Dialog

Among the twelve apostles were at least two groups of brothers: Peter and Andrew, and James and John, but it’s possible there was a third pair. Remember, Matthew is also called Levi:

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him (Mark 2:14).

He is identified as “the son of Alphaeus.” Likewise, in Mark 3:18, James is also called “the son of Alphaeus.” While it’s possible there were two apostles whose fathers were named Alphaeus, is it also possible these two were also brothers? But, if so, why aren’t they identified as such? Do you remember the list of apostles is divided into three groups of four? The first four are always the same in each of the lists: Peter, Andrew, James, and John. The second four are always the same: Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew, and the last four are always the same: James, Simon the Zealot, Thaddaeus, and Judas. Within those groups of four, the order of names varies, but they are always the same four. What ties them together in their groupings?

It has been said that the last four were revolutionaries. We know for a fact that Simon was a Zealot – a Jewish revolutionary, and many believe Judas was too (depending on the meaning of “Iscariot). It’s not a big step to believe James and Thaddaeus were as well. If that is so, then it would explain why Matthew and James, the sons of Alphaeus, were separated. One was a revolutionary, and the other was a tax collector – a traitor. They were a family divided, but the love of Christ, and his calling, brought them together again. Perhaps I’m becoming too speculative, but it is a precious thought.

Sadly, the rest of the story of James, the son of Alphaeus, is lost in the shadows of James, the famous brother of Jesus, and James, the brother of John, who was the first apostle to die. His story became confused with these more famous disciples and is lost. It is possible he was crucified at Ostrakine in Lower Egypt, but the details are not certain.

I love the stories of the first disciples, but, sadly, after we leave the pages of the New Testament, their tales are often clouded by myths and legends. Some of them are truly bizarre. For example, it is said that Nathanael Bartholomew was martyred by being skinned alive before he was beheaded. In the sacred art of the Middle Ages, Michelangelo pictured Nathanael with a beard, curly hair, and holding his flayed skin! (Worse, because he was flayed, Nathanael is the patron saint of leather workers.)

The first three Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, only give us Bartholomew’s name, and it’s his last name at that. “Bar-” means “son of,” and “Talmai” means “farmer.” Thus, Bartholomew means “son of the furrows.” Bartholomew is never mentioned in John, and Nathanael is never mentioned in the Synoptics. Therefore, most scholars refer both names to the same apostle. Nathanael and Philip were great friends and are always associated together in the Bible.

In John’s gospel, Jesus calls Philip to follow him, and Philip goes to find his friend Nathanael.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Rather than arguing with Nathanael, Philip invites his friend to see for himself.

“Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”

What tone do you use as you read Nathanael’s words? Is he smug? “Yes, that’s me, an honest Israelite!” Is he suspicious? “I’ve never met you before. How can you make such a statement about me?” However you read those words, it is Jesus’ explanation that is intriguing:

 Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

What was so special about that fig tree? William Barclay speculated Nathanael was praying under the fig tree. Thus, Jesus is saying, “I heard your prayers, Nathanael.” Fig trees have leaves the size of your hand. (Remember: Adam and Eve used the leaves to make their clothing.) The branches bow down like a Weeping Willow tree leaving a private space shaded next to the trunk. That would be an excellent place for personal prayer.

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:43 – 51)

Perhaps we won’t fully understand Nathanael’s response until we meet him in heaven, but we know Philip and Nathanael were faithful witnesses to the Messiah. The best traditions have them planting churches in India and Armenia which was probably the scene of his martyrdom.

Andrew and John sought Jesus out and then brought their brothers, Peter and James, to meet the Master. On the other hand, Philip was the first disciple that Jesus called to be His disciple:

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” (John 1:43).

What was it about Philip that caught Jesus’ eye? I believe it was his honesty and his self-awareness. Philip knew what he didn’t know. After Jesus invited Philip to follow him, Philip sought out his friend. “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45). Nathanael and Philip had discussed the Messiah before. Nathanael challenges Philip: “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Philip doesn’t argue. He simply invited Nathanael to come see for himself.

