On The Mount of Transfiguration

 

The Mount of Transfiguration

In the Holy Scripture there is really nothing that is accidental or unimportant, the Holy Spirit has caused the Bible to be written in such a way that it relentlessly and perfectly always point to Jesus, even where an event or a conversation takes place can convey such meaning to us. 

After a time of ministry Jesus had taken His disciples to the area in Northern Palatine called Caesarea Philippi, the town, which was predominantly a gentile  area,    under the rule of the Tetrarch Phillip,   it was located at the foot of Mt. Hermon which is one of the predominate high places mentioned in the Old Testament.  Ps: 133, describes Mt. Hermon as symbolic of where God’s blessing flow to His people, coming down upon Israel from Mt. Hermon. 

In the far north of Israel, Caesarea was a quiet restful resort area – “a place to rest” –It was a place where Jesus could spend time with His disciples and “just be with them”. 

It is to this place of rest and quiet Jesus has led His disciples and each of us as well. It is here Jesus has an important conversation with His disciples, and with each of us, about whom people believe that He is Matthew: 16:13. 

 It is in this place that Peter’s confession ,   that Jesus is the "Christ the Son of the Living God" is spoken, and it is here that Jesus affirms that His church will be composed of those who see this truth that He is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”  Matthew:16:16

Away From Jerusalem

Why does Jesus take us here to Caesarea? What lesson is He speaking to us even through the location? Jesus takes us here to Caesarea, away from Jerusalem, away from the Temple, which was the heart of the Old Covenant relationship which was the focus of the national and individual life of the people of Israel,   the place where God, through the sacrificial and ceremonial tenets of the Old Covenant   and the legalism that was added to it by the religious establishment, was to be worshipped.  All those things should have pointed the people to Jesus.  This was a works based or performance based religion.  

On The Mountain

It is after this conversation in Caesarea, this place of rest, that the following week Jesus takes Peter, James and John, and us as well, to the summit of “ a high mountain” Matthew 17:1 .  In Luke’s Gospel it tells us that Jesus has ascended the mountain for prayer, Luke: 9: There is no mention in the Gospel narratives that Jesus and His group have left the Cesarean  area,   and in that in area there is only one high mountain, Mt. Hermon.

  “he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. ²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰ Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.”Luke: 9:28-29

It is here on this “high mountain” that the three disciples, and, we through the narrative of the Scriptures, see Jesus Christ Transfigured- that is His glory is revealed; Moses and Elijah appear and speak to Jesus about His death,    ³¹ They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem” .  They talk of His impending death on the cross. That is the whole of the Old Testament, Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the prophets) looked forward to what Jesus would do on our behalf, He would remove, through the cross,  all of our excuses to be excluded in Salvation , by dying for us all.  The Law and Prophets spoke of Jesus. Luke: 24:25-24

Just a note: Some Christians do not understand the difference between the Old Testament and the Old Covenant, simply put, the Old Covenant is that agreement God had made with the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai, its duration was from Sinai until the cross, which is Calvary. The Old Testament however, is the written record of the people of Israel in that covenant with God and as the Word of God it is never ending and good for all time because of the cross.

Building Tabernacles

When the three Apostles, while Jesus was in prayer, drifted into sleep “Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. ³³ As the men (Moses and Elijah) were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)” Luke: 24:32-33

Peter’s reaction upon wakening and   seeing the glory of the Lord reveals much about his and along with most of humanities view of a relationship with God. Peter was viewing the experience through the eyes of the Old Covenant a works based approach, as reflected in his statement “it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)” Luke: 24:32-33

What Peter was really showing is that he thought, that through his own effort he could contribute something to what was happening, that is, the Glory God being revealed in Jesus.  He approached the moment of awakening to Jesus’ glory as being under the Old Covenant, which building tabernacles was a part of   Leviticus: 23.  This shows us how he believed God is approached through works, which is how he, and many of us, has been taught. He thought, and we all too often think in the same terms, that we can contribute to our Salvation, that we earn it, yet we see that it is accomplished at Jerusalem for us, by Jesus alone.

