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The Fate of the Apostles
The Book of Martyrs by John Foxe written in the sixteenth century has long been the go-to source for studying the lives and martyrdom of the apostles. While other scholars have written individual treatments on the more prominent apostles such as Peter, Paul, John, and James, there is little published information on the other apostles. In The Fate of the Apostles, Sean McDowell offers a comprehensive, reasoned, historical analysis of the fate of the Twelve disciples of Jesus along with the apostles Paul and James, the brother of Jesus. McDowell assesses the evidence for each apostle’s martyrdom as well as determining its significance to the reliability of their testimony. The question of the fate of the apostles also gets to the heart of the reliability of the Did the apostles really believe Jesus appeared to them after his death, or did they fabricate the entire story? How reliable are the resurrection accounts? The willingness of the apostles to die for their faith is a popular argument in resurrection studies. In this thoroughly updated new edition, McDowell offers insightful scholarly analysis of this argument to break new ground within the spheres of New Testament studies, Church History, and apologetics.
346 pages, Paperback
Published December 17, 2024
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32 people want to read
About the author
Sean McDowell
143 books178 followersDr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He connects with audiences in a tangible way through humor and stories while imparting hard evidence and logical support for viewing all areas of life through a Biblical worldview. Sean is an Assistant Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Biola University.
Sean still teaches one high school Bible class, which helps give him exceptional insight into the prevailing culture so he can impart his observations poignantly to fellow educators, pastors, and parents alike.
Read more about Sean on his website.
Connect with Sean on Facebook.
Sean still teaches one high school Bible class, which helps give him exceptional insight into the prevailing culture so he can impart his observations poignantly to fellow educators, pastors, and parents alike.
Read more about Sean on his website.
Connect with Sean on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 5, 2025
McDowell’s The Fate of the Apostles rigorously examines what happened to Jesus’s earliest followers and whether their suffering supports the resurrection claim. Originating in his PhD work, it evaluates the evidence for apostolic martyrdom. In this updated edition, he revises earlier conclusions, arguing that at least two apostles likely died naturally. McDowell argues modestly that, while the resurrection cannot be proven, strong historical evidence shows the apostles were willing to suffer and some were actually martyred for their conviction that Jesus appeared to them. This supports the sincerity, not automatic truth, of their testimony. Unlike generic martyrdom, they were prepared to die for what they claimed to have witnessed firsthand.
McDowell works within the period of “living memory,” drawing on New Testament writings, church fathers, apocryphal acts, Gnostic texts, and other sources. He evaluates each apostle with a probability scale based on source quality and independence. Using a strict definition of martyrdom, he assesses only deaths caused by others for public Christian confession. After surveying the resurrection’s centrality, the identity of the Twelve, and early persecution, McDowell devotes most of the book to case studies of each apostle. He concludes Peter and James the brother of Jesus were almost certainly martyred, with Paul and James son of Zebedee very likely. John, Matthew, and Philip likely died naturally, while others remain uncertain. Overall, the apostles’ willingness to suffer or die strongly supports their sincerity as witnesses to what they believed was the risen Jesus.
What stands out is McDowell’s restraint: he replaces apologetic overstatement with careful historical analysis. He rejects claims that martyrdom “proves” Christianity, arguing instead that suffering shows sincerity, not truth. This is a point applicable to all religions. For readers who value intellectual honesty, this reframing is genuinely refreshing.
A major strength is McDowell’s historical method. By grounding his study in “living memory” and using a transparent probability scale, he resists harmonizing later legends and freely admits uncertainty. His analyses of figures like Peter and John combine careful source-sifting with clear distinctions between strong and weak traditions. The second edition’s revisions, now judging three apostles likely to have died naturally, further demonstrate his willingness to let evidence challenge tidy apologetic claims. This is more reference work than devotional read. The repeated structure of each chapter, sources, analysis, probability, can feel dense and repetitive if read straight through. Yet for pastors, apologists, and students who rely on these arguments, that very level of detail is exactly what makes the book so useful.
My main concern is that the probability ratings can imply a precision the evidence cannot fully bear. When sources are equally sparse, fine-grained distinctions rest on subjective judgments that deserve clearer explanation. A fuller methodological account, almost Bayesian in spirit, would make the framework more persuasive to skeptical readers.
A second, related suggestion is that the book could have benefited from more synthetic tools: comparative charts summarizing key sources and probabilities for each apostle appear late, but expanded visual summaries at the front of each section would make this large volume easier to navigate and more usable in teaching.