Knowing your limitations is an essential quality. It’s important to know what you don’t know. Philip is an excellent example of that virtue. He won’t argue with Nathanael but invites his friend to see for himself.

Three years later, during the last week in the life of Jesus, a group of Greeks approached Philip asking for an introduction to see Jesus (John 12:20 – 21). Philip wasn’t sure if that was appropriate, but rather than put them off; he took them in search of answers. They all went to Andrew, and Andrew brought them to Jesus. When you know what you don’t know, ask for help!

There is one more incident to focus on today. Later, during the Last Supper, Jesus declared, “No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:6 – 7). It would have been natural to stay silent and nod your head as if you understood, but Philip can’t do that. Philip isn’t afraid to appear ignorant because he knows what he doesn’t know. “Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.’” (John 14:8 – 9).

Philip may not have been a scholar or a leader, but he was confident of two things: his limits and how to find answers. 

Note: There are several apocryphal books concerning Philip. They may contain a kernel of history, but the truth is so buried in legends so as to be unusable. The best that we can say is Philip and Nathanael probably worked together in Phrygia, where Philip was martyred for his faith either by crucifixion or beheading. In 2011, Italian archaeologists claimed to find Philip’s tomb in Hierapolis (the neighboring town to Laodicea) in the Lycus River valley. See https://www.baslibrary.org/biblical-archaeology-review/38/1/21 

Her example shines from the shadows. Although she was not an apostle and we don’t even know her name, Peter’s wife is a true hero of faith. We begin our story in Capernaum, a fishing village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The sabbath synagogue service has just concluded. It was an amazing service! In the middle of worship, a demon-possessed man began screaming:

“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him (Mark 1:24 – 26).

Mrs. Peter probably missed seeing and hearing this. Her mother was home ill with a deadly fever. Now imagine what happened next. Peter, along with Jesus, Andrew, James, and John (and perhaps others), leave the assembly and come home with him. Now we know Jesus will take her by the hand and heal her completely, but Peter’s wife didn’t know that when Jesus and the rest arrived. How would you react if your husband brought home company under such circumstances? We are introduced to Mrs. Peter’s greatest virtue, what the Greeks called “makrothumia” – long-suffering.

In the very next chapter, we encounter her virtue again. Nearly the whole village has gathered in and around her house to hear Jesus teach. People are in the doorway and the windows. They have crowded into every corner of her home. Then, in the midst of it all, four young men carry their paralyzed friend onto the top of the house. (Did she hear them up there?) The young men begin digging a hole through the roof! (Can you see the bits of dirt and dust falling into the room and onto Jesus? How does Mrs. Peter react?) They lower their lame friend down in front of Jesus. The Lord not only heals the young man. He also forgives his sin! But, again, put yourself in Peter’s wife’s position. Not only is there a crowd in your home, but someone has dug a hole in her roof! She doesn’t rush to Peter to object. She doesn’t say anything to the young vandals. She was long-suffering!

On top of all that, Mrs. Peter encouraged her husband to leave and follow Jesus for three years. Later, the Apostle Paul asked: “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas (Peter)?” 1 Corinthians 9:5. Gone was his career as a prosperous fisherman and their life in Galilee. Just as Paul traveled across Asia Minor and Europe spreading the gospel, Peter traveled around the Black Sea starting churches (1 Peter 1:1). What I find fascinating is the presence of the long-suffering Mrs. Peter. According to Paul, Mrs. Peter traveled to distant lands, quietly helping her husband. She was content in the shadows.

