They are introduced as the Lord Jesus calls each one of them to Him. But to make matters worse, tax collectors made their money by saying people owed Caesar more than they did and then skimming the extra off the topand there was nothing anyone could do about it. It was about four in the afternoon. Asking Jesus if he and John should call down fire from heaven to destroy a village which failed to show them hospitality (Luke 9:54), Asking Jesus if he and John can sit on either side of Jesus throne in heaven, and unwittingly promising to follow Jesus into martyrdom (Mark 10:3540), Andrew was Simon Peters brother. The 12 apostles, also referred to as the 12 disciples or simply "the Twelve," were Jesus Christ's 12 closest followers. So all we can say for sure about him is that he had a really common name and he was the son of someone named Alphaeus. of 12 Peter Detail of "The Charge to Peter" by James Tissot. The Bible doesnt explicitly connect these two people, and neither do the early church fathers, but its certainly possible that theyre the same person. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.). Its a non-preachy, jargon-free handbook to what the Bible is, where it came from, and what its all about. the twin. Before their sending away, the Twelve had been called disciples, or "students" (Latin discipulus; Greek mathts; Hebrew limmdh; all meaning "one who learns"). For example, Reuben was the firstborn of Jacob and was . In fact, theres even another disciple named James. Hes obviously not the same person as James son of Zebedee (also known as James the Greater). In the New Testament, Peter is most known for: As one of the three disciples who was closest to Jesus, Peter got to witness miracles and moments the other apostles werent privy to, including: Peter didnt write any of the four gospels himself, but he plays a major role in all of them, and tradition holds that the Gospel of Mark records Peters account of Jesus ministry through his companion, Mark the Evangelist, whos widely believed to be the same person as John Mark. Philip and Bartholomew are almost always listed together, and theyre closely associated in church tradition. Then he went away and hanged himself. Matthew 27:5. This doesnt tell us much (other than that he was a tax collector in Capernaum, since Capernaum is where this encounter takes place), but youll notice Mark and Luke call this tax collector Levi or Levi son of Alphaeus. Paul felt that God allowed Him to be one who was sent out, and was given the title of apostle only through the grace of God. While it doesnt give us a handy list, the Gospel of John is still useful for learning more about some of the disciples. He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him (Mark 3:13-19). Mark the Evangelist, commonly believed to. One of them was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, both of whom became apostles. His name only appears in the four lists of Jesus 12 main disciples, and hes never listed with any titles or descriptions. Somehow none of the other disciples picked up on that though. . According to this text, he was crucified upside down with Bartholomew. Jude the apostle is also known as Jude of James, Judas of James, Thaddeus, Judas Thaddeus, and Lebbaeus. The list in Acts occurs after Jesus ascends to heaven, and the believers decide to replace Judas Iscariot while waiting for the Holy Spirit. The 12 apostles were some of his closest disciples. In Johns account of the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:115), Andrew is the disciple who finds the boy with five loaves of bread and two fish. Bibliography The apostles were 12 of the disciples of Jesus who went on to spread his message and found the early Christian church. One of the few details the Bible gives us about Philip the Apostle is that like Peter and Andrew, he comes from Bethsaida, a town near the Sea of Galilee (John 1:44). They attempted to boil him in oil which failed so he was banished to Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Matthews inclusion among the Twelve presents a powerful picture of how God partners with all kinds of peopleeven those youd least expectto accomplish his purposes. He was appointed after the death of Judas Iscariot, The time Jesus raised a girl from the dead (Mark 5:3543), Jesus moment of weakness in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:3646), Disowning Jesus to avoid persecution (Luke 22:54-62), Addressing the crowd at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-41), Envisioning a church that included Jews and Gentiles together (Acts 10:9-48), Being a pillar of the church (Galatians 2:9), The time Jesus raised a girl from the dead (Mark 5:35-43), Jesus moment of weakness in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46), Asking Jesus if he and James should call down fire from heaven to destroy a village which failed to show them hospitality (Luke 9:54), Asking Jesus if he and James can sit on either side of Jesus throne in heaven, and unwittingly promising to follow Jesus into martyrdom (Mark 10:3540), Taking care of Jesus mother, Mary (John 19:2627), Beating Peter in a race to Jesus empty tomb (John 20:29). And its always safer not to make assumptions. The Bible is a big book. While there are credible arguments against his authorship, no alternative writer has been named. Another account says he was crucified in 61 AD in