Finally, McDowell sets aside questions like whether the apostles were honestly mistaken and how martyrdom fits into broader resurrection arguments. He gestures toward a cumulative case but doesn’t develop it. Readers seeking a full resurrection defense should view this as one important, specialized pillar rather than a complete argument.
McDowell works within the period of “living memory,” drawing on New Testament writings, church fathers, apocryphal acts, Gnostic texts, and other sources. He evaluates each apostle with a probability scale based on source quality and independence. Using a strict definition of martyrdom, he assesses only deaths caused by others for public Christian confession. After surveying the resurrection’s centrality, the identity of the Twelve, and early persecution, McDowell devotes most of the book to case studies of each apostle. He concludes Peter and James the brother of Jesus were almost certainly martyred, with Paul and James son of Zebedee very likely. John, Matthew, and Philip likely died naturally, while others remain uncertain. Overall, the apostles’ willingness to suffer or die strongly supports their sincerity as witnesses to what they believed was the risen Jesus.
What stands out is McDowell’s restraint: he replaces apologetic overstatement with careful historical analysis. He rejects claims that martyrdom “proves” Christianity, arguing instead that suffering shows sincerity, not truth. This is a point applicable to all religions. For readers who value intellectual honesty, this reframing is genuinely refreshing.
A major strength is McDowell’s historical method. By grounding his study in “living memory” and using a transparent probability scale, he resists harmonizing later legends and freely admits uncertainty. His analyses of figures like Peter and John combine careful source-sifting with clear distinctions between strong and weak traditions. The second edition’s revisions, now judging three apostles likely to have died naturally, further demonstrate his willingness to let evidence challenge tidy apologetic claims. This is more reference work than devotional read. The repeated structure of each chapter, sources, analysis, probability, can feel dense and repetitive if read straight through. Yet for pastors, apologists, and students who rely on these arguments, that very level of detail is exactly what makes the book so useful.
My main concern is that the probability ratings can imply a precision the evidence cannot fully bear. When sources are equally sparse, fine-grained distinctions rest on subjective judgments that deserve clearer explanation. A fuller methodological account, almost Bayesian in spirit, would make the framework more persuasive to skeptical readers.
A second, related suggestion is that the book could have benefited from more synthetic tools: comparative charts summarizing key sources and probabilities for each apostle appear late, but expanded visual summaries at the front of each section would make this large volume easier to navigate and more usable in teaching.
Finally, McDowell sets aside questions like whether the apostles were honestly mistaken and how martyrdom fits into broader resurrection arguments. He gestures toward a cumulative case but doesn’t develop it. Readers seeking a full resurrection defense should view this as one important, specialized pillar rather than a complete argument.
December 5, 2025
As the subtitle tells us, The Fate of the Apostles, examines the martyrdom accounts of the closest followers of Jesus. In this 2nd edition, McDowell opens with an overview of the centrality of the resurrection in the lives of the earliest followers of Jesus. As McDowell states, “The resurrection is the heart of the earliest Christian kerygma from the pre-biblical creeds to the Apostolic Fathers.” Because of the resurrection, these first disciples believed in the Lordship and Messiahship of the risen Jesus. Throughout the book, McDowell reminds the reader that Jesus told his disciples they would be persecuted for proclaiming the Gospel message - even to the point of death. Scriptures, as well as other early writings, tell us that the disciples were indeed willing to suffer for the proclamation the Gospel. But were these first eyewitnesses really martyred for their faith?
Using a careful methodology to review the available evidence for the martyrdom of the twelve apostles, as well as the apostle Paul and James, the brother of Jesus, McDowell dives into the earliest available sources to seek to establish whether there is historical evidence for their martyrdom. McDowell focuses his investigation on evidence from within the “living memory” of these disciples (e.g., Acts, writings of early church fathers, pseudepigraphical writings, Gnostic sources, and other extra-biblical accounts such as ancient pre-literary traditions.) Each chapter examines a different disciple and ends with a helpful summary of the evidence and a rating as to whether or not there is historical probability for their martyrdom. In addition to their potential martyrdom, McDowell examines and summarizes material related to their geographic location, extent of ministry development, as well as the type of persecution and/or death they may have endured.
McDowell does not shy away from stating what we do and do not know from recent as well as historic scholarship. He tackles mainstream questions such as, “was Peter actually crucified upside down?” and “did Paul really die in Rome under the reign of Nero?” He also tackles questions that may not be so obvious to the nonacademic such as, “how do the Apocryphal Acts portray the Apostles and are there core historical traditions beneath the legendary material?”
