Stones of the Apostles

Revelation 21:19-21

Recap:

· John is approaching the city, he takes note of the wall being made of Jasper, and we shared the similarity of that stone with people.

· He told us that the city was made of pure gold, and that pure gold is clear.

· He then addressed the foundation stones. And each stone is representative of an apostle.

· Jasper-Peter (in outside sources, it is shares about Peter’s time in prison, and how the guards were continually changed, because they were accepting Christ almost as soon as they were assigned to him. His death was upon a cross, where tradition states he was crucified upside down).

· Sapphire-Andrew, (died by crucifixion on a x shaped cross, history teaches us that he was led to Scotland where he preached to the people. The x-shape cross is now incorporated into the Scotland flag.)

· Chalcedony-James, (died by beheading by King Herod, also known as Herod Agrippa. Thought to have preached to the people in Spain).

· Emerald-John. (died of age, imprisoned on Patmos, was later freed and is thought to have preached in Turkey until he died around 100 years old)

Verse 20

Sardonyx

· We are introduced to Sardonyx stone. Now this stone by tradition is associated with Phillip.

· Now it is important that we not confuse Phillip the Apostle, with Phillip the Deacon that is found in the Book of Acts. That is a different Phillip.

· Much we learn about Phillip in the Bible is found in the book of John, and that is very little. However, there is other accounts we can draw information from.

· One thing we can learn about Phillip is the fact that his name is actually a Greek name.

· Now how does Phillip relate to the Sardonyx stone?

· Well, the stone is actually a combination of two stones. The sard stone and onyx stone. This gives it the unique appearance of having layers.

· Now we can suggest that like the stone, Phillip blends two groups together. The Jews and the Gentiles. In fact, it is Phillip who is the first evangelist to the Gentiles.

· Now the Sardonyx stone is considered a stone of charisma and clear communication.

· Phillip, when he speaks in the scripture, is a man that gets to the point.

· Phillip is thought to have died by being impaled by iron hooks in his ankles and hung upside down. He is said to have preached in Egypt and Phrygia which is near Turkey.

Sardius

· The next stone we find is the Sardius, and tradition has it that this stone represents Bartholomew.

· Now the Bible doesn’t say a lot about Bartholomew, what we can determine is that he was an apostle, and therefore was instrumental in carrying out the Gospel and helping establish the early church.

· Some sources have Bartholomew teaming up with Philip in the ministry. We know that they were friends as we find Bartholomew being introduced to Jesus by Philip. He was the one who was sitting under a fig tree and stated can any good thing come out of Israel. These men are said to have gone east to India.

· Bartholomew is not mentioned in the Gospel of John but a man named Nathanael is mentioned as one of the apostles. Because of this, many believe that Bartholomew is the Nathanael that is mentioned.

· Bartholomew was martyred and several accounts state that he was flayed and beheaded. Although we cannot be certain of the exact cause of his death.

· So, what do we learn about the Sardius stone?

· Well, this is red color stone. And like many of these stones, it is used with the high-priest’s breastplate

· Now, we don’t call the Sardius stone by that name, instead we call it by its more common name and that is “Ruby”

· Various cultures believed that the ruby had the ability to melt wax or to boil water, as it contained a source of heat emanating from within.

· This reminds me of the Spirit of God that dwells in a believer. Serving as our source of power to transform our environment.

· As mentioned, the ruby is said to signified Bartholomew, who Jesus characterized by saying “behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” – John 1:47

Chrysolite

· The seventh stone we are introduced too is the chrysolite, and this stone is said to represent Matthew.

· Now here is an interesting guy. A man before coming to know Christ, was despised and hated among his fellow Jews.

· The reason for their hatred toward Matthew was that he was a tax-collector also known as a publican.

· These people were regarded as traitors in the sense that they worked for the Roman government, and they enriched themselves by collecting excessive tax from their own people.

· Matthew probably had done this very thing, and was well off financially, as the scripture says that he hosted a great banquet for Jesus in Luke 5:29.

· Now the religious elite would look at the tax collectors as very sinful people. And if a person was seen spending time with them that could tarnish a good person’s reputation.

· In Matthew 9:9, we find that when Christ called Matthew to follow him, that he immediately left his tax collection booth.

· He left behind the source of his riches; he left his position of security and comfort for traveling, hardship, and eventual martyrdom; he left his old life for a new life with Jesus.

· How does the Chrysolite relate to Matthew?

· Well, the stone is a golden yellow to lime green stone. We know it today as a Peridot stone.

· In many cultures, it is a stone that one would wear to obtain wealth. But in Israel it represents glory, authority and power.

· Matthew can definitely be seen with this stone qualities.

· Outside accounts tells us that Matthew died by being stabbed with a sword in Ethiopia.

Beryl

· The next stone we find in this list is the Beryl and this stone is associated with Thomas.

· We remember Thomas, the doubter. We give Thomas kind of a hard time because of his doubt of the truth. But lets be honest, we all are probably very much like Thomas.

· He has also been called Didymus, which means “the twin” although his twin is never mentioned in the Bible.

· Toward the end of Jesus ministry, we find fear among the disciples upon going back to Bethany. Yet, Thomas states in the scripture – “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

· He also has a conversation with Christ in John 14, where Jesus shares about His Father’s house and Thomas states that they don’t know the way.

· Thomas is also thought to have gone east in his preaching.

· What about the Beryl stone and its possible connection to Thomas.

