Who were the 12 apostles? Twelve Apostles of Christ: names and deeds
Matt. X, 1-4:1 And calling His twelve disciples, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 2 And the names of the twelve apostles are these: first Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James Zebedee and John his brother, 3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, James Alphaeus and Levbeus, called Thaddeus, 4 Simon the Canaanite and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.
Mk. III, 13-19:13 Then he went up to the mountain and called to Him whomever He wanted; and came to Him. 14 And he set from them twelve to be with Him and to send them to preach, 15 and so that they would have power to heal diseases and cast out demons; 16 put Simon, calling his name Peter, 17 James Zebedee, and John the brother of James, calling them Boanerges, that is, “sons of thunder,” 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, 19 and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him.
OK. VI, 12-16:12 In those days He went up to the mountain to pray and spent the whole night in prayer to God. 13 When the day had come, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15 Matthew and Thomas, James Alpheus and Simon, called the Zealot, 16 Judas Jacob and Judas Iscariot, who later became a traitor.
A Guide to Studying the Four Gospels
Prot. Seraphim Slobodskaya (1912-1971).
Based on the book “The Law of God”, 1957.
Election of the Apostles
(Matt. X, 2-14; Mark III, 13-19; Luke VI, 12-16; VIII, 1-3)
Gradually the number of disciples of Jesus Christ increased. Once, while in Galilee, Jesus Christ ascended a mountain to pray and spent the whole night in prayer. When the day came, He called His disciples, chose twelve of them and called them apostles, that is, messengers, since He sent them to preach His teaching.
The names of the twelve apostles are as follows:
1. Simon, whom the Savior called Peter.
2. Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, called the First Called.
3. Jacob Zebedee.
4. John Zebedee, brother of James, called the Theologian. For their fiery zeal, the Savior called these two brothers, James and John, Boanerges, which means sons of thunder.
5. Philip.
6. Nathanael, son of Tholomew, and therefore called Bartholomew.
7. Thomas, also called Didymus, which means twin.
8. Matthew, otherwise Levi, a former publican.
9. Jacob, son of Alpheus (otherwise Cleopas), called lesser in contrast to Jacob of Zebedee.
10. Simon, nicknamed Canaanite, otherwise Zealot, which means zealot.
11. Judas Jacob, he also bore other names: Leveya and Thaddeus.
12. Judas Iscariot (from the city of Kariota), who later betrayed Jesus Christ.
The Lord gave the apostles the power to heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead.
In addition to these twelve main apostles, Jesus Christ later chose seventy more apostles: Mark, Luke, Cleopas and others. He also sent them to preach.
When the seventy apostles returned from preaching, they joyfully said to Jesus Christ: “Lord! and the demons obey us in Your name.”
He said to them: “Rejoice not in this, that the spirits obey you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven,” that is, rejoice not in the miracles that are given to you for preaching, but rejoice in the fact that you will receive bliss and eternal life with God, in the Kingdom of Heaven.
In addition to the disciples, some women who were healed by Jesus and served Him with their property were constantly accompanying Jesus Christ: Mary Magdalene (from the city of Magdala), from whom Jesus cast out seven demons, Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, Susanna and many others.
Archbishop Averky (Taushev) (1906-1976)
Guide to Study Holy Scripture New Testament. Four Gospels. Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, 1954.
6. Election of the Twelve Apostles
(Matt. X, 2-4; Mark III, 13-19; Luke VI, 12-16)
Having spent the whole night in prayer, undoubtedly for the establishment of the Church that He founded, on a mountain, according to the ancients, on Tabor, the Lord called His disciples and chose 12 of them, so that they would constantly be with Him and could then testify about Him. These were, as it were, the leaders of the new future 12 tribes of the New Israel. The number 12 has a significant meaning in the Holy Scriptures, as the product of 3 and 4: Three is the eternal uncreated Being of God, four is the number of the world - 4 countries of the world. The number 12 denotes the penetration of the human and the world by the Divine. The first three Evangelists and the book. Acts gives us a list of the names of the 12 Apostles. What is remarkable about this list is that the Apostles are divided everywhere into three groups of 4 people each, with the same names at the head of each group and the same persons in each group. The names of the Apostles are as follows: 1) Simon-Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, b) Bartholomew, 7) Thomas, 8) Matthew, 9) James Alphaeus, 10) Levway or Thaddeus, as called Judas Jacob, 11) Simon the Canaanite or Zealot and 12) Judas Iscariot. Bartholomew is the same as Ev. John calls Nathanael: Canaanite is the translation into Hebrew. language from the Greek word "Zealot", which means "zealot". This was the name of the Jewish party, which was jealous of the independence of the Jewish state. The word “Iscariot” is considered to be composed of two words: “Ish” - husband and “Kariot” - the name of the city. The very word “Apostle” translated from Greek means “messenger,” which corresponded to the appointment of the elect to be sent to preach. For greater success of their preaching, the Lord invested them with the power to heal diseases and cast out demons.
