Rachel Evans
The twelve apostles of Jesus were all Jewish. They worshipped in the Jewish temple with Jesus, celebrated the Passover meal and other Jewish feasts, and had Hebrew names. Some apostles had Greek names, but this was not uncommon among Jewish people in the eastern Mediterranean region at the time due to the dominance of Hellenistic culture. The apostles' Jewish identity is significant because it raises questions about the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. While Jesus was a Jew, he came to complete the Jewish religion by creating a Church open to all races, not just ethnic Jews. This led to a distinction between being inwardly (religiously) Jewish and outwardly (ethnically) Jewish, with the former considered more important by Christians.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Apostles | 12 |
| Jesus's Religion | Jewish |
| Apostles' Religion | Jewish |
| Apostles' Worship Place | Jewish Temple |
| Apostles' Names | Peter, Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon (the Zealot), Judas Iscariot |
| Non-Jewish Followers of Jesus | Canaanite woman, Roman centurion |
| Jewish Messiah | Jesus |
| Christian Followers | Inwardly Jewish |
| Non-Christian Jews | Outwardly Jewish |
| Catholic Church | Universal Church |
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What You'll Learn
Jesus and his twelve apostles were Jewish
Firstly, the names of Jesus' apostles have Hebrew origins, with the exception of Andrew (Greek name, but Peter's brother), Philip (Greek name, but from the same city as Peter and Andrew), and the possible exception of Thaddeus (Aramaic name, but still identified with an apostle named Jude, which is a Jewish/Hebrew name).
Secondly, the apostles all worshipped in the Jewish temple with Jesus and celebrated the Passover meal and other Jewish feasts with him. It is unlikely that they would have been allowed to worship in the inner courts of the temple if they were not Jewish.
Thirdly, the early Christian church engaged in internal debates over whether Gentiles (non-Jews) should be baptized and allowed to enter the Church. If one of the twelve apostles had been a Gentile, this issue would not have arisen as a controversy.
Finally, Jesus was a Jew, and he came to complete the Jewish religion by creating a Church that would serve as its fulfillment and be open to people of all races, not just ethnic Jews. The apostles, recognizing that Jesus was the Messiah, embraced this new, completed form of Judaism and began to make many Gentile converts to the Christian faith. Thus, one can be a Jew religiously (by accepting Christianity, the completed form of Judaism) without being a Jew ethnically.
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Some apostles had Greek names, but Hellenistic culture dominated the Mediterranean
While Jesus and his twelve apostles were all ethnically Jewish, some of the apostles had Greek names. This was not uncommon among Jewish people in the eastern Mediterranean region at the time, given that Hellenistic culture dominated that part of the world. Hellenistic culture and philosophy spread throughout the Mediterranean and beyond, influencing the art, literature, science, and religion of the time.
The Hellenistic period began after the death of Alexander the Great, when his successors established kingdoms across the Mediterranean and beyond. The city of Emporion, for example, was a dominant trading hub and centre of Hellenistic civilisation in Iberia. Hellenistic art saw a shift towards realism, emotion, and character, with artists depicting people of all ages and social statuses. Pastoral poetry thrived, and Greek literature influenced the development of Latin literature.
Hellenistic science benefited from the cross-fertilisation of Greek ideas with older civilisations, and it was supported by royal patrons in the kingdoms founded by Alexander's successors. The cultural competition among the Hellenistic kingdoms produced seats of learning throughout the Mediterranean, with Alexandria in Egypt being the most important.
The spread of Christianity throughout the Roman world, followed by the spread of Islam, eventually brought an end to the Hellenistic period. However, Hellenistic philosophy continued to influence the three Abrahamic traditions of Jewish, Christian, and early Islamic philosophy, as well as Renaissance thought.
Christianity emerged as a sect of Judaism in Roman Judea during the Hellenistic period. It spread throughout the predominantly Greek-speaking eastern half of the Roman Empire and beyond, including to Aramaic-speaking peoples along the Mediterranean coast and inland parts of the empire. The early Gospel message was likely first proclaimed in Aramaic but was almost immediately also spread in Greek. The Jerusalem church, believed to be founded by the apostles, began at Pentecost with about 120 believers. The apostles and preachers travelled to Jewish communities around the Mediterranean Sea, initially limiting their message to a Jewish audience in Galilee and Judea. After Jesus' death, his followers extended their outreach to all of Israel and eventually the whole Jewish diaspora.
