WHO WERE THE
It had always bothered me how a complete stranger
could walk up to a bunch of men working
and say
“follow me” and they immediately left their jobs and followed him.
So I thought I would just look at “Who was Who”, their background
and how they became
THE APOSTLES TWELVE
This study will also
examine disciples who were thought to be of the TWELVE, but were not.
The
progression of Jesus
- Jesus in Aramaic is Y’shua - It is the same name
rendered Joshua; “Yahweh is salvation”.
- Jesus was a very common
name.
- Born in
- At the age of five,
a Jewish boy was taught the Law- at twelve he was passing into
manhood.
- We hear about Jesus at
the age of twelve when he is in the temple having discussions with the
religious leaders. After that the
scriptures are silent until He starts His ministry at the age of thirty
and selects His “inner circle” of Twelve Disciples.
Luke 2:4-7 – Born in Bethlehem Nazareth
4 Joseph (From Nazareth Bethlehem
Matt 2:13 – Flight to Egypt
13 When they had gone, an
angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said,
"take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt
Matt 2:20 – Came back to Nazareth
20…"Get up, take the
child and his mother and go to the land of Israel
NIV
Luke 2:42-43 – Asked questions in the Temple
42 When he was twelve
years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. NIV
Luke 2:46-47
47 Everyone who heard him
was amazed at his understanding and his answers. NIV
Luke 3:23 – Jesus starts His ministry at Thirty
23 Now Jesus himself was
about thirty years old when he began his ministry. NIV
- CAUTION: I have read the “Lost books of the Bible”, the “Forgotten books of
- It has long been known
that writers would put the name of one of the prophets or disciples on
their writings in order to give them validly.
- The
scriptures are silent on the childhood of Jesus’ and as an adult till the age
of thirty.
- Jesus could have had
a wife,
but the CANNONIZED scriptures do not support this.
- Because of customs,
we can certainly speculate that He was immersed in the books of the
Law. He was trained in His father’s
trade, that of a carpenter and probably took over the family business when
Joseph died.
- Jesus taught in
parables that were “Clear Secret Messages” to his followers, but those who
would seek to do Him harm would not “get it”. They just thought it was a story.
PROVISIONS IN ADVANCE - RABBIT TRAIL
- Jesus and his family were
very poor and could not even afford a lamb as an offering in the
temple. According to scripture their
finances were at poverty level until the visit of the Magi who brought
very expensive gifts of GOLD, FRANKINCENSE and MYRRH.
- The Magi were
Religious leaders who could appoint kings and place people in power and authority. They traveled almost two years and
almost a thousand miles just one way.
It is not known how many of them there were or the number of
servants, or the value of their gifts as they had much wealth.
- Gold – Associated with “Royalty”
Most people in the time of Jesus could not afford to own Gold.
- Frankincense Associated with “Worship”
– Gum from the
- Myrrh – Associated with “Suffering”
– Offered to Christ on the Cross – A sedative when mixed with wine. The
Gum is extracted by “Piercing” the bark of a “thorny” bush to allow it to
bleed. It turns red on
contact with air.
- God financed (in
advance)
their flight to
- There probably wasn’t
much of the “treasure” left after 30 years for Jesus’ ministry, but who
knows.
Matt 13:10-11 – Secret Messages
10 The disciples came to
him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"
11 He replied, "The
knowledge of the secrets of the
kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. NIV
Matt 13:54-57 – They took offense at Jesus
54 Coming to his
hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were
amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous
powers?" they asked.
55 "Isn't this the
carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James,
Joseph, Simon and Judas?
56 Aren't all his sisters
with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"
57 And they took
offense at him. NIV
Luke 2:49-50 – They did not always understand.
49 "Why were you
searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my
Father's house?"
50 But they did not
understand what he was saying to them. NIV
THE FAMILY - RABBIT TRAIL
- Some commentaries “force”
the issue that all of the brothers of Jesus were of Joseph from a previous
marriage. This is because of their belief that Mary remained a virgin
after the birth of Jesus. There is
no reason not to believe that Mary bore other children.
- I use the term “half
brother” because God was the father of Jesus and not Joseph.
- When Jesus starts his
ministry Joseph has probably been dead for some time.
- It must be remembered
that Jesus did not continue in the carpentry trade of Joseph, but left the
family. There may have been some
family disappointment as well as lost honor in His community. This appears to show up later when Jesus
returns home and is rejected.
- At first it seems
that the family of Jesus was skeptical about His ministry, however, Jesus
appeared to James after the resurrection and he was converted and
that brought the whole family in.
- Note: I firmly believe
Mary and Joseph both believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but because of
the times, the family just simply didn’t understand and were confused,
timid and even afraid to be seen around Jesus. I think they wanted to believe;
and eventually their timidity would be replaced with boldness because of
the testimony of James. Just saying”.
- It seems probable
that all the brothers were married to believing wives.
- None of the brothers
were chosen to be one of the inner circle of “Twelve” Disciples.
John 7:5 – They did not believe at first
5 For even his own
brothers did not believe in him. NIV
Matt 12:46 -50 – They stand afar off –unsure - watching
46 While Jesus was still
talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak
to him.
47 Someone told him,
"Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to
you."
48 He replied to him,
"Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" 49 Pointing to his
disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers.
50 For whoever does the
will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." NIV
Luke 4:28 -30 – The town’s people plotted to Kill Jesus
28 All the people in
the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
29 They got up, drove
him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town
was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. NIV
Matt 12:24 – Said His powers came from Satan.
24 But when the Pharisees
heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons,
that this fellow drives out demons." NIV
1 Cor 15:6-7–Jesus appears first to James after His
resurrection.
7 Then he appeared to
James, then to all the apostles, NIV
1 Cor 9:4-5 – The brothers believe and become disciples
5 Don't we have the right to take a believing
wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and
Cephas? NIV
Acts 1:13 -14 – They now all believe in the upper room.
14 They all joined together constantly in
prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his
brothers. NIV
Rom 8:15-16 – The Holy Spirit moved on their spirit
16 The Spirit himself
testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. NIV
Rom 8:13-14 – They believed
14 Because those who are
led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
NIV
1 Cor 9:4-5 – The Brothers have wives were believers.
5 Don't we have the right to take a believing
wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers
and Cephas? NIV
THE LADIES - RABBIT TRAIL
- Salome who seems to be Mary’s
sister, was very wealthy and had servants. She supported her two sons James and
John with proceeds from her husband Zebedee’s fishing business.
- Priscilla wife of
THE MARYS
- Mary of
Nazareth
the mother of Jesus did not seam to accompany Jesus on his journeys but
was present from time to time, possibly with income from the carpentry
business.
- Mary of
Magdala
– Cured of seven demons by Jesus.
She is not the sinful woman in Luke 7 – other writings
indicate her family died and left her a great deal of wealth – she
was always present - working quietly in the background with devotion to
Jesus’ life - His death - and His resurrection. Mary’s
devoted spirit is so easy to fall in love with. - I would have picked her to marry Jesus,
if He had the desire – (I do believe He loved her. - No scripture implied,
just saying,.)
- Mary
the mother of James – Mentioned as “The
Other Mary” - Is mentioned
most often in service along side of Mary Magdalene
- Mary
and Martha
of Bethany helped by providing
a place for Jesus to stay in their home.
This is the Mary that anointed Jesus with oil and wiped His feet
with her hair.
- Mary
the mother of Mark – Opened her home for meetings.
- Mary of
Rome
was also a hard worker in
- Mary
Gorman of
Mark 15:40 -41 – Many worked to provide care
40 Some women were
watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of
James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
41 In Galilee these women had
followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come
up with him to Jerusalem
Luke 8:1-3 – Many women gave money to support the
ministry.
1 After this, Jesus
traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news
2….Mary (called Magdalene)
from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Cuza,…..Susanna; and
many others. These women were helping to
support them out of their own means NIV
John the Baptiser – A Cousin – Not one of the
Twelve
- John as well as
Jesus’ birth was announced by an Angel
- John’s father was
Zachariah a priest; his mother was
- John the Baptist and
Jesus were cousins – John was 6
months older
- He took the “vow of a
Nazirite” for life, not by choice, but by the appointment of God. This was not so much an “abstention”
from things, as much as it was a “consecration” of his self to Holy
service unto God.
- He was the last of
the Old Testament Prophets and his dress was like that of Elijah wearing
camel hair and a leather belt. They
were expecting Elijah the prophet to return.
- He was not one of the
inner circle of the twelve Disciples.
- John was the
forerunner of Jesus and had the spirit of Elijah.
- His Message was repentance
- not the Gospel of Christ.
- Although Cousins, John
didn’t realize Jesus was the Messiah until Jesus was baptized.
- John pointed his
followers to Jesus. He did not get
“bent out of shape” when they left.
- Some stayed and
ministered to John. Twenty years
later we hear about his disciple Apollos.
- 30 years later Paul
finds a group of John’s disciples in
- It was when John was
arrested that Jesus began to travel, spreading the Gospel
Luke 1:35-37 – The Angel Gabriel announces John and Jesus
birth
35 The angel answered,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 Even Elizabeth your
relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to
be barren is in her sixth month.