One of the most helpful aspects of the book is McDowell’s scale for evaluating the historical evidence for the martyrdom of the disciples. The author offers a nine-point scale that assesses the probability of martyrdom ranging from not possibly true to the highest possible probability. I found myself flipping back to this scale over and over throughout the reading to see where his individual assessment fit into the overall ratings. Overall, I found this book very helpful and as a Christian I am very grateful to be better informed regarding what is known about the fate of these eyewitnesses of the risen Lord. One final point that bears remembering is that even where evidence is lacking as to whether a particular disciple was martyred or died a natural death, there is no evidence that any of them ever waivered or recanted in their faith. This book, while it does not prove the resurrection of Jesus, provides important evidence that these eyewitnesses believed Jesus rose from the dead and were willing to suffer and die for that conviction.
Using a careful methodology to review the available evidence for the martyrdom of the twelve apostles, as well as the apostle Paul and James, the brother of Jesus, McDowell dives into the earliest available sources to seek to establish whether there is historical evidence for their martyrdom. McDowell focuses his investigation on evidence from within the “living memory” of these disciples (e.g., Acts, writings of early church fathers, pseudepigraphical writings, Gnostic sources, and other extra-biblical accounts such as ancient pre-literary traditions.) Each chapter examines a different disciple and ends with a helpful summary of the evidence and a rating as to whether or not there is historical probability for their martyrdom. In addition to their potential martyrdom, McDowell examines and summarizes material related to their geographic location, extent of ministry development, as well as the type of persecution and/or death they may have endured.
McDowell does not shy away from stating what we do and do not know from recent as well as historic scholarship. He tackles mainstream questions such as, “was Peter actually crucified upside down?” and “did Paul really die in Rome under the reign of Nero?” He also tackles questions that may not be so obvious to the nonacademic such as, “how do the Apocryphal Acts portray the Apostles and are there core historical traditions beneath the legendary material?”
One of the most helpful aspects of the book is McDowell’s scale for evaluating the historical evidence for the martyrdom of the disciples. The author offers a nine-point scale that assesses the probability of martyrdom ranging from not possibly true to the highest possible probability. I found myself flipping back to this scale over and over throughout the reading to see where his individual assessment fit into the overall ratings. Overall, I found this book very helpful and as a Christian I am very grateful to be better informed regarding what is known about the fate of these eyewitnesses of the risen Lord. One final point that bears remembering is that even where evidence is lacking as to whether a particular disciple was martyred or died a natural death, there is no evidence that any of them ever waivered or recanted in their faith. This book, while it does not prove the resurrection of Jesus, provides important evidence that these eyewitnesses believed Jesus rose from the dead and were willing to suffer and die for that conviction.
December 5, 2025
In “The Fate of the Apostles,” Sean McDowell aims to assess the sincerity of the apostles as eyewitnesses of the resurrection by evaluating the evidence for their martyrdoms. He places a huge emphasis on separating legendary tradition from historically probable events, and he rigorously evaluates each apostle’s martyrdom tradition, then compares it with the evidence we have for these traditions to track down where the earliest and most trustworthy sources originate to determine their likelihood. McDowell uses a 9 level probability scale when determining the likelihood of each martyrdom: 1. not possibly true = certainly not historical, 2. very probably not true = doubtfully historical, 3. improbable = unlikely, 4. less plausible than not = slightly less probable than not, 5. as plausible as not = plausible, 6. more plausible than not = slightly more probable than not, 7. more probable than not = likely, 8. very probably true = somewhat certain, 9. the highest possible probability = nearly historically certain.
The factors McDowell evaluates when placing each martyrdom on the probability scale include: early sources, corroboration, living memory, and tradition development. Though, there are a myriad of sources that went into McDowell’s decision to place the apostles on the scale where he did, here are where a couple of them landed and why. First, Peter’s martyrdom was designated as the highest possible probability. Peter’s martyrdom has multiple early sources recording it, such as 1 Clement, Ignatius, Tertullian, and Eusebius. There is strong unanimity for the tradition of Peter’s martyrdom, and multiple early sources. Second, James’ the son of Zebedee martyrdom is designated as being very probably true because it is explicitly stated in the book of Acts, making it extremely early, and all the traditions of James always report him being killed for his faith in Jerusalem under Herod Agrippa 1. These two had some of the strongest support for their martyrdom, but many did not reach this level of certainty.
