How Many Apostles Did Jesus Have?

Publish date: 2024-06-08

The apostles of Jesus Christ spent time with the Lord and saw Him with their own eyes.

How many apostles did Jesus have? What were their names? What do we know about Jesus’ apostles?

The original group of twelve apostles was chosen by Jesus Himself, and the Lord gave them power.

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. (Matthew 10:1-4)

You can also find the twelve apostles listed in Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:13-16, and Acts 1:13.

What are some things we know about each of the twelve apostles?

Simon is first introduced as “Simon the son of Jonah” (John 1:42). Jesus calls him “Cephas,” which means “a stone.” Peter was a fisherman along with his brother Andrew and the sons of Zebedee: James and John.

Peter is often mentioned in the book of Acts, especially in the first half. Peter was also the inspired writer of two letters to Christians: 1 and 2 Peter.

Before Andrew was called to follow Jesus, he was a disciple of John the Baptist.

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 

Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. (John 1:35-40)

Andrew - the brother of Peter - was often involved in bringing others to Jesus, including his own brother (John 1:41-42).

James was the brother of John, and together they were called the “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). We aren’t really sure exactly what this means; some assume it’s a reference to their temperament (Luke 9:54).

James is the only Apostle whose martyrdom is clearly recorded in the Scriptures.

Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. (Acts 12:2)

John was the brother of James, and as we already noticed, they shared some qualities in common that led to them being referred to as the “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). John was the inspired writer of five books of the New Testament.

John is known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” as he mentions in John 21:24. John is also the one who Jesus charged to care for His mother (John 19:26-27).

Philip the Apostle was from Bethsaida (John 1:44). Peter, Andrew, and Philip were from the same town near the Sea of Galilee.

Philip is the one who brings Nathanael to Jesus, inviting him to “Come and see” (John 1:45-46). Before Jesus fed the 5,000, He asked Philip where they could buy food for the people (John 6:5-7). Philip also asked Jesus to show them the Father before His arrest (John 14:6-10).

Many believe that Bartholomew also was known as Nathanael. He was initially skeptical of Jesus being the Messiah because He was from Nazareth.

However, his doubts quickly turned to faith when he witnessed the power of Jesus.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:47-49)

Nathanael is also one of the apostles who went fishing with Peter and others in John 21:2.

Share

Thomas is also called “the Twin'“ (John 20:24). Thomas isn’t mentioned much in the Bible - but where he is mentioned has earned him the nickname of "Doubting Thomas.”

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:24-29)

Matthew was also known as Levi (Mark 2:14). He would have been considered a traitor to the Jewish nation because of his affiliation with the Roman Empire as a tax collector. The Jewish people considered tax collectors “sinners” (Luke 19:7).

Immediately after following Jesus, Matthew prepares a feast at his house and invites many “tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 9:10-13). Being included as one of Jesus’ apostles, Matthew demonstrated that no one - even those that society deemed “unacceptable company - was beyond the reach of God.

Matthew was even the inspired writer of the Gospel of Matthew, which was likely written with a Jewish audience in mind.

There’s not a lot said about this James in the New Testament. There is more said about other James in Scripture.

Levi and James are both said to be a “son of Alphaeus” (Mark 2:14), but Scripture never actually calls them “brothers,” as it does with Peter and Andrew and the other James and John.

Thaddaeus was also known as “Judas (not Iscariot)” for apparent reasons (John 14:22). No doubt, no one wanted to be possibly confused with Judas Iscariot.

Some think Thaddaeus was also known as “Jude,” and perhaps he is the one who wrote the short letter of Jude. But there is no way to know that for sure.

Simon is thought to have been a part of a Jewish extremist group before he started following Christ. This group was essentially terrorists.

If this is true, it certainly was quite the statement by our Lord to have a former employee of Rome and a former terrorist against Rome in His twelve apostles.

Read more about this in “The Time Jesus Called Two Men from the Political Left and Right.”

Judas was the Apostle in charge of the moneybag for Jesus and His apostles (John 12:4-6). However, he is called a “thief” by John.

Judas is infamous in Scripture for betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. After realizing his sin, Judas tries to fix things - only to discover that the Jewish leaders do not want to let Jesus go. Judas then went out and hung himself.

Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!" Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5)

Ah yes, now we come to Judas Iscariot’s replacement - Matthias (Acts 1:23). He met the requirements to serve as an apostle (Acts 1:21-22). However, the Lord still chose him to replace Judas.

And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place." And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:24-26)

Acts 1 is the only time Matthias is mentioned in the New Testament.

Paul was certainly an apostle of Jesus Christ, as is mentioned numerous times in the New Testament.

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God (Romans 1:1)

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, (1 Corinthians 1:1)

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead) (Galatians 1:1)

While Paul was not one of the original twelve apostles, he was chosen by Jesus to be an apostle. He was given a mission to take the gospel into the Gentile world.

So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' (Acts 26:15-18)

Paul was the inspired writer for quite a few of the books of the New Testament.

Some think Paul wrote Hebrews; some don’t think he wrote the book. I tend not to count Hebrews among the books written by Paul because there’s just no way to know for sure.

The Apostle Paul was likely executed by Nero a few months after he wrote the book of 2 Timothy.

ncG1vNJzZmiblaPBpr7Enaanm5intrTAjaysm6uklrCsesKopGioX528uHnMmqWyZZGlvLTAy56qZpyZmXqrsdKuqmagkauy