The Father’s Voice

As Peter is still speaking his misunderstanding of the situation, God the Father’s voice is heard out of Cloud of Glory a reminder of the glorious presence of God with the people of Israel with the Shekinah Glory sitting atop of Mt. Sanai, Exodus: 24:16, just as it was atop of this mountain, and even filling the Tabernacles in the Wilderness, “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle”.Exodus:40:34

  ^“While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Matthew: 17:5-6

God’s Voice show us the truth, we have the truth about Jesus established in the mouth of three, Moses (the Law) Elijah (the prophets) and now The Great God. “A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Deuteronomy 19:15

  Paul states “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." 2Corinthians:  13:1
⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” ⁸ When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. Matthew: 17:6-8

At The Summit

So what is the lesson in all of this? Well we could spend an eternity looking at the Word of God and never expend it and all  the truth found within in it,   but in short, Jesus leads us  away from the works based religion, symbolized by Jerusalem,  to the place of rest and peace symbolized by the resort area of Caesarea. When we enter this  place of rest, we are entering the rest in Christ.  Hebrews 4 details that it is due to Jesus’ work  that Christians enter the “Sabbath rest” in Christ. That is we step away from works or performance based religiosity and enter grace, entering the grace of God we can finely see through the eyes grace and in doing so we catch a glimpse of the Glory of the Lord,  we awake from sleep so to speak as did Peter.

Through The Eyes of Grace

Jesus takes us to the high place, where we can look upon Him in all His glory Matthew 17:1-He takes us to the mountain top:  That is there is no higher place then seeing God revealed in Jesus –and we see the Glory in Jesus.

The message of the Old Testament looked forward to the coming of Jesus “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John” Matthew: 11:1, that is the message of the Scriptures spoke with Authority that the Christ was to come, then there upon the banks of the Jordan River John point out to us all that the Christ Is Come, not the message of the Gospel is that Christ is come. The message is Jesus is the “Christ the Son of the Living God” by Whom God reveals to us Who He is.

^“10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹¹ trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.”  1Peter: 1:10-12

The Prophets wanted to Glimpse the Glory that we Christian have the grace to see and experience through Jesus, for them they wanted to understand, what we see now.

  Grace Reveals the Glory

What Jesus has done is to remove the curtain of the Law, or any works based or performance based religiosity which obscures our view of God, when this happens and the “law or works” are removed we see Jesus standing as the Glorious Lord.The Law would place a veil  over our eyes and would keep us from seeing all the Glory of God that Jesus shows to us all, but Grace lets us see the Glory.

"We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the Old Testament is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away”. 2Corinthians:3:12-16

When we read the Old Testament without the Law (works) but through Who Jesus is, we see God’s Glory emerge from Scripture and see our Great God revealing Himself in and through Jesus His Son.  Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John: 14:9.  This was and is and will ways be what Jesus does for all eternity showing us Who the Great God is.

Peter Remembered

^16" For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord 

Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

¹⁷ He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” ¹⁸ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain”2Peter:1:16-18

Peter remember seeing the Glory of God and the Voice of the Father speaking from the cloud, attesting that it is Jesus Who is His Son, in which we see God’s Glory.

Jesus Alone

^5 “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”  ⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” ⁸ When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus”Matthew:17:5-8

We are admonished by God Himself to hear what the Son says, to “Listen to Him” the three disciples hearing this fell on their faces. It is here prostrate in the position of worship that Jesus comes to them, and us, and touches. The disciples and  us; we look up together  and see Jesus alone, meaning He is all that they and we need.
 Jesus speaks kindly to them and us “don’t be afraid”  . We are not to fear, but rest in Him and His finished work on the cross and  continuing revelation of Who the Great God is…

The Mount of Transfiguration is that High Place to which our Lord leads us;  to that place were we come see God revealed in Jesus where we fall in worship and see that it is He and He alone that we need,  we are free of the blinding veil  of performance based religion, free to see God's Glory as He always meant us to see Him , we can rest in Christ with no fear in the Glory of His Son Jesus Christ. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

Fountain of Life Church

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 in Washington, Pa.

And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

The Firstborn's Blessing

 the Firstborn’s Blessing 

When we look at the Holy Scriptures through the view of Who Jesus Christ is, and all that He has done on our behalf, and we start from the view that all of Scripture point us to our Lord, even as He himself said , speaking to religious leaders of the day.

