10:1-4 Who are the twelve disciples Jesus called – what do scriptures teach about them?

10:1-4 Who are the twelve disciples Jesus called – what do scriptures teach about them?'

The first disciple named is Simon called Peter. Peter was the brother of Andrew who was the first to follow Jesus (cp Jn 1:35-42). Jesus also called Peter Cephas (cp 1Cor 1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5; Ga 1:18; 2:9, 11, 14). Both Peter and Cephas mean a stone, a rock. He was also called Simeon (cp Acts 15:14). Peter and Andrew, both natives of Bethsaida, were Galilean fishermen in partnership with James and John – the sons of Zebedee – also disciples of Jesus (cp Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:1-11). Peter was married and lived with his wife in Capernaum (cp Mk 1:21, 29-31).

His wife accompanied him on missionary journeys (cp 1Cor 9:5). Peter was mentioned first in all four lists of the apostles (cp Mk 3:14-19; Lk 6:13-16; Ac 1:13). But that did not mean that Peter had precedence in authority over the other disciples as so many think (cp Mt 20:20-28; Mk 10:35-45; Lk 22:24-27). Peter had no precedence over the other disciples in authority, only in time – he was the first to confess his faith in Jesus as the Messiah (cp Mt 16:13-19).

On the ground of his confession of faith in Jesus as Messiah, the Lord simply designated Peter as the first one to open the door of the Kingdom of Heaven – to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost (cp Acts 2:14-41), and later to the Gentiles, through Cornelius and his household (cp Acts 10:1-8, 21-48). Later in his ministry Peter wrote the two epistles that bear his name – 1 and 2 Peter.

Together with James and John, Peter enjoyed special favour and intimacy with Jesus (cp Mt 17:1-9; 26:37-46; Mk 5:22-24, 35-43; Jn 21:15-19). In Jn 21:18-19 Jesus is foretelling that the death by which Peter would die – also crucifixion – would glorify God. It is not known where Peter died. Tradition has it that it was in Rome, but Paul made no mention of him being there in any of his epistles. Therefore, if it was in Rome, it had to be after the martyrdom of Paul there. There is much more recorded in scripture concerning Peter than what is noted here, but this will suffice for the purpose of this exercise (see also comments on Mt 16:13-18, Mt 16:19, Eph 4:11-12, 1Pe 5:1-3, 2Pe 1:16-19).

The second disciple named is Andrew, Peter’s brother. Andrew was the first to follow Jesus after John declared Him to be the Lamb of God (cp Jn 1:34-37). Andrew told Peter who Jesus was and then Peter followed Him too. Soon after, Jesus ordained them both apostles (cp Mk 3:13-19; Lk 6:13-16). Andrew doubted that so many could be fed from just five loaves and two fishes when Jesus fed the five thousand (cp Jn 6:1-11).

It was Andrew and Philip that Jesus first told of His impending death (cp Jn 12:20-24, 32-33). Andrew was also one of the four with whom Jesus discussed the destruction of the temple and the time of His second advent (cp Mk 13:1-4). Andrew is never mentioned again in scripture after the disciples came together in the upper room to await the baptism in the Holy Spirit (cp Acts 1:12-13).

The third disciple is James, the son of Zebedee. James and John his brother were fishermen partners of Peter and Andrew. Jesus called them the sons of thunder (cpMk 3:17). Together with Peter they enjoyed special favour and intimacy with Jesus. They accompanied Jesus when He raised up Jairus’ daughter from the dead (cp Mk 5:22-24, 35-43); they were eyewitnesses to the glory of Christ’s transfiguration (cp Mt 17:1-9), and they were in the garden of Gethsemane with Jesus before His arrest (cp Mt 26:37-46). Jesus rebuked them for expecting Him to sanction their calling down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritans who refused to receive Jesus on His way to Jerusalem (cp Lk 9:51-56).

James and John also caused trouble among the other disciples when they asked Jesus if they could sit on either side of Him in the heavenly kingdom (cp Mk 10:35-45). James did drink the cup Jesus drank and was baptized with the baptism Jesus was baptized with when he was killed with the sword by King Herod (cp Acts 12:1-2). James was the first martyr among the apostles.

There are four men called James in the New Testament. The others are James, the son of Alphaeus, another one of the twelve disciples (cp Mt 10:3). He is always referred to in scripture as the son of Alphaeus, which distinguishes him from James, the brother of John (cp Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15; Ac 1:13). James, the father/brother of Judas, also one of the twelve (cp Lk 6:16 (KJV calls him brother; NKJV, RSV, NIV and other s all call him father)), and James, the brother of Jesus (cp Mt 13:54-55; Mk 6:1-3; Ga 1:19). The next disciple named is the other son of Zebedee, James’ brother, John. John is referred to as the disciple whom Jesus loved (cp Jn 13:23; 19:25-27; 20:1-3; 21:7, 20-24). Jesus entrusted his mother, Mary, to John’s care before he died (cp Jn 19:25-27).

