World Religion: Get to know the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ chose the 12 disciples among his first followers to become his closest companions. After an intense course of discipleship and his resurrection from the dead, the Lord fully commissioned the apostles (Matthew 28: 16-2, Mark 16:15) to advance the kingdom of God and bring the gospel message to the world.
We find the names of the 12 disciples in Matthew 10: 2-4, Mark 3: 14-19 and Luke 6: 13-16. These men became the pioneering leaders of the New Testament church, but they were not without flaws and imperfections. Interestingly, none of the 12 disciples chosen was a scholar or rabbi. They had no extraordinary skills. Neither religious nor refined were normal people, just like you and me.
But God chose them for one purpose: to blow up the flames of the Gospel that would spread on the face of the earth and continued to burn bright in the centuries to follow. God chose and used each of these regular boys to carry out his exceptional plan.
The 12 disciples of Jesus Christ
Take a few moments to learn the lessons of the 12 apostles: men who have helped to turn on the light of truth that still lives in hearts and calls people to come and follow Christ.
01
Apostle Peter
Without a doubt, the apostle Peter was a "duh" -ciple with which most people can identify. One minute he was walking on the water by faith, and then he was sinking into doubts. Impulsive and emotional, Peter is best known for denying Jesus when the pressure was high. Even so, as a disciple he was loved by Christ, occupying a special place among the twelve.
Peter, spokesman for the twelve, stands out in the Gospels. Whenever men are listed, Peter's name is first. He, James and John formed the inner circle of Jesus' closest companions. These three were given the privilege of experiencing the transfiguration, along with some other extraordinary revelations of Jesus.
After the resurrection, Peter became a bold evangelist and missionary and one of the greatest leaders of the early church. Passionate to the end, historians report that when Peter was sentenced to death by crucifixion, he asked to turn his head towards the ground because he did not feel worthy of dying in the same way as his Savior.
02
Apostle Andrew
The apostle Andrew abandoned John the Baptist to become the first follower of Jesus of Nazareth, but John did not care. He knew that his mission was to direct people to the Messiah.
Like many of us, Andrew lived in the shadow of his most famous brother, Simon Peter. Andrew led Peter from Christ, then went into the background while his boisterous brother became a leader among the apostles and in the early church.
The Gospels do not tell us much about Andrew, but reading between the lines reveals a person who is thirsting for truth and found it in the living water of Jesus. Find out how a simple fisherman dropped his nets on the shore and continued to become an exceptional fisherman of men.
03
Apostle James
James the son of Zebedee, often called James the Greater to distinguish him from the other apostle named James, was a member of the inner circle of Christ, which included his brother, the apostle John and Peter. James and John not only earned a special nickname from the Lord - "sons of thunder" - they had the privilege of being at the center and center of three supernatural events in the life of Christ. In addition to these honors, James was the first of the twelve to be martyred for his faith in 44 AD
04
Apostle John
The apostle John, brother of James, was nicknamed by Jesus one of the "sons of thunder", but he liked to call himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved". With his ardent temperament and his special devotion to the Savior, he obtained a privileged place in the inner circle of Christ.
John's enormous impact on the early Christian church and his larger-than-life personality make him a fascinating study of the character. His writings reveal contrasting traits. For example, on the first Easter morning, with his typical zeal and enthusiasm, John ran to Peter's grave after Mary Magdalene reported that it was now empty. Although John won the race and boasted of this achievement in his Gospel (John 20: 1-9), he humbly allowed Peter to enter the tomb first.
According to tradition, John survived all the disciples, dying of old age in Ephesus, where he preached a gospel of love and taught against heresy.
05
Apostle Philip
Philip was one of the first followers of Jesus Christ and wasted no time calling others, like Nathanael, to do the same. Although little is known of him after the ascension of Christ, Bible historians believe that Philip preached the gospel in Phrygia, Asia Minor, and died a martyr there in Hierapolis. Find out how Philip's search for truth led him directly to the promised Messiah.
06
Apostle Bartholomew
Nathanael, believed to be the disciple Bartholomew, had a heartbreaking first encounter with Jesus. When the apostle Philip called him to come and meet the Messiah, Nathanael was skeptical, but followed anyway. When Philip presented him to Jesus, the Lord declared: "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." Immediately Nathanael wanted to know "How do you know me?"
Jesus caught his attention when he replied: "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." Well, this stopped Nathanael in his tracks. Shocked and surprised, he declared: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel. "
Nathanael obtained only a few lines in the Gospels, however, in that instant he became a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.
07
Apostle Matthew
Levi, who became the apostle Matthew, was a Capernaum customs officer who taxed imports and exports based on his judgment. The Jews hated him because he worked for Rome and betrayed his compatriots.
But when Matthew, the dishonest tax collector, heard two words from Jesus: "Follow me," he left everything and obeyed. Like us, he wished to be accepted and loved. Matthew recognized Jesus as someone worth sacrificing for.
08
Apostle Thomas
The apostle Thomas is often called "The doubt Thomas" because he refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw and touched the physical wounds of Christ. As for the disciples, however, history has given Thomas a rap bum. After all, each of the 12 apostles except John left Jesus during his trial and died on Calvary.
Thomas was prone to extremes. Previously he had shown a courageous faith, willing to risk his life to follow Jesus in Judea. There is an important lesson to be learned from Thomas's study: if we are truly trying to know the truth, and we are honest with ourselves and others about our struggles and doubts, God will faithfully meet us and reveal us, just as he did for Thomas.
09
Apostle James
James the Main is one of the darkest apostles in the Bible. The only things we know for sure are his name and that he was present in the upper room of Jerusalem after Christ ascended to heaven.
In Twelve Ordinary Men, John MacArthur suggests that his darkness may have been the hallmark of his life. Find out why James the Less's complete anonymity can reveal something profound about his character.
10
Apostle Saint Simon
Who doesn't like a good mystery? A puzzling question in the Bible is the exact identity of Simon the Zealot, the mysterious apostle of the Bible.
The scriptures tell us almost nothing about Simone. In the Gospels, he is mentioned in three places, but only to list his name. In Acts 1:13 we learn that he was present with the apostles in the upper room of Jerusalem after Christ had ascended to heaven. Beyond those few details, we can only speculate about Simon and his designation as a zealot.
11
San Thaddeus
Listed together with Simon the Zealot and James the Main, the apostle Thaddeus completes a grouping of the lesser-known disciples. In Twelve Ordinary Men, John MacArthur's book on the apostles, Thaddeus is characterized as a tender and kind man who showed childish humility.
12
Down from
Judas Iscariot is the apostle who betrayed Jesus with a kiss. For this supreme act of treason, some would say that Judas Iscariot made the biggest mistake in history.
Over time, people have had mixed feelings about Judah. Some feel a sense of hatred towards him, others feel pity and some have even considered him a hero. Regardless of how you react to Judah, one thing is certain, believers can benefit greatly by taking a serious look at his life.