Why Did Jesus Chose 12 Apostles?

Why did Jesus Choose 12 Disciples

Jesus climbed up a mountainside and called out to those that he desired, and they came running to meet him.
He chose twelve people to be with him and to be sent out to preach so that he might be more effective.
Mark 3:13-14 (KJV) There were a variety of religious, intellectual, and political leaders in the first-century Roman civilization, each of whom had a dedicated group of followers.

In Judaism, devoted apprentices were required to follow a rabbi.A special teacher-student connection was developed between Jesus of Nazareth and twelve specific persons from among the multitudes who followed Him.In contrast to their previous experience with religious leaders who educated the smartest students about the nuances of Jewish faith, they had never before encountered the method that Jesus employed to assemble a group of students or disciples around Him.

Instead of approaching a rabbi and asking to be instructed by him, Jesus chose the men He wanted and called them to follow Him.This was contrary to the custom at the time.And the group He picked was a broad mix of individuals who were not affiliated with the Jewish religious establishment.As opposed to this, the twelve men He picked came from a variety of different vocations and areas of life.Because they were fishermen, Jesus came across Peter and his brother Andrew, who were tossing nets into the water.

A similar situation occurred when he came upon the brothers James and John, who were fishing with their father.When the four fishermen heard the summons from the rabbi Jesus, they all immediately dropped their nets and joined Him as mathetai, or disciples.They would no longer be considered traditional fishermen.Rather, under the guidance of Jesus, they would develop into men who would ″fish for people″ (Matthew 4:18–22), a phrase that means ″fish for people.″ 1 One of the most astonishing things we learn from the Gospel stories is that when Jesus called these men, they immediately abandoned whatever they were doing and followed Him.

The 12 Disciples

The apostles were chosen by Jesus after a night of prayer on a mountaintop.
He gathered His supporters together and publicly selected twelve of them to serve as apostles: After waking up in the morning, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them to be apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew (whom he named James), James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James (also known as Thaddaeus, the name that is used in Matthew and Mark), and Judas Iscariot, who later became a traitor.
(See Luke 6:13–16.) Also included in these narratives are Mark 1:16–20, Luke 5:2, and John 1:40–42, which all relate to the summoning of the disciples.

It was no coincidence that He picked the number twelve.The Israelites, God’s chosen people, were split into twelve tribes, each with its own language and culture.While calling out a new people for Himself, Jesus begins with twelve men who would serve as the foundation of a new Israel.

Although it is apparent that the force of God was at work in calling these individuals, it is dubious that they realized the full depth of what they were getting themselves into when they first became followers of Jesus.They were well aware that they would have to quit their existing positions and the protection that they provided.However, it wasn’t until Jesus was nearing the conclusion of His earthly life that He was able to reveal to them the true cost of discipleship.What Jesus ultimately needed of His disciples was a commitment to lay down their lives for Him and His kingdom.It was He who stated it in such severe words when He declared that anybody who want to follow Him must deny himself and take up his cross (Luke 9:23) in order to do so.

In other words, they were expected to be willing to die in His service.As a result of their commitment to Christ, several people were murdered.In spite of this, Jesus’ request of His followers was not any more than what He was ready to do for Himself, as He revealed on the cross when He willingly offered His life as a once-and-for-all sacrifice for human sin.Before ascending into heaven, Jesus ″graduated″ His followers, as was the custom of the rabbi at the time of His death.

As part of His instruction, He promised them that they would be able to accomplish all that He had taught them (Matthew 28:19–20).He also promised that they would be able to go and spread the good news of the kingdom.Jesus’ followers did exactly that, according to what is recorded in the book of Acts and the following history of the Church.They spoke courageously about Jesus’ death and resurrection, hailed the entrance of a new way of life, and performed amazing miracles to substantiate their claims.They were known as ″apostles″ (which means ″sent ones″) for their witness and labor.

They carried the message to the furthest reaches of the globe, as instructed.With His initial selection of the Twelve, Christ created a model for all of His disciples to follow.Because, as Jesus made very plain throughout the Gospels and as His apostles made abundantly evident throughout their New Testament writings, not everyone who names Jesus ″Savior″ may be considered a disciple of Christ.

Following Jesus means the same thing now as it has always meant.In order to be a disciple, one must dedicate one’s entire life to following the Lord, training as His student, and studying His Word.Eventually, the student will be able to perform all of the tasks that his Master has assigned to him (Philippians 4:13).Also in Matthew 28:19–20, Jesus pledges to remain with His disciples ″until the end of the age,″ implying that He would be with them ″until the end of the era.″

For Personal Reflection

What steps can you take to commit your entire life to serving the Lord more fully?
The following article was adapted from study materials in the New International Version Storyline Bible.
The New International Version (NIV) Storyline Bible From Genesis to Revelation, take a journey through the intricately intertwined tale of the gospel.

The New International Version Storyline Bible has more than 200 articles that explain the linked nature of God’s Word as well as the whole story that spans both the Old and New Testaments.Read on to find out more

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What steps can you take to commit your entire life to serving the Lord more fully?
The following article was adapted from study materials in the New International Version Storyline Bible.
The New International Version (NIV) Storyline Bible From Genesis to Revelation, take a journey through the intricately intertwined tale of the gospel.

12 Disciples – How Did Jesus Choose His Twelve Disciples? –

″Follow me,″ he says. This is the straightforward remark delivered by Christ that changed the course of history. This study covers the process through which Jesus picked the twelve disciples.

How Jesus Chose The 12 Disciples

The passage for today’s Bible study session is found in Mark 3:13-19. It narrates the story of how Jesus took a group of fishermen and a tax collector, among others, and transformed them into His twelve disciples, who went on to become biblical heroes.

What are the names of the twelve disciples? I Had to Look Them Up – How about You?