What I liked about this book is that McDowell doesn’t exaggerate the evidence for the martyrdom of the Apostles, which many people do because of the overstatement of the evidence from apologists in the past. McDowell openly admits when there are gaps in timelines, uncertainties, and even disagreement among scholars. I feel like it is a fair and balanced treatment of the evidence. Yes, there were Apostles that absolutely died for what they claim to have seen, based on the evidence, but there are other Apostles where we just do not have enough evidence to make that claim.
One critique I have, though, is that at times the probability scale by which McDowell evaluates each apostle can feel somewhat subjective at times, and I feel like if he would explain a little more about how each criterion is weighted to determine the probability it would improve the readers ability to assess his determinations a little more.
All that aside, I believe this is a great resource because it is written so that anyone can read it, but it is also grounded in rigorous scholarship, which makes this book great for people wanting to have a solid base of knowledge for how strong the apologetics argument really is for the Martyrdom of the apostles. It would also be good for skeptical readers wanting to evaluate the sincerity of the apostles and what they believed, and anyone wanting to learn more about the apostles and church history. I think this should be mandatory reading in any apologetics program because often time this evidence is overstated, which delegitimizes the person that is overstating it. Overall, I think it is a great buy for any library because of its readability for anyone who is a teen or older.
The factors McDowell evaluates when placing each martyrdom on the probability scale include: early sources, corroboration, living memory, and tradition development. Though, there are a myriad of sources that went into McDowell’s decision to place the apostles on the scale where he did, here are where a couple of them landed and why. First, Peter’s martyrdom was designated as the highest possible probability. Peter’s martyrdom has multiple early sources recording it, such as 1 Clement, Ignatius, Tertullian, and Eusebius. There is strong unanimity for the tradition of Peter’s martyrdom, and multiple early sources. Second, James’ the son of Zebedee martyrdom is designated as being very probably true because it is explicitly stated in the book of Acts, making it extremely early, and all the traditions of James always report him being killed for his faith in Jerusalem under Herod Agrippa 1. These two had some of the strongest support for their martyrdom, but many did not reach this level of certainty.
What I liked about this book is that McDowell doesn’t exaggerate the evidence for the martyrdom of the Apostles, which many people do because of the overstatement of the evidence from apologists in the past. McDowell openly admits when there are gaps in timelines, uncertainties, and even disagreement among scholars. I feel like it is a fair and balanced treatment of the evidence. Yes, there were Apostles that absolutely died for what they claim to have seen, based on the evidence, but there are other Apostles where we just do not have enough evidence to make that claim.
One critique I have, though, is that at times the probability scale by which McDowell evaluates each apostle can feel somewhat subjective at times, and I feel like if he would explain a little more about how each criterion is weighted to determine the probability it would improve the readers ability to assess his determinations a little more.
All that aside, I believe this is a great resource because it is written so that anyone can read it, but it is also grounded in rigorous scholarship, which makes this book great for people wanting to have a solid base of knowledge for how strong the apologetics argument really is for the Martyrdom of the apostles. It would also be good for skeptical readers wanting to evaluate the sincerity of the apostles and what they believed, and anyone wanting to learn more about the apostles and church history. I think this should be mandatory reading in any apologetics program because often time this evidence is overstated, which delegitimizes the person that is overstating it. Overall, I think it is a great buy for any library because of its readability for anyone who is a teen or older.
December 4, 2025
Assumptions about the lives and fates of the Apostles, often do not extend beyond the biblical text and would benefit from a text like this one. Each chapter of The Fate of the Apostles offers a close examination of the evidence both in favor and against martyrdom for a named Apostle. While author Sean McDowell offers his own opinion, based on the evidence, he does so judiciously only after presenting the available, relevant information. McDowell has done the difficult and cumbersome legwork of tracking down and parsing through historical documentation and non-canonical texts like the Acts of Andrew. His careful presentation of such texts reveals how a document can contain both historical facts and legendary fictions while contributing significantly to our understanding. McDowell, ever the Apologist, is careful to caution the reader not to overlay modern notions atop ancient persons. Though not an apologetics text per se, for which McDowell is well known, The Fate of the Apostles offers a careful examination of fourteen of Christ's closest followers, never straying from the compelling evidence that each man was willing to suffer and die, even if that was not to be his ultimate fate, for the unwavering belief in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Throughout the text, McDowell frequently reminds the reader of this very point. Regardless of whether the evidence for martyrdom rises to the surface in the excavation of the available evidence for each Apostle, the undeniable truth is that each man took seriously the spread of the Gospel, and each was willing to die for the belief that Jesus of Nazareth had suffered death in the form of Roman Crucifixion, and had bodily rose from the grave on Easter Sunday. This is a text worth having in the personal library of any historically minded person who desires to move beyond assumptions to the available evidence for the fates of Christ's messengers.
