How did the Apostles Die? Trivia Quiz

Answer: He was crucified on an X-shaped cross.

After Christ's death Andrew preached the gospel in many countries of Asia Minor, Europe, Russia, and Greece and converted thousands with his message. In Greece, Andrew was accused of the crimes of converting wife of the ruler Aigeates, to Christianity.

They crucified him upside down to an "X"-shaped cross where he died days later. The X-shaped cross later became known as St. Andrew's cross. In some superstitions, people put St. Andrew's cross up in their homes to ward off evil spirits.

Answer: He did not feel worthy enough to die in the same manner as Christ.

Peter was put to death during the reign of Nero in Rome, after Nero had blamed the Christians for the great Roman fire. When Peter was ordered to be crucified, Peter did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord, Jesus Christ. Having denied Christ once when Christ was crucified, Peter did not want to dishonor his Lord by dying in the same fashion, although he was gladly willing to give his life this time.

He requested to be crucified upside down and it was granted. Some believe that this caused his suffering to be intensified as he died.

Answer: Ethiopia

Matthew is believed to have been stabbed to death by a halberd in Ethiopia where he had done most of his evangelical work. The halberd is a weapon that has an axe fused to the pole of a spear and is a cross between a spear and sword. It is possible Matthew could have been axed as well as speared to death by this weapon.

Answer: He was beheaded.

Clemens Alexandrians, a writer during the time of James' death, wrote that as James was led to the place of execution, one of his accusers fell down at his feet when he saw James' steadfast faith and courage. The accuser begged for forgiveness and professed to be a Christian. He was beheaded with James, and they both received their martyrdom crowns together.

Answer: Phrygia

Phrygia was a land close to modern day Turkey in Asia. They had many legendary kings and rulers that were associated with Greek mythology. Philip is believed to have been preaching there when an enraged mob grabbed him, tortured him and crucified him upside down for trying to convert the rulers of the city. Tradition tells that Philip continued preaching from his cross until he died.

Answer: a fuller's club

According to Foxes book of Martyrs, James is believed to have been ninety-four at the time of his martyrdom. He was brought up to the temple by a Jewish mob, beaten and cast off. When James survived, his attackers bashed his head in with a fuller's club. Some traditions tell that the place of James' martyrdom was also the place Christ was tempted by Satan.

Answer: He was skinned alive by flaying.

Bartholomew had translated the Gospel of Matthew into a local language and was trying to establish a church there at the time of his death. As the common practice was for an animal, pagans skinned Bartholomew alive and removed his skin intact. Some believe this was also a form of their religious practices.

He was afterwards placed on a cross and crucified. Bartholomew is still regarded as one of the patron saints of India.

Answer: He was stabbed to death with a spear.

Thomas preached in Persia and Parthia before going to India to evangelize. When he converted natives in Calamina, India, local priests became so enraged they stabbed him to death with a spear and then threw his body into the flames of an oven.

Answer: He was beheaded by the sword.

Paul was once a fierce persecutor of Christians, but after he was converted by Christ in a vision on the road to Damascus, he became an apostle and one of the strongest church leaders of the New Testament church.

Paul was imprisoned for years in Rome for his appeal to Caesar when persecuted by the Judeans. Paul had wanted to use his imprisonment and Roman citizenship as a chance to preach the Gospel to Caesar. He preached to many kings and rulers, also writing several epistles to churches from prison. Shortly after the Great Roman Fire during the reign of Nero, Nero blamed the fire on Christians and sentenced Paul and Peter to death. Paul was not crucified because he was a Roman citizen and was sentenced to a Roman death by beheading.

Paul welcomed his martyrdom when writing in his last epistle to a young minister named Timothy shortly before he died, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8, King James Bible)

Answer: He was hanged on an olive tree.

Luke traveled with Paul as a companion to many places during Paul's missionary journeys. During Paul's imprisonment in Rome, Luke stayed nearby until the time of Paul's death. Many believe during this time Luke wrote the book of Acts in the New Testament, which tells the history of the early church and Paul's ministry.

After Paul's death Luke continued to evangelize as Paul had. He went to Greece and was hanged on an olive tree for preaching in Athens.

Answer: He was crucified then sawed apart.

Zealots were radical revolutionaries during Jesus' time who wanted to overthrow the Roman empire. However Simeon (not to be confused with Peter) became a follower of Christ and later an evangelist who preached with the same level of passion he had earlier as a zealot.

Some accounts have recorded that Simeon was a strong persuader and debater among the apostles who converted many unbelievers because of his zeal and love for Christ. By tradition Simeon is generally pictured with a saw in artwork because he was believed to have been martyred in Persia by being crucified and sawed apart for preaching to pagans.

Answer: He was beaten, crucified, and shot with arrows.

Jude wrote his own epistle in the New Testament that warned of persecution and men rejecting God but encouraged the church to stand strong in their faith. During his ministry Jude is believed to have traveled with the apostle Simeon, evangelizing after Christ's death. Some believe that he was an intercessor who performed miracles with prayer. Tradition tells that when Jude was asked to deny his faith in Christ by a mob, he was beaten, crucified and finally shot to death with arrows. Jude became the Church's patron saint for hopeless causes and desperate situations.

Jude wrote in his epistle in the New Testament, "But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.' These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." (Jude 1:17-20, New International Version Bible)

Answer: He was tied to a horse and dragged to death.

Mark had witnessed the acts of Jesus as a boy and later when he was older followed Paul. He was discouraged and left Paul during one missionary journey, but later was taken in under the ministry of Peter and became a very strong man in the faith. Mark is believed to have recorded Peter's story in writing the gospel of Mark. Mark went to Egypt and was dragged to pieces in Alexandria for speaking out against their idol Serepis.

Answer: He was stoned to death then beheaded.

In the book of Acts, the disciples elected Matthias to replace Judas by casting lots. Almost nothing is recorded in the Bible about Matthias' ministry, but early accounts claim Matthias traveled with Andrew and later evangelized on his own. Tradition tells that Matthias encountered several close calls with death while evangelizing, including one incident where he was forced by pagans to drink poison but was unharmed.

In another story, Matthias was almost killed by pagans but the earth swallowed them up before they could harm him. Matthias met his end though in Jerusalem where he was preaching to a crowd of Jews.

He was stoned to death by the Sanhedrin and afterwards beheaded to excuse their crime as the execution of an enemy of Caesar.

Answer: Patmos

When John escaped without injury after being boiled alive, he was banished to the isle of Patmos, an isle for lunatics and criminals. It was there John is believed to have written the book of Revelations. Later when the ruler Domitian died, he was recalled by Nerva and brought out of exile. He is the only apostle who escaped a violent death.