concerning the Aaronic priesthood and animal sacrifices was thrust more distinctly upon his mind, and the Holy Spirit made to him a more distinct revelation of the truth upon the subject, and caused him to develop it to the Churches, in Ephesians, Colossians, and especially in Hebrews. In the last-named Epistle, written during his imprisonment in Rome, he exhibited the utter inefficiency of animal sacrifices; the sacrifice of Christ, once for all, as the only sufficient sin-offering; and the abrogation of the Aaronic priesthood by that of Christ, who was now the only high priest and mediator between God and man. After these developments, he could not, for any earthly consideration, have repeated the transaction with the Nazarites; for it would have been to insult the great High Priest over the house of God, by presenting, before a human priest, an offering which could not take away sin, and which would proclaim the insufficiency of the blood of the atonement. We conclude, therefore, that the procedure described in the text was inconsistent with the truth as finally developed by the apostles, but not with so much of it as was then understood by Paul. This conclusion presents but another proof that the Holy Spirit, in leading the apostles “into the truth,” did so by a gradual development running through a series of years. (Commentary on Acts, notes on 21:18-26).

[17] *The same ones who wish to condemn Paul and James for this act of expedience have no problem with Paul’s circumcision of Timothy, which was also an act of expedience.

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A Brief Biography of Jesus’ Brother (Part One)

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[As we promised, we are presenting you with a gift.  As we continue to write sections for our upcoming book, “Who Were The Apostles?” we will be posting them here, so you can read them before the book is released!]

James the Non-Believer

James was the son of Joseph and Mary.*[1]  Jesus was her firstborn, but James was the next-oldest among the brothers.*[2]  It’s not difficult to imagine that James might have been jealous of Jesus while they were growing up together.  Jesus would have been the perfect child, always obedient, never getting in trouble.  That’s a difficult act for His brothers to follow.

James first appears in the gospel records as someone who was outside, waiting to talk with his brother, Jesus (Matthew 12:46).  At that point in the narrative, we don’t know his name yet (or the names of his other brothers), but we do see something that might give us some insight on later events.  James and his brothers (and their mother) were waiting outside to talk to Jesus—to talk to their own brother—and Jesus’ response was to say that His true family was His disciples (Matthew 12:47-50).  Depending on what kind of people James and his brothers were, they could have taken this as an incredible insult.

The tension between James and Jesus shows up shortly before the Feast of Tabernacles.  James and his brothers mocked Jesus, telling Him that He needed to go to Jerusalem and do mighty works (even though the Jews there wanted to kill Him).  They basically accused Him of being a liar, saying that if He really was able to do these mighty works, He wouldn’t be in hiding.  But the reason they said these things is because they didn’t believe in Him—they didn’t believe He was really the Messiah.*[3]  Is it any surprise, then, that Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house”?*[4]

James the Believer

If not for a single mention of it by Paul, we would never know for certain how James went from being a scoffing non-believer to one of the foremost disciples of Jesus Christ.  Jesus had been taken away by a mob of soldiers and given mock trial after mock trial, and was finally sentenced to die by Pontius Pilate.  After being beaten, He was raised up on a cross, and hung there in agony until He finally died.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there at the cross, watching her Son.  But there is nothing said about whether James was there or not.

But some time within the next forty days, Jesus—now resurrected—found James and spoke with him.*[5]  James must have been in shock, seeing his dead brother standing right in front of him very much alive.  He would have seen the nail-prints and the whole in his side where the spear had pierced it.  And he would have felt a mixture of amazement, joy, and sorrow.  Amazement at seeing someone raised from the dead; joy at knowing his brother was alive again; and sorrow for ever doubting Him in the first place.

There is an ancient work called “the Gospel of the Hebrews”*[6] which records an interesting tradition about James:

And when the Lord had given the linen cloth to the servant of the priest, he went to James and appeared to him.  For James had sworn that he would not eat bread from that hour in which he had drunk the cup of the Lord until he should see Him risen from among them that sleep.  And shortly thereafter the Lord said “Bring a table and bread!”  He took the bread, blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to James the Just and said to him, “My brother, eat thy bread, for the Son of man is risen from among them that sleep.”*[7]

We’re not given the details of what happened next, but it certainly included a meeting between James and his younger brothers, telling them “We were wrong: Jesus is the Messiah.  He has returned.”  Then the brothers all went to Jerusalem and met with the disciples prior to the Day of Pentecost.*[8]

Somewhere between three to ten years later,*[9] the now-converted James got to meet someone else who had been an unbeliever, a mocker of Jesus Christ, but who had since been converted by a post-resurrection appearance of the Lord: Saul of Tarsus.  What an interesting conversation that must have been!  James, Peter, and Paul (and probably Barnabas as well) met together in Jerusalem, and no doubt the three men shared their stories of opposition to Christ (James through mocking and unbelief, Peter through his denial, and Saul through his persecution of Christianity), and of their full conversion by means of seeing the resurrected Christ.  It was almost certainly during this 15-day visit of Saul in Jerusalem that James told him about seeing his brother and his Lord raised from the dead.

