The Twelve

 

 

Jesus called 12 disciples (Luke 6:12-16, Matt 10:2-4, Mark 3:13-19). They were to become Apostles. The 12 originally chosen by Jesus were:

• (1) Simon Peter: The Gung-Ho Disciple
  • A fisherman (Luke 5:3-4).
  • Has a younger brother named Andrew (John 1:40-41).
  • Was named Cephas or Peter (i.e. a stone) by Christ (John 1:42)
  • Was married (Mark 1:30).
  • Jesus healed his mother-in-law (Mark 8:14-15).
  • Called to full-time service (Luke 5:3-11).
  • One of 3 disciples in the inner circle (Luke 8:51, Matt 17:1-4).
  • Walked on water (Matt 14:28- 31).
  • Asked Jesus about the meaning of the parables (Luke 12:41).
  • Twice confessed Jesus’ deity and Messiahship (John 6:68-69, Matt 16:16).
  • Used by Satan to discourage Jesus from going to the cross (Matt 16:21-23).
  • Eyewitness to the transfiguration of Christ (Matt 17:1-4).
  • Sent by Jesus to catch a fish with a coin in its mouth (Matt 17:27).
• Taught what it means to forgive by Christ (Matt 18:21-22).
• Promised a reward for following Christ (Matt 18:27).
• Assisted in the preparation of the final Passover meal (Luke 22:8).
• Present with Christ in the upper room (John 13:6, 24, 36).
• Told Jesus not to wash his feet (John 13:6).
• Cut off  Malchus’s ear  in Gethsemane (John 18:10-11).
• Followed Christ from a distance after His arrest (Mark 14:50-54).
• Denied Christ thrice (John 18:15- 18, 25-27).
• Extremely sorry    for    denying Christ (Luke 22:62).
  • Ran to see the empty tomb with John (Luke 24:12, John 20:2-10).
  • Was visited by the resurrected Christ personally (Luke 24:34, 1 Cor 15:5).
  • Restored by Jesus after a miraculous fishing trip in the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23).
  • Told by Jesus that he would die by crucifixion (John 21:18). Tradition has it that Peter was crucified upside down.