This is a frequently asked issue, and it is explained here, along with the straightforward manner in which Jesus picked His 12 disciples. These were ordinary guys who went on to do extraordinary things in history, as we shall see in this Bible study lesson from the book of Mark.

Jesus Chooses His 12 Disciples

Also, He ascended Mount Zion, where He beckoned those whom He Himself desired, and they came to Him.
In order for Him to be able to send them forth to preach and have power to drive out demons, He appointed twelve people to be with Him.
And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to whom He gave the name Boanerges, which means ″Sons of Thunder″); Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom – Mark 3:13-19 (New American Standard Bible)

So, What are the 12 Disciples’ Names?

No, I couldn’t name every single one of them either. But, just to refresh your memory, here are the names of the twelve disciples (in no particular order). Andrew
Phillip
Bartholomew
Matthew
Thomas
Thaddaeus
Simon the Zealot
Judas Iscarlot. James son of Zebedee, John (James’ brother), Andrew, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas.

Why Did Jesus Choose Twelve Disciples? Why Not Eight – Or More?

Just a small bit of background information about the disciples.
Is it any wonder that Jesus chose 12 disciples rather than 5, 20, or even 1,000 disciples?
The fact that Jesus had a large number of disciples who followed Him is a footnote to this verse regarding the disciples.

This group of followers went out into the community and disseminated the news about His mission.However, the twelve disciples were considered to be the ″inner circle,″ as it were.

Here is a Possible Answer for Why There Were 12 Disciples

According to Matthew 19:28, the number 12 is extremely significant since it refers to the twelve tribes of Israel, which are mentioned in the Bible.
The link between Jesus’ newness as a message and the ancient religious structure under Jewish law is also demonstrated in this passage.
“ As a result of their obedience to Jesus’ teachings, he told them that when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, they too will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

″Truly I say to you, you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also will sit upon twelve thrones, judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel,″ Jesus said.– Matthew 19:28 (NASB) NASB Jesus was being followed by large throngs of people.He, on the other hand, concentrated his efforts on training the 12 Apostles who had been chosen.

An apostle is a person who represents or acts as a messenger on behalf of another.Jesus need followers who were ready and eager to follow him.In modern times, an apostle of the Bible is defined as someone who has the opportunity to personally witness Christ.

How do We Compare to the Twelve Disciples?

The disciples were unassuming individuals.
They varied from fisherman to tax collectors in their professions.
The majority of them lacked formal education.

However, Jesus picked them in accordance with God’s will.Unlike many of the disciples, we may be more gifted, better educated, know more people, or demonstrate more leadership abilities.However, the word ″obey″ is the important word in the passage.

In the process of catapulting Christianity into existence, these twelve men will put their own lives in danger as a result of their actions.We will almost certainly not have to endanger our lives in order to teach people about Jesus.But, are we as willing as these 12 disciples to follow Christ’s instructions when He asks us to perform a task?Bob shares his thoughts on love in Christ.If you are interested in learning more about Jesus Christ’s love and life-changing experience, please take a time to read John 3:16 to learn more.

Why did Jesus need disciples?

The first and closest disciples of Jesus did not choose to follow Him on their own initiative; rather, Jesus Himself welcomed or beckoned them to follow Him.
The Bible has an account of how Jesus asked them to follow Him from various locations and under diverse situations.
Being asked to be His disciples by Jesus himself provides us with compelling evidence that having disciples was a high priority for him throughout his ministry.

Having disciples was something Jesus desired or required, and as a result, He made it a reality.But why did He require disciples in the first place?

Jesus needed disciples to run the day to day activities of His ministry

Despite the fact that Jesus was God in every capacity, He was still a human being like us.
And He was just as vulnerable to some physical sensations as anybody else, such as hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain, and so forth.
The scale of work He had on His hands to do, however, was far too great for His pair of hands to handle; as a result, He required assistance and extra hands like ours in order to complete His mission, which was to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, and set at liberty those who have been bruised (Luke 4:18).

In order to grasp the magnitude of Jesus’ need for disciples, consider a church with a membership of 5000 people that is governed only by a single pastor, who performs all of the church’s functions without the assistance of elders, deacons, deaconesses, ushers, or any other church officials.Such a priest would have succumbed to exhaustion within a short period of time.In Jesus’ career, the disciples of Jesus were similar to the elders, deacons, deaconesses, and other leaders that serve in the modern church.

They were assisting Jesus in the administration of the church.Remember that Judas Iscariot served as the ministry’s treasurer, in charge of overseeing the ministry’s financial affairs, and that the other disciples each had their own responsibilities.Jesus frequently delegated tasks to His followers in order to accomplish His goals.When Jesus need a beast of burden to bring Him to Jerusalem, He dispatched two of His followers to a nearby town in order to procure an ass for Him to ride on.The absence of disciples would have necessitated Jesus’ personally transporting the ass and the colt when He need a seat on an ass to cross the River Jordan to reach Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19).

Before Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the multitude with five loaves of bread and two fish, His disciples divided the vast crowd of over 5000 people into groups of fifty and instructed them to sit in those groups.After then, Jesus prayed over the loaves and fishes and distributed them to the crowds of people.Consider the possibility that, had Jesus not had a disciple, He would have been driven to do all of this by himself.(Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15) Once upon a time, Jesus traveled to Capernaum, where the tax collectors requested and were required to pay the temple tax.

Upon hearing this, Jesus instructed Peter to go to the sea and put a hook into the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, there will be a shekel within.Take something and give it to them on my behalf as well as on your behalf.″ Peter followed suit and did the same thing.Jesus would have had to do this by himself if it hadn’t been for the fact that He had disciples (Matthew 17:24-27).When Jesus was caught, beaten, tried, and was on his way to be executed, he still need the assistance of his followers because He was exhausted and weak and could not bear the weight of the cross on his own.If it had not been for the fact that His followers fled the scene of His arrest and were unable to locate Him, they would have been forced to carry His cross to the cross of Calvary.