A. V. Ivanov (1837-1912)
A Guide to Studying the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament. Four Gospels. St. Petersburg, 1914.
Election of the Apostles
(Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16, Matt. 101-4)
After many miracles and long-term teaching, Jesus Christ chooses 12 disciples from among His permanent followers, whom He calls Apostles. Before choosing them, He spent the whole night in prayer. The names of the Apostles according to the lists of the three Gospels and the Book of Acts (1:13) are as follows: Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, the sons of Jonah, James and John - the sons of Zebedee, Philip and Bartholomew (otherwise called, as they guess, Nathanael), Matthew, or Levi Alpheus, a publican and, it seems, his brother Jacob Alpheus (the younger), as well as Thomas the twin, Judas Jacob, called Levway and Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot or Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who later became a traitor to his Teacher.
1. The twelvefold number of the Apostles, obviously, is related to the number of the 12 tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30) = Rev. 21:12,14). The title Apostle was supposed to mean their Divine messenger and in this sense is applied to Jesus Christ Himself primarily (Heb. 3:1).
2. The difference in the order in which the names of the Apostles appear in different Evangelists and even in the same Luke (Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:13) proves that there was no strict distinction between the disciples of Jesus Christ seniority; and the difference in the names of some of them is explained by the custom of wearing several names and changing them on important occasions in life (=Abram - Abraham, Jacob - Israel, Esau - Edom, Solomon - Jedde, etc.).
3. At the same time, it can be noted that in all the verses of the Apostles, those seven disciples are first written in, whose calling is described in the Gospels. Only Matthew for some reason puts Thomas before himself, although Thomas’s calling is not mentioned anywhere.
4. Upon closer examination of the lists of the Apostles, we can note the following:
a) Simon, son of Jonah, from Bethsaida of Galilee, was called by Jesus Peter, or Cephas (in Syriac), which means stone. He is always first in the list of Apostles: but this did not give him primacy of honor and power over the other Apostles. He was in the same relation to all the Apostles as each of them was to his subsequent ones.
b) His brother Andrey, first former student The Forerunners are called the First-Called, as the first called by Jesus Christ to follow (John 1:41).
c) James and John, the sons of Thunder - boanerges (in Syriac, Mark 3:17), enjoyed the special love of Jesus Christ and, together with Peter, were among His closest disciples and collaborators on the most important occasions of His life. They probably received the name sons of thunder for their jealousy (Luke 9:54). Their mother Salome, according to legend, was the daughter of Joseph the Betrothed, and therefore the sister of Jesus Christ in the flesh; it seems that she was also a companion of Jesus Christ. At least she appears at His burial. And first of all, she asks Jesus Christ to seat her sons on both sides of His Throne during the opening of His kingdom. John calls himself the beloved disciple of Jesus Christ, he reclined on His chest at the last supper and, standing at the Cross, was adopted by the Mother of God.
d) Of the other Apostles, James Alpheus or the little one also draws attention, whom many confuse with James, the brother of the Lord, although he was never counted among the 12 and, according to legend, was the son not of Alpheus or Cleopas, but of Joseph the Betrothed from his first wife . His nickname small or junior was given to him in contrast to Jacob Zebedee.
e) Judas, in all likelihood, is the son of some Jacob, and not the brother of Jacob Alpheus. Other names of Judah - Thaddeus and Levway - consider the first Chaldean, the other - Judean.
f) About Simon it was noted that he was called a Canaanite, perhaps a Canaanite, or rather a resident of Cana; His other nickname, Zealot, is probably a translation of the name Canaanite, that is, zealot. During the last Jewish war, the Zealot party was known - but it hardly existed at the time of Jesus Christ.
f) Judas Iscariot (in Jewish Ishkariot), a husband from Kariot, a small city in the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:25, according to the Russian text - Kiriath, in Slavic city). But some derive the name Iscariot from the Syrian word scariuta, which means husband, or keeper of the box, treasurer, as indicated by the Evangelist John (12:6; 13:29).
