Was he pre or post Jesus Christ?
He is a martyr so that might be a hint.
He actually lived during the time of Jesus and was an Apostle. He was one of the twelve.
He is a bit of an obscure figure in most text. He doesn't have his own books. He is witnessed in three other Apostles text, Matthew, Mark and Luke, but, not John. There is an identifying reference to him in John as "Nathanael of Cana in Galilee" in John 21:2. He is one of the Apostles believed to have witnessed Jesus at the Sea of Galilee. He is also mentioned again in a friendship with Phillip in what is considered "Acts." Acts if written in long hand would be "Acts of the Apostles."
He is significant to christian text because he is in three of the Apostle's scripture and mentioned in another, but, he had a significant role in witnessing Jesus. Anyone know what he witnessed besides at the Sea of Galilee?
Jesus was crucified in Roman tradition and according to scripture he was wrapped in linen by Joseph of Arimathea (he would later be recognized as a saint by the Catholic church), anointed with as much as 12 ounces of expensive perfumed oil and depending on the scripture the anointing was on his head, feet or twice mentioned his entire body and he was placed in the new tomb. Joseph of Arimathea was a rather wealthy man and the new tomb that Jesus was placed was originally intended for Joseph up on his death. As it worked out it didn't matter because Jesus only occupied the tomb for a few days.
In three days after his entombment he was resurrected, celebrated as Easter. But, there was a presence of Jesus Christ for the next forty days according to biblical accounts. Then on the fortieth day Jesus Christ speaks words to the 11 Apostles and ascends on a cloud. It is believed the cloud took him out of view into heaven (That is the way it is reported.) Bartholomew was one of the 11 Apostles, not 12, that witnessed the ascension of Christ.
But, interestingly enough he first doubted Jesus being the Messiah because he was from Nazareth. Nazareth was comprised of traditional Jews that practiced subsistence farming. It was nearly invisible to most scholars, except, for being the home town of Jesus.
Bartholomew is only mentioned in the bible with Phillip. They are always together and witnessing together. They are friends. When Phillip takes Bartholomew to meet Jesus Christ it is the time of Bartholomew's denial. Jesus states to Bartholomew for the purpose of conversion as a 'believer,' when Philip first asked Bartholomew to visit Jesus, Bartholomew was under a fig tree and Jesus saw him there are the time of Phillip's invitation. According to scripture that is what changed Bartholomew's mind about Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus was also a Rabbi, so much of his identity would cause people to pause linked to what appeared to be a miracle in assessing him as the Messiah.
But, primarily Bartholomew was a witness and accompanied Phillip. He was an Apostle and for the most part they are not mentioned in the Qur'an. In the Qur'an they are referred to as men helping the work of God. The Qur'an, in interpretation by scholars names nine of the Apostles, Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Thomas, Philip, John, James, Bartholomew, and Simon. Oddly enough Paul, Mark and Luke are not mentioned in the Qur'an. Paul is implied in a ministry witnessing of Jesus Christ. The Qur'an does not believe any of the teachings to the Gentiles by the men working for God were false. The Qur'an clearly implies these men were teaching the word of God.
It is believed Bartholomew went on to teach no differently than Paul. Where did he teach? His presence was believed to be among Arabs as validated by the relics, currently in preservation in Rome, from what is now Baku, Azerbaijan and at the time of his death 71 A.D it was known as Armenia.Why is the painting called, "The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew?" He was sentenced to death for his ministry, flayed alive and beheaded at the command of King Astyages at Albanopolis, on the west coast of the Caspian Sea.
When I reflect on the fact Paul, Mark and Luke are never mentioned by name and realize Bartholomew was teaching in Arabia there is a physical space that would justify those facts. If Paul maintained his ministry in the area of Corinth and Bartholomew on the west coast of the Caspian Sea, there are very real physical reasons why Qur'an scholars would not find evidence of the three Apostles that carry such weight within the christian bible.
The scriptures when placed in the proper time in history create the depth of understanding that sculpts the christian faith. To remove scripture out of context for the purpose of politics, is, quite frankly, blasphemy. Using words rather than the depth of their meaning when spoken isn't faith at all. To eliminate the 'time and place' of the scriptures for whatever purpose deemed appropriate cheapens the person receiving the words and assigns them incapable of the dedication to learning and/or incapable of comprehension of the scripture itself.
The beauty of quoting scripture is not the words themselves, but, the reference to time and place they were spoken in the context of their meaning.
Blasphemy is allowed under the laws of the USA Constitution in the First Amendment. What prohibits it reverence for God.