In their absence, a man named Simon of Cyrene was enlisted to take Jesus’ crucifixion to the site of his death on the cross.According to the Bible (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26), Even after Jesus’ death, He was buried by His disciples rather than by members of His family.An individual known as Joseph of Arimathea, who is described in the Bible as a follower of Jesus, along with Nicodemus, laid to rest Jesus.

(See also John 19:38-42) Despite this, even after Jesus had died and been buried in a sepulcher, His followers did not submit readily.In the event that Jesus did not rise from the dead, the women among the disciples expressed a desire to go and embalm His body since they were still devoted and useful to Him even after He had died and been buried (Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1; Matthew 28:1).And, following Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the disciples were tasked with traveling across the globe to teach the people of Jesus’ message in order to win them (Matthew 28:18-20).As a result, you can see that Jesus need disciples at every stage of His career.Since the beginning of His life and ministry, He has recognized the critical role that His disciples would play in His life and ministry, and as a result, He has invested significant time in teaching, preparing, and equipping them for the task ahead.

Jesus needed disciples to grow His ministry

The Bible records that Jesus summoned His twelve disciples, empowered them, and dispatched them one by one to preach, cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons (Matthew 10:5-14; Mark 6:7-13).
Later on, He appointed seventy disciples and dispatched them two by two into every town and area where He was scheduled to travel, instructing them on how to preach, heal the sick, and perform other miracles.
(12:1-23) (Luke 10:1-23) In order to broaden his range of influence, Jesus made use of His followers.

Jesus’ ministry, which included healing the sick, raising the dead, preaching redemption, performing miracles, driving out demons, and other activities, had a profound influence on the people and was much valued by them.Jesus dispatched them in pairs, all at the same time.Furthermore, the disciples traveled from place to place, preaching and healing people, casting out devils, and so on.

To summarize: They increased the size of Jesus’ ministry by expanding the sphere of influence, or by expanding the catchment area of Jesus’ ministry.They extended Jesus’ ministry to thousands of people and made many people in many regions benefit from Jesus’ mission on a large scale.Because of the relatively high number of disciples who traveled from place to place to perform what Jesus would have done, Jesus’ ministry had a great influence on the lives of the people during the brief three and a half years that it was in existence.Jesus could not have accomplished so much on His own; nevertheless, with the assistance of His followers, He accomplished considerably more than He could have done on his own — he traveled to many locations and had a significant influence on many people in just three and a half years.

Jesus needed disciples to continue from where He left off

Christianity is now found all over the world, from as far east as Japan to as far west as the United States, from as far north as Iceland to as far south as Chile.
It may be found in every continent except Antarctica.
Remember, it all started in the city of Jerusalem, which is a pretty little area in the grand scheme of things when compared to the rest of the globe.

After giving birth to Christianity, the religion’s founder, Jesus Christ, went into heaven not long after his death and resurrection.However, Christianity has progressed to this point as a result of the dedication of some of Jesus’ followers, who were also known as disciples.The apostles were discovered healing people, raising the dead, preaching salvation, and doing other miracles, similar to what Jesus Christ performed while on earth.

Furthermore, numerous miracles and marvels were performed among the people via the hands of the apostles.And they were all in agreement at Solomon’s Porch at the time.And Christians were continually being added to the Lord’s flock, in large numbers of both men and women (Acts 5:12-14) And they continued to spread the good news even in the face of challenges, tough times, persecution, suffering, and death, among other things.And now, the efforts of the early disciples, as well as those of succeeding disciples, have paid off, with Christianity now holding the number one position in the world of religion.Despite the absence of its creator, Christianity has flourished and achieved great success.

It was for this reason that Jesus need disciples.The disciples that Jesus called were responsible for continuing His ministry after He was no longer on this world.Without the presence of Jesus’ followers, the ministry of teaching salvation, healing, and resurrecting the dead would have come to an end following His ascension into heaven.They were there to go on from where he left off.

For the sake of the continuation of His mission, Jesus Christ need the assistance of disciples.Therefore, after Jesus had completed His mission on earth and His time had come to depart, He instructed His disciples to carry on His work, saying: ″Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.″ (Matthew 28:19-20) In addition to Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV), check Acts 1:8 and Mark 16:15.″And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV).″

Conclusion

Every step along the way, Jesus need disciples. Just as in today’s church, the pastor cannot accomplish everything on his or her own. He need the assistance of coworkers like as deacons, deaconesses, elders, ushers, and others in order to effectively govern the church. In a similar spirit, Jesus required followers to assist Him in carrying out His ministry.

Why Did Jesus Choose 12 Disciples?

If a person is conversant with the reality that the New Testament is couched inside a deeply implanted Old Testament consciousness, then the importance of the number 12 will be immediately apparent.
The preaching of John the Baptist was ferocious, proclaiming that the Kingdom of God was ″close.″ However, with the arrival of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, behold, the Kingdom of God has ″come into being.″ When Jesus Christ came to earth, he not only ushered in the Kingdom of God, but he also viewed himself as the one who would bring in God’s rule via his ministry of Gospel proclamation, healing, and exorcisms.
When Jesus shared his vision of the kingdom of God with his disciples, he picked 12 of them to be a member of his inner circle of followers.

The honor of sitting at the feet of the Messiah and participating in the expansion of God’s Kingdom on earth was extended to these 12 followers by the Messiah.While we know from the Bible that Jesus had many more disciples than the twelve he chose to be in his inner circle, we don’t know why he chose those twelve to be in his inner circle.Why did he chose the 12 people who would become his apostles?

