Would the 12 Apostles still have followed Jesus had they full knowledge of their eventual martyrdom?

[friend of]

Heavy, quasi-heretical question here. Jesus' selection of the 12 was, of course, a flawless decision, and so naturally it should follow that they all would have accepted the weight of this heavenly calling. Right?

But we know they, being human, possessed human faults, and these faults were made clear throughout NT.

Let's pretend [they] are facing an in between decision phase where the 12:

-have knowledge that Christ is Messiah
-have knowledge that brutal martyrdom is the price of following Jesus
-do not yet taste of the heavenly victory firsthand and have only assurances via earthly faith to tide them over

Do you think each of the original 12 apostles would still have followed Christ?

And if not, does that mean Christ withheld information?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Would the 12 Apostles still have followed Jesus had they full knowledge of their eventual martyrdom?

Yes. 11 of them, or 10, and Paul. It is possible John was not martyred, though he also was perfectly ready and considered not his life worth sparing, when given freely for the GOSPEL'S SAKE.

 

[Neogaia777]

Heavy, quasi-heretical question here. Jesus' selection of the 12 was, of course, a flawless decision, and so naturally it should follow that they all would have accepted the weight of this heavenly calling. Right?

But we know they, being human, possessed human faults, and these faults were made clear throughout NT.

Let's pretend [they] are facing an in between decision phase where the 12:

-have knowledge that Christ is Messiah
-have knowledge that brutal martyrdom is the price of following Jesus
-do not yet taste of the heavenly victory firsthand and have only assurances via earthly faith to tide them over

Do you think each of the original 12 apostles would still have followed Christ?

And if not, does that mean Christ withheld information?

They probably knew they could be and more than likely would be martyred, or killed or even tortured, for preaching the gospel, but they did it anyway, and more than likely thought it a great honor to be martyred, or become a martyr for the cause and case of Christ most especially...

They probably knew all of this, and did not fear it, from the moment they, after forsaking Christ, coming back to him and doing his will even if it meant death or torture for them...

From the moment they came back to Christ, after that, they knew, and they all took up their crosses and knew what it meant after Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected, knowing this they did it gladly and considered it a great honor to be martyred for the sake and cause of Christ...

God Bless!

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Yes... Thomas is recorded as saying "Let us go and die with him." They had an idea that they may eventually have died, thing is... they didn't care they willingly did it for him as should all who believe

 

[St_Worm2]

It seems to me that the kind of courage needed to face such trials happened after the Apostles became believers and were indwelt/empowered by the Holy Spirit (and that it was really just "talk" before that happened).

John 13
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”
38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

Matthew 26
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me.
56 “But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”
71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.”
73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.”
74 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.​

Yours and His,
David

 

[Neogaia777]

It seems to me that the kind of courage needed to face such trials happened after the Apostles became believers and were indwelt/empowered by the Holy Spirit (and that it was really just "talk" before that happened).

John 13
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”
38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

Matthew 26
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me.
56 “But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”
71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.”
73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.”
74 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.​

Yours and His,
David

They, and the Lord had to show us, through them, what the path and walk would be like, following him in the flesh before he died, and then, following him in the Spirit after his ascension... We had to have examples, like us, like the imperfect, flawed, (human, only human) apostles or disciples, we had to have examples like us, or we would never believe it... And there would be no hope or help of knowing the way or the path...

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

They, and the Lord had to show us, through them, what the path and walk would be like, following him in the flesh before he died, and then, following him in the Spirit after his ascension... We had to have examples, like us, like the imperfect, flawed, (human, only human) apostles or disciples, we had to have examples like us, or we would never believe it... And there would be no hope or help of knowing the way or the path...

God Bless!

And look at what God did with them... Just think of what he could do with us...?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

See Foxes Book of Martyrs and The Secret of the Anabaptists, to see what is still possible today when people actually do the will of God - all over the world martyrs are living as the Apostles and disciples in the NT lived, in Christ Jesus, His Life, self-sacrificing for the GOSPEL'S SAKE. with the same power and obviously changed lives from their old lives, and obviously different lives than all others around them. (walking in the LIGHT/ TRUTH/ GOOD NEWS/ by the same grace and power of God)

 

[Phil 1:21]

God revealed to them exactly what He needed to in order to fulfill His purpose.

 

[Rhamiel]

Jesus told Peter the manner in which he would die

 

[bbbbbbb]

Jesus told Peter the manner in which he would die

Quite true. There is abundant scriptural evidence to the effect that, yes, the apostles followed Christ, knowing full well what awaited them.