The Twelve Apostles

After a night of prayer on the mountain, Jesus “called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles” (Luke 6:12-16) – the number itself a claim, echoing the twelve tribes: a new Israel gathering around a new center. Mark states their job description in order: “that they might be with him, and he might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14). First with him; then sent.

The roster is gloriously unpromising: four fishermen (Peter, Andrew, James, John), a tax collector who had worked for Rome (Matthew) seated beside a Zealot who had sworn to fight it (Simon), a skeptic (Thomas), a schemer (Judas Iscariot), and men like Philip, Bartholomew/Nathanael, Thaddaeus, and James son of Alphaeus about whom we know little beyond their faithfulness. They argued about rank, missed the point of parables, fled at the arrest – and, restored and Spirit-filled (Matthias replacing Judas, Acts 1), became the foundation stones of the church, their names written on the walls of the new Jerusalem (Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 21:14).

A wider circle of seventy-two was also sent ahead of Jesus with the same message and authority (Luke 10:1-20) – the Twelve were the pattern, never the limit.

In the New Testament

• The appointing of the Twelve (Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16)
• Their first mission (Matthew 10; Mark 6:7-13)
• The sending of the seventy-two (Luke 10:1-20)
• Failure, flight, and restoration (Mark 14:50; John 20-21; Acts 1-2)