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Jesus’ 12 Apostles
By Mark Morgan | Jesus
Early in the New Testament we read about the birth of John (later known as John the Baptist), a priest’s son who was to become a prophet and announce the coming of a saviour from the house of David.
Many people went to John and obeyed his call to repentance and baptism. Most left after they were baptised, but some stayed longer and became John’s disciples. While they were with him, they saw Jesus come to be baptised and some heard John’s announcement that this was not only the lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world, but also the son of God. Two, in particular, believed John and immediately followed Jesus to learn more about him. They also called their friends, and soon Jesus had followers of his own.
As we delve into what is known about Jesus’ apostles, it’s worth noting that ‘apostles’ means ‘ones sent’. The word is used because, although many people followed Jesus, he wanted to send out 12 special disciples in pairs to preach. Before doing so, he spent all night in prayer to God (Luke 6:12-16).
It is very likely that all of them were Jews (see Mt 15:24; 10:5; Jn 1:47). With the possible exception of Judas Iscariot, whom some suggest came from Kerioth in Judah, they were probably all from Galilee, based on the observation: ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?’ (Acts 2:7).
There are four lists of Jesus’ apostles, and you’ll notice as you read them that there are some differences in order and slightly varied names. Judas Iscariot is missing from the list in Acts because by that time he had betrayed Jesus and committed suicide.
2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
| Matthew 10:2-4 | Mark 3:16-19 | Luke 6:13-16 | Acts 1:13 |
| 1. Simon called Peter | Simon whom Jesus called Peter | Simon whom Jesus called Peter | Peter |
| 2. Andrew his brother | James the son of Zebedee | Andrew his brother | John |
| 3. James the son of Zebedee | John the brother of James | James | James |
| 4. John his brother | Andrew | John | Andrew |
| 5. Philip | Philip | Philip | Philip |
| 6. Bartholomew | Bartholomew | Bartholomew | Thomas |
| 7. Thomas | Matthew | Matthew | Bartholomew |
| 8. Matthew the tax collector | Thomas | Thomas | Matthew |
| 9. James the son of Alphaeus | James the son of Alphaeus | James the son of Alphaeus | James the son of Alphaeus |
| 10. Thaddeus | Thaddeus | Simon called the Zealot | Simon the Zealot |
| 11. Simon the Cananaean | Simon the Cananaean | Judas the son of James | Judas the son of James |
| 12. Judas Iscariot | Judas Iscariot | Judas Iscariot | – |
Only Simon Peter (1), Philip (5), James the son of Alphaeus (9) and Judas Iscariot (12) are in the same position in each list in which they appear.
Men and women found Jesus’ teaching irresistible: he offered a way forward that most had never been able to see before. He not only lived a pure and wonderful life himself, but he was able to convince others that they really could walk a path of holiness themselves.
Since interests, preferences and skills often flow through families, it should be no surprise to us when more than one member of a family followed Jesus.
Simon Peter and Andrew were not only both fishermen, they were brothers. Jesus also cured Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also both fishermen and brothers. Their mother, Salome, was also Mary’s sister and both women were present at Jesus’ crucifixion. When Jesus was on the cross and asked John to look after Mary, he was asking him to care for his aunt. This could have caused some family conflict, since Jesus’ siblings probably expected to look after their mother, but at the time, they did not believe Jesus’ teachings. Sadly, there is no indication that Zebedee, Salome’s husband, had any interest in the teachings of Jesus either.
There are two other disciples whose fathers have the same name: Matthew the tax collector (also known as Levi) and the second James. The name Alphaeus only occurs in the Bible as being the father of these two disciples, so it is quite possible that they were also brothers – although the Bible never suggests it.
Thomas has an interesting point for us to note: he is called “Didymus” in Greek, which means “the twin”. Assuming that he was born a twin, we have no hint as to who his twin was. Yet calling him “the twin” seems appropriate only if the people using the name knew his twin. It is also possible that his twin had previously died but that his acquaintances still remembered the twin. Who was his twin? We aren’t told.
Our occupations can reflect many things about us, and Jesus’ disciples had a range of work interests apart from their interest in religion. As mentioned above, we know that four were fishermen, and when Peter announced that he was going fishing one night after Jesus rose from the dead, six others went with him, all of whom appear to have been disciples of Jesus. Perhaps they went together because they wanted to talk, but possibly more than four had expertise as fishermen.