37 For nothing is
impossible with God. NIV
Luke 1:15 – Commanded to take the vow of the Nazirite.
15 for he will be
great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented
drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
Num 6:2-12 – The Vow
2 … `If a man or woman
wants to make a special vow…. as a Nazirite, 3 he must abstain
from wine and other fermented drink … must not drink grape juice or eat
grapes or raisins…. anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds
or skins…. no razor may be used on his head…. he must let the hair of his
head grow long… he must not go near a dead body…he must not make himself
ceremonially unclean…. If someone dies suddenly in his presence, NIV
Luke 1:36 – John’s Mother was a first or second cousin of Jesus.
36 Even Elizabeth your
relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to
be barren is in her sixth month. NIV
Luke 1:40-43 – John and Jesus were born only 6 months
apart.
41 When Elizabeth Elizabeth
42 In a loud voice she
exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will
bear! NIV
Matt 11:13-14 – Last of the OT prophets
13 For all the Prophets
and the Law prophesied until John. NIV
Mark 1:6 – John wore funny clothes and ate bugs
6 John wore clothing made
of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate
locusts and wild honey. NIV
- FUN NOTE: There is a Carob tree which grows pods that are six to ten inches
long. They are very bitter when
they are green, but when they darken and ripen, a sweet syrup forms. They are fed to livestock and Poor
people eat them.
- This tree more
commonly was called a LOCUST tree,
and some commentaries say that this is the “locust” that John ate. Just
saying
Matt 11:11 -15 – He had the spirit of Elijah
11 I tell you the truth:
Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the
Baptist;
14 And if you are willing
to accept it, he is the Elijah
who was to come. NIV
Mark 1:7-11 – John now knows – Sees the Holy Spirit
descend.
7 And this was his
message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose
sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie…. he will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit."…. and was baptized by John in the Jordan
John 3:29-31 – John points his followers to Jesus
30 He must increase, but I
must decrease. NKJV
Acts 19:3-6 – 30 years later – Johns disciples are active
3 So Paul asked,
"Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism,"
they replied.
4 Paul said, "John's
baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one
coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were
baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. NIV
- DOUBT: At first reading, “it
seems” as John the baptizer doubted if Jesus was the Messiah.
- John was submitted
to the authority of Jesus Christ and was well informed on His activities
till he was thrown in Prison. He now only hears, but had not
seen what was happening.
- John had laid the ax
to the tree and was expecting Jesus to pick it up and bring judgment on
the wicked and probably needed a little clarification.
- John just wanted a
personal confirmation from Jesus on “the plan”. - So he asked.
Matt 4:12-13 – John is thrown in prison
12 When Jesus heard that John
had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee .
13 Leaving Nazareth Capernaum
Mark 1:14 – Jesus begins His travels.
14 After John was put in
prison, Jesus went into Galilee , proclaiming the good news of God. NIV
Luke 7:20 – Are you the one?
20 When the men were come
unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou
he that should come? or look we for another? KJV
Luke 7:22 – Look to My works.
22 Then Jesus answering
said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and
heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the
deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. KJV
John 20:29 – You can believe !
29 Jesus said unto him,
Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that
have not seen, and yet have
believed. KJV
Paul, the Apostle – Not one of the twelve – As one
born out of time
- Paul was not one
of the Twelve; in fact he was zealous in the persecution of all
Christians.
- He was probably 10
years younger than Jesus as he was referred to as a young man.
- Born a Jew - lived in
Tarsus Cilicia – Studied the Law and was a Pharisee zealous for God.
- Originally called
Saul until Christ revealed himself to him on the
- After Paul’s
conversion, he took the Gospel to the Gentiles as an Apostle and as
a Teacher.
- Since Paul’s wisdom
and authority came directly from Jesus Christ and not from any man, he
felt he was an Apostle that was “born out of due time”.
- By trade, Paul was a
tent maker and earned his keep so he would not be a burden on others. We see him sometimes referred to as a
“Leather Worker”, but it is not likely as
Acts 7:55 -58 – Saul, a YOUNG man at Stephen’s Death
55 But Stephen, full of
the Holy Spirit… "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the
right hand of God." ….they all rushed at him…. to stone him. Meanwhile,
the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. NIV
Acts 8:1-3 – Saul persecutes the Christians
8:1 And Saul was there,
giving approval to his death.
On that day a great
persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem Judea and Samaria
2 Godly men buried Stephen
and mourned deeply for him.
3 But Saul began to
destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and
put them in prison. NIV
1 Cor 1:27 - Saul – an unlikely candidate for an Disciple
27 But God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen
the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; KJV
Acts 9:15-16 – God chooses Saul as His instrument
15 But the Lord said to
Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before
the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel
16 I will show him how
much he must suffer for my name." NIV
Acts 13:9 - Saul’s name changed to Paul
9 Then Saul, who was also
called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, NIV
1 Cor 15:8 – Born out of due time
8 And last of all he was
seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. KJV
2 Cor 12:2-4 – Taught by Christ
2 I know a man in
Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven.
Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-God knows.
4 was caught up to
paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to
tell. NIV
Rom 11:13-14 – An Apostle to the Gentiles
13 I am talking to you
Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of
my ministry
14 in the hope that I may
somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. NIV
1 Tim 2:7
7 And for this purpose I
was appointed a herald and an apostle-I am telling the truth, I am not
lying-and a teacher of the true
faith to the Gentiles. NIV
2 Tim 1:10-12
11 And of this gospel I
was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. NIV
2 Cor 12:14 – Supported himself
14 Now I am ready to visit
you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what
I want is not your possessions but you.
NIV
1 Thess 2:9
9 Surely you remember,
brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be
a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. NIV
2 Peter 3:15 – The Twelve Disciples endorse Paul’s authority
15 Bear in mind that our
Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also
wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. NIV
John Mark – Not one of the Twelve – Writer of the 2nd
Gospel
·
“Mark”
was a disciple, but not one of the chosen twelve. I include information on Mark, only because
he is the writer of the second Gospel in the New Testament and is so
often thought of as one of Christ’s inner circle of twelve. (The Gospels: Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John).
- Mark acted as a
scribe for the Disciples, documenting their actions and was Peter’s
interpreter when he went to
- John Mark’s Mother’s
name was Mary; seemingly wealthy, opened her house to the disciples.
- The Hebrew name John means “God is gracious” – His Roman name Mark
means “Large Hammer”.
- His Cousin was
Barnabas, also a disciple and
not one of the twelve and was a leader in the early Christian Church.
Barnabas was the one that was instrumental in getting Paul accepted by the other disciples. All the Christians were afraid of Paul;
“really afraid”.
- Mark deserted the
disciples on a mission trip and Paul did not want to take him on
another. However, Barnabas took
Mark under his wing and Mark became a faithful fellow worker.
- Mark was very
young, assisting as needed, but failed as a disciple and was rejected
by Paul, but later was finally received back as a faithful worker.
- Peter had such a
close relationship with Mark that he considers him as his own son.
- The story of Mark
ends with the thought that God chooses the weak and foolish to confound
the wise. He can use all of us in
spite of our failures and short comings.
Acts 12:11-13 – Mary was his mother
11 Then Peter …. went to
the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many
people had gathered and were praying. NIV
10 My fellow prisoner
Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas.
NIV
Acts 13:5 – He was in training as an assistant
5 When they arrived at Salamis
Acts 15:36 -39 – Mark screws up
36 … Paul said to
Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we
preached
37 Barnabas wanted to take
John, also called Mark, with them,
38 but Paul did not think
it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia
39 They had such a sharp
disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for
Cyprus NIV
2 Tim 4:11-12 – Things change - Paul wants Mark to help him
11 Only Luke is with me. Get
Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
NIV
10 My fellow prisoner
Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. NIV
11 Jesus, who is called
Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers
for the kingdom of God
Philem 23-24 – Mark a fellow worker
23 Epaphras, my fellow
prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark,
Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
1 Peter 5:12-13 – Peter considers Mark as his son and Rome Babylon
12 With the help of Silas,
whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging
you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.
13 She who is in Babylon Rome
Jude - The half brother of Jesus – Not one of
the Twelve
- Jude, most believe,
is the author of the next to the last book of the New Testament.
- He was the half brother
of Jesus and a disciple, but not one of the twelve.
- Jude had three
brothers, James, Joseph and Simon and some sisters.
- It is thought that
Joseph was a widower and possibly had children before he married Mary.
- At first the half brothers
did not accept Jesus as the Messiah.
Mark 6:3 – Half Brother of Jesus
3 Isn't this the
carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and
Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
NIV
James – The half brother of Jesus – not one of
the Twelve
- There were at least five
“James” in the ministry of Christ.
This one is the half brother of Jesus and not James the fisherman,
who was part of the inner circle of Disciples.
- He was the oldest of
four younger brothers. One of his brothers was Jude, also a writer
in the New Testament.
- It has always been
tradition to name the first born after the father, so it is possible that
James was not the oldest, but the more prominent. Joseph was listed second. Just
saying.