Many years later, as we read Peter’s letter, I believe we see Peter describing his wife. He holds her up as an example for all wives:

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

Finally, as we leave the pages of Scripture, we find one last tradition concerning Peter and his wife. They have arrived in Rome, but Emperor Nero has gone mad. Nero sadistically persecuted the Christians. Ultimately, Nero will have Paul beheaded, and Peter crucified. But before Peter died, he saw his wife led out the martyrdom. Eusebius records the words of Clement:

“They say that the blessed Peter when he saw his own wife led out to death rejoiced at her calling and at her return home and called out to her in true warning and comfort, addressing her by her name, ‘Remember the Lord.’ Such was the marriage of the blessed and the perfect disposition of those dearest to them.” (Ecclesiastical History, 3.30.2)

Did you notice the phrase “addressing her by name”? Someday, we’ll learn the name of this long-suffering saint!

Andrew has always had a special place in my heart. He was the little brother to Peter, and although he was partners with James and John in their fishing business, Andrew was not a part of the inner circle with Jesus. Peter, James, and John were invited to go up on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured, and he wasn’t there when Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. Andrew wasn’t invited to come away from the rest of the apostles and pray with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. In fact, if we didn’t have John’s gospel, Andrew would just be a name on the list of the apostles. However, in the Gospel of John, Andrew comes alive.

First, John and Andrew were disciples of John the Baptist (John 1). They saw John point to Jesus and call him the “lamb of God.” Together, Andrew and John followed Jesus and listened to him. Then John went and found his brother James, and Andrew found his older brother Peter, and they brought them to meet Jesus.

Later, when Jesus asked the apostles to feed the crowd, it was Andrew who brought the boy who had some bread and fish to Jesus. (That must have been embarrassing to Peter! But that. Is what little brothers are best at – embarrassing their older brothers.)

Finally, a group of Greeks wanted to meet Jesus, but they felt like they needed an introduction, so they approached the Apostle Philip. (Philip is a good Greek name.) Philip wasn’t sure what to do, but Philip asked Andrew’s advice rather than put them off. Together, Philip and Andrew introduced them to Jesus.

Beyond the pages of the New Testament, there are a host of legends about Andrew. Eusebius quoted Origen as saying Andrew preached in Scythia. Others claim Andrew preached along the Black Sea and the Dnieper River as far as Kiev, making him the patron saint of Ukraine, Romania, and Russia. Some claim he visited Spain, and the Scots claim Andrew first brought them the gospel. The flag of Scotland is a white x-shaped cross (called a saltire) on a blue field. (The British flag, the Union Jack imposes the red cross of St. George over the red x-shaped cross of St. Patrick, over the white x-shaped cross of Andrew). According to Hippolytus of Rome, Andrew preached in Thrace. Tradition says Andrew was martyred in Achaia in Greece on an x-shaped cross where he died of exposure.

In his wonderful little book, The Master’s Men, William Barclay sees a common theme in each of these three stories. Andrew introduced people to Jesus. What could be a better epitaph or example for us to follow?

I love stories about people, and one of the most fascinating groups of people is the apostles. We’ve probably heard stories about Peter, and James, and John, but there are also lesser-known men whose stories – as short as they are – are equally inspiring.

For the next two weeks, I’d like to share ten of their stories. Let’s begin with their names. If you compare the four different lists, you might notice something interesting. There are twelve men, but within the twelve, there are three groups of four. Let’s begin with the list in Matthew 10:2 – 4.

The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Mark gives the list as:

He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him (Mark 3:16–19).

The first four are always “Peter, Andrew, James, and John.” The second four are always “Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew,” and the last four are always James, the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot.” However, within each of those groups of four, the order varies. For example, in Matthew’s account, Andrew is second, but in Mark’s account, Andrew is fourth. Likewise, in Matthew’s second group, Matthew is fourth in the second group but third in Mark’s group.

Note too, Bartholomew appears in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but Nathaniel does not. However, in John’s gospel, Bartholomew doesn’t appear, but Nathaniel does. The answer is simple. The prefix “bar” means “son of.” Thus “Bar-tholomew” is a last name meaning “son of Ptolemy.” So, we know his full name: Nathaniel Bartholomew. (Since the Ptolemies were the Greek rulers of Egypt – Cleopatra was a Ptolemy – a legend grew up that Nathaniel Bartholomew as royalty.)