[1] *The Catholic Church goes out of their way to try to deny this.  They hold to a false belief in the “perpetual virginity” of Mary, which is proven false by Matthew 1:25.  They attempt to say that James, Joses, Judas, an Simon, as well as their sisters, were all children of Joseph from a prior marriage—yet there is nothing in Scripture that would point to the existence of such a marriage.  Matthew 13:55-56 calls these four men his “brothers,” and the same thing is said of them elsewhere.

[2] *Matthew 13:55-56 lists James first among his brethren, indicating that he was the oldest of the four.  It should also be noted that Jesus didn’t appear to all four of his brothers after His resurrection, but only to James (1 Corinthians 15:7), who in turn went and told his other brothers.  This also points to James being the oldest after Jesus.

[3] *This is all told in John 7:1-5.

[4] *Matthew 13:57.

[5] *This specific meeting is not given in detail, but it is one of the events appealed to by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:4-7.  Apparently, this event was well-known among the early Christians, for Paul simply states it as evidence, as if his readers had already heard of it at some point.

[6] *The date of this writing is usually placed at the beginning of the second century, though some believe it should be dated around AD 50-60.

[7] *Quoted by Jerome in De viris Inlustribus 2.

[8] *The brothers of Jesus were mentioned in Acts 1:14.

[9] *Galatians 1:18-19 states that Paul’s visit to Jerusalem, where he saw James and Peter (but no other apostles), took place “after three years.”  The general consensus is that this means three years after Paul’s conversion to Christ.  However, there is no real consensus on exactly when that event took place.  Some place Saul’s conversion within a year of Christ’s resurrection, while others place it seven years later.  So, depending on which view one takes, this meeting between James and Saul of Tarsus was somewhere between three and ten years after the Day of Pentecost, or stated another way, between AD 33 and 40.

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Biography of a Young Preacher (Part 7)

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Describing Timothy

Timothy was a faithful Christian, though he may have been vexed with anxiety.  Paul spends a good deal of time encouraging Timothy to stay strong, to keep fighting, to remember why he is a minister of the gospel.  This would seem unnecessary unless Timothy struggled with that sometimes.  Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, telling them that if Timothy arrives, they are to take it easy on him, possibly because—unlike Paul—Timothy did not thrive on confrontation and debate.

If Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear: for he works the work of the Lord, as I also do.  Therefore, let no man despise [belittle] him, but conduct him in peace that he may come to me (1 Corinthians 16:10-11).

In Ephesus, Timothy seemed to struggle with problems with the elders.  This situation apparently was so stressful that he was having stomach ailments (many believe this is describing ulcers) and was frequently sick.

Against an elder do not receive an accusation, except before two or three witnesses.  [But] them that sin, rebuke before all, so that others may fear.  I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that you observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.  Lay hands [or, ordain] suddenly on no man, neither be a partaker of other men’s sins: keep yourself pure.  Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent sicknesses. Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before unto judgment; and some men they follow after.  Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid (1 Timothy 5:19-25).

The popular verse about “drink a little wine for your stomach’s sake” is contained in a discussion of dealing with elders who sinned and those who aren’t qualified trying to become elders.  Timothy was making himself sick worrying about these problems.  It says a lot about Timothy that he was so concerned about the spiritual condition of the church and her leaders that he would be physically sick because of it.

Tradition

A work entitled the Acts of Timothy claims that Paul ordained Timothy as “Bishop” of Ephesus during the reign of Nero, and that Timothy remained there the rest of his life.  In this apocryphal writing, a pagan festival called the Katagogia (the “bringing down”) was taking place in Ephesus, where men with masks on took sticks and clubs “assaulting without restraint free men and respectable women, perpetrating murders of no common sort and shedding endless blood in the best parts of the city, as if they were performing a religious duty.”  Historians are divided on whether this was done in the name of Diana (the chief goddess of Ephesus) or Dionysius (the god of liquor and revelry).  Timothy, according to the story, stood in front of the mob, pleading with them to stop, preaching peace in the name of Jesus, but was clubbed to death in the street.  This was said to have happened in AD 97.