5. Examining the lists of the Apostles and paying attention to the indications of their places of origin, we can notice that all of them - with the exception of Judas the traitor - were Galileans, residents of a country despised by the Jews, as if to prove that God chose the world, and the wise God has chosen the weak and weak things of the world, and God has chosen the weak things that are not, so that they may bring to naught the things that are (1 Cor. 1:27,28). Judas Iscariot was one of Judea - from that tribe that was most proud of the purity of blood, although the prophet Daniel also said that even the elders among them were not Jews, but the sons of Ham (13:56; Ezek. 13:3,46) - and shunned all communication with the pagan Samaritans and even the Galileans.
And he became a traitor to his Teacher - thus being, both by name and by his relationship to Jesus, the representative of his people, who betrayed their Messiah to death and was therefore rejected by God.
6. Jesus chooses the 12 Apostles not immediately after their entry into His company, but after a whole year of them following Him and testing their disposition, and therefore, after they themselves had matured the determination to follow the Galilean Teacher and share with Him His works and dangers. True, even after being elected to the 12, for a long time they could not renounce the prejudices and deceptive aspirations characteristic of their people regarding the kingdom of the Messiah; but under the influence of the teachings of Christ and seeing the increasingly intensifying enmity of the leaders of the people towards Jesus, they little by little got used to the idea of the possibility of the death He predicted and prepared to share His fate with Him (John 11:16; Matt. 26:35 ; Mark 14:31).
A closer acquaintance with the character of the Apostles chosen by Jesus shows that each of them was distinguished by some special trait of virtue necessary for the future preacher and co-worker with Christ in the Church He created on Earth. Thus, Peter was distinguished by the firmness of his faith; Jacob was jealous and ardent, as can be seen from the fact that he and his brother John
called the son of thunder and the first of the 12 to suffer martyrdom (Acts 12:2).
John, in addition to his ardor, was distinguished by his especially tender love for his Teacher and deep insight into the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Bartholomew (Nathanael) - with simplicity of heart, Philip with friendliness, Matthew with selflessness and meekness; Thomas - prudent caution; Andrei - like his brother Peter - was distinguished by firmness and courage, which is why - probably - his former name was left unchanged for him (Andrei - means courageous).
Unfortunately, neither the Gospels nor the traditions have preserved for us detailed and complete information about the life and activities of the other Apostles; but there is no doubt that all of them, except for Judas Iscariot, were distinguished by their zeal in spreading the message, devotion and obedience to their Teacher and self-sacrifice. These traits of their character were known to Jesus and served as the main incentive for Him to choose them among His closest disciples and friends.
7. The election of Judas as one of the 12 Apostles showed that there was much in this disciple good qualities, which made him worthy of the face of the Apostle: he did not leave Jesus even at a time when many, tempted by His teaching, left Him (John 6:66); he shared with his Teacher the needs and deprivations (Matthew 19:27); he, along with others, was sent to preach in Israel and was awarded the gift of healing and casting out demons (Matthew 10:5,8). Unfortunately, the good qualities and works of this Apostle were darkened and destroyed by the passion of love of money, which led him to complete destruction. It is precisely this passion, and not some secret antagonism between him, as a Jew, and the other Apostles - like the Galileans - that the Evangelist John explains why Judas became a traitor to Jesus (John 12:6).
8. Did Jesus Christ foresee the betrayal of Judas? And if he foresaw, then why did he choose him among the Apostles? The evangelists leave no doubt that Jesus did not demand, but who testifies about men: He Himself knew what was in man (John 2:25), and therefore often penetrated into the hearts and thoughts of His listeners - and was even more able to comprehend the inclinations of His closest disciples and foresee their actions (Matthew 26:31-35).