Britain. Honestly, thats all you really need to know about the Apostle Thomas. MacArthur, John. Apparently John was the only gospel writer who cared enough to give him a shoutout for that. Like his brother James, John was given the nickname son of thunder (Mark 3:17). But others argue that Bartholomew is a standalone name, and that the Greek text normally represents patronymic names differently: The name Bartholomew may stand by itself in the apostolic lists as a proper name. As one of the Twelve, Matthias played a key role in helping spread the gospel and lead the church when it was most fragile. Later, when some Greek men from Bethsaida want to see Jesus, they come to Philip first, presumably because they knew he was from the same town as them (or possibly because he spoke Greek the best). John son of Zebedee (not to be confused with John the Baptist) was the third disciple considered to be part of Jesus inner circle with his brother James and Peter. It could be that one of the writers goofed a detail. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com. As with James son of Alphaeus, theres not much we can say about Jude of James without assuming hes the same person as another Jude. Twelve Apostles - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia So it was a big deal that Jesus asked Matthew to follow him and be one of his disciples. All three synoptic gospels have a version of the same account: As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collectors booth. And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. Published March 6, 2016 14 min read In the Bible, Jesus Christ names 12 apostles to spread his gospel, and the early Christian church owes its rapid rise to their missionary zeal. Later, when a group of Greeks wanted to see Jesus, they came to Philip, and for whatever reason, Philip deferred the decision to Andrew: Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. For those that are not mentioned in the Bible, there are some historical traditions, some of the more reliable ones are recorded in Foxes Book of Martyrs. Another just says he was stoned to death in Jerusalem. This has led many to assume it referred to their speech, temperaments, or ambition. In Acts, Philip the Evangelist is clearly distinguished from the Twelve: As a tax collector (or publican), Matthew collected taxes. But others suggest he was stoned to death, beheaded, or crucified upside down. .. He called them personally to Him. Todays scholars have mixed opinions on Judes authorship. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word., This proposal pleased the whole group. Who were they and what do we know about them? Therefore, we must depend upon historical information for the other apostles in order to answer the question, " How did the Twelve Apostles die ?" But the Bible doesnt say this, and while the lists of apostles make it clear James and John are brothers, and Peter and Andrew are brothers, theres no mention of a relationship between James and Matthew. He was eating with them to demonstrate Gods mercy and to mend the brokenness that came with being treated like religious outsiders. Thank you for your time to compile this information & sharing your knowledge of it. The 12 Apostles. Additionally John appears to introduce a disciple not listed in the other gospels or acts: Nathanael, who is closely associated with Philip. Apostle - Wikipedia Belfast: Ambassador Publications Ltd., 2017. Some include Matthias, and some dont. Who were the 12 Apostles? - YouTube .. The Bible doesnt tell us what the Zealot signified, so no one can say for sure. Luke 6:12-16 NLT - Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles - Bible Gateway But there are two other Jameses mentioned in the New Testament: The early church (most notably, Jerome) assumed both of these Jameses were all the same person as James son of Alphaeus. Of this title, Paul wrote, Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. The Acts of Peter claims he asked to be crucified upside down because he didnt believe he was worthy of dying the same death as Jesus. However, there are three. James was Zebedee and Salome's eldest son and was one of the 12 main disciples of Jesus. A new apostle was ordained, and there were twelve again. Later, Philip the Evangelist is referred to as one of the seven (Acts 21:8), not an apostle or one of the Twelve. The word "Apostle" means "messenger; one who has been sent." The 12 Apostles were messengers sent into the world for a fixed purpose, with specific instructions from the Lord. Since Matthias was such an obscure biblical figure who took on a prominent role in the church, some traditions claimed he must have been someone we encountered in other narratives: such as Nathanael, or even Zaccheus. But three members of the Twelve were closer than anyone else: Peter, James, and John. Philips most notable moment in the gospels is his role in bringing Nathanael to Jesus. They assumed he was from Canaa town within Galileeor possibly even descended from one of the non-Jewish people groups in the area. All we really know is his name, and that hes closely associated with Philip (aside from the list in Acts 1:13, Bartholomew is always listed alongside Philip, which perhaps indicates some sort of relationship). Ashley S. Johnson | Mar 06, 2019 On the road to Damascus, where Paul intended to arrest Christians, Jesus appeared to him, asking: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? (Acts 9:4) Then the Lord told Paul, Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do (Acts 9:6). But the problem here is that everything leading up to that moment appears to have been Peters will. So Peter and John Mark likely crossed paths, and it wouldnt be surprising if they developed a lasting relationship as a result. Catholic Daily Mass - Daily TV Mass - June 28, 2023 - Facebook Help your children to memorize the names of the 12 apostles. They were chosen by Jesus because of . The 12 apostles were the 12 tribes of Israel. They became the force which spread the Gospel in the first century after Jesus returned to the Father, and they will serve Him forever. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, Lord, who is going to betray you?) When Peter saw him, he asked, Lord, what about him?, Jesus answered, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? This site uses cookies to analyze traffic and ensure you get the best experience. Since Peter, James, and John are clearly Jesus closest disciples, this suggests Andrew was pretty important to Jesus, too. It was pretty common for people to be known by multiple names (like Peter, Matthew, and Jude), but there isnt enough evidence to support assumptions about Matthias identity. Simon the Zealot: Went to Africa and may have gone as far north as Britain, where tradition holds he was martyred. One tradition says he died of natural causes. These three apostles alone were present at the raising of Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:51), at the Transfiguration, and at the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. James was the first among the 12 disciples to be martyred. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:8-10a). Bartholomews name most likely comes from the Aramaic name, Bar-Talmai, meaning son of Talmai. If thats the case and this is a patronymic name (meaning a name that derives from a persons father), it stands to reason that Bartholomew wouldve been known by another name. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Who Exactly Were the 12 Apostles? - Bible Study Tools Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him ( Matthew 10:2-4 NRSV). When Jesus called the tax collector, the Biblical record states, As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, Follow me. And he rose and followed him (Matthew (9:9). According to the Gospel of John, Andrew was the first disciple Jesus called, and while Peter gets all the credit for recognizing Jesus as the Messiah (Mattew 16:1320), Andrew not only brought Peter to Jesus, but he, Philip the Apostle is only mentioned eight times in the New Testament, four of which are the lists of apostles. Peter assumed it was their duty to select someone to replace Judas, but that doesnt mean it was, and the fact that God chose Matthias when given the choice between Matthias and Joseph doesnt mean that the entire process was Gods will. Interestingly, when Peter escapes from prison in Acts 12, he flees to John Marks mothers house, which was an important gathering place for the early Christians. In fact, in two of the lists their names arent even next to each other (Mark 3:16-19 and Luke 6:13-16). His death was prophesied by Jesus in John 21:18. Though he did have to earn back the trust of the church, Paul grew into one of the most respected men in the Christian world, writing half of the New Testament, and became known as the Apostle Paul, the same title as the twelve. This time, hes merely listed among seven disciples who went fishing (John 21:1-3). Who Were The 12 Disciples of Jesus? - FaithGiant Toward the end of Johns gospel, Nathanael comes up again. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain Image/Valentin de Boulogne. He wasnt one of the Twelve, and most scholars wouldnt consider him an apostle. Despite the fact that Matthew is one of the better-known disciples, hes actually only mentioned seven times in the Bible. The decision to replace Judas and have twelve apostles again does lead to the question as to why there needed to be twelve. Each of them were major leaders in the movement which became Christianity and helped spread the gospel throughout the world. . But consider this: So maybe we shouldnt be surprised that the details are so blurry. That means they were his closest followers. Ironically, the first passage that tells that he was in charge of the groups money also tells us that he was completely untrustworthy. While we do not know the details of all the apostles, we can presume they were called in a similar manner to the accounts given for Matthew and the fishermen. Whether it was for their explosive temperaments, speech, ambition, or something else, James and John clearly had some defining quality in common. According to the Gospel of John, Andrew was the first disciple Jesus called, and while Peter gets all the credit for recognizing Jesus as the Messiah (Mattew 16:1320), Andrew not only brought Peter to Jesus, but he told him Jesus was the Messiah. Tradition claims James son of Zebedee was a missionary to Spain and that his body was buried there, but since his death took place in Jerusalem very early in the history of the church, there are numerous challenges with this tradition. In Mark 13, Peter, James, John, and Andrew share a private moment with Jesus and ask him about the destruction of the temple (Mark 13:34). After they died, their authority was taken from the earth. . But Luke seems to record a different death for Judas in Acts 1:1819: (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. The chief priests then used the money to buy a potters field (presumably the field Judas hung himself in), because it was blood money, so they couldnt put it in the treasury (Matthew 27:6-10). Like his brother, he was a fisherman. 