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me”, John: 5:39,

And on the road to Emmaus, to the two disciples with which He walked after His resurrection,

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke: 24:27

This also tells us when we see Jesus, as the Resurrected Savoir the One Who is Fully God and Fully Human, then we can see Him in the Scriptures all the more clearly. That is, we can see Jesus in the entire Bible from cover to cover. He is the way to understand the Word of God, for He is that Word. Jesus stands out, in surprising, and unexpected ways and places, virtually from almost every Scripture. Jesus emerges in unlikely places in ways that we might not first suspect.Reading the Bible through Who Jesus is opens it to our understanding, and the Salvation and blessings we can experience when we come to faith in Him.

Jacob

I wanted to look the account of the Patriarch Jacob, who’s name means “tripper or grasps a heel”.  This was a Hebrew idiom for “he deceives”, who obtained what he  should not otherwise have. For the sake of brevity, please allow me to give you the story in a short outline. Jacob was the Grandson of the Abraham to whom God had been given great promises, theses promises passed to Isaac, who had intended to confer them to his favorite and firstborn of two sons, Esau, who by all rights, as the firstborn, these blessings truly belong.Genesis:25:19-28.   Being the Firstborn was a place of great importance in the cultuer of that day, it held all the rights and received the primary inheritance.

 Now Jacob as the second son under the normal traditions of that culture could not really expect to receive the best part of his father’s blessing. However Jacob was a clever man, and used his cleverness to obtain the “birthright” from his older brother Esau, Genesis: 25:29-24.  Esau we are told in verse 34 –  ^“Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.”
 Esau did not esteem his birthright it as something to hold on to, but let Jacob have it for a pot of red stew a very unfair exchange. Esau then got up and went his way.

Isaac

Now, when Isaac was old, and his eyes had become dim, desired to give the blessing to his firstborn son Esau. Isaac calls Esau and tells him of his intention, but request that Esau first go hunting and bring him some wild game to eat, and then he would pass the blessing on  to Esau. Genesis 27:1-4

 Rebekah

Now Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, who favor was toward Jacob, over hears the conversation between the two men, and while Esau is away in the field, She devises a plan where by Jacob can receive what rightfully belongs to Esau who is the firstborn.
Two goat kids are killed, the meat is dressed to resemble wild game, Jacob protested that his father will know it is him due to the fact Esau was a hairy man  and he is not, and Isaac will know this when he lays hands upon him. The goat’s hair is tied to Jacob’s arm and neck, and a robe of Esau’s is placed upon Jacob...Genesis: 27:11-17
 “Then you shall take it to your father that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.” Genesis: 27:5-10

Isaac’s Blindness 

Following Rebeka’s instructions Jacob now approaches his blind father having put on the robe of his firstborn brother, and goat hair in place, bearing the “offering” of the killed and dressed goats.
“So he went to his father and said, “My father.’ And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord your God brought it to me.” Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.” And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing,” Genesis: 27:18-27a

 Isaac, in hearing Jacobs’s voice questions who it is that is before him.  Isaac request that he come closer that he may touch him. When Jacob draws near Isaac feels the goat hair and smells the clothing that belong to Esau, and  in Isaac’s blindness, he becomes convinced that the one before him is his firstborn son Esau and accepts him as such, and confers upon Jacob all that belong to Esau. All that Esau had rights to was now  Jacobs.
 

The blessing is given to Jacob.

 “And blessed him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!” Genesis: 27:27b-29

Jacob then receives what is rightfully Esau’s not because of who Jacob was, but, because of who Esau was, all the blessings were rightfully Esau’s, now Jacob had it without deserving it or on merits of his own.

Where Is Jesus in This?

Where is Jesus?..... Well, He is there in all of it, and so are we. We could spend a great deal of time expounding on how the living Jesus stands forth from the Scriptures here, and throughout the Bible for that matter but we are limited in time and space.
You see, Jesus, as Esau was, is that Firstborn to whom all the blessing rightfully belong. They are His alone by all rights.
“ In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews: 1:1-3
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;” Romans: 8:29
(Jesus) “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” Colsseions: 1:14-15

It is the Firstborn who receives all from the Father; it belongs to him by all rights. It is the same with Jesus and ourselves, all that Christians receive we receive not because of who we are but because of Who Jesus is, on His merits alone.  In the same way all that Jacob received from blind Isaac belonged to his older brother Esau, but he received it due to the fact that their father perceived Jacob as Esau.