· Well, the Beryl stone is a stone with a variety of colors. But a pure beryl stone is colorless.

· The color that is pictured in the foundation stones, is up for anyone’s guess.

· Legend says that Beryl was used to ward off demons and evil spirits. It was also used in aiding in eye injuries. It is said to protect travelers from danger and to treat heart and spine disorders.

· The folklore behind the stone does remind us of Thomas in some ways. As Thomas made the claim until he was able to see and touch the risen Lord he would not believe.

· Thomas is said to have been martyred when he was killed by soldiers with spears.

Topaz

· The ninth stone we learn about is the Topaz, and tradition holds that this stone represents James the Less or also known as James the Son of Alphaeus.

· Now the scripture gives us very little on this apostle. But we can’t overlook the fact that each of these men sacrificed everything to follow the Lord.

· Just as Peter said about all of them in Luke 18:28 “Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.”

· For all we know, "Little James" was an unsung hero of faith. Evidently, he did not seek recognition or fame, for he received no glory or credit for his service to Christ. Perhaps the nugget of truth we can take from the altogether obscure life of James is reflected in this Psalm – Psalm 115:1 “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

· The topaz is an interesting stone, in the fact that it is a rainbow gem. Coming in all sorts of colors. However, the stone is commonly found in brown and blue colors.

· The stone has the legend that it would make you invisible. Hence the correlation with James the Lesser.

· The topaz is said to represent love and fidelity, another word for faithfulness. Which may be said about James the Son of Alphaeus as he gave his live for his love for Christ.

· The Jewish Historian gives us that James the Lesser went and preached in Syria, and also reported that he was stoned and then clubbed to death. Other accounts state he was tossed off a cliff onto rocks, but didn’t die so he was then clubbed to death.

Chrysoprase (Cray-so-praise)

· The tenth stone on this list is one that is hard to say. But this stone is thought to represent Jude also known as Thaddeus.

· Now when it comes to Jude, this is where things get fuzzy. First, it is believed that Thaddeus is a nickname.

· Some believe that he is the author of the Epistle of Jude. Which is found right before the book of Revelation.

· In the Epistle of Jude, he identifies himself as the brother of James. Which then brings up something quite interesting. This then could be the brother of Jesus.

· If we accept that Jude the apostle is the same person as Jude the author of Jude. And we accept that James the author of the book of James, who is the brother of Jesus, is the same James being referred to. That would make Jude the brother of Jesus Christ.

· Matthew 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren , James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas.

· A compelling argument, but not one we can say positively is the same.

· Chrysoprase traditionally represents Jude/Thaddeus.

· The stone is an apple-green color. And cultures use to wear it because they thought it brought hope, positivity, and goodness.

· This was the favorite stone of Alexander the Great. It is also a stone of self-confidence.

· Which would be quite the connection, because if this is the brother of Jesus, the confidence level might had been quite low early on in his life.

· Jude/Thaddeus is thought to have preached in Judea and Samaria and throughout other parts of the Mesopotamia region. Many think he paired up with Simon Zelotes.

· It is said that he founded a church in Edessa (located in Turkey) was crucified there as a martyr.

Jacinth

· The eleventh stone on the list for the foundation, is the Jacinth. This stone is connected with Simon Zelotes also known as Simon the Canaanite.

· He like a few others are quite obscure in the scripture. He plays no particular role in the gospels and is only mentioned by name in lists of the apostles.

· It is thought that with the moniker the Zealot, that he was part of a Jewish sect know as the Zealots, who were bent on revolution and looking for a Messiah to violently overthrow Rome.

· Tradition holds that he connected with Jacinth.

· Jacinth can be dark red almost black in appearance. But it also can be a lustrous orange-yellow-red color.

· This stone has been a stone of mystery. Is it a garnet stone or a zircon stone?

· The Greek word for this stone here in Revelation appears in the adjective form, and it is thought to be descriptive of a blue or purple color.

· Just like Simon Zelotes the Jacinth stone is a mystery as well.

· Simon Zelotes is said to have preached in Egypt and then joined with Thaddeus in Persia.

· He was martyred for his faith and it is said that he was cut in half.

Amethyst

· The last stone on the list is the Amethyst and it is associated with either Matthias or Paul.

· We know nothing about Matthias from scripture other than he was selected to take the place of Judas, by the other disciples.

· Some accounts give us details that he went into Syria to preach and was martyred by being burned alive.

· However, if this stone is not representative of Matthias, the other person then would be Paul.

· Now we know a lot about Paul. Probably one of the most instrumental individuals in the founding of the early church.

· Paul preached all over, from Israel to Rome and everywhere in between. Paul helped early Christians separate from pagan lifestyles that were prevalent at the time.

· So, between the two, this stone is the representation.

· Now the amethyst is a beautiful purple stone, and the name means sober. Alluding to the idea of maintaining a solid mindset.

· Some cultures believe that the amethyst stone represents purification and connection to God.

· The meaning of amethyst is attached to serenity, understanding, trust and grace. Which are prevalent themes that we find with Paul’s writings.

· It is a stone that is to help our mind be renewed. Which is exactly what we find with Romans 12:2 “…be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

· This final stone in the foundations that are listed reminds us that we are to be the church, and also remember what those before us have done as well.

· Paul’s earthly journey ended in martyrdom as well, as Paul was beheaded by Nero.

These men gave their lives for the Lord and for the founding of the church. What great honor now is given to them as we see that they are represented in the foundation of the eternal city.