- James name does not
appear in any of the lists of the inner circle of Twelve Disciples.
- Jesus appeared to
James after His resurrection before He appeared to the other
disciples. This is probably when
James was converted to Christianity.
- Tradition has James as an
important leader in early church history and appointed as the first bishop
of
- Scripture seems to
indicate that James is the author of the book of James.
- Both James and Jude
in their writings refer to themselves as “a servant of Jesus Christ”.
Matt 13:55 - James – half brother of Jesus
55 "Isn't this the
carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James,
Joseph, Simon and Judas? NIV
1 Cor 15:6-7 – Jesus appears to him after His resurrection.
7 Then he appeared to
James, then to all the apostles, NIV
Gal 2:8-10 – James becomes a leader to the Jews.
9 James, Peter and John, those reputed
to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they
recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the
Gentiles, and they to the Jews. NIV
Acts 21:18 – James and the leaders.
18 The next day Paul and
the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. NIV
James 1:1 – James, the writer of the book of James
1:1 James, a
servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, NIV
Phillip the Evangelist:
- Phillip home was in
- He was one of seven disciples chosen to
attend to the “day to day” affairs of the church allowing the twelve
apostles to do their work fulltime.
They were not limited to supervision of the affairs of the church,
but preached and evangelized the Gospel exercising the Gifts.
- All seven had Greek
names, so they were probably all Gentiles converted to Christianity.
- Phillip attended to
the Greek speaking Widows and the poor. It seems that the converts grouped
themselves together by their language.
- Phillip known as the
Evangelist or Deacon was endued with the same gifts and powers
as was the Twelve Disciples. Many
of his efforts are confused with “Phillip the Apostle”, who was one of the
inner circle of twelve.
- When persecution
broke out after the death of Stephen, Philip went to
- He was sent by the
Holy Spirit to witness to the Ethiopian eunuch and after the eunuch’s baptism
was transported to Azotus. – WOW - you got to read and ponder this.
- He had four unmarried
daughters who prophesied.
Acts 6:2 – The needs of the Church was impeding the
ministry.
2 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. NIV`
Acts 6:3-4 – One of the Seven
3 Brothers, choose
seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.
We will turn this responsibility over to them
4 and will give our
attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." NIV
Acts 6:5-6 – Phillip along with Stephen was chosen
5 This proposal pleased
the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy
Spirit; also Philip,
Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch
Acts 8:6-8 – Operated in the same gifts as the Twelve
6 When the crowds heard
Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention
to what he said.
7 With shrieks, evil
spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.
8 So there was great joy
in that city. NIV
Acts 1:8 – He was commissioned
8 But you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses
in Jerusalem Judea and Samaria
Acts 21:8 – He lived in Caesarea
8 Leaving the next day, we
reached Caesarea and stayed at the house
of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. NIV
Acts 21:9 – He had four unmarried daughters who
prophesied.
9 He had four unmarried
daughters who prophesied. NIV
Acts 8:39-40 – Transported- (through the
fourth dimension)
39 When they came up out
of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the
eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip, however,
appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the
towns until he reached Caesarea . NIV
FIRST FOLLOWERS
Part-time disciples - Andrew, Phillip, Peter & Nathanial
- The First two Disciples
to follow Jesus were disciples of John the Baptizer; Andrew and Phillip.
John pointed them to Jesus.
- Andrew got his brother
Simon Peter to come meet Jesus
- Phillip goes and gets
Nathanial to come and hear Jesus. Nathanial is reluctant at first.
- Nathanial was the second
to believe Jesus as “The Son of God”, with John being the first.
- Both Peter and
Nathanial were also John’s disciples. All four men were from
- Their discipleship
was considered part-time as
they continued at their trades, while learning the teachings of Jesus. The full time calling would come later.
- Nathanial seems to
have had a second name as the others, that of Bartholomew whose name is listed in all four lists of the
Twelve Disciples.
John 1:35-44 – John the Baptist directs his disciples to
Jesus
35 The next day John was
there again with two of his disciples.
36 When he saw Jesus
passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
37 When the two disciples
heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what
John had said and who had followed Jesus.
- Andrew “evangelizes”
his brother Simon Peter and brings him to meet Jesus.
41 The first thing Andrew
did was to find his brother Simon
and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ).
42 And he brought him to
Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will
be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).
43 The next day Jesus
decided to leave for Galilee . Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
44 Philip, like Andrew and
Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida
45 Philip found Nathanael
and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and
about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth
46"Nazareth
- Simon Peter and Andrew
were partners with James and John’s father Zebedee’s fishing business and they
all got an ear full from Peter about “the man called Jesus”.
- Are you ready for
this: Salome,
James and John’s mother seems to be Mary’s sister and was also a
follower and financial supporter of the Gospel.
Luke 5:10 – All fishin’ buddies - partners
10 and so were James
and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. NIV
Matt 27:55-56 Salome – Mary’s sister
55 Many women were there,
watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.
56 Among them were Mary
Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.
Mark 15:40-41
40 Some women were
watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of
James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
41 In Galilee these women had followed
him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem
John 19:25 – Mary’s sister was present, seems to be Salome
25 Near the cross of Jesus
stood his mother, his mother's sister,
Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. NIV
Mark 16:1
16:1 When the Sabbath was
over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint
Jesus' body. NIV
FULL TIME CALLING
- This was the movement
from Part-time to Full time Discipleship for the brothers Peter and Andrew and brothers James
and John who were all
fishing partners.
- This may or may not
have happened all in the same day -
Peter and Andrew were out at sea and James and John may have been on shore
mending and preparing their nets.
- This IS NOT the “Apostleship” of
the inner circle of the Twelve Disciples, which is yet to come. Many were called fulltime into the
ministry.
Matt 4:18-20 – Peter and Andrew called full time.
18 As Jesus was walking
beside the Sea
of Galilee ,
he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.
They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
19 "Come, follow
me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
20 At once they left
their nets and followed him. NIV
Luke 5:11 – Out in their boats
11 So they pulled their
boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. NIV
Mark 1:19 -20- James and John called full time
19 When he had gone a
little farther, he saw James son of
Zebedee and his brother John in a
boat, preparing their nets.
20 Without delay he called
them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and
followed him. NIV
- The
timing
of the selection of the twelve had to do with the upcoming crucifixion of
Christ and the continuation of the Gospel.
- Christ withdrew and
prayed all night.
- He had about a year
and a half to complete His Discipleship training program.
Mark 3:5-6 – The teachers of the Law plot to kill Jesus
6 Then the Pharisees went out and began
to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. NIV
Matt 12:14-15
14 But the Pharisees
went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
15 Aware of this, Jesus
withdrew from that place. NIV
Luke 6:12 – In those trying days
12 One of those days
Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
NIV
Luke 6:12 – It came to pass
12 And it came to pass in
these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued
all night in prayer to God. ASV
THE TWELVE APOSTLES
Common Men – Un-Common Calling
- Jesus
prayed all night
about who He would select from the large crowd of followers
to be His Twelve Apostles, the inner circle of His ministry. Dissecting the Greek words used for “continued
in the prayer OF God”
indicates the Trinity was present and the conversation was all
night long. It was the very prayer
of GOD – perfect communion – perfect access.
- The students selected for the three
year training were not saints nor scholars - Actually they were
“Outsiders” to the religious establishment employed in mundane trades –
They made mistakes and had failures – Wishy washy in their commitment -
They were proud, self centered and had to have attitude adjustments – they
had lapses of Faith – Spiritually dense and slow learners. - They were unexceptional,
plain, and ordinary, fallible individuals, but they made themselves
available.
- Except for Judas
Iscariot, they were all Galileans – Who were all deemed “
- The scriptures say not
many wise, influential and noble were called.
- The lesson here shows
God can even use weak and dense people like you and me. Stop and think for a minute, about being
an instrument in the hands of The Most Holy GOD.
- Jesus knew their
faults before He picked them and even knew Judas Iscariot would betray
Him, knowing Judas was part of God’s plan.
- Even though they were
common people, the Apostles still had to be morally fit to serve.
- Apostle: - In the Greek: Messenger - He who is
sent – Disciple: Student;
Learner
- The number Twelve and
its multiple, throughout the Bible, is the number that relates to priestly
government perfection. This symbolism
was perfectly clear; the Twelve Apostles represented all of
- Note: Duplicity of Disciples: two named Simon,
two named James and two named Judas
John 6:10 – There were thousands of followers
10 Jesus said, "Have
the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men
sat down, about five thousand of them. NIV
Luke 6:12-13 – Prayer – Day and Night
12 One of those days
Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
13 When morning came, he
called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also
designated apostles:
1 Tim 3:1-7 – Morality of the Apostles
2 Now the overseer must be above reproach,
the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable,
hospitable, able to teach,
3 not given to
drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not
a lover of money.
4 He must manage his
own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.
5(If anyone does not know
how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?)
6 He must not be a
recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment
as the devil.
7 He must also have a good
reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into
the devil's trap. NIV
Mark 3:13 -15 – The call went out
13 Jesus went up on a
mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.
