The 12 Apostles

Elijah Khey A. Relativo

Gr. 9 – St. Luke
The Apostles of Jesus

The 12 disciples/apostles of Jesus were the foundation

stones of His church, several even wrote portions of the
Bible. In Revelation 21:14 we are told that the twelve
foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem will have
in them the names of the twelve disciples/apostles. It is
evident, therefore, that God attaches great importance to
these 12 men.

As we study these courageous first-century lives, and

what discipleship meant in the time of Jesus, we may
expect to be aided in developing a Spirit-directed
twenty-first-century discipleship as Christ must have
meant it to be.

The following biographical information about the 12

original disciples of Jesus uses the New Testament
accounts along with the most respected legends and
traditions. We do not mean to infer, that legend and
tradition constitute historical fact. We do feel, however,
that they do have value in the study of the lives of these
men who "…turned the world upside down…"
 12 disciples list:

1. Peter
2. James
3. John
4. Andrew
5. Bartholomew or Nathanael
6. James, the Lesser or Younger
7. Judas
8. Jude or Thaddeus
9. Matthew or Levi
10.Philip
11.Simon the Zealot
12.Thomas
Peter
Simon Peter, son of Jonas, was a fisherman who lived in Bethsaida
and Capernaum. He did evangelistic and missionary work among
the Jews, going as far as Babylon. He was a member of the Inner
Circle and authored the two New Testament epistles which bear his
name. Tradition says he was crucified, head downward, in Rome.

James
James, the Elder, Boanerges, son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of
John the Apostle; a fisherman who lived in Bethsaida, Capernaum
and Jerusalem. He preached in Jerusalem and Judea and was
beheaded by Herod, AD 44 (Acts 12:1,2). He was a member of the
Inner Circle, so called because they were accorded special
privileges. The New Testament tells us very little about James. His
name never appears apart from that of his brother, John. They were
an inseparable pair (Mark 1:19-20; Matthew 4:21; Luke 5:1-11).

John
John Boanerges, son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of James, the
Apostle. He was known as the Beloved Disciple. A fisherman who
lived in Bethsaida, Capernaum and Jerusalem, he was a member of
the Inner Circle. He wrote the Gospel of John, I John, II John, III
John and Revelation. He preached among the churches of Asia
Minor. Banished to the Isle of Patmos, he was later freed and died a
natural death. John was one of the prominent Apostles. He is
mentioned in many places in the New Testament. He was a man of
action; he was very ambitious; and a man with an explosive temper
and an intolerant heart. His second name was Boanerges, which
means son of Thunder. He and his brother, James, came from a
more well-to-do family than the rest of the 12 Apostles. Since his
father had hired servants in his fishing business (Mark 1:20) he may
have felt himself above the rest. He was close to Peter. They were
acting together in the ministry. Peter, however, was always the
spokesman for the band.
Andrew
Andrew was the brother of Peter, and a son of Jonas. He lived in
Bethsaida and Capernaum and was a fisherman before Jesus called him.
Originally he was a disciple of John the Baptist (Mark 1:16-18). Andrew
brought his brother, Peter, to Jesus (John 1:40). He is the first to have the
title of Home and Foreign Missionary. He is claimed by three countries
as their Patron Saint-Russia, Scotland and Greece. Many scholars say
that he preached in Scythia, Greece and Asia Minor.

Bartholomew or Nathanael
Bartholomew Nathanael, son of Talmai, lived in Cana of Galilee. His
apostolic symbol is three parallel knives. Tradition says he was a
missionary in Armenia. A number of scholars believe that he was the
only one of the 12 disciples who came from royal blood, or noble birth.
His name means Son of Tolmai or Talmai(2 Samuel 3:3). Talmai was
king of Geshur whose daughter, Maacah, was the wife of David, mother
of Absolom.

James the Lesser or the Younger

James, the Lesser or Younger, son of Alpheus, or Cleophas and Mary,
lived in Galilee. He was the brother of the Apostle Jude. According to
tradition he wrote the Epistle of James, preached in Palestine and Egypt
and was crucified in Egypt. James was one of the little-known disciples.
Some scholars believe he was the brother of Matthew, the tax collector.
James was a man of strong character and one of the most fiery type. Still
another tradition says that he died as a martyr and his body was sawed in
pieces. The saw became his apostolic symbol.
Judas
Judas Iscariot, the traitor, was the son of Simon who lived in Kerioth of
Judah. He betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and afterwards
hanged himself (Matthew 26:14,16). Judas, the man who became the
traitor, is the supreme enigma of the New Testament because it is so
hard to see how anyone who was so close to Jesus, who saw so many
miracles and heard so much of the Master's teaching could ever betray
him into the hands of his enemies.