Our “question to cogitate” today is “What binds the apostles together into three groups?” The first one is easy. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were business partners (Mark 1:16 ff.). The next group: Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew, is more complicated. We know Philip and Bartholomew were close friends (John 1), but that is all. The last four, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, are intriguing. The Zealots were Jewish revolutionaries, but what about the other three? Did political affiliations bind them?

The epitaph, “Iscariot,” may provide an answer. “Ish” is the Hebrew name for “man.” William Barclay believes “Scariot” refers to the dagger the Zealots carry. (The Zealots were also called the “Scarioti” or “dagger-men.” If that’s true, Judas “Iscariot” could be “Judas the dagerman.”) If Barclay is correct, then perhaps these last four apostles were Zealots – men who wanted to change the world by any means necessary. The fact that Jesus has Zealots and Matthew the tax-collector both in his band of apostles is an important lesson.

However, it is equally possible “Iscariot” means a man (“Ish”) from Kerioth, a village in Judea. If that is true, the rest of the apostles were probably Galilean, and Judas would have been the only outsider. That is an intriguing possibility we’ll explore when we study him further.

We know for sure that these men were faithful witnesses to Jesus the Messiah, and we would do well to follow their examples.

I am a morning person. I like the excitement a new day brings with all her opportunities and challenges. It’s my time for prayer, reading, and meditation. I do my best work before lunch, and to be honest, I believe afternoons were created for naps – at least that’s what Sadie, my dog, and Joey, my cat, are trying to convince me of. But this week, I was reading in Genesis and noticed the Lord met with Adam in the cool of the evenings.

Have you ever wondered what they talked about? It probably wasn’t sports or politics. Perhaps Adam shared his discoveries and asked those questions that haunt our days. It must have been a special time for them, and so I’ve been thinking about the blessings of talking with God before bed. It seems a natural time to share your worries and your complaints. It is the time to pray for our families and friends, but I wonder if we shouldn’t take a lesson from the example of Adam. What if we started planning to meet God in the cool of the evening? It’s a great time to say thank you. (I don’t do that enough!) It would be a good time to share what we learned today.

In ancient Judaism, there were morning sacrifices and evening sacrifices.

“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old regularly each day. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening” (Exodus 29:38–39).

This became the “sacrifice of prayer,” and we see the early Christians praying in the Temple in the morning and the afternoon (Acts 4). Later, in the Middle Ages, the monks prayed seven times a day (Matins at nighttime, Lauds in the early morning, Prime at the first hour of daylight, Terce at the third hour, Sext at noon, Nones in the afternoon, Vespers at sunset, and Compline at the end of the day.) Sadly, the prayers became very formal and “by the book.” A Psalter was required for the songs; lectionaries were used for the assigned readings. Bibles were read to “proclaim the reading.” A hymnal was used for the appropriate songs. Finally, these were all incorporated into a breviary, and the “Lord’s Prayer” was repeated three times a day. 

Sigh. Why do we tend to make things complicated and formal? But I do think we need to begin our days and our nights with prayers – chats with God before bed.

One of the elders at the first congregation I worked with was very concerned about church growth. Our church was doing very well. By that I mean, the members were happy and growing spiritually. Our youth group was excited, and numerically – the standard most people use to measure growing churches – we were growing as well.

John thought we could do better. He heard about a congregation in Texas that had surpassed 1,000 in Sunday morning attendance. John had to know their secret, so he traveled to Texas to see for himself. He was especially impressed by their foyer. They had an information booth where visitors could learn about the congregation, pick up a bulletin, and be directed to Bible classes. When John returned, he immediately built a visitor’s booth in our foyer. His reasoning was, “If we do what big churches do, we’ll be big too.”