14 He appointed
twelve-designating them apostles-that they might be with him and that he might
send them out to preach
15 and to have authority
to drive out demons. NIV
Luke 6:14 – The Twelve
14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James
son of Alphaeus, Simon who was
called =the Zealot,
16 Judas son of James, and Judas
Iscariot, who became a traitor. NIV
Matt 10:1-4 – He called them and gave them authority
10:1 He called his twelve
disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to
heal every disease and sickness.
Mark 6:7 – Sent them in pairs.
7 Calling the Twelve to
him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil
spirits. NIV
John 15:15-16 – Jesus did the choosing.
6 You did not choose me,
but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will
last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. NIV
Luke 24:25 Spiritually Slow
25 He said to them, "How
foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets
have spoken! NIV
1 Cor 1:26-30 – Not many of you are wise or noble.
26 Brothers, think of what
you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards;
not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
Cor 1:27 God uses weak, available people
27 But God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen
the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 He chose the lowly
things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to
nullify the things that are,
29 so that no one may
boast before him. NIV
- The town’s people considered
the Disciples as (in Greek)
“aggramatoi idiotai” or Illiterate ignoramuses. But after listening to them, soon
figured out they must have been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13 – Ignorant – But, just listen to them !
13 Now when they saw the
boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and
ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they
had been with Jesus. KJV
THREE GROUPS OF FOUR
- Scholars observing
the four lists of the Twelve in scriptures, think that the disciples were divided
into “three groups of four” with Peter
the leader of the first group, Philip
leader of group two and James
(son of Alphaeus) leader of the third group.
- Group one, Peter, Andrew, James and John
seem to be the ones mentioned more often with Christ and were the first
selected and were probably the closest and most trusted.
- Group two – Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew
and Thomas
- Group Three – James (son of Alphadus), Simon, Judas ( son of James) (also called Thaddeus
or Lebbaeus)
and Judas Iscariot
- Group Three replacement - Matthias replaced Judas Iscariot when he killed
himself. Judas’ name is omitted in
the list found in the book of Acts as he was already dead.
- The order listed
within the groups is slightly different in all the four lists, but the
apparent groups and their leaders remain unchanged.
Matt
10:2 Mark 3:16 Luke
6:14 Acts
1:13
Group 1 Peter Peter Peter Peter
Andrew James Andrew James
James John James John
John Andrew John Andrew
Group 2 Philip Philip Philip Philip
Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew Thomas
Thomas Matthew Matthew Bartholomew
Matthew Thomas Thomas Matthew
Group 3 James son of
Alphaeus James son of Alphaeus James son of Alphaeus James son of Alphaeus
Lebbaeus * Thaddeus * Simon Simon
Simon Simon Judas
*son of James Judas
*son of James
Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot -
.
- There
were many more disciples and their number grew daily.
Luke 10:1-2 – Then he sends out 72 more disciples - (72 = base 12)
10:1 After this the Lord
appointed seventy-two others and
sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was
about to go. NIV
Acts 1:15 – Then 120 – (The
number of Priestly Government - base 12 multiple)
15 And in those days Peter
stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together
were about an hundred and twenty,)
KJV
Acts 2:40-41 – Then 3000 more accepted the message
41 Those who accepted his
message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their
number that day. NIV
Simon Peter – Leader of Group One
- Simon
Bar-Jonah
– Bar is translated “Son” - So he was Simon the son of Jonah (Simon is also written Symeon).
- His father’s Jonah (or Jonas) was also called John.
- He took his wife with
him on his journeys and had a mother in Law. Peter had a home in
- As a native of “
- Peter’s brother
was Andrew; both of them were fishing partners with brothers James and
John and their father Zebedee.
- Along with his
brother Andrew, he was a disciple of John the Baptist before he met Jesus
and became His part-time disciple.
- He was the first follower
to be called “Full Time” by Jesus and the first of the Apostles to
recognize that Jesus was the Messiah.
- Peter is the first
Apostle mentioned in the list of Apostles provided by Luke.
- Simon’s name was
changed to Peter by Jesus, which
is a not a “personal name” but a “description”. No
other person in the New Testament is named Peter.
- Peter in Greek is Petros; a rock or
stone. In Aramaic is it known as Cephas, a name referred to very
often in the scriptures. Peter was Cephas, nicknamed the
rock.
- Jesus named Simon, what
He wanted him to become; “the rock”, not what he was!
- Except in the
presence of Jesus, Peter was referred to as the “first” or “Protos” the spokesman
or leader of the twelve.
- Peter was a
pioneer, breaking ground that the early church would follow.
- He asked more
questions than all the other Disciples combined. He was impecunious; the first one to
jump into something and usually the first one bailing out. However, its’ easier to tone down a
fanatic man than it is to resurrect a corpse.
- Peter was the only
other person recorded that “Walked on Water” besides Christ.
- Jesus called him
“Simon” on a number of occasions to remind Peter of who he used to be. At some point Simon assumed the name
“Simon Peter” for himself.
- He was one of only
three to see Jesus transfigured in His glory.
- The name “Peter”
is always listed first in group one of all four list.
- He authored 1st
and 2nd Peter in the New Testament.
- Satan was after Simon Peter and Jesus warned him
that he wanted to sift him like wheat.
- After he had denied
Jesus three times he took off to go fishing – The resurrected Jesus Christ
went after him - an example that Christ will come after us too. Praise God.
- The last we hear of
Peter is that he is in
Mark 1:21 – Had a home in Capernaum
21 They went to Capernaum
Mark 1:29
29 As soon as they left
the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and
Andrew NIV
John 1:44 – Probably born in Bethsaida
44 Philip, like Andrew and
Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida
Matt 16:15-16 – Recognizes Jesus is the Christ.
15 "But what about
you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." NIV
Matt 14:29-30 – Peter Walks on Water
Then Peter got down out of
the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the
wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save
me!" NIV
1 Cor 9:4-5 – Cephas-(Peter) took his wife with
him
5 Don't we have the right to take a
believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's
brothers and Cephas? NIV
Luke 4:38-39 – Simon had a Mother in Law
38 Jesus left the
synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was
suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. NIV
Luke 6:14 – Named him Peter
14 Simon, (whom he also
named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and
Bartholomew, KJV
Matt 16:16-18 – Simon Barjona - Peter
16 And Simon Peter
answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and
said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath
not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto
thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it. KJV
1 Cor 3:22 – Peter is mentioned by his nickname Cephas the Rock
22 Whether Paul, or
Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or
life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; KJV
1 Cor 1:12
12 Now this I say, that
every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. KJV
1 Cor 9:5
5 Have we not power to
lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of
the Lord, and Cephas? KJV
Gal 2:9
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be
pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and
Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; KJV
Matt 10:2 – Simon Peter is pronounced their leader.
2 These are the names of
the twelve apostles: FIRST,
Simon (who is called Peter) …..
NIV Luke 22:31- Satan is after Peter
31 And the Lord said,
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you
as wheat: KJV
John 21:3 - Peter has just denied Jesus three times.
3 "I'm going out to
fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with
you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught
nothing. NIV
John 21:17 – Jesus asked three times – Do you love me.
17 The third time he said
to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" NIV
Mark 9:2 – Peter sees Jesus transfigured.
Andrew
- Andrew’s name in the Greek means
“Manly” – also “Conqueror”
- Andrew was Simon Peter’s Brother
whom he led to become a Disciple of Jesus.
- His father was Jonah also called John. Andrew was born in
- Andrew and Peter were fishing partners
with two brothers James and John.
The four shared the same spiritual interest and took time away from
their fishing business to spend time with “John the baptizer” and became
his disciples.
- In the beginning, Andrew was a
disciple of John the Baptist and was the first to be called by Jesus as a
His Part-time disciple, but he continued as a fisherman.
- Although Andrew’s name is in Group
One, it is not always in the same order in all four lists.
- The scriptures seem to suggest on
occasions Andrew and Peter paired up to witness as a missionary team.
- He is noticeably quiet in the
background as; Peter, James and John seem to dominate the inner circle,
however he is credited for bringing many to meet Christ.
- Andrew’s heart did not resent being a
supporting actor, living in the shadow of his brother, with Peter taking
the leadership role. - He saw value in serving quietly in the background.
- Most people come to Christ because of
a personal testimony of a friend, neighbor, office worker or
relative. Andrew delighted in
bringing everyone and anyone to Jesus.
- Because he brought his brother Peter
to Christ, another 3000 received eternal life. – WOW
- Everyone is not called to be a Simon
Peter, but we can be an Andrew – We can be “bringers”
- Just bring one person to the Lord. - We
are responsible for the watering of the seed planted by the Holy
Spirit. We are not responsible for
the Harvest - just watering.
- Tradition says His field of labor was
in
- Tradition says he was crucified on an
“X” shaped cross. Referred to as
- There is today “The Order of St.
Andrews” which is an association of church ushers that make a special
effort to be courteous to strangers.
- My home is located just off “
John 1:40-41 – Andrew brings Peter to Jesus
40 Andrew, Simon Peter's
brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed
Jesus.
