Sarah Mitchell
The number of apostles in the Catholic Church is a subject of debate. While the traditional view is that there were twelve apostles, including Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon (the Zealot), and Judas Iscariot, there is evidence to suggest that there were more. For instance, Mark, Luke, and Paul are also considered apostles, and the Bible mentions 22 people by name as apostles. Furthermore, a passage in the Book of Luke implies that there may have been as many as seventy apostles during Christ's ministry. The term apostle refers to those who are sent on a mission by Jesus Christ, and it is believed that today's bishops are the successors of the original apostles, with an unbroken line of succession through the laying of hands.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Apostles | 12 or more |
| Names of the 12 Apostles | Simon (Peter), Andrew (Simon/Peter's brother), James (The Greater), John (James' brother), Phillip, Bartholomew (Nathaniel), Thomas (Didymus), Matthew (Levi), James (son of Alphaeus, the Lesser), Thaddaeus sometimes called Judas, but not Iscariot, and sometimes called "son of James", Simon (The Canaanite, or Zealot), Judas Iscariot |
| Names of Apostles outside the 12 | Mark, Luke, Paul, Matthias, Thaddeus, Silas |
| Apostles who were martyred | St. Thomas, St. Andrew, St. Bartholomew, St. Philip, St. Matthew, St. Simon (the Zealot), St. James (the Greater), St. James (the Lesser) |
| Apostles whose resting places have been discovered | Peter, Paul, John, Philip |
| Apostles believed to have died of natural causes | John |
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What You'll Learn
There were more than 12 apostles
While the Twelve Apostles are widely recognised as the primary disciples of Jesus, there were, in fact, more than twelve apostles. The New Testament treats both Matthias and Paul as valid apostles, in addition to the Twelve.
The Twelve Apostles were personally chosen by Christ himself and were his closest disciples. They were: Simon (Peter), Andrew (Simon/Peter's brother), James (The Greater), John (James' brother), Phillip, Bartholomew (Nathaniel), Thomas (Didymus), Matthew (Levi), James (son of Alphaeus, the Lesser), Thaddaeus (sometimes called Judas, but not Iscariot, and sometimes called "son of James"), Simon (The Canaanite, or Zealot), and Judas Iscariot.
Matthias replaced Judas Iscariot, bringing the total number of apostles to thirteen. Matthias was chosen by lot, witnessed by a group of about 120 people, to succeed Judas Iscariot after his betrayal of Jesus and his subsequent death (Matt. 27:1-5).
Paul, although not one of the original twelve, described himself as an apostle, saying he was called by the resurrected Jesus himself during his road to Damascus event. Peter made it clear that a requirement for being one of the Twelve was to have accompanied Jesus during his ministry, from the baptism of John until his death and resurrection. Paul was therefore a valid apostle but not one of "the Twelve".
There were also other apostles beyond the Twelve and Matthias and Paul. Mark, Luke, and Silas, for example, were also apostles. A passage in the Book of Luke suggests there were as many as seventy apostles during Christ's earthly ministry.
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The original 12 apostles were chosen by Jesus
The Twelve Apostles are as follows:
- Simon (Peter)
- Andrew (Simon/Peter's brother)
- James (The Greater, son of Zebedee)
- John (James' brother)
- Phillip
- Bartholomew (Nathaniel)
- Thomas (Didymus)
- Matthew (Levi)
- James (son of Alphaeus, the Lesser)
- Thaddaeus (sometimes called Judas, but not Iscariot, and sometimes called "son of James")
- Simon (The Canaanite, or Zealot)
- Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot died by suicide after betraying Jesus, and was replaced by Matthias, bringing the total number of apostles to thirteen. However, it is important to note that some sources, particularly in the Protestant community, argue that Paul was Judas' true replacement, maintaining the total number of apostles at twelve.
The apostles played a significant role in the early Christian Church, with Peter, John, and James, the brother of Jesus, forming the triumvirate known as the Three Pillars of the Church. They were also witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and played a crucial role in spreading his teachings to all nations.
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The apostles were Jesus' closest followers
- Simon (Peter)
- Andrew (Simon/Peter's brother)
- James (The Greater, son of Zebedee)
- John (James' brother)
- Phillip
- Bartholomew (Nathaniel)
- Thomas (Didymus)
- Matthew (Levi)
- James (son of Alphaeus, the Lesser)
- Thaddaeus (sometimes called Judas, but not Iscariot, and sometimes called "son of James")
- Simon (The Canaanite, or Zealot)
- Judas Iscariot
After Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus and subsequent death, he was replaced by Matthias, bringing the total number of apostles to thirteen. However, it is important to note that there were other apostles beyond the original twelve. For example, Paul, Mark, and Luke are also considered apostles, bringing the total number of apostles mentioned by name in the Bible to 22. Additionally, there is an Eastern Christian tradition derived from the Gospel of Luke that suggests there were seventy apostles during Christ's earthly ministry.