The very election of the Apostles was made by Jesus already in the second year of His ministry - that is, after His disciples had become sufficiently familiar with His teaching and were prepared for the work for which they were chosen - and it was done after the long and, without a doubt, fervent prayer of the God-Man to the Heavenly Father.
If, despite all this, the son of destruction was also included in the ranks of the Apostles, then, as some guess, this was allowed by the Heavenly Father, according to some special design, so that the cross of Calvary, which He was destined to bear one day, would not leave Him entirely. life and was before His eyes in the person of one of His closest disciples and companions.
The presence of this disciple close to the God-man should have drawn out from His loving heart His painful cries to the Heavenly Father both for the cup of suffering awaiting Him to pass by and for the salvation of the perishing son (John 17:12); the presence of Judas with Jesus was, as it were, a double-edged sword that penetrated the heart of Jesus and outraged His joy, which he experienced from the faith of the disciples and the conversion of sinners.
Before you learn about who the twelve apostles are and hear about their names and deeds, it is worth understanding the definition of the word “apostle.”
Who were the twelve disciples, the apostles of Jesus Christ?
Many contemporaries do not know that the word “apostle” means “sent.” At the time when Jesus Christ walked on our sinful earth, twelve ordinary people were called His disciples. As eyewitnesses said, “the twelve disciples followed Him and learned from Him.” Two days after His death by crucifixion, He sent His disciples to become His witnesses. It was then that they were called the twelve apostles. For reference, during the time of Jesus in society the terms “disciple” and “apostle” were similar and interchangeable.
Twelve Apostles: names
The twelve apostles are the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, chosen by Him to announce the imminent Kingdom of God and the establishment of the Church. Everyone should know the names of the apostles.
Andrew was nicknamed the First-Called in legend, since he was previously a disciple of John the Baptist and was called by the Lord a little earlier than his brother on the Jordan. Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter.
Simon is the son of Jonah, Jesus gave his nickname to Simon after he confessed Him as the Son of God in the city of Caesarea Philippi.
Simon the Canaanite, or, as he is also called, the Zealot, originally from the Galilean city of Cannae, according to legend, was the groom at his wedding, which included Jesus with his Mother, where, as everyone knew, He turned water into wine.
Jacob is the son of Zebedee and Salome, the brother of John, who, in turn, was an evangelist. The first martyr among the apostles, Herod himself put him to death by beheading.
Jacob is the youngest son of Alpheus. The Lord himself decided that James and the twelve apostles would be together. After the resurrection of Christ, he spread the faith first in Judea, then joined the pilgrimage of St. to Apostle Andrew the First-Called in Edessa. He also preached the gospel in Gaza, Eleferopolis and other cities in the Mediterranean, after which he went to Egypt.
John is the brother of James the Elder, nicknamed the Theologian, and also the author of the fourth Gospel and the last chapter of the Bible, telling about the end of the world - the Apocalypse.
Philip is precisely the apostle who brought Nathanael 9 Bartholomew to Jesus, according to one of the twelve, “of the same city with Andrew and Peter.”
Bartholomew is an apostle about whom Jesus Christ very accurately expressed himself, calling him a true Israeli, in whom there is no guile.
Thomas became famous because the Lord himself proved his resurrection to him by offering to put his hand on his wounds.
Matthew - also known as Levi. He is the direct author of the Gospel. Although they are also related to the writing of the Gospel, Matthew is considered its main author.
Judas, the brother of James the Younger, the one who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree.
Paul and the Seventy Apostles
Also counted among the apostles is Paul, miraculously called by the Lord himself. In addition to all the above apostles and Paul, they talk about 70 disciples of the Lord. They were not constant witnesses to the miracles of the Son of God, nothing is written about them in the Gospel, but their names are heard on the day of the Seventy Apostles. Their mention is only symbolic, the people to whom the names belong were merely the first followers of the teachings of Christ, and also the first to bear the missionary burden of spreading His teachings.
Who wrote the Gospel
Saints Mark, Luke and John are famous worldly people like evangelists. These are the followers of Christ who wrote Holy Scripture. The apostles Peter and Paul are called the chief apostles. There is such a practice as equating or enlisting saints who spread and preached Christianity among pagans, such as Prince Vladimir, and his mother Elena, as apostles.