We Are All Jacob

We all are just like Jacob, as he was a supplanter and deceptive as he was called, we all used the natural inclinations of our carnal natures to go through life.
 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”  Romans:3:23
“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” John: 1:8
 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worked in the children of disobedience:  3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved;” Ephesians:2:2-5

Theses Scriptures speak to all humanity. This is all of us. Yet at some point we heard that message, the Gospel, which encourages us to seek our Father and receive from Him all that He has for us.

Rebekah

As Jacob was encouraged by his mother Rebekah, who articulated the way as to how he could receive Esau’s blessing, and to approach the Father, “The church 'is the mother of us all'" Galatians: 4:26.
It is the church, our mother, who through the proclamation of the Gospel, which articulates and encourages us to seek from our Father in Heaven all the blessing we might receive in our Christian lives and on into eternity.

Received as the Firstborn

We as Christian upon hearing the message of who Jesus is Christ and the adoption that is ours through Jesus Christ, it is then that we are dressed in the Firstborn’s Robe.

“clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ”, Romans: 13:14
“for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” Galatians:3:27.
That means that we like Jacob slip on the Firstborns’ Robe of Righteousness, it is his not ours it is Jesus’, and dressed as the Firstborn we come into the presence of our Father bearing our “offering” which is not exactly the dish that was wanted but it was prepared in such a way that it was accepted, as imperfect as in truth we all are, yet it receives acceptance as perfect.  We are welcomed into the Father’s presences as Jacob was in Isaac’s.

It is our voice that is heard in seek a blessing, as it was Jacobs, but we are perceived as the Firstborn just as Jacob was.  That is, God accepts us as if we are His own beloved Firstborn Son Jesus . We are covered by the scarified goats’ hair, which is we being covered by Christ’s sacrifice.

Evan the smell of the robe that Isaac mentions is that familiar smell of the Firstborn even as Jesus is to the great God  “and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” Ephesians:5:2

 

Received the Blessing

When Isaac accepted that the one before him was His Firstborn Esau he then gave to Jacob all the a Firstborn should have , he held nothing back it all became Jacobs even though he should by rights have received none of it. This speaks of the grace and full adoption, which is sonship, which is given to us through Jesus.
 ^“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship And by him we cry, “Abba  Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Romans: 8:12-17
We are co heirs with Jesus we are to share in what is His, but it is not because of who we are but Who He is.

Notes About Esau’s Birthright

In Genesis: 25:29-34 Esau sold his birthright, we are told that “despised his birthright” that he did not esteem it as something to be kept, this even speaks to us of Jesus’ willingness to release or to turn lose His birthright so that others could have it, which is to say Jesus is willing to give to us what is rightfully His that is all things.  Even the “Red Stew” for which it was sold speaks to us regarding the price paid that  each of us  may have this blessing, the very life blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace” Ephesians:1:7

Blessing Not Withdrawn

Even in Esau’s realizing what had occurred after he came in from the field, that what was his has now gone to another,  we see the irrevocable nature of God’s blessing upon us, Esau wanted Isaac to recall the blessing and restore  it him, but his Father was not able to do so  once it was given, it was Jacobs.

“But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.”

Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!” Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”

Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?” Genesis: 27:34-37

As it is for us who have received from God through Jesus Christ, by Grace alone all that is Jesus'; except His deity, these blessing will not be recalled by the Father , for once these blessing  are bestowed upon us they are ours .  “for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable”Romans:11:29

All About Jesus

 All this in brief speaks to us that God the Father is “blind” to our brokenness, weakness, limits, sinful state, but because of Who Jesus is, and what He has done on our behalf we can have a relationship with the Great God.  Isaac called Jacob Esau’s brother, that is God accepts us in to full sonship as the “brethren” of Jesus, God the Father is including us in Who Jesus is, this is accomplished through Jesus taking on our humanity so we might share in all that, as the Firstborn Son, is His in relationship and in the life of the Great God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When we read the Bible through Jesus Christ as our lends, you might say, then by doing so Jesus Christ emerges in places we may not have thought to look for Him, the Bible is far from just book of ethics, morals or history, it is about Jesus and all that He is in revealing the Great God to us that we might be blessed.  ….We are all Jacob  who without  meriting or   undeserving   received from the Father, all the Blessings, all that  are  our Lord Jesus Christ's  Who is  the Firstborn. . Amen.