The apostles played a significant role in the early Christian community. For instance, Peter delivered the first sermon at Pentecost, resulting in the conversion of about 3,000 people. He also advocated for the inclusion of Gentiles in the young church, helping to open the faith to the world. John and Peter are also established as leaders of the growing faith community in Jerusalem. They miraculously healed a handicapped man at the temple gate and boldly testified before the Jewish Sanhedrin when they were arrested for preaching about Jesus' resurrection.
The apostles were also witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. They saw him, spoke with him, and ate and drank with him. They were sent out by Jesus from Galilee and Judah to teach all nations. Many of the apostles, such as St. Thomas, St. Andrew, St. Bartholomew, St. Philip, St. Matthew, and St. Simon, are believed to have been martyred for their faith.
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The apostles were sent on a mission to spread Jesus' teachings
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. During the life and ministry of Jesus in the 1st century AD, the apostles were his closest followers and became the primary teachers of the gospel message of Jesus.
The Twelve Apostles were:
- Simon (Peter)
- Andrew (Simon/Peter's brother)
- James (The Greater)
- John (James' brother)
- Phillip
- Bartholomew (Nathaniel)
- Thomas (Didymus)
- Matthew (Levi)
- James (son of Alphaeus, the Lesser)
- Thaddaeus (sometimes called Judas, but not Iscariot, and sometimes called "son of James")
- Simon (The Canaanite, or Zealot)
- Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was replaced by Matthias, bringing the total number of apostles to thirteen. However, Paul, Mark, and Luke were also apostles, bringing the total number to sixteen. A passage in the Book of Luke also suggests there were as many as seventy apostles during Christ's earthly ministry.
The apostles were chosen by Jesus and sent on a mission to spread his teachings. They were given instructions to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, drive out demons, and raise the dead. They were also told to take nothing with them on their journey except a staff and to wear sandals without bringing extra clothing. If they were rejected by a town, they were instructed to shake the dust off their feet as they left.
Jesus commissioned the Twelve Apostles to preach the Gospel and spread his teachings to all nations, regardless of whether they were Jew or Gentile. This event is known as the Great Commission and is a fundamental tenet of Christian theology, emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism. The apostles became the foundation of the Church, dispersing from Jerusalem and founding apostolic sees in places like Corinth, Philippi, Ephesus, and Rome.
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The apostles were also called disciples
The Greek word for "disciple" simply refers to a learner and is used throughout the New Testament to refer to people who believed in Jesus and followed Him. The word "disciples" means "believers" or "Christians" in this context. The Greek word for "apostle" means "one who is sent" and can refer to an emissary or anyone sent on a mission. An apostle is given the authority of the one who sent him. All of the apostles were disciples—they were among the many believers in Jesus—but only a select group of disciples were chosen as apostles.
The qualifications for being an apostle included having been with Christ during His ministry, having personally witnessed Jesus after His resurrection, and having been empowered by the Holy Spirit to perform miracles or signs. Paul was an exception to part of the qualifications. Although he did not accompany Jesus on His earthly journeys, Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and set him apart as an apostle to the Gentiles. This is why Paul compared his place among the other apostles as "one born at the wrong time".
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. During the life and ministry of Jesus in the 1st century AD, the apostles were his closest followers and became the primary teachers of the gospel message of Jesus. The twelve apostles were Jesus' closest disciples. It was these twelve apostles who reclined at the table with Jesus to eat the Passover while Jesus predicted what was going to happen to him.
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Frequently asked questions
There were 12 apostles during the life and ministry of Jesus, also known as "the Twelve". However, there were more than 12 apostles overall.
The 12 apostles were: Simon (Peter), Andrew, James (The Greater), John, Philip, Bartholomew (Nathaniel), Thomas (Didymus), Matthew (Levi), James (son of Alphaeus, the Lesser), Thaddaeus (sometimes called Judas, but not Iscariot), Simon (The Canaanite, or Zealot), and Judas Iscariot.
Yes, there were. Mark, Luke, Paul, and Matthias are all considered apostles. One passage in the Book of Luke suggests there were as many as seventy apostles during Christ's earthly ministry.
A disciple is a follower of Jesus, whereas an apostle is one who is sent on a mission by Jesus.