Jude or Thaddeus
Jude, Thaddeus, or Lebbeus, son of Alpheus or Cleophas and Mary. He
was a brother of James the Younger. He was one of the very little-known
Apostles and lived in Galilee. Tradition says he preached in Assyria and
Persia and died a martyr in Persia. Jerome called Jude "Trinomious"
which means "a man with three names." In Mark 3:18 he is called
Thaddeus. In Matthew 10:3 he is called Lebbeus. His surname was
Thaddeus. In Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13 he is called Judas the brother of
James. Judas Thaddeus also was called Judas the Zealot.

Matthew or Levi
Matthew, or Levi, son of Alpheus, lived in Capernaum. He was a
publican or tax collector. He wrote the Gospel that bears his name. He
died a martyr in Ethiopia.
Philip
Tradition says that disciple Philip preached in Phrygia and died a martyr
at Hierapolis. Philip came from Bethsaida, the town from which Peter
and Andrew came (John 1:44). The likelihood is that he, too, was a
fisherman. Although the first three Gospels record his name (Matthew
10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13), it is in the Gospel of John that
Philip becomes a living personality.

Simon the Zealot

Simon, the Zealot, one of the little-known followers called the Canaanite
or Zelotes, lived in Galilee. Tradition says he was crucified. In two
places in the King James Version he is called a Canaanite (Matthew
10:4; Mark 3:18). However, in the other two places he is called Simon
Zelotes (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13).

Thomas Didymus
Thomas Didymus lived in Galilee. Tradition says he labored in Parthia,
Persia, and India, suffering martyrdom near Madras, at Mt. St. Thomas,
India. Thomas was his Hebrew name and Didymus was his Greek name.
At times he was called Judas. Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us nothing
about Thomas except his name. However, John defines him more clearly
in his Gospel. Thomas appeared in the raising of Lazarus (John 11:2-
16), in the Upper Room (John 14:1-6) where he wanted to know how to
know the way where Jesus was going. In John 20:25, we see him saying
unless he sees the nail prints in Jesus' hand and the gash of the spear in
His side he will not believe. That's why Thomas became known as
Doubting Thomas.
Who replaced Judas Iscariot?

Matthias was selected to replace Judas as recorded in

Acts 1:15-26. The other man who was also in
consideration was named Joseph or Barsabas, and
surnamed Justus. Lots were cast and eventually
Matthias was chosen. Acts 1:24-26 records the
following, "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 he was numbered
with the eleven apostles.” The Bible is sparse on
additional details relating to Matthias, but it does say
that Matthias was with Jesus since His baptism until his
resurrection. Besides the book of Acts, Matthias isn’t
mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. According to
historical sources Matthias lived til 80 A.D. and spread
the gospel on the shores of the Caspian and Cappadocia.
 How did the 12 disciples die?

1. Andrew = Crucified on an X-shaped cross

2. Bartholomew or Nathanael = Flayed alive with knives
3. James the elder = First apostle martyred
4. James the lesser = Sawn in pieces
5. John = Died of natural causes on the isle of Patmos
6. Judas Iscariot = Hung himself
7. Jude or Thaddeus = Killed with arrows
8. Matthew or Levi = Martyred in Ethiopia
9. Peter = Crucified upside-down on a cross
10. Philip = Died by hanging
11. Simon the Zealot = Died a martyrs death
12. Thomas = Killed with a spear
 Where did the disciples die?

1. Andrew = Patras, Greece

2. Bartholomew or Nathanael = Albanopolis, Armenia
3. James the elder = Jerusalem
4. James the lesser = Jerusalem
5. John = Greek port city of Ephesus
6. Judas Iscariot = Jerusalem
7. Jude or Thaddeus = Beirut, Lebanon
8. Matthew or Levi = Ethiopia
9. Peter = Rome
10. Philip = Greek city of Hierapolis
11. Simon the Zealot = Suanir, Persia
12. Thomas = India