Matthew was a tax collector – not a popular profession with those who had to pay taxes.
The other Simon is described as a Zealot, a group known for their opposition to the Romans and the use of violence to pursue their goals. In accepting Jesus’ call to repentance and service, Simon had repudiated the Zealots’ violent approach, yet his former association is not forgotten any more than Matthew’s.
Jesus gave Simon the fisherman a new name, and that name, “Peter”, is now used to refer to him more than his original name, although he is often called “Simon Peter” also. In Greek, “Peter” means a stone or rock. We may be able to look at Peter in more detail in another newsletter some other time. Jesus uses both “Simon” and “Peter” at different times when talking to the big fisherman, but seems to carefully choose the name he wants to use on many occasions. Jesus often calls him “Simon” when Peter is behaving like the fisherman of old, while “Peter” refers to the man whom Jesus was teaching to catch men for God. Perhaps the name Jesus chose could give Peter a private nudge without the need for public criticism.
Jesus gave James and John the name “Boanerges”, which means “Sons of Thunder”, and Jesus may have used their nickname in the same way as he used Simon and Peter. On one occasion, James and John asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven on Samaritans who would not welcome Jesus. This gives a picture of a pair who, by nature, preferred justice to mercy and were still learning Jesus’ ways. While John appears calm and quiet as the writer of his gospel and letters, that could easily have been the result of years of learning control.
The following table presents the details we know about the apostles from the Bible. Some apostles are mentioned very rarely, and in those cases, we have included all the references to them from the New Testament. For others, we have only included a selection of references. With Peter, the most frequently mentioned of all the apostles, we have included a list of reference below the table so that the table will not take up too much room. Likewise with John, the son of Zebedee – the one of the 12 disciples who contributed most to the Bible and is the second-most commonly mentioned of Jesus’ disciples.
Those very rarely mentioned include James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, who are only mentioned in the lists of disciples. There is no other information about them in the Bible.
Note that whenever “J” appears in the table or event lists, it refers to Jesus.
Name(s) |
Work |
Home town |
Parents |
Sibling |
Selected events or details |
|
Peter (Simon, Cepha[s], Stone) |
Fisherman (owned a boat Lk 5:3) |
Bethsaida (Jn 1:44) |
John (Jn 21:15-17; Mt 16:17 (KJV/RSV/ESV ‘bar Jona[h]’)) |
Andrew |
Wrote 2 letters (1 Peter and 2 Peter). Simon/Peter/Cephas occur about 200 times referring to Simon Peter. For more details, see notes below table. |
|
Andrew |
Fisherman |
Bethsaida (Jn 1:44) |
|
Peter |
Jn 1:35-42 disciple of John the Baptist, found Peter and followed J (Jesus) that day Mt 4:18; Mk 1:16 called by J Mk 1:29 J went to his (and Peter’s) house Mt 10:2; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:14 – one of 12 apostles Jn 6:8-9 told J about boy with loaves and fish Jn 12:22 went with Philip to J with Greeks Mk13:3 with Peter, James & John asked J about fulfilling of signs Acts 1:13 in the upper room |
|
James (son of thunder) |
Fisherman |
Bethsaida? (Lk 5:10 partners with Peter and Andrew) |
Zebedee (Mt 4:21, 10:2; Mk 1:19-20), Salome (Mt 27:56; Mk 15:40) – Mary’s sister |
John |
Mt 4:21-22; Mk 1:19-20 in a boat preparing nets with Zebedee and hired men when J called him and John Mk 1:29 left synagogue with J and went to house of P&A Lk 5:10 partner with Peter & Andrew Mk 3:17 J named him and John, ‘Boanerges’ or ‘Sons of Thunder’ Mk 5:37-43; Lk 8:51-56 went with J & Peter and John to raise Jairus’ daughter Mt 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-10 transfiguration with Peter & John Mk 10:35-41 with his brother John, asked to sit at left and right of J Mk 13:3-27 asked (with Peter, Andrew & John) J when all buildings of temple would be thrown down Mk 14:33 closer to J in Gethsemane Mt 27:56 his mother at crucifixion Acts 1:13 in upper room Acts 12:2 killed with sword by Herod |
|
John (son of thunder) |
Fisherman |
|
Zebedee (Mt 4:21, 10:2; Mk 1:19-20), Salome (Mt 27:56; Mk 15:40) – Mary’s sister |
James |
Wrote one gospel, Revelation. For more details, see notes below table.
