The Complete Guide to the Twelve Disciples of Jesus

The twelve disciples or apostles of Jesus served as the foundation of His church, with some authoring parts of the Bible as Gospel writers.

These apostles were also Jesus' closest followers and became significant leaders in the Christianity movement. Here are the names of the twelve disciples who helped spread His Gospel around the world.

Peter

Peter is one of those among Jesus' inner circle of apostles and was sometimes called Simon Peter, Cephas (John 1:42), or Simon. A fisherman by trade, Peter is recognized by the Catholic church as the first pope.

Peter, who lived in Bethsaida, witnessed several miracles of Christ as he followed Jesus that other disciples didn't, including The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13) and when Jesus resurrected a girl (Mark 5:35-43).

He's most known for speaking with the Pentecost crowd (Acts 2:14-41), walking on water as told in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 14:28-33), and denying Him to avoid being persecuted (Luke 22:54-62).

The apostle Peter died at the hands of Emperor Nero in 64 AD via upside-down crucifixion.

John

Apostle John and John the Baptist are two different people. John, son of Zebedee, worked as a fisherman before he became one of Jesus' closest friends.

It's believed that John wrote 5 New Testament books, including Revelation, John 1-3, and the Gospel of John. He is the one who 'Jesus loved' and the disciple who took care of Mary. A prominent figure, he was tasked to be a 'pillar' of the Church (Galatians 2:9) and completed it as promised.

Dying of old age was John's fate at Ephesus.

James

Another of Jesus' inner circle, James the Greater, was a fisherman before being called to be a disciple.

Saint James, along with John, received the nickname 'son of thunder' (Mark 3:17). He asked one of the critical Bible questions, asking the Lord for a place beside his throne. James is the only apostle to have a recorded martyrdom (Acts 12:2).

He died by 'sword' and was most likely beheaded as per Herod's orders.

Bartholomew

Information surrounding Bartholomew in the Bible is sparse, but history mentioned that he and Philip the apostle were close friends. In John 1:47, Scripture implied that Bartholomew was his second name, with 'Nathanael' being his first.

Bartholomew most likely preached in Armenia, Hierapolis, and Phrygia. His cause of death seemed to be the most gruesome of all the apostles- he was flayed alive with knives.

Thomas

Thomas, or 'Doubting Thomas,' had a different Greek name (Thomas Didymus). He was present during Lazarus' resurrection by Jesus (John 11:2-16) and had one of the most infamous lines in the Bible when he wanted proof that it was Jesus who rose from the dead.

It's believed that Saint Thomas, often referred to as 'The Twin,' preached in Persia, Parthia, and India. He died a martyr's death when a spear pierced him.

Matthew

Matthew, son of Alpheus, was a tax collector by trade and is believed to be the author of the Gospel of Matthew.

There are three similar accounts on how Matthew became a follower of Christ- Luke 5:27-28, Mark 2:14, and Matthew 9:9. It's worthy to note that he collected taxes from Jews for Rome, which was reviled by many.

Matthew was martyred, although the cause is unclear. Some accounts say he died by burning, while others say he was beheaded.

Andrew

Andrew, Peter's brother, was a fisherman. He was the first-ever disciple to be called by Jesus and introduced Peter to Jesus Christ. Furthermore, Andrew told Peter that Jesus is the Messiah (John 1:41-42).

Andrew was the disciple who found the boy with the fish and loaves, which led to the feeding of the crowd of five thousand (John 6:1-15). Scholars believe Andrew went to preach the Gospel in Asia Minor, Greece, and Scythia.

Andrew died a martyr's death by crucifixion on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. The symbol became known as 'Saint Andrew's Cross.'

Simon

There's minimal mention of Simon among other apostles, only that he was tagged as a 'Zealot' (Acts 1:1-13 and Matthew 10:2-4).

Tradition tells that Simon the Zealot spread the Word of Christ in Egypt and later with Judas in Persia. He died as a martyr in unclear details ranging from crucifixion to being sawed in half.

Jude

Jude has many names, including Judas Thaddeus, Judas of James, and Lebbaeus.

His most notable contribution as one of the followers of Jesus is his work in healing and preaching in the Euphrates River in Edessa. From there, Judas, son of James, went to other regions and did the same thing.

Traditions say Jude was martyred with arrows at Ararat.

James the Lesser

James, son of Alphaeus, who lived in Galilee, is different from the son of Zebedee. The term 'Lesser' could mean that he was younger, shorter, or less important.

There were many people named James in the Bible, both in discipleship and follower aspects. Tradition states James, son of Alphaeus, wrote the Epistle of James and preached in Egypt and Palestine.

James the Lesser's death is of martyrdom, although the cause is varied. Some state he was sawed in half, while others say he died by stoning.

Philip

Philip, the disciple, was mentioned four times in the Bible- Acts 1:13, Luke 6:14, Mark 3:18, and Matthew 10:3. He is responsible for introducing Nathanael to Jesus Christ and has a close relationship with Bartholomew because the disciples are always listed together.

Records say Philip spread the Gospel in Phrygia and died in Hierapolis by hanging. He requested that his body gets wrapped in papyrus upon death and not linen, like Jesus.

Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot is the assigned treasurer of the disciples and is considered as Jesus' close friend. Judas the Betrayer led the Messiah to the enemy and afterward committed suicide by hanging himself (Matthew 26:14,16).

Matthias replaced Judas after the latter betrayed Jesus Christ in exchange for 30 pieces of silver. There was one other man, Barsabas, but in the end, Matthias became one of the disciples because he was present when Jesus was baptized and during the time where he ascends to heaven.

Conclusion

The twelve ordinary men were called upon to spread the Gospel as the twelve apostles, which soon became Christianity. All disciples were vital to accomplishing Jesus' mission on earth. Today, billions of people follow in the path of Jesus thanks to the ceaseless efforts of these men.

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