However, there were some unintended consequences of John’s new visitor’s booth. We already had a group of members who felt their ministry was welcoming visitors to our services. They faithfully arrived early and greeted everyone with bright, smiling faces. Now they had been replaced! However, they were mature enough not to see it that way, and instead of meeting people in the foyer where the information booth was, they moved out onto the church steps and welcomed people before they even left the parking lot! The greeters were happy. The visitors were welcomed, and last I knew, the visitor’s booth was being used to store mops and buckets.

We need to recognize every congregation is unique. Why do we grade churches by their physical size? Jim Belcher wrote in the introduction to Brandon O’Brien’s book, Small Church, Big Impact:

According to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, 94 percent of all existing churches have less than five hundred attendees, and two-thirds of these have less than one hundred. Churches of more than two thousand attendees represent less than one-half of one percent of all churches in America. As I sat at the conference, I wondered why we hold these mega-churches up as the model of ministry for every church. Is it because, I asked myself, they are large and “successful”?[1]

  [1] O’Brien, Brandon J. (2011-07-31T23:58:59). Small Church, Big Impact (Ebook Shorts). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Jesus had an appointment. The Transfiguration of Christ didn’t just happen as Jesus was walking along with his disciples. He had an appointment on top of that holy mountain to meet with Moses and Elijah, but why?

The week before, at Caesarea Philippi, Peter made the great confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Matthew 16:21). That made absolutely no sense to them, and Peter rebuked Jesus for saying so (Matthew 16:22)! They needed proof that God was in control. They needed to know that what was about to happen was all part of God’s eternal plan. Let’s read the story of the Transfiguration again:

And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John, his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only (Matthew 17:1 – 8 ESV).

Have you ever wondered why, out of all the Old Testament characters, Moses and Elijah appeared to Jesus? Why not Adam, the first man? After all, it was because of Adam’s sin that Jesus had to go to the cross. Or why not Abraham? He was the father of the nation of Israel. Or Noah, or Malachi, or even King David? Why these two, and how did Peter, James and John know it was Moses and Elijah?[1]

Remember, Moses was the great lawgiver, and Elijah stood for all the prophets. Thus, the entire Old Testament reflects God’s eternal plan to save us. Peter, James, and John needed to know in the midst of the trial they were about to undergo; God is in control! Isn’t that a great thought for today as well?

  [1] This answers the question I am often asked, “Will we recognize each other in heaven?” Unless Moses and Elijah were wearing name tags, Peter and the others simply knew who it was. So will we when we see the saints.

In 1873, the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed a criminal conviction against William Linkhaw, a Methodist, who “sang so poorly in church that a grand jury indicted him for disrupting the church’s services.”^[1]A 1906 poem published in the legal magazine, The

Green Bag, included these lines:

And that, although the proof did show
That Linkhaw’s voice was awful
The judges found no valid ground
For holding it unlawful.

Linkhaw’s singing was so bad, members of the congregation asked him to cease singing. Linkhaw, on the other hand, was so deeply religious, he felt, in good conscience, he couldn’t stop. Once, the Methodist pastor refused to lead a song at all lest Linkhaw join in! During the trial, a witness threw the court into convulsions of laughter when he imitated Linkhaw’s singing.

“All parties agreed that Linkhaw did not mean to disturb the service, but trial judge Daniel L. Russell ruled that he could nonetheless be held responsible because he ought to have known that his acts would result in a disruption of the congregation. The jury found Linkhaw guilty, and Russell fined him one penny. Linkhaw appealed to the North Carolina Supreme Court, which unanimously vacated the conviction. In an opinion by Justice Thomas Settle, the court ruled that Linkhaw could not be found guilty when he was genuinely trying to worship. Settle suggested that the matter was more appropriate for church discipline than for the courts of law.”

Judge Daniel L. Russell went on to be elected governor of North Carolina, but history doesn’t tell us if William Linkhaw ever learned to sing. All of these troubles could have been avoided if only the congregation remember the Scriptures only encourage us to “make a joyful noise to the Lord” (Psalm 95:1)

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^[1] Downloaded from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_v._Linkhaw