|
|
Philip |
|
Bethsaida (Jn 1:44, 12:21) |
|
|
Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18; Lk 6:14 Jn 1:43 J called him Jn 1:45 found Nathanael Jn 6:5 J asked him about food for 5,000 to test him Jn 12:20-22 Greeks asked him about J and he took them to J with Andrew Jn 14:8 ‘Lord, show us the Father’ Acts 1:13 in upper room |
|
Bartholomew (probably Nathanael) |
|
If he is Nathanael, Cana in Galilee (Jn 21:2) else possibly Bethsaida (Jn 1:44-45)?
|
|
|
Nathanael is only mentioned in John. In the other gospels, Bartholomew is almost always mentioned next to Philip and Philip was the one who went and found Nathanael in Jn 1:45. Not proof, but… Mt 10:3, Mk 3:18; Lk 6:14 Jn 1:45-48 Philip found him (Nathanael) and he met J Jn 21:2 (Nathanael) fishing Acts 1:13 in upper room |
|
Thomas the twin (Didymus Jn 21:2) |
|
|
|
|
Mt 10:3, Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15 Jn 11:16 ‘Let us go with him and die with him’ Jn 14:5 said they didn’t know where J was going Jn 20:24-29 not there when J appeared and didn’t believe, so J showed him hands and feet 8 days later Jn 21:2 fishing when J appeared Acts 1:13 in upper room |
|
Matthew (Levi) |
Tax collector |
Capernaum (Mt 9:1, 9 (4:13); Mk 2:1, 13-14) |
Alphaeus (Mk 2:14) |
James? |
Wrote one gospel. Mt 9:9-17; Mk 2:14-22; Lk 5:27-39 J called him and had a meal at his house Mt 10:3, Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15 Acts 1:13 in upper room |
|
James |
|
|
Alphaeus (Mt 10:3) |
Matthew? |
Mt 10:3, Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15 Acts 1:13 in upper room |
|
Thaddeus (Judas, KJV Lebbaeus) |
|
|
James (Lk 6:16; Acts 1:13) |
|
Mt 10:3, Mk 3:18; Lk 6:16 Jn 14:22-23 asked J why he showed to them and not to all the world Acts 1:13 in upper room |
|
Simon the Zealot (RSV/ESV Canaanean, KJV Canaanite) |
|
|
|
|
Mt 10:4, Mk 3:18; Lk 6:15 Acts 1:13 in upper room |
|
Judas Iscariot |
|
|
Simon Iscariot (Jn 6:71, 13:2, 26) |
|
Mt 10:4, Mk 3:19; Lk 6:16 Mt 26:14-16; Mk 14:10-11; Lk 22:3-6 goes to chief priests and agreed to betray J for 30 silver coins Mt 26:25 asked ‘surely not I’ and J said ‘Yes, you’ Mt 26:47-50; Mk 14:43-46; Lk 22:47-48; Jn 18:2-5 arrived with large armed crowd Mt 27:3-5 returned coins and hanged himself Jn 6:70-71 J calls him a devil Jn 12:4-8 complained about perfume on J’s feet (Mary) because he was a thief Jn 13:2 Devil already prompted him to betray J Jn 13:24-30 J gave him bread and satan entered. Told him to do what he was to do; no others understood. Some thought he was to give to the poor. Leaves. Acts 1:16-26 replaced, what betrayal money was used for and his fate |
This is not a complete list, but tries to include everything particularly significant.
Jn 1:42 J named him Peter
Mt 4:18-20 J called him
Lk 5:8 asked J to leave him because he was a sinner
Lk 5:10 partners with James & John
Mk 1:29 J left synagogue with James & John and went to house of Peter & Andrew
Mt 10:2; Mk 3:16; Lk 6:14 list of apostles
Jn 6:68 Lord where shall we go? – you have the words of life
Lk 8:45 asked J how he knew spirit gone out when crowd around him
Mk 5:37-43; Lk 8:51-56 went in with J, James & John to raise Jairus’ daughter
Mt 14:28-31 walked on water
Mt 15:15 sought explanation of ‘blind guides’
Mt 16:16-23; Mk 8:29-33; Lk 9:20 ‘You are the Christ’ and ‘this will never happen to you’
Mt 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-13; Lk 9:28-36 J’s transfiguration with James & John
Mt 17:24-27 collectors of tax and finding coin in fish’s mouth
Lk 12:40-41 asked if parable about being ready was for people or disciples
Mt 18:21-22 asked how often should forgive
Mt 19:27-20:16; Mk 10:28-31; Lk 18:28-30 asked ‘we left all to follow you – what do we get?’