December 13, 2025
What I loved most about this book is McDowell’s honesty. He doesn’t exaggerate the evidence or assume church tradition is automatically true. Instead, he carefully evaluates what we can and cannot know about each apostle’s fate. That made the book far more credible to me.
The biggest takeaway is that several apostles were willing to suffer and die for their belief in the risen Jesus. While McDowell doesn’t claim martyrdom proves the resurrection, he shows how it strongly supports the sincerity of the earliest witnesses. This is a great book for anyone interested in history, not just apologetics.
The biggest takeaway is that several apostles were willing to suffer and die for their belief in the risen Jesus. While McDowell doesn’t claim martyrdom proves the resurrection, he shows how it strongly supports the sincerity of the earliest witnesses. This is a great book for anyone interested in history, not just apologetics.
June 3, 2025
Objective Assessment of “Common Knowledge”
The morning before I finished Sean McDowell’s fine book, “The Fate of the Apostles”, the session leader of our Sunday School class stated categorically that all the Apostles, save one (John), suffered martyrs’ deaths in steadfast faithfulness to the truth of Christ’s Resurrection. Their fate wasn’t his topic per se, but it was germane to the lesson, and it was right in line with what you likely would hear from most reasonably informed Christians. It is widely accepted without much critical examination, yet, according to McDowell, inaccurate, but not at all detrimental to the faith.
In this update to his 2014 doctoral dissertation, McDowell, a renowned Christian apologist, educator and author, further refines his assessment of the fates of the Apostles of Jesus, and, in fact, concludes that there were more than he originally believed who likely died natural deaths as opposed to martyrdom. He concludes that only four of the fourteen (the Twelve, including Matthias, the replacement for Judas Iscariot, James, the Brother of Jesus, and, of course, Paul) very probably suffered the ultimate fate for their faith, a far cry from the “common knowledge” of near unanimity. Should this be a challenge to our faith?
McDowell’s objective examination of the Biblical, extrabiblical and archaeological evidence rejects any such conclusion. He assiduously assesses the danger to the Apostles of spreading the Gospel, their unanimous willingness to accept the risks, their disdain for personal achievement or gain, and the remarkable change in their attitudes following the Resurrection. While martyrdom probably was not the fate of all, its threat had no deterrent effect on their commitment to spreading the Gospel. McDowell also considers the evidence of where their apostolic missions took them compared with that “common knowledge”.
“The Fate of the Apostles” is thorough, engaging and informative as well as faith strengthening.
The morning before I finished Sean McDowell’s fine book, “The Fate of the Apostles”, the session leader of our Sunday School class stated categorically that all the Apostles, save one (John), suffered martyrs’ deaths in steadfast faithfulness to the truth of Christ’s Resurrection. Their fate wasn’t his topic per se, but it was germane to the lesson, and it was right in line with what you likely would hear from most reasonably informed Christians. It is widely accepted without much critical examination, yet, according to McDowell, inaccurate, but not at all detrimental to the faith.
In this update to his 2014 doctoral dissertation, McDowell, a renowned Christian apologist, educator and author, further refines his assessment of the fates of the Apostles of Jesus, and, in fact, concludes that there were more than he originally believed who likely died natural deaths as opposed to martyrdom. He concludes that only four of the fourteen (the Twelve, including Matthias, the replacement for Judas Iscariot, James, the Brother of Jesus, and, of course, Paul) very probably suffered the ultimate fate for their faith, a far cry from the “common knowledge” of near unanimity. Should this be a challenge to our faith?
McDowell’s objective examination of the Biblical, extrabiblical and archaeological evidence rejects any such conclusion. He assiduously assesses the danger to the Apostles of spreading the Gospel, their unanimous willingness to accept the risks, their disdain for personal achievement or gain, and the remarkable change in their attitudes following the Resurrection. While martyrdom probably was not the fate of all, its threat had no deterrent effect on their commitment to spreading the Gospel. McDowell also considers the evidence of where their apostolic missions took them compared with that “common knowledge”.
“The Fate of the Apostles” is thorough, engaging and informative as well as faith strengthening.
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