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Apostles worshipped in the Jewish temple and celebrated Jewish feasts
The apostles are believed to have worshipped in the Jewish temple with Jesus. They are presumed to have worshipped in the inner courts of the temple, where Gentiles were not allowed, and celebrated the Passover meal and other Jewish feasts with him. This is supported by the Acts of the Apostles, which mentions that the early believers visited the temple and met in each other's homes. This suggests that the apostles, as the early church fathers, were Jewish and worshipped in the Jewish temple.
The apostles' worship in the Jewish temple and celebration of Jewish feasts is further evidenced by the debate among the first Christians regarding the inclusion of Gentiles (non-Jews) in the Church. The controversy surrounding the baptism and acceptance of Gentiles into the Church indicates that the apostles, whom Jesus chose, were likely all Jewish.
Additionally, the apostles are recorded to have celebrated specific Jewish feasts, such as the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot. This feast is mentioned in the New Testament as being kept by Jesus and his apostles. The Apostle Paul is also specifically noted for celebrating the Day of Atonement during a storm on a ship.
While the observance of Jewish feasts is not mandatory for Christians today, some choose to celebrate these days with Christ as the centre of their observance. These celebrations can lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of Christ's death and resurrection, as well as the prophetic significance associated with each feast.
In conclusion, the apostles worshipped in the Jewish temple and celebrated Jewish feasts with Jesus. This, along with other evidence, supports the assumption that the apostles were Jewish.
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Some of Jesus' followers were not Jewish
While there is reason to believe that all of the twelve apostles were Jewish, Jesus did have other followers who were not Jewish. For instance, the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21–28) and the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5–13) were presumably followers of Jesus who were not Jewish.
The twelve apostles were Peter, Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon (the Zealot), and Judas. Some of the apostles had Greek names, but this was not uncommon among Jewish people in the eastern Mediterranean region at the time due to the dominance of Hellenistic culture. Additionally, all of the apostles worshipped in the Jewish temple with Jesus and celebrated the Passover meal and other Jewish feasts with him.
It is important to distinguish between being Jewish ethnically and being Jewish religiously. While Jesus and the apostles were ethnically Jewish, one could be a follower of Christ and embrace the completed form of Judaism, or Christianity, without being ethnically Jewish. This distinction is highlighted by Paul, who refers to Christians as being inwardly (religiously) Jewish and non-Christian Jews as being outwardly (ethnically) Jewish.
Furthermore, the fact that the early Church debated whether Gentiles should be baptized and allowed into the Church suggests that at least some of Jesus' followers were not Jewish. If one of the twelve apostles had been a Gentile, this controversy would not have arisen.
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The apostles made many Gentile converts to Christianity
The twelve apostles, Jesus Christ's closest followers, were all Jews. They worshipped in the Jewish temple with Jesus and celebrated the Passover meal and other Jewish feasts with him. However, Jesus had other disciples who were not Jewish, such as the Canaanite woman and the Roman centurion.
Jesus came to complete the Jewish religion by creating a Church that would be its fulfillment and be open to people of all races, not just ethnic Jews. This is reflected in Ephesians 3:6, which speaks of how Christ brings together both Gentile and Jew:
> "And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus."
Jesus gave the apostles the mandate to go into the whole world and baptize those they encountered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul, in particular, was commissioned to preach mainly to the Gentiles, as reflected in his statement:
> "This grace was given to me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ."
Paul was well-qualified to be the apostle to the Gentiles. He was well-educated, having received a classical Roman education in Tarsus and training in the Mosaic Law under Gamaliel. He had access to synagogues due to his training as a Pharisee and could also take advantage of his privileges as a Roman citizen to spread the gospel throughout the Roman world.
Cornelius, a Roman centurion, is traditionally held up as the first Gentile convert to Christianity after the resurrection. The baptism of Cornelius is considered an important event in the history of the early Christian church. Through Cornelius, God demonstrated his desire to shatter traditional divisions and bring together people from diverse backgrounds and traditions.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, all twelve apostles were Jewish. This is evidenced by the fact that they all worshipped in the Jewish temple with Jesus and celebrated Jewish feasts with him. Additionally, all of their names have Hebrew origins, except for Andrew and Philip, who had Greek names, which was not uncommon among Jewish people in the eastern Mediterranean region at the time due to the dominance of Hellenistic culture.
Yes, the apostles were the original twelve disciples of Jesus, chosen by him. They were his followers and helped spread his teachings after his death.
While it is believed that many of the apostles were martyrs, there is no definitive evidence that all of them suffered martyrdom. For example, St. John, the son of Zebedee, is said to have died of natural causes at an old age in Ephesus.