41 The first thing Andrew
did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, NIV
Mark 6:7 – Sent out in teams of two
7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out
two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. NIV
John 12:20 -22 – Philip brings people to Andrew to take to Jesus
21 They came to Philip, who
was from Bethsaida Galilee , with a request.
"Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." NIV
22 Philip went to tell
Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
John 6:8-9 – Andrew brings the boy with two sardines to
Jesus
8 Another of his disciples,
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 9 "Here is a boy with five small
barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so
many?" NIV
James – Son of Zebedee
- James, Son of Zebedee
(A Levite) – Probably the older brother of John
– Fishing partners with Peter and Andrew.
- They were both called
“Boanerges” the “Sons of
Thunder” because of their stormy passionate and fervent personalities
to stir things up. James was
outspoken, intense and impatient with evildoers. (Zeal,
apart from wisdom and knowledge, can be dangerous.)
- He was part of
the inner circle of three and saw Jesus transfigured in His glory.
- His mother was
Salome, Mary’s sister, so that would make him the cousin of Jesus.
- NOTE: For some reason
James’ name is not mentioned at all in the Gospel of John.
- James was the first
to be martyred by King Herod.. (If that’s a good
thing to be first in)
- In
service up until the end. - History records indicate that the witness
of James’ to the guard who was
leading him to his execution, was so moved by his words that he confessed
he was a Christian and asked forgiveness from James; then both of them were led away and beheaded at the same time. Good
Grief – Could I have done that?
Mark 3:16-17 – Sons of Thunder
17 James son of Zebedee
and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons
of Thunder); NIV
Luke 9:54-55 – Hey; let’s rain down FIRE on their heads.
When the disciples James
and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"
55 But Jesus turned and
rebuked them, NIV
Acts 12:1-3 – Herod kills James
12:1 It was about this
time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to
persecute them.
2 He had James, the
brother of John, put to death with the sword. NIV
Mark 15:40 – Salome, James’ mother is Mary’s Sister.
40 Some women were
watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of
James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
John 19:25 – Mary’s sister was present, seems to be Salome
25 Near the cross of Jesus
stood his mother, his mother's sister,
Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. NIV
Rom 10:2 – Zeal needs to be fortified with knowledge.
2 For I can testify about
them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.
NIV
Mark 9:2 – James sees Jesus transfigured.
John
the Apostle
- Son of Zebedee – He
was the younger brother of James
- Fishing partners with
Peter and Andrew.
- His mother was Salome,
Mary’s sister. So he was
a cousin of Jesus.
- His calling to Jesus
was so great that he remembered the time of day; it was about
- John was the closest
to Jesus of the inner three – Known as “The disciple that Jesus Loved”
- Called the “Son of
Thunder”.
- He was one of only
three to see Jesus transfigured in His glory.
- He was an eyewitness
to the crucifixion of Christ.
- Jesus asked John to take
care of Jesus’ mother after He was crucified.
- He was aggressive,
brash, competitive, extreme, impetuous, intolerant, narrow-minded,
passionate, reckless, self centered, unbending, volatile and zealous, but
when Jesus got through “tenderizing” him he would later be called “the apostle of Love” because of
the theme of love flowing throughout his writings. How cool
is that.
- John used he word “TRUTH” some 45 times in his
Gospel and epistles. But he use the
word “LOVE” more than 80
times. He used the word “WITNESS” almost 70 times.
- Quote from John MacArthur:
Truth
without Love has no decency; it’s
just brutality.
On
the other hand,
Love without Truth has no
character; it’s just hypocrisy.
- He is the author of
the book of John and three smaller books called the epistles of John.
- In humility and balance,
he never mentions his own name throughout the book of John,
- It is quite possible
someone named “John the Elder” actually penned the dictation of John the
Apostle in four of the five books.
- John penned the Book
of Revelation as dictated by God while in prison on the isle of
- He outlived all the Twelve.
John 19:27 – Behold thy mother
27 Then saith he to the
disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto
his own home. KJV
Rev 1:9 – From the Mouth of God to the pen of John
9 I John, who also am your
brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus
Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos , for the word of God, and
for the testimony of Jesus Christ….. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first
and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, KJV
Mark 9:2 – John sees Jesus transfigured.
John 19:25-27 – John is at the crucifixion
25 Near the cross of Jesus
…the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother…. this
disciple took her into his home.
NIV
John 1:38-39 – John remembers Jesus - it was about 4 o’clock
38 Turning around, Jesus
saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said,
"Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39 "Come," he
replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where
he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.
NIV
John 13:22-23 – The disciple whom Jesus loved
23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus
loved, was reclining next to him. NIV
John 20:1-2
2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the
other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, NIV
John 21:7
7 Then the disciple
whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"
NIV
John 21:20
20 Peter turned and saw
that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. NIV
THE INNER CIRCLE
- There was a close inner
circle of three;
Peter, James and John which Jesus called to
Himself often. Occasionally Andrew
would be included – They are always listed in Group one.
Mark 1:29-30
29 As soon as they left
the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and
Andrew. NIV
Mark 5:37
37 He did not let anyone
follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. NIV
Mark 9:2
Mark 13:3
3 As Jesus was sitting on
the Mount
of Olives
opposite the temple, Peter, James, John NIV
Mark 14:33
33 He took Peter, James
and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
NIV
Matt 17:1
17:1 After six days Jesus
took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them
up a high mountain by themselves.
NIV
Luke 8:51
51 When he arrived at the
house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and
James, and the child's father and mother. NIV
Luke 9:28
28 About eight days after
Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto
a mountain to pray. NIV
Phillip – Leader of Group Two
- Phillip’s name in
Greek means “Lover of Horses” and
is always listed first in group two.
His Jewish name is never given.
- He is
not Phillip the Deacon / evangelist that led the Ethiopian eunuch
to Christ in the 8thchapter of Acts. - However, You need to
study this man who operated in the same gifts of the Spirit as the twelve
apostles.
- He was born in a
fishing village at
- Believed to be a
disciple of John the Baptist and thus sought out by Jesus for
discipleship.
- Brought his friend Nathanael
who is also called Bartholomew to be a disciple of Christ and is
often seen paired with him.
- Scriptures draw a
picture of him as; analytical, pessimistic, systematic and “by the book”,
identifying road blocks rather than solutions. He was not so much a
doubter as he was just predisposed to be “pragmatic” about life. Just telling it like he saw it.
- Seen as someone in
charge, delegating, a “Bean Counter”, someone concerned with organization
and methods. God uses his gift as a
teaching moment.
John 1:44 – From Bethsaida
44 Philip, like Andrew and
Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida
John 6:5 – Philip in charge of the crowd.
5 When Jesus looked up and
saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we
buy bread for these people to eat?" NIV
John 6:7 – A little pragmatic – Already counted their
heads
7 Philip answered him, "Eight
months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
NIV
John 21:1-3 – Phillip was probably also a fisherman
2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus),
Nathanael from Canal in Galilee , the sons of Zebedee, and two other
disciples were together. 3 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter
told them, and they said, "We'll
go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that
night they caught nothing. NIV
John 1:43 – Jesus sought out Philip
43 The next day Jesus
decided to leave for Galilee . Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow
me." NIV
John 15:16 – Jesus does the choosing
16 You did not choose me,
but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will
last. NIV
John 6:43 -44 – No one comes unless the Father draws them.
44 "No one can come to me unless the
Father who sent me draws him NIV
John 6:36-37 – The father gave him to Jesus
. 37 All that the
Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive
away. NIV
John 12:21-22 – In charge – He delegated
They came to Philip, who
was from Bethsaida Galilee , with a request.
"Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."
22 Philip went to tell
Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus NIV
Bartholomew (Nathanael)
- Bartholomew in Hebrew means “son
of Tolmai.
- He was from
- Scripture seems to
suggest that he was probably also a disciple of John the Baptist as his
calling in the wilderness was about the same time as Andrew and Phillip.
- Little is known about
Bartholomew, but based on the grouping of the scriptures, most believe he
was also known as Nathaniel,
who Peter found and brought to Jesus
- .Nathanael in Hebrew means “God has given”. The church fathers used both names
interchangeably.
- Many had two names,
one in Hebrew and one in Greek and maybe even another in Aramaic.
- The name Bartholomew
always follows Phillips’ in all four lists of the Twelve Apostles.
- We always see Phillip
and Nathanael paired together as friends and companions.
- Scripture does not
plainly say that Nathanael and Bartholomew are the same person, but it
sure seems so. Otherwise there is
no record of Bartholomew.
- Based on Phillips
statement about Jesus, it’s clear that Nathanael knew the OT prophecies.
- Nathanael didn’t
think “any good thing could come from
- Nathanael became the
second of the “Part time” disciples to believe Jesus was the Messiah; John
the baptizer was the first to believe.
Peter was the first of the “Full Time” Apostles to believe.
- Nathaniel was privileged
to have Jesus appeared to him “face to face” after His resurrection.
- Nathanial is seen as
a type or symbol of a “true Israelite” – One who accepts Jesus by Faith.
- Early church records
indicate that his ministry took him to
John 21:2 – He was from Cana
2 Simon Peter, Thomas
(called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee , the sons of Zebedee, and
two other disciples were together.
