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Jul 29, 2025 18:31pm

Exposing the Apostles: What They Wrote Will Shock You

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What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you? This was a question I was asked while playing a game during one of our family game nights. I had to think of an answer and let everyone guess what I would say. Immediately, a thought came to mind—it was something so embarrassing I knew everyone would guess. But instead, everyone started naming other times in my life that were just as embarrassing. As it turns out, I’ve embarrassed myself many times.

Can you relate? You’ve probably faced embarrassing moments, and if you’re like me, you want to forget them. We certainly don’t want to publish those moments or broadcast them to the entire world. But have you considered that’s exactly what Jesus’ apostles did? When they wrote the gospel accounts and epistles, they included many embarrassing facts about themselves and others.

They were rebuked by Jesus for turning away children (Matthew 19:13–14).
They were corrected for not understanding parables (Mark 4:13).
They were prideful and argued over who was the greatest (Matthew 18:1–4).
They were fearful and had little faith (Mark 4:40).
They fell asleep during Jesus’ greatest hour of need (Matthew 26:43).
Peter constantly put his foot in his mouth, denied Christ three times, and was even called Satan by Jesus (Matthew 16:23).
James and John were rebuked by Jesus for wanting to call fire down on the Samaritans (Luke 9:54–55).
The disciples, fearful and doubtful, ran and hid when Christ was crucified (Mark 14:50).
Jesus chose women—not His disciples—to be the first witnesses of His resurrection (Mark 16:9).
After Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas doubted (John 20:24–25).
There was bickering in the early churches (Acts 6:1; Philippians 4:2; 1 Corinthians 1:10–11; Galatians 2:11).
Paul, who authored 13 books of the New Testament, wrote that he was the least of all saints (Ephesians 3:8), the least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9), and the chief of all sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

Critics of the Bible say it’s just a made-up book, written by men. Others claim it’s a story filled with lies. Some even suggest the apostles wrote the gospel for fame. If that was their intention, they failed miserably. The Bible was written to their own detriment, and that fame included not just humiliating accounts—but it cost them everything.

Think about this: many people will lie to make themselves look better. It’s in our nature to paint ourselves in the best light. But who conspires with their friends to faithfully hold to lies that make themselves look bad?

If the apostles got together to create a fictional story they wanted to pass off as truth, would they have included details like those above? If the New Testament were written as some sort of propaganda to launch a new religion, wouldn’t it include things that made the story more polished and attractive? Instead, the gospel often paints the apostles as faithless, fearful, uncaring, and incompetent. It shows them being ostracized by their own people, beaten, thrown in jail, and eventually martyred for telling their story.

This story changed the course of history—and it still changes lives today. It’s a story of absolute truth and divine revelation, written by men and inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. For those who know it well, it’s a story worth telling—no matter how embarrassing, and no matter the cost.

Will we say with Paul, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16)?