Who Were the Twelve Apostles?
Fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot — the twelve Jesus chose, what became of them, and what “apostle” means.
The twelve apostles were the men Jesus chose “that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach” (Mark 3:14): Peter, Andrew, James and John (the sons of Zebedee), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus (Jude), Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot — replaced after his betrayal by Matthias, with Paul later called as apostle to the Gentiles.
Who Jesus picked
The list reads like a deliberate provocation: four fishermen, a tax collector for Rome (Matthew) seated beside a Zealot sworn against Rome (Simon), no scholars, no priests. Chosen after a night of prayer, their first job description was simply “to be with him.” Paul later drew the moral: God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise — the world was turned upside down by a dozen unlikely men.
And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
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;
Failures kept on the roster
The Gospels preserve the twelve’s stumbles with unflattering honesty: arguing over greatness, sleeping in Gethsemane, Thomas doubting, Peter denying with oaths — and all forsaking him at the arrest. Then the resurrection remade them: the same Peter preaching to thousands at Pentecost, the council marvelling at “unlearned and ignorant men” who “had been with Jesus.” Their transformation is among the resurrection’s strongest evidences.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Sent ones, and the foundation
“Apostle” means sent one — commissioned eyewitnesses of the risen Christ, given to the church as its foundation layer: built “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” Tradition holds nearly all died as martyrs, scattered from Rome to India — men do not die for what they know they invented. Their testimony is the New Testament in our hands.
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Quick answers
- What's the difference between a disciple and an apostle?
- Disciple means learner — the wide circle of followers; apostle means sent one — the commissioned eyewitnesses. All apostles were disciples; only some disciples were apostles (Luke 6:13 — “of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles”).
- Who replaced Judas?
- Matthias, chosen by lot from among longtime followers to restore the twelve (Acts 1:23–26). Paul, converted later on the Damascus road, was separately called “an apostle… by Jesus Christ” to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:1).
- Which apostles wrote Scripture?
- Matthew, John (Gospel, letters, Revelation), Peter (two letters), and Paul (thirteen letters); Mark wrote from Peter’s testimony, and James and Jude — Jesus’ brothers — joined the apostles’ circle after the resurrection.