NIV
John 1:45 – The calling of Nathanael or Bartholomew.
45 Philip found Nathanael
and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,
and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth
John 1:46 – Nathanael is not sure about “Jesus of Nazareth
46 "Nazareth
John 7:52 – No prophet ever came out of Galilee
52 They replied, "Are
you from Galilee , too? Look into it, and you
will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee ." NIV
Mic 5:2 – The Messiah would come from Bethlehem
2 "But you, Bethlehem
Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you
will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from
of old, from ancient time NIV
John 1:49 – Nathanael confesses Jesus is the Messiah
49 Then Nathanael
declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of
Israel." NIV
John 1:47 – Jesus says Nathanael symbolizes a true Israelite.
47 When Jesus saw
Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite,
in whom there is nothing false." NIV
John 21:1-2 – Jesus appears to Nathanael after the
resurrection.
Afterward Jesus appeared
again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias
2 Simon Peter, Thomas
(called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee , the sons of Zebedee, and
two other disciples were together.
Matthew - Levi
- Matthew’s Jewish name
is Levi and was the son of
Alphaeus. He was a tax man, a Publican.
- He was at first
called Levi and later changed his name to Matthew which means;”Gift of Yahweh” or in Aramaic; “True”.
- Taxes on transported
goods were collected by “Local Contracted Collectors” who paid an
agreed-upon sum in advance to the Romans, for the right to collect taxes
in their area. They in turn kept
any excess that could be squeezed out of the people. It is thought that Matthew was very
wealthy.
- Tax collectors called
Publicans were despicable, vile, unprincipled scoundrels that extorted
money from the people to line their own pockets. They were the most
despised if not most hated people in
- We speculate that Levi,
sitting in his Tax booth at the crossroads of
- Tax collectors were
banned from the
- Since he could not go
into the temple, he studied the scriptures for himself. This is bore out in the Gospel of
Matthew with his many references to the Old Testament.
- Jesus saw him
collecting taxes in his tax booth and called him to follow. This Jew was
spiritually hungry and cared more for God, than he did his own lucrative
profession and made himself AVAILABLE.
He walked away and never looked back.
- Immediately, Matthew
invited Jesus to his house for an evangelistic dinner and got a
bunch of his closest friends to come meet Jesus. You
can just guess what kind of friends he had.
- Later, Matthew’s
boss, Zaccheus, a chief Tax Collector found forgiveness and may
very well have been at this same dinner.
Just saying.
- Matthew is the author
of the first Gospel penned with his name.
- If you feel like an
outcast and unworthy, Jesus still says,”follow me”.
Matt 9:9 – He was a Tax Collector
9 As Jesus went on from
there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth.
"Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. NIV
Mark 2:14 – He was Levi the son of Alphaeus
14 As he walked along, he
saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow
me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. NIV
Matt 9:10 -11 – Brought his friends to meet Jesus.
10 While Jesus was having
dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and
ate with him and his disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw
this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax
collectors and `sinners'?" NIV
Matt 21:32 – Tax Collectors on the same level as a whore.
32 For John came to you to
show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax
collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did
not repent and believe him.
Luke 19:1-10 – The Chief Tax Collector found forgiveness.
2 A man was there by the
name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief
tax collector and was wealthy ….. climbed a sycamore-fig ….Jesus …. said to
him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today….
said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions
to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back
four times the amount."
9 Jesus said to him,
"Today salvation has come to this house”.
NIV
Thomas
- Thomas’ name appears
in the second group of four disciples and is often paired with Matthew.
- The Aramaic name Thomas,
in the Greek is translated “Didymus” which means “The Twin”; the reason is
unknown as scripture does not disclose a brother or sister.
- He is mostly
remembered as “Doubting Thomas” who would not believe in Jesus’
resurrection unless he personally touched the wounds in His body.
- Thomas doubted so
that we all may believe.
- Although he is seen
as a Pessimist and a “worry wart” about everything, he was devoted
to Jesus Christ. In one instance,
on a trip to
- In another instance of
devotion to Christ, he saw himself being separated from his Lord
and logically he didn’t see how he could find him again and told Him
so.
- After the
resurrection of Christ, He appeared to all of the disciples, except
Thomas. When they told Thomas, he
did not believe it. He probably
thought they were just trying to cheer him up. When he finally saw Jesus and placed his
hands on His wounds, he doubted no more, he said “My Lord and my God”.
- It should be pointed
out, that when the other disciples heard reports of Jesus, they did not
believe either; TWICE. – So don’t beat Thomas up.
- There is no other
disciple recorded that was invited to touch the wounds of Christ.
- Jesus says; that
there is a “special blessing” for those who can believe without seeing.
- In the “New
Testament Apocrypha” “the Gospel of Thomas”, “The Acts of Thomas”,
and “the Apocalypse of Thomas” can be found, but they are not
included in our canonized scriptures today, as they were not considered
authoritative. Most commentaries reject Thomas as actually writing these
books. However, these writings are
certainly interesting as they give a great prospective of the early
Christian’s “viewpoint” of the Gospel.
- Tradition has it that Thomas spread
the Gospel to
John 11:16 – Devotion was his true character.
16 Then Thomas (called
Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we
may die with him." NIV
John 14:2-5 – Thomas can’t figure out how to get to his
Lord.
2 In my Father's house are
many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to
prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may
be where I am.
4 You know the way to
the place where I am going."
5 Thomas said to him, "Lord,
we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" NIV
John 20:24 -28 – Everyone had seen Christ except Thomas
25 So the other disciples told him, "We
have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail
marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into
his side, I will not believe it."
26 A week later his
disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors
were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with
you!"
27 Then he said to Thomas,
"Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand, put it into my
side. Stop doubting and believe."
28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" NIV
Mark 16:9-11 – NONE of the disciples believed at first.
9 When Jesus rose early on
the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he
had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and
who were mourning and weeping.
11 When they heard that
Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. NIV
Mark 16:12 -13 – TWICE they didn’t believe
12 Afterward Jesus
appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the
country.
13 These returned and
reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. NIV
John 20:29 – A special blessing for those believing, but not seeing
29 Then Jesus told him,
"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who
have not seen and yet have believed." NIV
James – Son of Alphaeus - Leader of Group Three
- There were two James among the twelve,
this one was the son of Alphaeus and his mothers name was Mary; a very
common name.
- James apparently is
the brother of Matthew also called Levi, the Tax Collector.
- He was known as James
“the younger” or “the less” or “the little”. He may have been younger, smaller in
statue or less well known than the other James who was “the son Zebedee”.
- James’ name in all
the lists, is always mentioned in the ninth position, but is always listed
first in group three, seemingly as the leader.
- Although little is
known about the disciples in group three, it must be remembered that they
all gave up everything to follow Christ.
- In
obscurity,
they tirelessly worked miracles among the people.
Matt 10:2-3 – Son of Alphaeus
2 These are the names ….
Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; NIV
Mark 15:40 -41 – His mothers name was Mary.
40 Some women were
watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of
James “the younger” and of Joses, and Salome. NIV
Mark 2:14 – Levi (Matthew) was his brother
14 As he walked along, he
saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth.
"Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. NIV
Luke 18:28 – He left everything he had to follow Jesus
28 …"We have left all
we had to follow you!" NIV
2 Cor 12:11 -12 – He worked miracles among the people
12 The things that mark an apostle-signs,
wonders and miracles-were done among you with great perseverance.
NIV
Simon – the Zealot
- Simon or another form
“Simeon“ which means “hearing”
- There were two Simons
in the inner circle of Twelve.
- This one is called Simon
the “Zealot” and also was known as “Simon the Canaanite”.
- He was from the town
of
- The Zealots were an underground
political party; a fanatical Jewish sect that militantly opposed the Roman
domination of
- They were opposed to paying
taxes to a pagan King, and since Matthew was a tax collector, Simon
would have probably killed him in a heart beat; but now they were brothers
in Christ.
- The Zealots hoped for
a Messiah that would overthrow the Roman Government and restore the
kingdom to
- Not a lot is known
about Simon, but scripture says, he gave up everything to follow Jesus.
- He was probably
paired with Judas Iscariot, as they had similar views of an earthly
kingdom being ushered in by the Messiah.
- The transforming
grace of God molded “the zealous one” to have zeal on behalf of the Gospel.
- God is still transforming people today.
- Tradition has Simon
taking the Gospel as far north as the
Luke 6:15 – Simon called the Zealot
15 Matthew, Thomas, James
son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, NIV
Mark 3:18 – Simon called the Canaanite
18 And Andrew, and Philip,
and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and
Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, KJV
READ ABOUT THEIR LIFE
Heb 11:33-38 – Unnamed and obscure people fought the fight
33 who through faith …
gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the fury of
the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to
strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
35 … were tortured
and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
36 Some faced jeers
and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.
37 They were stoned;
they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They
went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and
mistreated-
38 the world was not
worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and
holes in the ground. NIV
Judas - Son of James
- There were two
Judas’, among the Twelve, this one was the “son” of James. Some versions of the Bible say he was
the “brother” of James.
