We have been discussing a few persons who changed dramatically before and after Jesus’ death:
Paul turned from being an enemy of Christians to a preacher of Christ. Peter, who publicly disowned Jesus the night before Jesus’ crucifixion, later became the leader of the Christian church in Jerusalem. James, Jesus’ earthly brother who did not believe Jesus to be from God and considered Jesus to just want to seek fame, later turned to become an important leader in the Jerusalem church.
What is the reason or the reasons for their change? Whatever reason or reasons there were, their change did not drive them to fame or wealth.
Paul was beheaded in Rome during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero between AD 64 and 67. His death was not recorded in the Bible, yet there are several extrabiblical documents that described his death. One of them, 1 Clement, describes Paul as suffering greatly for his faith and then being “set free from this world and transported up to the holy place, having become the greatest example of endurance”.
Did Paul regret his conversion to Christianity before his death? Not at all! When he was near his death, Paul wrote a letter to another Christian, Timonthy, and he said “..and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day….” Paul left this world with faith and hope in Jesus Christ. No regret.
Peter was crucified in Rome around the same time as Paul’s death, during the reign of Nero between AD 64 and 67. Several extrabiblical documents, including 1 Clement, show evidence of Peter’s martyrdom.
Was Peter afraid of persecution because of his preaching of Christianity? Remember that he once publicly denied his association with Jesus because he was afraid of the powerful people who hated Jesus?
Peter was not. In fact, he even encouraged Christians not to be afraid of prosecution because of their belief in Jesus. He wrote in one of his letters that “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed". Furthermore, he wrote that “if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name”. Peter said not be ashamed when one was suffered as a Christian. He said a Christian should be rejoice if he or she suffered because of Christ. Is he the same person who disowned Jesus before?
James, Jesus’ earthly brother, was executed in AD 62. The famous Jewish historian Josephus wrote that the Jewish high priest had James stoned to death.
These three persons were all executed because of their preaching that Jesus was the Savior, and that Jesus resurrected from his death.
Why did these people change from hating, abandoning, disbelieving of Jesus to stubborn preachers of Christianity even to their death? The Bible gives us one and only one reason: they saw the resurrected Jesus.
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