At the time of Jesus’ arrival, Israel had fallen under the control of the Roman Empire.During the decades leading up to the arrival of Christ, Israel was living in a state of expectancy around the coming of the Messiah.According to historical records, Israel regarded the centuries preceding Christ (the intertestamental era) as a period of quiet, in the sense that God had not sent a prophet to provide fresh and/or extended revelation.It was for this reason that the arrival of John the Baptist shook Israel, resulting in throngs of people pouring into the desert to hear him preach and be baptized.The state of Israel, as well as its leadership, was, on the other hand, far from perfect.

A great deal of corruption had taken root, and the time had come for the Messiah to come and check his own vineyard.However, in addition to delivering judgment, Jesus also carried with him the gospel message of reconciliation; the message that through his person, humans might be reconciled to God.Jesus exemplified the ideal of what it meant to be a devout Jew in every aspect of his life.By being sinless in his role as God’s own Son, Jesus displayed entire reliance on the Father as well as an unequaled moral life in that he did not commit any sin; therefore establishing that he was the ideal lamb who was capable of bearing the sins of all mankind.

Jesus picked his 12 followers to go along with his ideal life (which was manifested in his fidelity to the Father).This group of followers, despite their sinfulness and imperfections, was also supposed to represent a certain ″Ideal.″ ″The significance of the group is unquestionably tied to the ideal constitution of Israel as including twelve tribes and the Jewish expectations for the return of all twelve tribes in the messianic period,″ says renowned historian Richard Bauckham.2 I believe this is an appropriate interpretation of the symbolism underlying Jesus’ selection of the 12.12 disciples represent the 12 tribes of Israel, according to my understanding.Using the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, these newly constituted 12 tribes (disciples) will usher in a new era of knowledge of God and of His Son, the Messiah.

As a result, it was critical for the 12 to spend as much time with Jesus as possible, learning from him as he prepared them to subsequently spread his message throughout Israel and to the farthest reaches of the planet.Following in the footsteps of the apostles, we, as believers/apologists/evangelists, are required to carry on this monumental job of bringing the Gospel to the entire globe through proclamation.First and first, the term ″ideal″ should not be construed to imply that Jesus’ life was simple and free of difficulties, pain, and tragedy.

The term ″ideal″ refers to the fact that he himself lived the ″ideal″ life in the sense of providing the perfect example to us sinners of how one should conduct oneself before the Lord.P.94.2.Bauckham, Richard, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitnesses (William B.

Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006).

Why Jesus Had Only 12 Disciples

Rev. Margaret Minnicks is a Bible teacher who has been ordained. She writes about a variety of issues, including spirituality, among others.

Why Did Jesus Have So Few Disciples?

Jesus might have had hundreds of followers, but He only had a few—12, to be exact—and they were all faithful.
However, it turns out that there are several significant reasons why Jesus picked just a small number of followers to follow and be instructed by Him.
Jesus picked 12 disciples to accompany him as he traveled across the world preaching and teaching, healing people, and casting out demons, according to all four gospels of the New Testament.

The purpose of allowing them to witness Him in action was for them to be able to learn from Him and then go out and do the same thing themselves (Mark 3:14–15).In 1 Corinthians 15:5, Paul also made reference to the 12 disciples.However, why did Jesus have such a small number of disciples when he could have had hundreds or even thousands of followers?

The reasons for this include a number of very crucial ones.

Why 12 Disciples?

He was humble: Jesus understood that He did not require an army to assist Him in accomplishing great things and extending His mission. He was unassuming. He desired to usher in the Kingdom of God, and he just need a few of individuals to assist him in this endeavor. This chose disciples who would model their lives after His
this selected disciples
It is said that there were 12 tribes of Israel according to the Old Testament (also known as the Hebrew Bible) in ancient times. When Jesus picked 12 followers to symbolise a new covenant between God and His offspring, He was following in the footsteps of the number 12.

Biblical Significance of the Number 12

In the Bible, the number 12 has a major significance. It was crucial for Jesus that he chose 12 apostles rather than another number other than twelve. Luke 22:29–30 says that the apostles represented God’s new covenant in the same way as the 12 tribes of Israel represented God’s old covenant. The number 12 is frequently used to denote a full divine order or organizational structure. The number 12 appears in the Bible on a number of occasions, as seen below. In the temple, Jesus was 12 years old when he was left behind by his parents. In Luke 2:42–52, he is described as being among the religious leaders when he was discovered.
Jarius’ 12-year-old daughter was brought back to life by Jesus (Mark 5:42).
In Matthew 14:19–20, the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes resulted in the provision of 12 baskets of food (John 6:13)
Jacob had 12 sons, each of whom became the father of one of the twelve tribes of Israel
Jacob had a total of 12 sons.
According to Revelation 12:12, the names of the twelve disciples will be inscribed on the foundations of the twelve walls of the New Jerusalem.
The heavenly gates are guarded by 12 angels, according to Revelation 12:12.

Who Were the 12 Disciples?

Now that we understand why Jesus picked twelve disciples, we must ask ourselves: who were they?
They were a motley bunch of common, illiterate individuals with short fused tempers who were ready to anger.
They were having a disagreement between themselves.

When Jesus was killed on the cross, they all fled in terror (Matthew 26:56).The sort of guys who were picked by religious leaders in the past were probably not the type of men who would be chosen now.When Jesus said, ″Come, follow me,″ the vast majority of them were hardworking fisherman.

For the simple reason that it was a clarion cry, the fishermen immediately dropped their nets and followed Jesus without hesitation, resistance, or even second thoughts about their decision.It is recorded in Mark 3:16–19, Matthew 10:2–4, Luke 6:14–16, and Acts 1:13 that the names were picked, but the lists are not synced to reflect the sequence in which they were chosen.Despite the fact that Peter is named first in all of the gospels, he was not the first one summoned.Peter’s brother Andrew was the one who was summoned first, and it was he who escorted Peter to the feet of Jesus.Peter is placed first because he was the most outspoken and the most adventurous of the group.

