Bible Question: Hebrews 11:32 Who was sawed in two |
Bible Answer: Greetings vxw! Zechariah was stoned (2 Chr. 24:20,21). According to Jewish tradition ("The Ascension of Isaiah"), Isaiah was sawed in half by wicked King Manasseh. However, I looked through "Eusebius: The Church History" and found nothing about any disciples being sawed in half. There is an excellent resource that I would recommend, "Fox's Book of Martyrs" that contains much valuable information. Here is a sampling from that Book.. "James the Great The next martyr we meet with, according to St. Luke, in the History of the Apostles' Acts, was James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John, and a relative of our Lord; for his mother Salome was cousin-german to the Virgin Mary. It was not until ten years after the death of Stephen that the second martyrdom took place; for no sooner had Herod Agrippa been appointed governor of Judea, than, with a view to ingratiate himself with them, he raised a sharp persecution against the Christians, and determined to make an effectual blow, by striking at their leaders. The account given us by an eminent primitive writer, Clemens Alexandrinus, ought not to be overlooked; that, as James was led to the place of martyrdom, his accuser was brought to repent of his conduct by the apostle's extraordinary courage and undauntedness, and fell down at his feet to request his pardon, professing himself a Christian, and resolving that James should not receive the crown of martyrdom alone. Hence they were both beheaded at the same time. Thus did the first apostolic martyr cheerfully and resolutely receive that cup, which he had told our Savior he was ready to drink. Timon and Parmenas suffered martyrdom about the same time; the one at Philippi, and the other in Macedonia. These events took place A.D. 44. Philip Was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee and was first called by the name of "disciple." He labored diligently in Upper Asia, and suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54. Matthew Whose occupation was that of a toll-gatherer, was born at Nazareth. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, which was afterwards translated into Greek by James the Less. The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60." This post was made possible by the use of E-Sword Bible Software (http://www.e-sword.net) and Theophilos Bible Software (http://www.theophilos.sk), used in harmony with each other. The information about Isaiah was obtained in from the "Introduction to Isaiah" found in the Zondervan NASB Study Bible. - Nolan |