Who were the apostles?
The twelve apostles of Christ, or simply His disciples, were ordinary people, among whom were people of completely different professions, and completely different from each other, except that they were all spiritually rich - this feature united them. The Gospel very clearly shows the doubts of these twelve young men, their struggle with themselves, with their thoughts. And they can be understood, because they actually had to look at the world from a completely different angle. But after the twelve apostles witnessed Jesus' ascension into heaven after the crucifixion, their doubts immediately disappeared. The Holy Spirit, the awareness of the existence of divine power, made them pious, strong-spirited people. Gathering their will into a fist, the apostles were ready to outrage the whole world.
Apostle Thomas
The Apostle Thomas is worthy of special mention. In the cozy town of Pansada, one of the fishermen, the future apostle, heard about Jesus, a man who tells everyone about the One God. Of course, curiosity and interest make you come and look at Him. After listening to His sermon, he is so delighted that he begins to relentlessly follow Him and His disciples. Jesus Christ, seeing such zeal, invites the young man to follow him. So a simple fisherman became an apostle.
This young man, a young fisherman, was called Judas; he was later given a new name - Thomas. True, this is one of the versions. Who exactly Thomas was like is not known for certain, but they say that he was like the Son of God himself.
Character of Thomas
The Apostle Thomas was a decisive guy, brave and impetuous. One day Jesus told Thomas that he was going to where the Romans would capture Him. The apostles, naturally, began to dissuade their teacher; no one wanted Jesus to be captured, the apostles understood that the undertaking was very risky. It was then that Thomas said to everyone: “Let’s go and die with him.” Somehow the well-known phrase “Unbeliever Thomas” does not particularly suit him; as we see, he was also some kind of “believer.”
The Apostle Thomas refused to touch the wounds of Jesus Christ and put his fingers on them when He wanted to prove that He had risen from the dead. Horrified by his audacity, Thomas only exclaims in extreme amazement: “My Lord is my God.” It is worth noting that this is the only place in the Gospel where Jesus is called God.
Lot
After Jesus resurrected, having atoned for all the earthly sins of mankind, the apostles decided to cast lots, which was to determine who and to what land would go to preach and bring people love and faith in the Lord and the Kingdom of God. Foma got India. Many dangers and misadventures befell Thomas in this country; many ancient legends have been preserved about his adventures, which are now impossible to refute or confirm. The church decided to give Thomas a special day - the second Sunday after the celebration of the ascension of Christ. Now it is the day of memory of Thomas.
Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called
After he began preaching on the banks of the Jordan, Andrei and John followed the prophet, hoping in his faith and spiritual strength to find answers to the questions that troubled their immature minds. Many even believed that John the Baptist himself was the Messiah, but he patiently, time after time, refuted such assumptions of his flock. John said that he was sent to earth only to prepare the way for Him. And so when Jesus came to John to be baptized, the prophet said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” Hearing these words, Andrew and John followed Jesus. On the same day, the future apostle Andrew the First-Called approached his brother Peter and said: “We have found the Messiah.”
Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul among Western Christians
These two apostles received special honor due to the fact that after the ascension of Christ they preached His faith throughout the world.
The celebration of the day of the holy apostles Peter and Paul was first legalized in Rome, whose bishops, according to Western Church are considered the successors of Peter, and then were spread in other Christian countries.
Peter was studying fishing(like Thomas) and was called to be an apostle along with his brother. He received the most important destiny in his life - he became the “founder” of the Church of Christ, and only then he would be given the keys to heavenly kingdom. Peter was the first apostle to whom Christ appeared after the resurrection. Like most of their brethren, the apostles Peter and Paul began to engage in preaching activities after the ascension of Jesus.
Bottom line
All the deeds that Jesus did were not accidental, and the choice of all these young talented youths was also not accidental, even the betrayal of Judas was a planned and integral part of the redemption through the death of Christ. The apostles' faith in the Messiah was sincere and unshakable, although many were tormented by doubt and fear. As a result, only thanks to their work we have the opportunity to learn about the prophet, the Son of God Jesus Christ.