All of Jesus’ followers are listed in alphabetical order in the table below.

Jesus’s 12 Apostles


Apostle	Description	Method of Death
Andrew	Brought his brother, Peter, to Jesus.	Crucified on X-shaped cross
Bartholomew or Nathanael	Introduced to Jesus by Philip.	Flayed alive with knives
James the Elder	Son of Zebedee and Salome.	First disciple martyred
James the Lesser	Younger James. A man of strong and fiery character.	Sawed in pieces
John	Described as Jesus’s beloved disciple. At the cross Jesus turned his mother over to John.	Died of natural causes on Isle of Patmos
Judas	Betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.	Hanged himself
Matthew, also called Levi	Tax collected who was despised.	Matryred
Peter	Always with Jesus. Tried to walk on water.	Crucified upside down
Philip	Followed Jesus after hearing just two words: ″Follow me.″	Died by hanging
Simon the Zealot	A fisherman who became a fisher of men.	Martyred
Thaddeus	Skeptical of Jesus at first. Asked: ″Can anything good come out of Nazareth?″	Killed with arrows
Thomas	Doubted Jesus and was told to place his hand in Jesus’s piercings.	Killed with a spear

Chosen for a Special Mission

Even though Jesus had a large number of disciples or followers, he picked just 12 of them to be his disciples—his closest students who would go on to serve as his representatives on earth.
There were, however, a large number of people who were close to Jesus as well.
According to Luke 10:1–20, there were 72 missionaries who spoke and healed on his behalf, and a group of women who went with Him (8:1–3), to name a few examples.

Mary Magdalene was one of the ladies that lived during this time period.His students were the twelve disciples, who were collectively referred to as the Twelve.After Jesus’ ascension, He entrusted His teachings to his apostles, and He instructed them to pass them on in order to make disciples of all peoples and countries (Matthew 28:19).

A group of twelve people served as the foundation upon which Jesus built His church (16:18).Some of the Twelve went on to contribute to the writing of the New Testament in various ways.For example, Matthew penned a book called the Gospel of Matthew.Besides the gospel, John also penned the epistles of First, Second and Third John as well as the eschatological book of Revelation, which are all written in the Greek language.The epistles of First and Second Peter were written by Peter.

Building the Church One Person at a Time

Because He was not concerned with numbers, Jesus realized that it was better to train a small group of men successfully rather than concentrate on the multitudes.
He was more concerned with saving individuals one by one than with saving the entire world.
Jesus would most likely not be regarded one of the most effective evangelists in today’s world.

His congregation’s size and financial resources would fall well short of the present megachurches.However, He was successful in his mission.Having trained the Twelve, he then sent them out to instruct other people.

It is because of this well laid basis that His church has grown to have such a significant influence in the world.

Sources and Further Reading

The Apostles vs. the Disciples – A Biblical Adventure What exactly is the distinction between a disciple and an apostle?

Margaret Minnicks (author) sent the following message on May 02, 2020, from Richmond, VA: Doneta, you are completely correct.
I agree with you.
The fact that Jesus had other disciples does not negate the fact that He picked 12 men to be His closest followers; Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus after His resurrection.

When each of the six Marys is named in the Bible, a description is provided to help readers identify between them.For example, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and Mary of Bethany are both female saints.Doneta Wrate, a resident of Michigan, wrote on May 02, 2020: There were also the 70 disciples who were sent forth by Jesus to carry out his ministry.

LuKe10.They were not as close to Jesus as the seventy were, but it appears that they did receive some training in Luke 10.According to Mark 15:40 and 41, there were also women accompanying them, taking care of their food requirements and performing errands.Don’t make things any worse than it already is.Any undesirable behavior on the part of the ladies would have brought Jesus’ reputation into disrepute in the eyes of those who adhered to stringent Jewish customs and traditions.

Mary was the first person to see Jesus after his resurrection and was the one who informed the disciples of his resurrection.Mark 15:9, Luke 24:1-9, and Matthew 28:1-10 are examples of biblical passages.Barbara Bright on the 10th of December, 2019: I have gained so much knowledge that I intend to continue reading and studying.God’s blessings on you.

Posted on November 9, 2019 by Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, Virginia: Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on my post, Reformed Eve.I notice that you are a new member of HubPages.Thank you for following me as well.I’ve answered by following you as well, as you’ve done.Please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you.

Reformed Eve from the United States of America on November 09, 2019: This is an excellent essay.The tables and texts are beautiful.You’ve put in a lot of effort into it!

Wishing you a good day!Carol Essed, a visitor from Suriname, posted the following on July 25, 2019: Thank you so much for your assistance.On July 24, 2019, Margaret Minnicks (author) sent the following message: Thank you for your kind words, Carol, and welcome to HubPages.Carol Essed, a visitor from Suriname, posted the following on July 24, 2019: Very intriguing, particularly the manner in which they died.That is the true Christian way of life!

This is not the gospel of wealth and success as others preach.
On March 23, 2018, the following message was received from Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA: Doris, Thank you for providing me with this information to go along with my essay regarding Jesus having just 12 apostles.
Despite the fact that I have articles on all of the numbers in the Bible, I wanted this one to be focused only on this particular subject.
When I lecture about the number 12, I often use the example of a jury consisting of 12 people.

When they ask why there are 12 eggs in a carton, I humorously respond, ″That’s why.″ Doris On March 23, 2018, James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South posted the following: Margaret, thank you for providing such a thorough explanation and for writing such an excellent essay.There is one more explanation for the number 12, and that is that the number 12 is considered to be a sacred number in the eyes of God.Even our predecessors recognized this and established the number system in the United States of America on the number 12, whereas the European number system is based on the number 10.144 divided by 12 is one, and as you indicated, the square root of 144 equals the number twelve.In my memory, there was a push a few years ago to shift the American system of numbers to base 10 in order to be more in line with the European system.It didn’t get very far at all, unfortunately.