Mk 11:21-23 pointed out withered fig tree
Mk 13:3-27 with Andrew, James and John asked J about fulfilling of signs and destruction of temple
Lk 22:8 sent by J with John to prepare feast
Jn 13:6-10 ‘don’t wash my feet’
Jn 13:24 asked John to ask who J meant would betray him
Jn 13:36 asked J ‘where are you going?’
Mt 26:33-35; Mk 14:29-31; Lk 22:34; Jn 13:37-38 ‘though all fall away, I won’t’ – J said would deny him 3 times
Mt 26:37-46; Mk 14:33-42 went (with James & John) away from rest with J while he prayed; slept
Jn 18:10-11 cut off Malchus’ ear
Mt 26:58; Mk 14:54; Lk 22:54; Jn 18:15 followed J after his arrest
Jn 18:16 John brought him in to high priest’s compound
Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:56-62; Jn 18:17-27 denials
Jn 20:2-7 Mary Magdalene tells him and John of missing body; they visit tomb
Jn 21:2-22 suggested fishing, swam ashore to see J, J asked him about love and sheep
Acts 1:13-22 in upper room, he suggested choosing replacement for Judas
Acts 2:14-41 his speech at Pentecost
Acts 3:1-26 went with John to temple at hour of prayer (9th hour) and healed lame man
Acts 4:1-21 arrested with John by Jewish leaders and threatened
Acts 5:1-11 Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 8:14-17 went with John to Samaria to give Holy Spirit to those baptised
Acts 9:32-42 went to Lydda, Sharon and Joppa – healed Aeneas, raised Dorcas
Acts 10 preached to Cornelius and baptised him and family
Acts 11 explained to critics what happened with Cornelius
Acts 12:3-17 imprisoned by Herod Agrippa I who planned to kill him but he was freed by angel
Acts 15:6-11 Jerusalem conference
Gal 2:11-13 opposed by Paul for hypocrisy
1 Cor 9:5 took his wife with him when preaching
Mt 4:21-22; Mk 1:19-20 in a boat preparing the nets with Zebedee and hired men when J called him and James
Mk 1:29 left synagogue with J and went to house of Peter & Andrew
Lk 5:10 partner with Peter & Andrew
Mt 10:2; Mk 3:17; Lk 6:14 list of apostles. In Mk 3:17, J named James and him, ‘Boanerges’ or ‘Sons of Thunder’
Mk 5:37-43; Lk 8:51 went with J, Peter and James to raise Jairus’ daughter
Mk 9:38; Lk 9:49 told J of forbidding another man to heal since he did not follow J
Mt 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-10; Lk 9:28-36 transfiguration
Mk 10:35-41 with his brother James, asked to sit at left and right of J
Lk 9:51-56 asked J if they should call fire from heaven
Mk 13:3-27 asked (with Peter, Andrew & James) J when all buildings of temple would be thrown down
Lk 22:8 sent with Peter by J to prepare Passover
Jn 13:23 reclining close to J at Last Supper
Mt 26:37-46; Mk 14:33-42 went (with James & Peter) away from rest with J while he prayed
Jn 18:15 knew High Priest
Jn 19:27; 20:10 had a house (in Jerusalem?)
Mt 27:56; Mark 15:40; Jn 19:25 his mother at crucifixion (Salome was Mary’s sister)
Jn 19:26-27 J told him to look after Mary
Jn 20:2-8 Mary Magdalene told him and Peter about missing body, ran to tomb, saw and believed
John 21:2-22 went fishing after resurrection with several disciples and recognised J from a distance
Acts 1:13 in upper room
Acts 3:1-26 went with Peter to temple at hour of prayer (9th hour) and healed lame man
Acts 4:1-21 arrested with Peter by Jewish leaders and threatened
Acts 8:14-17 went with Peter to Samaria to give Holy Spirit to those baptised
We hope that this table of information about Jesus’ 12 apostles in the Bible is useful. If you have any questions or comments, please Contact us.
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