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Bartholomew from Michelangelo's Last Judgment
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his apostle is mentioned among the immediate
disciples of our Lord, under the appellation of Bartholomew, though it
is evident from divers passages in Scripture, that he was also called
Nathanael. After our Lord’s ascension into heaven, Bartholomew visited
different parts of the world, in order to propagate the gospel of his
Master, and at length penetrated as far as the Hither India. Here he remained
a considerable time, and then went to Hierapolis in Phrygia, where he
labored (in conjunction with Philip) to plant Christianity in those parts;
and to convince the blind idolaters of the evil of their ways, and direct
them in the paths which lead to eternal salvation. This enraging the bigoted
magistrates, they sentenced Bartholomew to death, and he was accordingly
fastened to a cross; but their consciences staring them in their faces
for the iniquity they were about to commit, they ordered him to be taken
down and set at liberty.
In consequence of this our apostle left Hierapolis, and went to Lycaonia,
where he obtained a great number of converts, whom he instructed and trained
up in the principles of the Christian religion. From Lycaonia, he went
to Albania, a city on the Caspian Sea, a place miserably overrun with
idolatry, from which he labored hard to reclaim the people. But his endeavors
to “turn them from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto
God,” instead of proving effectual, only procured his destruction. The
magistrates were so incensed against him, that they prevailed on the governor
to order him to be put death, which was accordingly done with the most
distinguished cruelty.
Resources:
- This story is adapted from John Kitto's 1870 History of the Bible and represents the commonly accepted views about this apostle among rank and file believers in the late 19th century.
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