(2) Andrew: The Christ-Sharing Disciple
• Younger brother of Peter (John 1:44).
• A fisherman from Bethsaida (John 1:44).
• One of the first disciples of John the Baptist (John 1:40).
• Introduced his brother Peter to Christ (John 1:41).
• Brought the boy with the loaves and fishes to Christ in the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:12-22).
• Tradition has it that Andrew was the founder of the Byzantium/ Constantinople Church, and a missionary to Russia. He has been made the Patron Saint of Scotland. It is said that Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross.
(3) John: The Beloved Disciple
• A fisherman with his elder brother— James—also a disciple of the Lord, both sons of Zebedee (Matt 4:21).
• Called the sons of thunder (Mark 3:17).
• Among the inner circle of disciples (Matt 7:1-4).
• Originally a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:35).
• Chided by Christ for his sectarian spirit (Luke 9:49-50).
• Ambitious for high rank and power in Christ’s kingdom (Mark 10:37).
• Asked Jesus to destroy a Samaritan village with fire from heaven (Luke 9:54).
• Assisted in the preparation for the Last Supper (Luke 22:8).
• Leaned on Christ’s chest during the Last Supper (John 13:23).
• Only Apostle present at the crucifixion (John 19:26).
• Jesus entrusted Mary to his care (John 19:27).
• Ran with Peter to check the empty tomb (John 20:2-3).
• Saw the last miracle of Christ by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:7, 23).
• Exiled on the Isle of Patmos during the reign of Domitian when he was about 90 years old (Rev 1:9).
(4) James: The Short-Lived Disciple
• Older brother of John, and fishing partner with Peter and Andrew (Matt 4:21).
• Nicknamed “son of thunder” by Christ (Mark 3:17).
• First Apostle to die for his faith 18 years after Jesus called him to be His disciple (Matt 4:18-22, Acts 12:1-2).
• Wrote Epistle of James before he was martyred.
(5) Philip: The Approachable Disciple
• One of the disciples of John the Baptist (John 1:43).
• Introduced Nathanael to Christ (John 1:40-46).
• Christ tested his faith in the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:5-7).
• Certain Greeks who desired to see Jesus asked him for help (John 12:20-22).
• Asked Jesus to show him the Father (John 14:8-9).
• Tradition has it that he preached in Scythia (S Russia) and Asia Minor extensively. He died at Hierapolis, a city close to Laodicea and Colosse. It is also said that he evangelised France.
(6) Nathanael/Bartholomew: The Transparent Disciple
• Was brought to Christ by Philip (John 1:45-46).
• First to identify Christ as Son of God and King of Israel (John 1:49).
• Christ promised him heavenly revelations (John 1:51).
• He was there when Christ performed His final miracle by the Sea (John 21:2).
• Tradition says that he ministered widely in Armenia and was martyred there; he was flayed to death.
(7) Matthew/Levi: The Tax-Collector Disciple
• A tax collector (Luke 5:27).
• Jesus called him to full-time service (Matt 9:9).
• Hosted a banquet to share his new faith (Luke 5:27-29).
• Tradition has it that he preached in Asiatic Ethiopia (Persia) and finally suffered martyrdom there. A copy of Matthew’s Gospel found its way to India.
(8) Thaddeus/Lebbeus/Jude: The Disciple with Three Names
• Brother of James the Less (Mark 15:40).
• Also known as Lebbeus (Matt 10:3).
• The Judas who was not Iscariot who asked Jesus how He would manifest Himself (John 14:22).
• Wrote the epistle after his name. Jude 3 often quoted by fundamentalists.
• It is reported that he preached in the capital city of Edessa in Armenia. Tradition has it that he healed King Adgar of Edessa from an incurable disease which resulted in the conversion of the whole country. He was martyred in Syria.
(9) James the Less: The Chili Padi Disciple
• Son of Alpheus (Matt 10:3).
• Called “the less” or “the little” probably because he was small in size (Mark 15:40).
• Tradition has it that he went all the way to Spain, Britain, and Ireland to evangelise. He was stoned to death in Jerusalem.
(10) Simon Zelotes: The Militant Disciple
• He was a Canaanite (Matt 10:4, Mark 3:18). Not that he was a Gentile, but that he was a Zealot (from Hebrew kana meaning “to be zealous”).
• A member of a patriotic party called the Zealots (Luke 6:14, Acts 1:13).
• Tradition has it that he became missionary to the West—Britain, and then to the
• East—Persia partnering Jude. Simon was sawn into two in Persia (cf Heb 11:37).
(11) Thomas: The Doubting Disciple
• Also called Didymus (John 11:16).
• He was willing to die with Jesus (John 11:16).
• Asked Jesus about the way (John 14:5).
• Absent when the resurrected Christ appeared to the disciples the first time (John 20:24).
• Said he could not believe the resurrection unless he saw and touched Jesus (John 20:25).
• Present when Jesus made His second resurrection appearance to His disciples. Upon seeing Jesus, Thomas worshipped Him (John 20:28).
• Was present during Christ’s final miracle by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:2).
• Tradition has it that he became a missionary to India and was martyred in Bombay where he was speared while kneeling in prayer.
(12) Judas Iscariot: The Treacherous Disciple
• A treasurer for the group, but stole from the moneybag (John 12:4-6).
• Jesus predicted that Judas would betray him (John 6:70-71).
• Sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matt 26:15-16).
• Jesus lovingly offered the sop to him (John 13:26).
• Possessed by Satan (Luke 22:3, John 13:27).
• Led soldiers to Gethsemane to arrest Jesus (John 18:2-4).
• Betrayed Jesus with a kiss (Matt 26:49).
• Remorsefully returned his blood money (Matt 27:3-4).
• A type of the Antichrist (John 17:12, 2 Thess 2:3).
• Committed suicide (Matt 27:5). All his bowels gushed out (Acts 1:18).