According to historical information The apostles of Christ were tortured by the most cruel executions of those times:
1. Peter - crucified upside down.
2. Andrew - crucified.
3. Matthew - killed by the sword.
4. John - died a natural death.
5. Jacob, son of Alpheus - crucified.
6. Philip - crucified.
7. Simeon - crucified.
8. Thaddeus - killed by shooters.
9. James, brother of Jesus - stoned.
10. Thomas - pierced by a spear.
11. Bartholomew - crucified.
12. Jacob, son of Zebedee - killed by the sword.
13. Paul - languished in chains many times, preached the Gospel in the east and in the west, reached the ocean coast in the west and died the death of a martyr at the hands of the rulers.
The Twelve (brief historical data from the lives of the apostles of Jesus)
During his earthly life, Jesus Christ gathered thousands of listeners and followers around him, among whom the 12 closest disciples especially stood out. The Christian Church calls them apostles (Greek apostolos - messenger). The life of the apostles is set out in the book of Acts, which is part of the New Testament canon. And all that is known about death is that almost everyone, except John Zebedee and Judas Iscariot, died a martyr’s death.
Stone of Faith
The Apostle Peter (Simon) was born in Bethsaida on the northern shore of Lake Galilee in the family of a simple fisherman Jonah. He was married and, together with his brother Andrei, lived in fishing. The name Peter (Petrus - from the Greek word “stone”, “rock”, Aramaic “kephas”) was given to him by Jesus, who, having met Simon and Andrew, said to them: “Follow me, I will make you fishers of men.” Having become an apostle of Christ, Peter remained with him until the end of Jesus’ earthly life, becoming one of his favorite disciples. By nature, Peter was very lively and hot-tempered: it was he who wanted to walk on water to approach Jesus. He cut off the ear of the high priest's servant in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the night after the arrest of Jesus, Peter, as the Teacher predicted, fearing to get into trouble, denied Christ three times. But later he repented and was forgiven by the Lord. On the other hand, Peter was the first to answer without hesitation to Jesus, who asked the disciples what they thought about him, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” After the ascension of the Lord, the Apostle Peter preached the teachings of Christ in different countries and performed extraordinary miracles: he raised the dead, healed the sick and infirm. According to legend (Jerome of Stridon, On Famous Men, Chapter I), Peter served as Bishop of Rome for 25 years (from 43 to 67 AD). However, this legend is quite late, and therefore most modern researchers believe that the Apostle Peter arrived in Rome only in the early 60s of the 1st century AD.
During Nero's persecution of Christians, the Apostle Peter was crucified on an inverted cross in 64 (according to another version in 67-68), upside down. The latter was at the apostle’s own request, since Peter considered himself unworthy to die exactly the same death as Christ.
First Summoned
Apostle Andrew (Andrew the First-Called) was the brother of the Apostle Peter. Christ was the first to call Andrew as a disciple, and therefore this apostle is often called the First Called. According to the Gospel of Matthew and Mark, the calling of Andrew and Peter took place near Lake Galilee. The Apostle John describes the calling of Andrew, which took place near the Jordan immediately after the baptism of Jesus (1: 35-40). Even in his youth, Andrei decided to devote himself to serving God. Maintaining chastity, he refused to marry. Hearing that on the Jordan River John the Baptist was preaching about the coming of the Messiah and calling for repentance, Andrei left everything and went to him. Soon the young man became John the Baptist's closest disciple. Scripture conveys very meager information about the Apostle Andrew, but even from them one can form a completely clear picture of him. On the pages of the Gospel of John, Andrew appears twice. It is he who speaks with Jesus about the loaves and fishes before the miracle of the feeding of five thousand people, and also, together with the Apostle Philip, brings the Greeks to Jesus.Before last day Andrei followed him on the earthly path of the Savior. After the death of the Lord on the cross, Saint Andrew became a witness to the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. On the day of Pentecost (that is, fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus), the miracle of the descent of the Holy Spirit took place in Jerusalem: the apostles received the gift of healing, prophecy and the ability to tell stories. different languages about the works of Christ. The disciples of Jesus divided among themselves the countries where they were to carry the gospel message, turning the pagans to God. By lot, Andrew received Bithynia and Propontis with the cities of Chalcedon and Byzantium, as well as the lands of Thrace and Macedonia, Scythia and Thessaly, Hellas and Achaia. And he passed through