- Judas was a fine
name, it meant “Jehovah leads”, but because of Judas Iscariot, the
name Judas will always carry a negative connotation.
- Other writings
suggest that he was also one of the 72 disciples that were sent out
in pairs.
- Judas was also called
Thaddaeus as well as Lebbaeus in the list of the Twelve
Disciples.
- All three names
appear spread across the four lists of the Twelve Disciples.
- Lebbaeus means “heart
child” and Thaddaeus means “breast child”. He was probably the youngest and most
cherished by his mother. It implies
a sweet spirited, tender hearted, compassionate and gentle man.
- He asked Jesus
tenderly; WHY will you manifest
yourself to us and not the rest of the world? Jesus assured him that He would come to
anyone that loved Him.
- Tradition has it that
Judas took the Gospel north to
Matt 10:3-4 – Judas – Son of James
3 Philip, and Bartholomew;
Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus,
whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, KJV
Matt 10:3 – Also called Lebbaeus and Thaddaeus.
3 Philip, and Bartholomew;
Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus,
whose surname was Thaddaeus;
KJV
John 14:22-23 – Judas asks a tender question.
22 Judas saith unto him,
not Iscariot, Lord, how is it
that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said
unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him,
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. KJV
Judas Iscariot
- Judas
Iscariot
– Isc mean “Man” of Kerioth
- His name appears last
in three of the lists of the Twelve Apostles, with some kind of
description that negatively labels him.
His name does not appear at all in the fourth list which was written
after his death.
- The name Judas means
“Jehovah leads”,
- He was the son of a
man named Simon.
- He was the only
disciple that did not come from
- Judas was placed in the
high position of “Treasurer”; in charge of their finances. The scriptures bear out that he embezzled
money from the ministry.
- He that is faithful
in little will be faithful in much. – He failed
- He wanted
- Judas planned
and waited for the right “opportunity” to “privately”
betray Christ for which he would receive 30 pieces of silver; which was only
a months pay; the price of a slave.
- When the outcome was
not what he thought it would be; he killed himself.
Matt 19:27 – What’s in it for us?
27 Peter answered him,
"We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be
for us?" NIV
Luke 18:29-30 – Receive in this age and the age to come
29 "I tell you the
truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or
brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
30 will fail to receive
many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
NIV
John 12:5-6 - He was in charge of their finances – an
embezzler.
6 He did not say this because he cared about
the poor but because he was a thief;
as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into
it. NIV
Matt 25:23 – Faithful in Little will be faithful in much
23 His lord said unto him,
Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many things: KJV
Eph 1:11-12 – Condition of heart was known – Thus
predestined.
11 In him we were also
chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who
works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, NIV
John 13:10 -11 – Jesus had just washed Judas’ feet.
10 Jesus answered, "A
person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is
clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."
11 For he knew who was
going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
NIV
John 6:64 - Jesus knew Judas would betray Him
64 Yet there are some of
you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning
which of them did not believe and who would betray him. NIV
John 13:25-27 – Lord, who is it.
25 Leaning back against
Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
26 Jesus answered,
"It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped
it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas
Iscariot, son of Simon.
27 As soon as Judas took
the bread, Satan entered into him. NIV
John 6:70 –
70 Jesus answered them,
Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? KJV
Matt 26:23-25 – Yes, it is you Judas.
23 Jesus replied,
"The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.
25 Then Judas, the one
who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is
you." NIV
John 13:2 – Satan tricks Judas
2 The evening meal was
being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of
Simon, to betray Jesus. NIV
Matt 26:14-16 – What will you give me – 30 pieces of silver
14 Then one of the
Twelve-the one called Judas Iscariot-went to the chief priests
15 and asked, "What
are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted
out for him thirty silver coins.
16 From then on Judas
watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
1 Tim 6:10 – The love of money is the root of all evil.
10 For the love of
money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have
wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. NIV
Ex 21:31-32 – The price of a slave – 30 pieces of silver
32 If the bull gores a male
or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the
master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned. NIV
Zech 11:12-13 –The price of treachery is foretold by the
prophets
12 I told them, "If
you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me
thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said to
me, "Throw it to the potter"-the handsome price at which they priced
me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of
the LORD to the potter NIV
Matt 27:6-8 – Bought the Field of Blood
6 The chief priests picked
up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the
treasury, since it is blood money."
7 So they decided to use
the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners.
8 That is why it has been called the Field of
Blood to this day. NIV
Matt 27:9-10 – The potter’s field to bury the poor was
purchased.
9 Then what was spoken by
Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins,
the price set on him by the people of Israel
10 and they used them to
buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me." NIV
Matt 27:3-5 – Judas realizes he has been duped and kills
himself
3 When Judas, who had
betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and
returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
4 "I have
sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."
"What is that to
us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."
5 So Judas threw the money
into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. NIV
Acts 1:18-19 – Tree Limb broke… Maybe – Just saying
18(With the reward he got
for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines
spilled out.
19 Everyone in Jerusalem
John 17:12 – Judas fulfilled the scriptures
12 While I was with them
in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept,
and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might
be fulfilled. KJV
Ps 41:9 – Old Testament Prophecy
9 Even my close friend,
whom I trusted, he who shared my bread,
has lifted up his heel
against me. NIV
John 13:18 – Jesus quotes the prophets
18 "I am not
referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the
scripture: `He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.' NIV
Ps 55:12-14 – Jesus laments His friend.
12 If an enemy were
insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I
could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man
like myself, my companion, my close friend,
14 with whom I once
enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God .NIV
Luke 22:21-23 – Woe to the man that betrays Him
22 The Son of Man will go as it has been
decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him."
23 They began to question
among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. NIV
Mark 14:21 – It would be better if he had not been born.
21 The Son of Man will go
just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of
Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." NIV
The Judas Conspiracy
Or
the sovereignty of God
- The Jews were under
oppression from
- MOST believed that
Jesus was that person, and it would happen soon. Simon the Zelote was a member of one of
the fanatical groups that would kill a Roman in a heart beat. It seems that Judas was also a Zelote at
heart. We can see in the
scriptures, James and John arguing about who would be the greatest in this
new kingdom. Jesus explained the
kingdom to them and they all understood it and received it except for Judas.
- Judas believed that
an economic militant kingdom would happen shortly and that
- Satan thought he
could force Jesus to use His powers improperly. Jesus never used His miracles or powers to
benefit either Himself or his disciples.
- Judas thought that
all the disciples would be in leadership positions and receive lots of
wealth, not realizing that it was the final reward that was the most
important.
- Judas is painted, not
as spiritual, but as an extremist; a patriot who was disappointed
that Jesus did not lead them into a revolt against
- I can see how Satan
could instill thoughts in Judas, that Jesus was a “false Messiah”
or else he would have set up his kingdom.
- As part of God’s
plan, before Judas was even chosen, Jesus knew that he would betray him.
- He is the only one
that “was given” to Jesus by the Father that would be lost from Him, and
that was so that the scriptures might be fulfilled.
- Judas’ actions were
voluntary, being led by his own heart.
God used him in his plan, seeing the end from the beginning. He was predestined by his own
heart.
- Judas Iscariot was a
disciple for nearly three years and had the benefit of being close to the
Savior, but was spiritually careless. He did not share Christ’s Spirit.
- Judas at best
referred to Jesus as “Rabbi”, never “Lord”.
- He was politically
inclined, looking to Jesus to deliver them from the oppression of
- He was not from
- He had a love of
money and most his comments were about how to get more money into the
treasury, so he could embezzle more.
- So jealousy, greed,
bitterness and disappointment turned into spite and a plan was hatched.
- The Son of Perdition, was never saved,
therefore he was lost. - Jesus called him “friend” up until the end, and
even washed his feet.
- The sin
of Judas
allowed Satan to enter into him and take control of his spirit, betraying
Christ.
- This brings us up
to: How could Jesus select someone
to be a disciple who would betray Him?
This is known as the
Sovereignty of God. Nothing can
thwart the plan of God.
- When the solders
asked for Jesus, He stepped forward and said twice, “I am He”. Already identified, there was no reason
for Judas to identify him with a kiss, but he did anyway.
- A kiss was adopted as a
formal greeting among “believers” and was usually given on the forehead,
cheek or beard.
- He planed and waited
for a favorable “private” opportunity for the “Kiss of
Death”.
- Judas betrayed Jesus
for 30 pieces of Silver, and then in remorse threw the money back into the
- REMORCE
- When
Judas figured it all out, he wanted to reverse things and give the
money back and when he could not, he killed himself. His remorse was not; that he had betrayed
the “Son of God”, but that Rome would not be overthrown and everybody now would
hate him for what he had done and would extract revenge on him.
- Forgiveness
–
Nowhere in scripture can we find that Judas asked for forgiveness, mercy
or deliverance from his sin, but sought suicide to silence his
tormented mind.