I think God still favors the number twelve.You were writing about the 12 apostles, and I recognize that you were referring to them, but I just thought I’d mention it as one of the reasons there were 12.Seven is another number that is considered sacred by God.(There are seven days in the week of creation, as well as numerous more sacred 7s that I will not go into.) On March 10, 2018, the following message was received from Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA: Great!

Tony, I enjoy seeing different numbers throughout the Bible and how they often have symbolic implications in addition to literal meanings, as you have demonstrated.The number 12 has been brought to my attention, and I appreciate it.On March 10, 2018, Tony Muse, a resident of Texas, United States, wrote: Because of the way certain translators transform the numerals, this is another ″12″ that is occasionally ignored.16 And the city is square, and the length of it is as great as the breadth; and he measured the city with a reed, and the length, the breadth, and the height of it are all equal; 17 And he measured its wall, and it was a hundred forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of the messenger; Of course, 144 is the square root of 12.Then there are the 12,000 people from each tribe who are listed in Revelation 7.God’s blessings on you!

On March 10, 2018, the following message was received from Margaret Minnicks (author) from Richmond, VA: Dora, thank you for taking the time to read and comment on the post about Jesus and His twelve disciples.
Bible Trivia is available at any time of day or night.
CaribTales published the following on March 09, 2018: Thank you for providing these more data about the disciples.
Without diminishing the spiritual relevance of these facts, I must say that they bring back fond memories of the days when we used to play Bible Trivia with our friends.

charlie from the uk On March 8, 2018, the following message was received from the Kingdom of God, which is located between the oceans: While the principles outlined in the post are sound, I feel that we must (since Scripture mandates it) utilize whole and accurate scripture when teaching, otherwise we will be doing a disservice to our Lord by misrepresenting him and his work.
It is critical that followers realize that the signs that follow are a prerequisite since they are proof of the power of the text.
There were no symptoms, and Chrust had not anointed them.

The original 12 Apostles were the first, but they were not the only ones.ALL disciples are expected to carry out the same tasks.All of these indications are still alive today for individuals who have the Holy Spirit of God and have faith that they will be there for them when they need them.Do they seem to be following you?Mark 16:17-18 (KJV) Moreover, these signs will accompany those who believe: ″In My name, they will drive out demons; they will talk in new tongues;18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything poisonous, it will do them no harm; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.″ 14:12-13 (John 14:12-13) ″Most definitely, I say to you, he who believes in Me will do the works that I do, and much greater works than these, because I am going to My Father.″ ″Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me will do the works that I do.″ 13 And everything you ask in My name, I will accomplish so that the Father’s glory may be revealed through the Son’s sacrifice.

Margaret Minnicks (author) sent the following message on March 8, 2018 from Richmond, VA: We appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us, Charlie, and for giving the texts.It’s possible that you missed the fact that I wrote exactly what you mentioned in my essay.It is located in the section titled ″To Prevent Confusion.″ Certainly, according to the Bible, Jesus had more followers, but the article focused on the 12 whom He instructed to accomplish larger activities following His ascension.Margaret Minnicks (author) sent the following message on March 8, 2018 from Richmond, VA: I appreciate you reading and commenting on my post ″Why Jesus Had Only 12 Disciples,″ Coffeequeeen, and I appreciate your support.It was a pleasure conducting the research and putting together the piece.

Louise Powles, a resident of Norfolk, England, wrote on March 8, 2018, ″ Thank you for sharing this, it was quite fascinating to read.=) charlie from the uk On March 8, 2018, the following message was received from the Kingdom of God, which is located between the oceans: Jesus had a total of 12 individuals that he educated to be Apostles in His ministry.There is no way to count the hundreds, if not thousands, of disciples he had.It is impossible to count them all.

Luke 6:17 (KJV) Then He walked down with them and stood on a level location with a large number of His followers and a large crowd of people from all over Judea and Jerusalem, according to Luke 19:37-38.Then, when He was approaching near the foot of the Mount of Olives, the entire crowd of disciples burst into applause and shouted praises to God in unison for all the tremendous wonders they had witnessed, 38 proclaiming:

Why Did Jesus Choose 12 MALE Apostles? – Deidre Havrelock

After Jesus was baptized, he began his quest for 12 disciples who would be particularly precious to him.
Jesus individually chose 12 disciples — all of them were males — to be his closest associates during his earthly ministry.
These are the names of the 12 people that are mentioned in Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:14-19, and Luke 6:13-16, respectively.

Simon (whom they called Peter or ″Rock″), Andrew, his brother, James, Zebedee’s son, John, his brother, Philip (who was called Bartholomew), Thomas (who was called Bartholomew), Matthew (the tax collector), James, son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon, son of Alphaeus’ son, Judas Iscariot (who was called Judas Iscariot) (who later turned on him).–Matthew 10:2–4, Message to be Delivered This group of 12 men (excluding Judas and later included Matthias, according to Acts 1:24-26) were commissioned as apostles after undergoing intense discipleship and following the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:16-2, Mark 16:15).The men were assigned the responsibility of furthering God’s kingdom and spreading the gospel word.

In many Christian circles, the fact that Jesus first picked males and appointed them as apostles is cited as proof that men are the genuine leaders of the church.The Bible, however, contradicts this line of reasoning, stating that God is not selective in his collaboration with men: Afterwards, Peter began speaking to them in the following words: ″I firmly realize that God shows no favoritism, but in any nation, anyone who fears him and performs what is just will be accepted by him.″ In Acts 10:34-35, the Bible says (NRSV) If you truly follow the royal commandment as stated in the text, ″You shall love your neighbor as yourself,″ you will have done well in life.However, if you display partiality, you are guilty of sin and are sentenced to prison by the law as transgressors.—Jas.2:8-9; 3:8-9 (NRSV) God, on the other hand, is a completely unbiased judge.