these cities and countries. Almost everywhere where the apostle found himself, the authorities met him with cruel persecution, but, supported by the strength of his faith, the Apostle Andrew worthily endured all disasters in the name of Christ. The Tale of Bygone Years tells that upon arrival in Korsun, Andrei learned that the mouth of the Dnieper was nearby, and, deciding to go to Rome, he went up the river. Having stopped for the night in the place where Kyiv was later built, the apostle climbed the hills, blessed them and planted a cross. After apostolic ministry in the lands future Rus', Saint Andrew visited Rome, from where he returned to the Achaian city of Patras. In this place, Saint Andrew was destined to end his earthly journey by accepting martyrdom. According to legend, in Patras he stayed with a respected man named Sosia and saved him from a serious illness, after which he converted the inhabitants of the entire city to Christianity. The ruler in Patras at that time was a Roman proconsul named Egeates Antipates. His wife Maximilla believed in Christ after the apostle healed her from a serious illness. However, the ruler himself did not accept the apostle’s preaching, and at the same time persecution of Christians began, which were called Nero’s persecutions. Egeat ordered the apostle to be thrown into prison, and then ordered him to be crucified. When the servants were leading Saint Andrew to execution, the people, not understanding what he had sinned and why he was being taken to crucifixion, tried to stop the servants and free him. But the apostle begged people not to interfere with his suffering. Noticing from a distance an oblique cross in the shape of the letter “X” placed for him, the apostle blessed him. Egeat ordered not to nail the apostle, but, in order to prolong his suffering, he was tied, like his brother, upside down. The apostle preached from the cross for two more days. On the second day, Andrei began to pray that the Lord would accept his spirit. Thus ended the earthly journey of the Holy All-Praised Apostle Andrew the First-Called. And the oblique cross, on which the Apostle Andrew suffered a martyr’s death, has since been called the St. Andrew’s Cross. This crucifixion is considered to have taken place around the year 70.
Age-old witness
Apostle John (John the Theologian, John Zebedee) - author of the Gospel of John, the Book of Revelation and three epistles included in New Testament. John was the son of Zebedee and Salome, daughter of Joseph the Betrothed. younger brother Apostle James. John, like the brothers Peter and Andrey, was a fisherman. He was fishing with his father and brother Jacob when Christ called him to be a disciple. He left his father in the boat, and he and his brother followed the Savior. The Apostle is known as the author of five books of the New Testament: the Gospel of John, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd epistles of John and the Revelation of John the Theologian (Apocalypse). The apostle received the name Theologian because of the naming of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John as the Word of God. On the Cross, Jesus entrusted John with the care of his mother, the Virgin Mary. ABOUT later life The apostle is known only from church traditions, according to which, after the Dormition of the Mother of God, John, according to the lot that fell to him, went to Ephesus and other cities of Asia Minor to preach the Gospel, taking with him his disciple Prochorus. While in the city of Ephesus, the Apostle John preached to the pagans about Christ. His preaching was accompanied by numerous and great miracles, so that the number of Christians increased every day. During the persecution of Christians, John was taken in chains to trial in Rome. For confessing his faith in Christ, the apostle was sentenced to death by poisoning. However, after drinking a cup of deadly poison, he remained alive. Then he was assigned a new execution - a cauldron of boiling oil. But the apostle, according to legend, passed this test unharmed. Seeing this miracle, the executioners did not dare to tempt the will of the Lord any longer, and sent John the Theologian into exile on the island of Patmos, where he lived for many years. After a long exile, the Apostle John received freedom and returned to Ephesus, where he continued to preach, teaching Christians to beware of emerging heresies. Around 95, the Apostle John wrote the Gospel, in which he commanded all Christians to love the Lord and each other, and thereby fulfill the Law of Christ. The Apostle John lived on earth for more than 100 years, remaining the only living person to see Jesus Christ with his own eyes.
When the time of death came, John left the city with seven disciples and ordered a cross-shaped grave to be dug for him in the ground, in which he lay down. The disciples covered the apostle's face with a cloth and buried the grave. Having learned about this, the rest of the apostle’s disciples came to the place of his burial and dug it up, but did not find the body of John the Theologian in the grave.
