my disciples are constellations chapter 1 - Chapters
Who were the 12 disciples and what do we know about the life and death? Let's take a look at the apostles of Jesus and what we know about them. The names of the twelve disciples of Jesus are Simon Peter, Andrew, James (the son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot.
Understanding the Context
In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. The term "disciples" in the New Testament primarily refers to the followers of Jesus Christ, particularly the twelve men whom He chose to be His closest companions and primary students. After His resurrection and ascension, Jesus sent the disciples out to be His witnesses (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). They were then referred to as the twelve apostles.
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Key Insights
However, even when Jesus was still on earth, the terms disciples and apostles were used somewhat interchangeably. Jesus Christ selected 12 apostles from among his early followers to become his closest companions, and each of these disciples had unique characteristics that would benefit the Lord's mission. Jesus chose ordinary people, trained them, and sent them out to make more disciples—modeling a pattern still used today in disciple-making movements. Below you’ll find the 12 disciples in order of calling, along with notes, Bible references, and short biographies for each apostle. Learn about the 12 disciples of Jesus, their lives, key Bible verses, and watch their story unfold in The Chosen series.