—Romans 2:11; (NRSV) So why did Jesus exclusively chose men – the sons of Israel — as his disciples?Why didn’t Jesus chose a few daughters of Israel to aid in the advancement of God’s kingdom in those early moments?Is it true that Jesus prefers to collaborate with men?Is it possible that something else is going on?

Is it conceivable that Jesus, via his original selection of the sons of Israel, was revealing something to us about himself and his mission?You should be aware that later on in the book of Rom.16:7, Junia (a historically female name) is most likely referred to as an apostle, and that Mary Magdalene is referred to as ″Apostle to the apostles,″ and that there is even archaeological proof of female bishops in the early church — Bishop Theodora was one of them.By the 3rd century, however, the issue of women’s leadership was being passionately debated, with more and more males questioning the legitimacy of women leading and working alongside them.The majority of people considered leadership (outside the home) to be a ″man’s only″ arena, and as a result, Christian women were excluded from public leadership, required to stand behind the men, their complete freedom in Christ, and the bold Spirit within them — the very one who raised Jesus from the dead — all of which were suppressed because of a mindset that said: ″Women don’t belong in public leadership.″ Over the course of more than two hundred years, Christianity was primarily a religion of the domestic sphere, with worship taking place in the private space of the home rather than the public space of a temple or cathedral.

More concerned with the home life of its community than the political life of the city, it was a splinter group.However, it was around the third century that Christianity began to take on the characteristics of a public religion, which it would eventually become.Because of the growing number of believers as well as the heightened formality and dignity of Christian liturgies, Christian involvement became more and more of a public event.

By the fourth century, Christians had built their own public temples, which were known as basilicas, to worship in.There was a lot of controversy during this time period because of the conflict between societal conventions regarding women’s place with women’s real long-standing responsibilities as house church leaders, prophets, evangelizers, and even bishops.– In When Women Were Priests: Women’s Leadership in the Early Church & the Scandal of their Subordination in the Rise of Christianity, by Karen Jo Torjesen, page 37 is devoted to the topic of female priesthood in the early church and the scandal of their subordination in the rise of Christianity.In the end, however, Christians came to believe that ″men working alongside men″ was the sole God-ordained method to labor and that it was more than adequate to spread the gospel message — women’s place was somewhere else that was better suited to their feminine characteristics.The message became that males are capable of doing the job on their own.

The foregoing reminds me of an inspiring yet tragic book I read many years ago about a well-known early evangelist named St.
Francis and a faithful woman named Clare who wished to join him in his labors: Clare turned her back on the conventional religious life of women in the hope that one day she, too, would be able to go where men and women were starved both in soul and in body and bring light and peace to them.
Surely, a means could be found for even a woman to participate in this monumental undertaking….
However, in the thirteenth century, there was no actual opportunity for that type of labor to be found.

It would be impossible to accuse Francis of lacking inventiveness or daring, but the prospect of accepting a woman into a community of men or of establishing an order of women preachers was too much for him.There was only one thing that could be done: Clare would have to be placed at one of the nearby Benedictine nunneries until arrangements could be made for her to establish her own convent….And it was there that she remained until her death in 1253, having at that time spent more than forty years without ever leaving the monastery enclosure.— St.Francis of Assisi by John R.H.Moorman, pg.

The Sin of Noah

The tale of Noah, and notably Noah’s sin, may provide the key to understanding why Jesus first picked 12 men as his disciples.
Noa’s transgression derives from the fact that God instructed him to enter and depart the ark in an extremely precise sequence.
In the first place, Noah was instructed to join the ark in the ″fallen″ order, which meant that he was to enter first, followed by his sons and their spouses, and then his wife and her sons’ wives.

However, as Noah and his family were about to leave the ark, God changed the rules: ″Then God said to Noah, ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and their spouses with you.’″ (Genesis 8:16) As a result, Noah went out with his sons, his wife, and the spouses of his sons.—Genesis 8:18; (NRSV) Unfortunately, Noah did not leave the house with his wife in tow.Noah, on the other hand, stepped out with his sons.

Imagine the ark with all of the creatures heading for the new planet that has been cleaned by water — two by two — with male and female joining forces.Bears come in both male and female forms, while monkeys come in both male and female forms.Noah and his family are the only ones who appear to be in a different light.They don’t come out in pairs, male and female, as God had instructed them to.They emerge from the ark in a two-by-two formation, with males joining forces with males and females joining forces with females.

Noah and his family emerged from the waters of baptism completely unscathed.They came out in the same condition as they entered.

Baptism = Restoration

In the account of Noah — especially, in Noah’s sin — we can find the reason to why Jesus first picked 12 men as his disciples.
Because God directed Noah to enter and depart the ark in a certain order, Noah’s guilt may be traced back to this.
In the first place, Noah was instructed to join the ark in the ″fallen″ order, which meant that he was to enter first, followed by his sons and their spouses, and finally his wife and her sons’ wives.

However, as Noah and his family were about to leave the ark, God changed the rules: ″Then God said to Noah, ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and their spouses with you,’″ God said.Genealogically, this is stated in Genesis 8:16.So Noah and his sons, as well as his wife and the spouses of his sons, went out to dinner.

In Gen.8:18, the Bible says (NRSV) To his dismay, Noah did not leave with his wife in tow.As a substitute, Noah and his sons stepped out the door.Consider the ark, with all of the creatures fleeing for the new world that has been cleaned by water — two by two — male and female linked in their departure from the old world.Both male and female bears, as well as male and female monkeys, were observed.

Noah and his family are the only ones that stand out as being different.As God directed, they do not emerge in pairs of two, male and female, as they did previously.It is two by two that they emerge from the ark, with males grouped together and females grouped together.Noah and his family walked out from the waters of baptism with nothing but their clothes on their back.