As noted in our studies on both Peter and James, John also enjoyed special favour and intimacy with Jesus, accompanying Him when He raised up Jairus’ daughter from the dead; being an eyewitness to the glory of Christ’s transfiguration, and being present with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his arrest (cp Mk 5:22-24, 35-43; Mt 17:1-9; 26:37-46). Together with Peter and James, the Lord’s brother, John met with Paul and Barnabas on Paul’s second visit to the Jerusalem church after his conversion to Christ to settle the question of circumcision (cp Acts 15:1-2, 4 with Ga 2:1-2, 9). John was the author of the gospel that bears his name and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd epistles of John.

John also wrote the book of Revelation. Advanced in age, he was living in exile on the isle of Patmos when he received the revelation of Jesus Christ, who sent it with an angel to John to give to the church (cp Rev 1:1, 4-5, 9-19). The fifth disciple named is Philip. He is also from Bethsaida, like Peter and Andrew. Philip led Nathanael to the Lord (cp Jn 1:43-51). But he failed Jesus’ test of faith in Him to feed the five thousand (cp Jn 6:5-7). Philip only saw the financial cost involved. It never occurred to him that Christ could meet the people’s need supernaturally. Jesus also chided Philip for asking him to show the disciples the Father.

This led to Jesus’ teaching that He and the Father were one (cp Jn 14:8-10). This Philip is not to be confused with Philip the evangelist (cp Acts 6:1-7; 8:5-8; 21:8). He was known as Philip, the evangelist, presumably to distinguish him from Philip, the apostle. The last word on Philip the apostle in scripture is when the disciples all came together in the upper room to await the baptism in the Holy Spirit (cp Acts 1:12-13).

The sixth disciple named is Bartholomew, who is only named in all four lists of the apostles. He is never mentioned elsewhere in scripture (cp Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:14; Ac 1:13). Bartholomew is believed by many in the church to be the same as Nathanael, who Philip led to the Lord (cp Jn 1:45-51 with Jn 21:2). The seventh disciple named is Thomas, also called Didymus, meaning twin (cp Jn 11:16; 20:24; 21:2).

Thomas was commonly known among Christians as doubting Thomas because he did not believe in the resurrection (cp Jn 20:24-25). Thomas’ doubts turned into a marvelous confession of faith in Christ’s Deity when he did meet and touch the resurrected Lord soon after (cp Mt 10:26-29).

The eight disciple named is Matthew the publican, or tax collector. Matthew was also called Levi (cp Mt 9:9 with Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27-28). Matthew’s name, like that of both Simon (Peter), and Saul (Paul), was changed on being called to apostleship. Matthew wrote this gospel specifically for Jewish Christians. Apart from being named in the lists of the apostles, no further record of Matthew is found in the New Testament (cp Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Ac 1:13).

The ninth disciple named is James the son of Alphaeus (cp Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15; Ac 1:13). This James is not to be confused with James, the brother of John, the sons of Zebedee. Apart from being named in the lists of apostles here, nothing more is known of this James. Some in the church believe he is referred to elsewhere in scripture as James the less, or James the younger (cp Mt 27:56 with Mk 15:40). Some also believe that because Matthew was called Levi the son of Alphaeus in Mk 2:14, it is conceivable that he and this James are brothers (cp Mk 2:14).

The tenth disciple is called Lebbaeus whose surname was Thaddeus by Matthew in the KJV (cp Mt 10:3). Mark calls him Thaddeus (cp Mk 3:18), whereas Luke calls him Judas, the brother of James (cp Lk 6:16; Ac 1:13). They are without doubt the same person. However, most modern translations and paraphrased versions including NKJV, NIV, NASB, RSV and Jerusalem bible etc, all refer to Judas as the son of James. It is not fundamental to salvation to know which is correct, suffice to say that this disciple’s only recorded words were spoken to Jesus at the last supper (cp Jn 14:22).

The eleventh disciple named is Simon the Canaanite, also called Simon Zelotes or Simon the Zealot (cp Mt 10:4; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15; Ac 1:13). This is the only record of this disciple. He is not to be confused with any other Simon named in the New Testament.

The twelfth and last disciple named is Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus (cp Mt 26:14-16, 20-25, 47-50). As an apostle Judas was a bishop in the church Jesus is building, but in betraying Jesus, Judas forfeited his apostleship, his bishoprick, and his salvation (cp Psa 69:22-28; 109:6-20; Ac 1:15-25).

In Ac 1:20 Peter quoted Psa 109:8 as being fulfilled in Judas. Psa 69:22-25 applies to both Judas and those who killed Jesus. We learn also in Psa 109:9-10 that Judas had a wife and children. His wife became a widow, and his children vagabonds – wanderers – who had to beg all the rest of their days. We also learn in V13 that Judas’ family name died out in that generation. No one was left to carry it on – it was lost to posterity forever.

(See also comments on Mt 26:14-16).

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