10. There are numerous lists of the Seventy, but they emerged so late its hard to say if any can be trusted. Matthew is one of the few apostles whose calling is recorded in the gospels. Plus, the Jude who claims to have written the Epistle of Jude says he has a brother named James (Jude 1). Starting at 8 a.m. . In some cases, early Christians and modern scholars have assumed this meant some of these apostles went by multiple namessuch as Judas son of James, who may be listed by the nickname Thaddeus in Matthew and Mark to avoid confusing him with Judas Iscariot, the infamous traitor. The 12 disciples of Jesus - BBC Bitesize When Jesus ascended into heaven and gave the Great Commission, there were only eleven apostles, but there were many disciples. She maintains a faith and lifestyle bloggraceandgrowing.com, where she muses about the Lord, life, culture, and ministry. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. James the son of Alphaeus: He served until he was stoned for his faith. Shortly after, Judas regrets betraying Jesus, tries and fails to return the money the chief priests gave him (Matthew 27:34). Follow me, he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9, As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collectors booth. James son of Alphaeus is only mentioned in the four lists of apostles. Who Were the 12 Apostles? | ReasonableTheology.org (Read more about who wrote the Gospel of Matthew here.). Each tribe had its own unique gift, character, and calling. (One just had to happen first.). The original twelve disciples/apostles are listed in Matthew 10:2-4: "These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Isc. James the son of Zebedee: His death was the second account of martyrdom in the Bible, James was executed in Jerusalem for his faith, as recounted inActs 12:1-2. James son of Zebedee is one of at least three important New Testament figures named James. And The Acts of Thomas says he was martyred via spears in Mylapore, India. Philip: Served the cause of Christ until his death in Heliopolis. In fact, in the immediate next verse these two disciples of John the Baptist became disciples of Jesus. They assumed it had something to do with him being in charge of the money (John 13:28-29). . It could also be that the circumstances were convoluted enough for both writers to be correct. of And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles. We know several of these disciples are fishermenPeter, James, and John, plus Andrew if hes one of the unnamed disciples in the passageso either Nathanael was a fisherman, too or hes just taking the opportunity to learn a new trade, since at this point it seemed like the whole disciple thing didnt work out. Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Criswell, David. The twelve disciples followed Jesus Christ, learned from Him, and were trained by Him. In other words, the individual to replace Judas must have been a disciple from the beginning of the Lords earthly ministry, and been a witness to His resurrection. Paul was saved on the road to Damascus after the Lord Jesus came to him and confronted him about persecuting the church. In the Book of Acts, Peters decisiveness transformed him into someone the early Christians constantly relied on and turned to. Andrew, Simon Peters brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. John 1:3540, Interestingly, the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) dont give us this account of Andrews calling. With Judas having betrayed Christ and then committing suicide, the 11 remaining disciples decided to replace Judas with a new 12th apostle ( Acts 1:16-20 ). Four passages in the Bible give us the names of the apostles: Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:13-16, and Acts 1:13. The 12 apostles were from the tribes of Benjamin, Levi, and Judah. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. In two of the lists of apostles, Jude appears to be referred to as Thaddeus (Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:1619). When debating who would take up this mantle, there were very specific criteria that needed to be met. Matthias wasnt one of the original members of the Twelve. The tribes were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. These cookies do not store any personal information. The word apostle means "one who is sent out." While Jesus was on earth, His twelve followers were called disciples. For such a minor apostle, church tradition is remarkably consistent about his death. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. Acts 6:26. Thaddeus also called Jude: Crucified at Edessa. Technically, its a collection of 66 books. Some important early Christian writers claimed to learn directly from John himself, including Polycarp of Smyrna and Ignatius of Antioch. After seeing Jesus in the flesh with his own eyes (and possibly touching the wounds), Thomas proclaimed, My Lord and my God! (John 20:28).