That is, they came out exactly the same way they had in.

During the time of Noah, God devised a massive plan to bring about a worldwide restoration of order.
God would rescue mankind and restore the earth with righteousness through the waters of ″baptism,″ restoring everything that had been lost as a result of the assault of sin — and this included repairing the connection between men and women.
However, unfortunately, things went wrong (as they often do) as a result of sin.

If you truly follow the royal commandment as stated in the text, ″You shall love your neighbor as yourself,″ you will have done well in life.However, if you display partiality, you are guilty of sin and are sentenced to prison by the law as transgressors.—Jas.

2:8-9; 3:8-9 (NRSV) Because Noah decided to stand with his sons rather than his wife, there was no complete restoration for Noah or those who came after him.Noah made the decision to escape the waters of baptism in a two-by-two formation, with two men on each side.After Noah made his decision — and from that point on — the order of the new world was established, and God truly blessed ″fathers and sons″ rather than ″fathers and sons,″ as had been the case with the blessing originally given to Adam and Eve.The father and sons, on the other hand, acquired something that would involve ″fear and terror″…dominance

Noah and Sons’ Blessing: Domination

When Noah and his sons were blessed, God told them to be prolific and multiply so that they may fill the earth. Everything on the land, every bird in the sky, everything that moves on the ground, and every fish in the water will be terrified and frightened of you; they will be given into your possession.″ —Genesis 9:1–2, italics added (NRSV)

Adam and Eve’s Blessing: Dominion

In response, God responded, ″Be fruitful and multiply, fill the land with your descendants, and dominate it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the face of the ground.″ —Genesis 1:28 (NRSV)

The Flood of Noah Reveals the Heart of Humankind — Partiality — But Jesus Reveals the Heart of God — Release the Workers Male and Female!

If Noah and the deluge represent an earthly picture of real baptism, we should question ourselves: See we witness the same example of males working together throughout the New Testament as we do in the Old Testament?
After all, it is in the New Testament that the spiritual truth of baptism is revealed for the first and ultimate time.
Imagine Jesus, who is the image of the invisible parent (Col.

1:15), the one who said, ″Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.″ He is the one who said, ″Whoever has seen me has seen the Father″ (Jn.14:9).Now envision Jesus emerging from the waters of baptism and proceeding to pick his close twelve apostles — the sons of Israel — from among those who have come to follow him.

After educating them and anointing them with power, Jesus then sends them out into the fields to labor for the rest of the day.Take note of how Jesus dispatches them: He summoned the twelve and began dispatching them one by one, granting them control over the unclean spirits in the process.—Mk 6:7; italics and underlining mine.Following these events, the Lord appointed seventy others as well, and He dispatched them two by two into every city and area where He Himself was scheduled to travel.When He finished speaking, He told them, ″The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few; therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest.″ —Lk 10:1-2, NKJV; bold and italics mine; emphasis added.

(It is probable that women were among those who participated in the 70.) However, the majority of ancient lists are dominated by men.)

Only Half the Work Force Was Initially Released Due to Noah’s Sin

If Noah and the deluge represent an earthly picture of real baptism, we should question ourselves: Do we witness the same example of males working together throughout the New Testament as we saw in the Old Testament?
Because it is in the New Testament that the spiritual truth of baptism is first realized, it is important to note that Imagine Jesus as the image of the invisible parent (Col.
1:15), the one who declared, ″Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.″ He is the one who said, ″Whoever has seen me has seen the Father″ (Jn.

14:9).Now envision Jesus emerging from the waters of baptism and proceeding to pick his close twelve apostles — the sons of Israel — from among those who have come to him for guidance.After educating them and anointing them with power, Jesus then sends them out into the fields to labor for the rest of his days.

Take note of how Jesus dispatches them: He summoned the twelve and began dispatching them one by one, granting them control over the unclean spirits in his presence.In the book of Mark, verse 7 is in bold.As a result of these events, the Lord appointed seventy others as well, and He dispatched them two by two into every city and area where He Himself was scheduled to travel.It was then that He told them: ″Truly, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few; therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest.″ —Lk 10:1-2, NKJV; bold and italics mine.The 70 might have included women, it is feasible.) On the other hand, males predominated in most ancient lists).

Commissioning of the Twelve Apostles – Wikipedia

Commissioning of the Twelve Apostles is a historical event in Jesus’ career recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 10, Mark 3, and Luke 6), with Matthew 10:1–4, Mark 3:13–19, and Luke 6:12–16 being the most prominent. It tells the story of Jesus’ original choosing of the Twelve Apostles from among his disciples.

Biblical accounts

According to the Gospel of Luke, on one of those days, Jesus went out to a hillside to pray, where he stayed the night praying to his Father in heaven.
At sunrise, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them to be apostles: Simon (who he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was known as the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who later turned traitor to the Roman government.
As recorded in Matthew, Jesus gathered his twelve disciples to him and granted them the ability to drive out unclean spirits and heal any illness and affliction that they encountered.

The names of the twelve apostles are as follows: first, Simon (also known as Peter) and his brother Andrew; second, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; third, Philip and Bartholomew; fourth, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; fifth, James son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus; sixth, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him; and finally, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betra As recorded in Mark, Jesus ascended a hillside and called out to those whom he desired, and they came running to meet him.He chose twelve people so that they could be with him and so that he could send them out to preach and have authority to drive devils out of people.These are the twelve men he chose: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, which means ″sons of thunder″), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him: these are the twelve men he chose: Simon (to whom This incident occurs just before the miracle of the man with a withered hand, which is recorded in the Gospel according to Matthew.

It appears immediately after the miracle in both the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke, according to the Bible.It is important to note that this commissioning of the apostles occurs prior to Jesus’ execution, whereas the Great Commission recorded in Matthew 28:16–20 occurs after his death and resurrection.