-Bradley Cobb

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Biography of a Young Preacher (Part 6)

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Timothy after Rome

Anyone who has tried to piece together the life and movements of the apostle Paul after Acts 28 will tell you that it is difficult, and relies a lot on hints and a few guesses, since there is no detailed account of what he did after the events recorded in Acts.  Trying to figure out Timothy’s movements carries with it the same problems.  However, there are some things we can know.

Prior to Paul’s release from prison, he was making plans to visit specific people and places.  One of those was Philippi.  To the Philippians, he said:

I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state.  For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.  For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.  But you know the proof of him, that as a son with the father, he has served with me in the gospel.  Therefore, I hope to send him presently, as soon as I shall see how it will go with me.  Bit I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly (Philippians 2:19-24).

Paul sent Epaphroditus back to Philippi with this letter, but planned on sending Timothy so that he could get a report on how the Christians in that city were doing.  But Paul was waiting until he knew how things were going to go in his upcoming trial before Caesar before sending Timothy, probably because he wanted to be able to send that information as well—they being the main conduits from which support came during his imprisonment.

The book of Hebrews appears to have been written from Rome,*[1] and the writer (Paul)*[2] anxiously awaits the arrival of Timothy so that he can leave and visit the Christians to whom he was writing.  It seems, then, as though Paul sent Timothy off on a mission (perhaps to Philippi in Macedonia), and was waiting on his return so they could go travel together again.

The two friends and fellow-soldiers of the cross went to Asia Minor, stopping at Ephesus, where they were able to reunite with the Christians they loved dearly and hadn’t seen for several years.  While they were there, Paul (and perhaps Timothy as well) probably traveled to Laodicea to visit Philemon,*[3] who he had told to “prepare me a lodging, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be released to you” (Philemon 22).  Returning to Ephesus, Paul saw work that needed to be done in the congregation, but he also felt a very pressing desire to get to Macedonia personally and reunite with the ones who supported him tirelessly and out of their poverty.  Thus, he told Timothy that they must separate.  Timothy remained behind in Ephesus while Paul went on to Macedonia,*[4] but he planned on returning at some point in the future.*[5]

Timothy’s time in Ephesus was not the most pleasant of events.  There were men who were completely unqualified who sought to join the eldership.*[6]  There were false teachers on the rise.*[7]  There were women who wanted to be teachers in the assembly.*[8]  Paul knew about these problems, but he was confident that Timothy would be able to handle them.

Paul most likely returned to see Timothy in Ephesus before leaving for more mission work, some believe westward to Spain.  After some time, Paul made it back to Troas, but was arrested and taken back to Rome.  Timothy has remained in Ephesus during this time, working with the congregation there, but then he receives a letter (2 Timothy) which causes him much concern.  The Roman Empire has declared Christianity to be their enemy, and an Empire-wide persecution has begun.  Paul, being perhaps the most well-known of the Christians, would have been one of their primary targets.  Timothy reads the letter, which urges him to remain strong, to prepare people to continue to propagate the message of the gospel, and to endure hardships like a good soldier.*[9]  Paul is telling Timothy that they may never see each other again on this side of death.*[10]  So Timothy hurriedly gathers what things he needs and travels north to Troas to gather Paul’s books, parchments, and cloak,*[11] and travels to Rome with John Mark (who had apparently come to Ephesus), probably by ship.

Whether he made it to Rome in time to see Paul prior to his execution, we have no way of knowing.

-Bradley Cobb

[1] *The writer, who has traditionally been identified as Paul, tells his readers “they of Italy salute you” (Hebrews 12:24).

[2] *It is the belief of this author that Paul is the writer of the book of Hebrews.  However, as this work is not focused on that book, nor is the point here being made one of major significance, the evidence for such a conclusion does not need to be presented here.

[3] *Most scholars place Philemon in Colossae, but this author believes the evidence points to the nearby city of Laodicea.  See the introduction and appendix of The Prodigal Slave: A Study of the Letter to Philemon by this author for more details.

[4] *1 Timothy 1:3.

[5] *1 Timothy 4:13.

[6] *1 Timothy 5:21-22, 24-25.

[7] *1 Timothy 4:1-5.

[8] *1 Timothy 2:9-15.

[9] *2 Timothy 2.

[10] *2 Timothy 4:6-8.

