Shortly after I was saved, I joined an in-home Bible study small group. I learned so much in that group and can remember wanting to soak it all in. I was intimidated because I didn’t know much about the Bible, but these were the first people who helped me grow in my knowledge of the Lord. We were all in grad school, stressed with our coursework, trying to figure out what we were doing, and constantly praying for each other and doing life together. Small groups are such a gift from God. I miss that first group. That’s the group that first encouraged me to teach the Word. As I was leaving (graduating) they suggested that I start a Bible study group wherever I landed. Those words have encouraged me so often over the years when I couldn’t see what God was doing or how He could use me.
I became friends with one woman in the group. She was fun and would say things that made me laugh and think. One day, as we studied Luke in our group, she said that her favorite apostle was Bartholomew. We all giggled at that, but then we had to ask, why? Why Bartholomew and not Peter or John or really anyone, other than Judas Iscariot, of course? She said, “Think about it. He lived with Jesus, followed Him, did miracles, and was part of the group that changed history, and we don’t hear anything about him. He must have done amazing things, but we don’t know what those things were. I admire that.”
I love that perspective. She admires a man who we know did amazing things, even though we don’t know really anything about him. When I think about the other apostles, I realize that we do know some facts about many of them. Simon, called Peter, is probably best known, and he had a brother named Andrew. James and John were brothers who were fishermen, and John became an honored church father who lived a long, but hard life. Matthew, or Levi, was a former tax collector who went on to write a gospel account. James the son of Alphaeus was either smaller in stature or younger than James the brother of John. Simon had been a zealot. Philip was from the same town as Peter and Andrew, and he knew Nathanael (Bartholomew). We see Philip interacting with Jesus a few times in the gospels, and he gets in the action in Acts, too. Thomas doubts the resurrection of Jesus at first, for which he will always be remembered. And, of course we all know the name Judas.
It occurs to me that we do know a little about Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael. He was a friend of Philip. He was surprised when Philip told him that the Messiah was from Nazareth, but he immediately recognized Jesus as Lord when confronted with Him. That’s more than we know about James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot.
As I’ve looked through the gospels and Acts, though, I realize we know even less about Thaddaeus, also called Judas, and I think we can understand why he didn’t want to be known by the name Judas. Some church history exists about him, but essentially no biblical history.
Maybe this exposes my pride, but I wonder how I’d be with that. We know from the Bible that the apostles argued over who would be the greatest (see Luke 9:46). I imagine that Thaddaeus was part of that argument. They all wanted to be known in the Kingdom of God. I can’t help but wonder if there was some bad blood between Thaddaeus and the Gospel authors when they realized that his contributions didn’t make the books. On the other hand, maybe this tells us a lot about Thaddaeus. Maybe he was the humble follower of Jesus we should all desire to be.
Throughout the centuries there have been other well-known names in Christendom. Starting as early as Acts, we learn of Stephen, Paul, and Barnabas. We learn of Timothy, Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla, Lydia, Silas, and so many more partners in the gospel. Beyond that first generation come church fathers like Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Augustine, Tertullian, etc. Then come the reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, Thomas Cromwell, William Tyndale, John Wycliffe, etc. There are the great preachers we admire and study like Jonathan Edwards, D.L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, J.C. Ryle, R.C. Sproul, A.W. Tozer, Billy Graham, Tim Keller, John Piper, etc.
Why do we know these names and not others? Over the centuries there have been millions, even billions of believers. Why do we know a handful of these names? Are they better than the rest of us? Did they do a better job? Do they have more or better gifts?
A couple of times in his letters, Paul lists gifts the Spirit gives to believers. In Romans 12 he lists prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, and mercy. In 1 Corinthians 12 he lists wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, and tongues. Discussion around each gift makes it clear that the Spirit gives gifts and we are to use them. He reminds us that we are all members of one body, so we all have different roles to play. We won’t all be given the same gifts because we need all things done in the Kingdom. Yet, he does tell us to desire these gifts. We are to want them, but not for our own gain. We should desire these gifts to benefit the common good. If the goal is to become famous and for our names to go down in history, that’s not the common good.
We know the names I listed above because they were given gifts that made them known. The lesson that Thaddaeus teaches, though, is that while all gifts are for God’s glory, most of them will not bring us fame. I can’t answer why we know the name Charles Spurgeon rather than the names of hundreds and thousands of other pastors who have faithfully preached the Word of God over the centuries. Why do we know Billy Graham and not the many, many evangelists sharing the gospel for the last 2000 years? I can’t answer that one either.
While our brother Paul urges us to desire these gifts, he also warns of our pride and self-service. Can I be Thaddaeus and faithfully serve in anonymity? Can I be glad that there are godly men throughout history and even now who are known for faithfully teaching the Word? Do I find myself jealous of the notoriety some receive? Is it enough to have my name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Or, do I need to have a social media presence, too? Is it enough to be faithful, alone…with Jesus, even if that means He is the only one who will ever know my name?
Yes, the apostles fought over who would be the greatest. James and John, and/or their mother, asked to be seated at Jesus’s right and left in His Kingdom. Ananias and Saphira wanted to be known for their generosity. Long lists of men have sought political power as leaders of the Roman Catholic Church. Men like Joel Osteen have built large empires for themselves by tickling the ears of their congregants. How many of these have learned from their pride?
We can all think of those who have been corrupted by the power, money, and fame that can come from misusing the gifts of the Spirit. Pity these people. Pray for them if they are still alive. Seek to gently restore them as Paul teaches in Galatians 6:1-2.
Learn from those who have been humbled. We know the names of the apostles, and we know that they were martyred for their faith. Am I willing to do the same? While they served the Lord they used their gifts for the common good and for God’s glory. I pray that’s enough for me, and for you, too! Who do you admire for doing the Lord’s work without seeking recognition? Lord, help me to recognize their humility and aspire to it to Your great glory!