Who was the last disciple to die?

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Answer

We know that the apostle John was exiled for his faith late in life (Revelation 1:9). The Bible does not give us details on how the apostle John died, but tradition gives us a few theories.

The most plausible theory of John’s death states that John was arrested in Ephesus and faced martyrdom when his enemies threw him in a huge basin of boiling oil. However, according to the tradition, John was miraculously delivered from death. The authorities then sentenced John to slave labor in the mines of Patmos. On this island in the southern part of the Aegean Sea, John had a vision of Jesus Christ and wrote the prophetic book of Revelation. The apostle John was later freed, possibly due to old age, and he returned to what is now Turkey. He died as an old man sometime after AD 98, the only apostle to die peacefully.

Another theory concerning John’s death is associated with a second-century bishop named Papias of Hierapolis. According to one commentary on Papias’s writings, John was killed by a group of Jewish men. However, many historians believe Papias was misquoted or misread and doubt the credibility of this theory.

There is also a legend that says John did not die but rather ascended straight to heaven like Enoch and Elijah. There is no biblical evidence to lend validity to this story.

Question: How did the apostle John die? When was his death? Did he pass away in Asia Minor?

Answer: The Bible is silent regarding when or how John died. Information regarding his last days comes to us primarily from tradition. The 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia, in an article about his life, states that writers in the second and third centuries A.D. accepted a widely held tradition that the apostle spent his last days in Ephesus.

According to the Catholics, Justin Martyr also referred to John as an apostle of Jesus who lived in Ephesus. St. Irenaes, Eusebius and still others, again according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, all agree that John left the isle of Patmos where he was banished for preaching the gospel (see Revelation 1:9). The last living original disciple then spent his remaining days in Ephesus until he died somewhere around the close of the first century.

A well-known reference book on New Testament Martyrs states that as punishment for being a believer in Christ he was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil.

"From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death" (Foxe's Book of Martyrs)

Traditional tomb in Ephesus

The Emperor Domitian reigned as Roman Emperor from 81 to 96 A.D. He likely banished John to the island of Patmos, in 95 A.D., with the hope that he would die on the island. Patmos itself is near the coast of Asia Minor and the city of Ephesus. Domitian's successor Nerva, who ruled the world empire from 96 to early 98, likely released him in 96 from his banishment. This last living person who witnessed the transfiguration of Christ (Matthew 17:1 - 9) was likely the only one of the original twelve disciples to die a peaceful death.

Easton's Bible Dictionary writes that John 'retired' to Ephesus after writing Revelation. The aged apostle, according to Easton's, outlived just about all his friends and his many acquaintances made over the years.

God turned John's exile on an island into something incredibly good. These visions became the basis for the Book of Revelation. He also seems to have finished writing his gospel account while in exile.

After his release from being banished he finalized the arrangement of books and the canonization of the New Testament around 96 - 99 A.D. As the last living person who was directly instructed during Jesus' earthly ministry, John lived a long life and died close to 100 A.D. Evidence suggests the last apostle ended his days in the Asia Minor city of Ephesus.

Mark’s Gospel hints of John’s martyrdom, but his death as a martyr is unknown. The theologian Tertullian reported that John was plunged into boiling oil but miraculously escaped unscathed. In the original apocryphal Acts of John, the apostle dies; however, later traditions assume that he ascended to heaven.

Who was the first apostle to die?

James, also called James, son of Zebedee, or James the Greater, (born, Galilee, Palestine—died 44 ce, Jerusalem; feast day July 25), one of the Twelve Apostles, distinguished as being in Jesus’ innermost circle and the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament (Acts 12:2).

When was the last apostle martyred?

He also wrote the New Testament books of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John and the Book of Revelation. Tradition holds that he was the last surviving apostle and the only apostle to die a natural death rather than by martyrdom. John is the brother of James according to the Bible. He is remembered in many churches on December 27.

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Who was God’s favorite apostle?

Since the end of the first century, the Beloved Disciple has been commonly identified with John the Evangelist. Scholars have debated the authorship of Johannine literature (the Gospel of John, Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation) since at least the third century, but especially since the Enlightenment.

Who was the last apostle to die LDS?

Scott is the third member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to die in the last few months. Elder L. Tom Perry passed away at the end of May and then just a short time later President Boyd K. Packer died.

Who baptized Jesus?

The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is a major event in the life of Jesus which is described in three of the gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke.

Who was the only apostle to die a natural death?

The Church Fathers identify him as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder and the Beloved Disciple, and testify that he outlived the remaining apostles and that he was the only one to die of natural causes.

What is a real name of Jesus?

Jesus’ name in Hebrew was “Yeshua” which translates to English as Joshua. …

Who is the grand father of Jesus?

Heli (Greek: Ἠλὶ, Hēlì, Eli in the New American Standard Bible) is an individual mentioned in the Gospel of Luke as the grandfather of Jesus. In Luke’s genealogy of Jesus, Heli is listed as the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and the son of Matthat (Greek: μαθθατ).

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What happened to the disciples after Jesus died?

After his resurrection, Jesus sent eleven of them (minus Judas Iscariot, who by then had died) by the Great Commission to spread his teachings to all nations. This event has been called the Dispersion of the Apostles. … The period of early Christianity during the lifetimes of the apostles is called the Apostolic Age.

What two apostles were brothers?

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 Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

What became of Mary Magdalene?

Mary Magdalene’s life after the Gospel accounts. According to Eastern tradition, she accompanied St. John the Apostle to Ephesus, where she died and was buried. … John the Evangelist to Ephesus (near modern Selçuk, Turkey), where she died and was buried.

What was Jesus’s wife’s name?

Mary Magdalene as Jesus’s wife.

Who disowned Jesus 3 times?

Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Jesus most likely died of a heart attack. … Instead, the soldiers pierced His side (John 19:34) to assure that He was dead. In doing this, it is reported that “blood and water came out” (John 19:34), referring to the watery fluid surrounding the heart and lungs.

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