[11] *2 Timothy 4:9, 13

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Biography of a Young Preacher (Part 5)

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Timothy during Paul’s Imprisonment

Timothy accompanied Paul and the others into Jerusalem, where they met with James, the brother of Jesus, as well as the elders of Jerusalem.  They presented the funds, as well as gave a report of the great work God was doing among the Gentiles.  This brought up a touchy subject in Jerusalem.  There were thousands of Jewish Christians in the city, and they’d all heard reports that Paul was teaching Jews not to circumcise their children anymore, and that they should forsake all the customs passed down from Moses.*[1]  All Paul would have had to do is point to Timothy to disprove those rumors.  Timothy was a Jew who had not been circumcised, yet Paul made it a point to circumcise him.

Some Jews from Asia had seen Paul in the temple, and began to make these same accusations, but added that he brought a Gentile into the temple, because they falsely assumed that Trophimus had accompanied him there.  Paul was forcibly removed from the temple by a mob, and the doors were shut behind him.  The mob began to beat Paul, and would have succeeded in killing him, had not the Roman soldiers arrived on the scene.  It does not appear that Timothy was with Paul during this uproar, but no doubt he heard about it shortly thereafter.*[2]

Timothy was no doubt anxious the next day when the chief captain, Claudius Lysias, called together the high priest and the Sanhedrin to hear Paul’s testimony.  The proceedings quickly turned ugly, and Claudius removed Paul, “lest [he] should have been pulled in pieces by them.”*[3]  It is quite possible that Timothy visited Paul while he was being held as a prisoner in Jerusalem, and brought him much-needed comfort.*[4]  Timothy most likely joined Paul as he was taken to Caesarea and was probably present during his trial before Felix.*[5]  Timothy was given freedom by Felix to visit Paul as often as he wanted, and this he no doubt did as Paul was there for two years.  It is believed by some that Paul’s letters to the Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, and to Philemon were all written during this two-year period.*[6]  If this is the case, then Timothy’s constant presence with Paul is confirmed, for he is mentioned as co-writer in three of those letters.*[7]

Paul, in order to guarantee that he wasn’t turned over to the Jews, whom he knew would try to kill him, appealed to Caesar.  This was the right of every Roman citizen, and required going to Rome and awaiting a convenient time for the emperor to hear his case.  Luke does not record who, other than himself, joined Paul on this treacherous sea voyage,*[8] but it would be surprising if Timothy was not among his companions.*[9]  If this is indeed the case, then Timothy would have experienced the Euroclydon, the “tempestuous wind” that attacked their ship for fourteen days, and was so bad that the professional sailors tried to abandon the ship, leaving Paul, Timothy, Luke, and the other 200+ to die in the storm.  He would have come aboard the land at Malta, seen Paul get bitten by a viper, yet suffer no ill effects.  He would have seen Paul heal many of the inhabitants of the island, and helped the apostle in preaching to them for the three months they were there.*[10]

The prevailing view among Bible scholars, past and present, is that Paul wrote his “prison epistles” while in Rome under house arrest.*[11]  The greeting at the beginning of Philemon, Colossians, and Philippians all include Timothy, showing he was there with Paul during his imprisonment.

-Bradley Cobb

[1] *It is important to note that James calls them “customs,” and not “commands.”  By this point, the Law of Moses had no binding effect on anyone, having been superseded by the law of Christ.  The customs would have included observing the Sabbath, circumcision, feast days, fasting, vows, meat restrictions, etc.

[2] *Luke tells us that Paul went to the temple with the four men who had a vow on them.  This would appear to exclude anyone else from being with Paul at that point.

[3] *Acts 23:1-10.

[4] *Paul’s nephew was able to come see him (Acts 23:16-22), so it is not a stretch to think that others were permitted to as well.

[5] *At the conclusion of Paul’s trial before Felix, the ruler stated that Paul’s acquaintances and ministers (assistants) were to be permitted to come and go to meet with him.  This implies that Felix had knowledge of Paul’s traveling companions.

[6] *The majority of Bible scholars place the writing of these letters a few years later while Paul was imprisoned in Rome, as recorded in Acts 28.

[7] *The only exception being Ephesians.

[8] *Note the use of “we” throughout chapters 27-28.

[9] *This is especially true if we assume—as do the majority of Bible scholars—that Paul’s “prison epistles” were written from Rome, which include Timothy in their greetings.  Some might suggest that Timothy was sent on missionary journeys to some of the congregations that they had visited before, informing them of Paul’s current situation, and that is also a logical guess as well, considering that Paul would need financial support while under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial.

[10] *These events are recorded in Acts 27-28.  The specific time on Malta is given in 28:11.

[11] *This living arrangement is shown by Luke in Acts 28:16, 30-31.