A question regarding the Christian Apocrypha, particularly the Acts of Andrew?

Given the cirstances of Andrews martyrdom and the two chances he had to escape, first via the forcable intervention of the Proconsul Aegeates brother Stratocles then by a reversal of judgement by the Proconsul himself is it fair to interprete that early Christian missionaries sought to die in an attempt to vault into Christs Grace? If this is so then what is the position of modern Christians between rejoicing in this martys excruciating demiss as the martyr would have it be a victory over the enduring in the mortal coil ( a rather gnostic sentiment it would appear ) or is this a tragic event to be forever mourned because of the loss of one of the pillars of the early church? Or is this an example of manifested paradox in the fabric of Christian evolution and developement, this then providing the basis for God's sigularity overruling mankinds inherent duality?