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

Fountain of Life Church

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 in Washington, Pa.

And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

A Very Brief History of the Early Church Apostles

We Christians today are part of a history that is ongoing- We all are not a part of a new phenomenon that began maybe a century ago but indeed it stretches back 2000 years.

There is little specific information about the early Apostles and their individual fate in their  service to  Jesus Christ ,that is,  little in the Bible its self, but there are some outside sources and “traditions” that have been handed down through the generations, especially in the Eastern Church,    some of these are incomplete and  with conflicting histories, but they may carry a germ of truth.

However it is useful from time-to-time to review these "traditions"  regarding the Apostles as they followed that ever expanding vision that Jesus gave to them, (and to us), to take that message of salvation throughout the all Earth.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts: 1:8

Andrew- 60 AD,   is said to have preached in Greece establishing churches as he went. Some histories say that while he was at Achaiahe preached to the Roman Governor Aegeas ’s wife  who became a Christian, and was baptized.  The Roman Governor became  angry that his wife had became a believer.

Aegeas then demanded that Christians sacrifice to the Roman gods. Andrew was said to have went to him at Patras and asked him to become a Christian as well . 

Aegeas then had Andrew arrested and crucified on a X shaped cross.  He is said to have lived three days upon the cross , the people of that place seeing his faith, even as he hung on the cross, were so moved that they  went and asked Aegeas to set Andrew  free. Andrew heard this, but asked God to let him die instead , he accepting death over deliverance from the cross.

After his death the tradition is that a Bishop  in that town, took Andrew’s body to Scotland  and that  it was lost at sea during the journey.  Andrew is often pictured in church architecture or in art as an X, or a fishing net.

Bartholomew – (?)  Some believe that Nathaniel & Bartholomew are the same person, he is reputedly having gone as far east as India, Phrygia, and Armenia.  While in Alpanople, Bartholomew was held by the Roman Governor, sliced with knives then Crucified.  He is not widely represented in Christ art.  He some times is  symbolized by a sheath of skin draped on a cross  or by knives, or a fig branch.

James the Elder or Greater 44 AD- He is the brother of John and shared the nick name “Beoanerge” with his brother John, meaning “Sons of Thunder”. Had been a fisherman and was the first Apostle to be martyred by King Herod by being beheaded in Jerusalem. He is depicted as a sea shell and or a sword.

James the Younger or Lesser 62 AD- Son of Alpheus,  how he was  killed may have been by being thrown from the Temple,  then his body was  beaten with clubs, or stones, and possibly  even cut in two with  a saw. Sometimes James is represented  as a windmill  but as to why he  is, is   unknown.

John 90’s AD- Is the only original twelve Apostle to die of natural causes. He was under house arrest on Patmos.  He was brother of James whom shared the name “Beoanerge”, “Sons of Thunder”.  John had been a fisherman like James. There are stories that John’s opponents and those who withstood Christ attempted to poison John as he drank from a cup, yet nothing happened to him. Some say they tried to boil him alive in oil but he was unharmed.  He was released from Patmos and went to Ephesus and lived there until his death. In early art he is often pictured as being young, or is also depicted as an eagle, or as an eagle in a caldron, or a snake in a chalice.  

Jude (?) called Lebbeus in Matthew & Thaddeus in Mark. - He wrote the Epistle of Jude, and he is thought to have traveled with Simon to Arabia, Mesopotainia & Syria Jude is often pictured with Simon in early art.  He was martyred by being clubbed to death, which is used as a symbol for him as well as a ship. 

Luke (?)-The  Gentile doctor who wrote the Gospel and is believed to have died by natural causes. Luke  is pictured by an OX, which is shown in his gospel account  in which  the father of John the Baptist is offering an OX.