- Reading the different accounts of his
death, I think he hanged himself from a tree limb which hung over a cliff
and the tree limb broke off and his body fell head long down into the
ravine and burst open. I have other
emotions that say he most probably had “a little help” coming off that
tree. That just what I think, no scripture
implied
- Legend has it that the
Redbud tree is the tree that Judas hanged himself on; therefore it is also
known as “The Judas Tree”
- The scriptures
indicate that Judas went to the “place reserved for him” – Ponder that
- NOTE: Jesus instituted
“The Lords Supper” after Judas was asked to leave the room. The scriptures admonish us to examine
ourselves and confess our sins before we come to His table.
1 Cor 11:27-29 – Examine your self before taking communion.
27 Therefore, whoever eats
the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty
of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28 A man ought to examine
himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29 For anyone who eats and
drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on
himself. NIV
John 6:53-67 – Many disciples left Jesus
53 Jesus said to them,
"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and
drink his blood; you have no life in you. ….
60 On hearing it, many of
his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
61 Aware that his
disciples were grumbling about this….there are some of you who do not believe
For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who
would betray him. 65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that
no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."
66 From this time many
of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. NIV
Rom 8:9-10 – He did not belong to Christ
9 …And if anyone does not
have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. NIV
John 18:4-9 – I am He who you seek.
4 Jesus, knowing all that
was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you
want?" …. "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am
he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them …
Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus
of Nazareth."
8 "I told you that
I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let
these men go."
9 This happened so that
the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of
those you gave me." NIV
Matt 27:3-4 – Judas figures it out – it’s all over
3 When Judas, who had
betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse
and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
4 "I have
sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." NIV
Acts 1:25- He went to his own place
25 That he may take part
of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell,
that he might go to his own place.
KJV
Matthias – The replacement of Judas Iscariot
- After the betrayal and death of Judas
Iscariot, the disciples prayed and cast lots to fill the position of Judas
and the lot fell to Matthias. Now “all of
- Another ordinary man was chosen to
fill an extra ordinary position.
Ps 109:8 – Prophecy – another to take his place.
8 May his days be few; may
another take his place of leadership. NIV
Acts 1:16 -17 – The scriptures HAD TO BE FULFILLED.
16 and said,
"Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit
spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as
guide for those who arrested Jesus-
17 he was one of our
number and shared in this ministry." NIV
Acts 1:20 – May another take his place of leadership
20 "For," said
Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms, "`May his place be
deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,'
and, "May another
take his place of leadership.' NIV
Acts 1:24 -26 – Prayer for a replacement for Judas
24 Then they prayed,
"Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have
chosen
25 to take over this
apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."
26 Then they cast lots,
and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
NIV
Praise God for the Messengers
STUDY SUMMARY
There were at least Two James, Two Johns, Two Simons, Two
Phillips and Two Judas’ among the disciples.
These were very common names as that of “Jesus”. Usually another name was affixed to identify
who they were talking about; similar to a last name.
Sometimes your other name was your organization or trade or
where you were born, or who your father was or your age or your height. - Examples; Jesus of Nazareth; John son of
Zebedee; James the lesser; Simon the Zealot; Phillip the Evangelist, Matthew
the tax collector and John the baptizer.
All twelve of the disciples were from Galilee except Judas
Iscariot. All were common fishermen or
farmers with little education.
NOT
OF THE TWELVE
- John the baptizer was a first or
second cousin of Jesus – He was 6 months older – Father
was Zachariah; a priest –
He took the Nazirite Vow – Was last of the Old Testament
Prophets – The first to recognize Jesus as the Messiah – He
had the spirit of Elijah.
- James the half brother of Jesus – Had three other
brothers - became an apostle when
Christ appeared to him
after the resurrection - He evangelized
his other brothers. –
He was a leader in church history - He was the first Bishop
at Jerusalem
the book of James
- Jude had three brothers, James, Joseph and Simon –
he was the half brother of Jesus –
He was also called Judas –
He wrote the book of Jude.
- Mark – Known as John Mark – His cousin was Barnabas - became a disciple when he was
a teenager – Deserted the Disciples while on a mission –
Later became faithful – He was
an interpreter and a scribe for Peter - He wrote the Gospel of Mark.
- Luke was a doctor and wrote the Gospel of Luke
and the Book of Acts.
- Philip the deacon - Lived in
church - Probably one of
the 72 that was sent out - He had four daughters that
prophesied - He is famous for his disappearing act after
baptizing the Ethiopian Eunuch.
He is usually confused with Phillip the leader of the
second group of the 12 disciples.
- Paul Born a Jew from
tent maker by trade – Probably 10 years younger than Jesus –
became an apostle on the
Took the Gospel to the Gentiles - He is the writer of Romans,
Corinthians, Galatians,
Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians,
Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and probably
Hebrews.
THE
TWELVE APOSTLES
- Simon’s name was changed to Peter by Jesus – He was from
named Jonah - He and his
brother Andrew were fishing partners with the brothers
James and John and their father Zebedee – Spoke Greek and
Aramaic – Walked on water
Took his wife on missionary journeys - He was the leader of
the first group and
spokesman for the Twelve - Authored 1st
and 2nd Peter.
- Andrew - His name always appears in group one
- Was born in
brother of Peter – Was the
first disciple of Jesus - He evangelized Peter and took him
to meet Jesus – In scriptures he is seen mostly bringing
people to meet Jesus.
- James brother of John – Both called “Sons of
Thunder” - There father was Zebedee –
Fishing partner with Peter and Andrew - He was
the first to be martyred.
- John and James had a fishing business with
partners Peter & Andrew - Their mother was
Salome the sister of Mary (The mother of Jesus) - James and John were cousins of
Jesus - John is referred to as “The disciple that Jesus loved”
- John wrote the Gospel of
John and three letters; 1st, 2nd,
& 3rd John - He recorded the book of “Revelation” of
Jesus Christ as dictated to him by God - John outlived all
those in the inner circle of
twelve.
- Philip – Born in
that of organization, and
was a pessimist at heart - He was at first a Disciple of John
the Baptist and Jesus sought him out - Brought
Bartholomew or Nathanial to meet Jesus.
- Bartholomew whose name is probably also Nathanial - Was always paired up with Phillip. -
He was the second to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, John
the Baptist was the first -
He is seen as a type or symbol of a “true Israelite”
– One who “by Faith” accepts Jesus -
Nathanial is known for saying, “Can any good thing come out
of Nazareth
- Matthew – also known as Levi - Was a tax collector - He was considered the scum of the
earth, but yearned for God
in his life - When he had the opportunity, he left it all
immediately to follow Jesus - Right away he evangelized his
friends to come meet Him. -
He wrote the Gospel
of Matthew.
- Thomas - His other name was “Didymus” - Was
mostly known for doubting the resurrection
of Jesus; “Doubting
Thomas” - He was actually unswervingly loyal and devoted to Christ -
We can believe today
because he doubted.
- James – Is the son of Alphaeus - Mother’s name is
Mary – Brother of Matthew the tax
collector - Leader of the
third group of four.
- Simon - Known as the Zealot – An underground
political organization desiring to militantly
over throw the Roman government - They hated
paying taxes to a pagan king - Jesus
refocused his zeal
for the Gospel.
- Judas was the son of a man named James – Was one of
the 72 disciples sent out – Known to
have a sweet spirit.
- Judas Iscariot – The son of Simon –
Born in
disciple that was not from
Bethsaida
from the ministry - He betrayed Jesus – Killed himself - He
was replaced by Matthias.
 |
Although little is known about some of the Twelve
Disciples, we should still remember that
they ALL gave up everything to follow Jesus. We should study their individual talents,
flaws and imperfections and see how God molded
them into what He wanted them to be.
We would do well to remember that He can use our
imperfections and flaws today.
We just need to be AVAILABLE.
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I am grateful for those that went before me
providing
concepts, ideas, historical information and
scriptures.
A survey of the New
Testament – Gunry
All the Miracles of the
Bible - Herbert Lockyer
Apocrypha, The – Edgar J. Goodspeed
Bible Almanac, The – Packer Tenney White
Baker Commentary on the
Bible - Ewell
Bible Commentary – F. B. Meyer
Compact Bible Dictionary - Zondervan
Complete Bible Handbook – Lawrence
Dake’s Annotated Bible – Dake`
Dictionary of Biblical
Literacy - Oliver Nelson
Expositors Bible
Commentary, The – Frank E. Gaebelein
Exposition of Genesis – H.C. Leupold
Halley’s Bible Handbook – H.H. Halley
Illustrated Bible
Dictionary, The – Tyndale
International Thesaurus - Roget’s
KJV Bible
Layman’s Overview of the
Bible, The – George W. Knight
Mystery of the Ages – Herbert W. Armstrong
Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest
New International Dictionary of the Bible, The –J. D. Douglas
NIV Bible
There were two Trees in
the Garden – Rick Joyner
Twelve Ordinary Men – John MacArthur **
Vincent’s Word Studies of
the NT - Mac Donald
What the Bible is all
about – Henrietta C. Mears
What in the World is going
on? – David Jeremiah
Where to find it in the
Bible – Ken Anderson
Who’s who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner
Wikipedia encyclopedia
Wycliff Bible Commentary,
The
Zondervan Pictorial
Encyclopedia of the Bible, The - Tenney
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