Mark or John Mark 74 AD- He traveled with his uncle Barnabas, Peter & Paul. He is by tradition called Pater’s scribe and may have gotten his information from Peter for his gospel. He was the First Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt..  It has been the tradition that anti-Christian opponents entered the church assembly during  the Resurrection service and tied a rope around Marks neck and drug him through the streets. Mark has been symbolized as a winged lion.

Matthew (?) He was one of the original 12 had been a tax collector and was shunned by the Jewish people as working for the Roman occupation  and  being considered corrupt as most tax collectors were. Some traditions from the earliest times record Matthew as traveling to Persia and or Ethiopia where it is likely he was martyred. He is symbolized by sword or a money bag, and a winged man.

Matthias (?) who  replaced Judas.  There are very little records of him. He is believed to have traveled to the area around the Caspian Sea or maybe Ethiopia like Matthew .It is not known how he was killed. Is often represented by an sword or ax.

Paul 65 AD-  We have a great deal of information regarding Paul,  born in South East Asia minor , part modern day Turkey, in Tarsus.  Well educated,  a Roman Citizen  by birth. Had been  instructed by the Rabbi  Gamaliel in Jerusalem. After Paul’s  conversion he  wrote many of the epistles.  Traveled  on 3 primary missionary/evangelism tours to Cyprus, Asia Minor, Macedonia and Acaea &  as far as and Rome & Spain to the west and  in the  Mediterranean area. Paul  Taught mostly Gentiles. Paul by tradition was beheaded on the  Apian Way under orders of Nero on June 29^th  He is symbolized by a scroll or book with a sword and the word “Spritus Gladus”= which means the "Sword of the Spirit" ,  or by two crossed swords and a snake in a fire.

Simon Peter also Caphes 64 AD-  A Galeeian Fisherman who  lived in Capernaum was the first to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah then,  denies that he knew Jesus . After the resurrection of Jesus and Pentecost, Peter becomes the, or one, of the primary leader(s) of the eraly church. In 64 AD, He traveled throughout the region as far as Babylon to the east and Roman in the West  while at Rome Peter was arrested by Nero and Crucified upside down on a cross. He is represented by a roster, upside down cross and a set of crossed keys, keys & a cross together.

Philip (?)- He is mentioned as being apart of the feeding of the 5000, he is believed to have preached in Galatia & Phrygia. After being arrested he was crucified then stoned.  One account is that he was killed by a spear. Philip is pictured by bread baskets,  a cross flanked by breadbaskets, or  a cross with a carpenter’s angel, or a cross and spear.

Simon the Zealot (?)-  May have been called this being associated with anti Roman government movement, or that he was zealous for the mission of Jesus. Simon may have traveled with Jude after being in Egypt for a time.  Then at some point he may have  returned to Jerusalem and worked with James the younger until he himself was martyred .He is pictured by a fish & book or a hook.

Stephen  35 AD- Was a Deacon &  the first Christians martyr,  not counting Jesus.  He was stoned by the mob of angry Jews for preaching about Jesus Christ.  He is  often represented by  a shroud and stones.

Thomas (?)- Was a twin, also called doubting Thomas, after he sees the resurrected Jesus he strengthen in faith.   It is believed that he preached to the Parthians , Persians, Meads  the Hiricurieans,  and the Bactrains. There are old accounts of Thomas going to India and preaching there for years even converting as well  an Indian Queen whose husband was angry that she had come to Jesus. He then attempted to kill Thomas several times, each time failing. The King then ordered Thomas to worship an idol of the India sun god; he would not do it, saying God would destroy it.  The story is that the idol melted before all them, the sun god’s priest then took a spear or sword and killed Thomas. Stones and spears often represent Thomas as a martyr. 

We Christians of today may never know with  certainty  what befall the early Apostles, that is, at least this side of eternity we may never know, but we can know that they were faithful to the charge that Jesus placed upon them to go and proclaim the Gospel, had they fail in this , we today would simply not  be followers of our Lord Jesus. We are the evidence of their faithful service  in the  work of the great commission.

May it be that we, like they,  will be as faithful and participating in proclaiming that message of Jesus Christ. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

Fountain of Life Church

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 in Washington, Pa.

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