Shrine of the Pyrenees
Apostle James (James Zebedee, James the Elder) is the elder brother of John the Theologian. Jesus called the brothers Boanerges (literally “sons of thunder”), apparently for their impetuous nature. This character was fully manifested when they wanted to bring fire down from heaven onto the Samaritan village, as well as in their request to give them places in the Kingdom of Heaven on the right and left side from Jesus. Together with Peter and John, he witnessed the resurrection of Jairus's daughter, and only they allowed Jesus to witness the Transfiguration and the Battle of Gethsemane. After the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, James appears in the pages of the Acts of the Apostles. He participated in the establishment of the first Christian communities. Acts also reports his death: in 44, King Herod Agrippa I “killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.” It is worth noting that James is the only one of the apostles whose death is described on the pages of the New Testament. The relics of Jacob were transported to Spain, to the city of Santiago de Compostela. The rediscovery of the saint's relics took place in 813. At the same time, a legend arose about the preaching of Jacob himself on the Iberian Peninsula. By the 11th century, the pilgrimage to Santiago acquired the status of the second most important pilgrimage (after the pilgrimage to the Holy Land). When the day of remembrance of the Apostle James, July 25, falls on a Sunday, the “Year of St. James” is declared in Spain. At the end of the 20th century, the tradition of pilgrimage was revived. The capital of Chile, Santiago, is named after the Apostle James.
Family student
The Apostle Philip is mentioned in the lists of apostles in the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and also in the Acts of the Apostles. The Gospel of John reports that Philip was from Bethsaida, from the same city as Andrew and Peter, and was called third after them. Philip brought Nathanael (Bartholomew) to Jesus. On the pages of the Gospel of John, Philip appears three more times: he talks with Jesus about bread for the multitude, brings the Greeks to Jesus, and asks Jesus to show the Father at the Last Supper. According to Clement of Alexandria and Eusebius of Caesarea, Philip was married and had daughters. Philip preached the Gospel in Scythia and Phrygia. For his preaching activities he was executed (crucified head down) in 87 (during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian) in the city of Hierapolis in Asia Minor. Memory of the Apostle Philip Catholic Church celebrates May 3, and the Orthodox Church on November 27: on this day the Nativity fast begins, which is why it is otherwise called Philippi.
An Israeli without guile
There is a unanimous opinion among biblical scholars that Nathanael mentioned in the Gospel of John is the same person as Bartholomew. Consequently, Apostle Bartholomew is one of the first disciples of Christ, called fourth after Andrew, Peter and Philip. In the scene of the calling of Nathanael-Bartholomew, he utters the famous phrase: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Jesus, seeing him, said: “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile.” According to legend, Bartholomew, together with Philip, preached in the cities of Asia Minor, especially in connection with the name of the Apostle Bartholomew, the city of Hierapolis is mentioned. According to a number of historical evidence, he also preached in Armenia, and therefore is especially revered in the Armenian Apostolic Church. He died a martyr's death: he was flayed alive.
Patron of accountants
Levi Matthew became the author of the Gospel of Matthew. Sometimes the Gospels call him Levi Alpheus, that is, the son of Alpheus. Levi Matthew was a tax collector, that is, a tax collector. In the text of the Gospel of Matthew, the apostle is called “Matthew the Publican,” which perhaps indicates the author’s humility. After all, publicans were deeply despised by the Jews. The Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke report the calling of Matthew Levi. However, almost nothing is known about Matthew's further life. According to some sources, he preached in Ethiopia, where he was martyred; according to others, he was executed for preaching Christianity in the same Asia Minor city of Hierapolis. The Apostle Matthew is considered the patron saint of the city of Salerno (Italy), where his remains are kept (in the Basilica of San Matteo), and also the patron saint not of tax officials, which is the first thing that comes to mind, but of accountants.
Believer twin
The Apostle Thomas was called Didymus - “twin” - he was so similar in appearance to Jesus. One of the moments gospel history, associated with Thomas - "the assurance of Thomas." The Gospel says that Thomas did not believe the stories of the other disciples about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ until he saw with his own eyes the wounds from the nails and the ribs of Christ pierced by a spear. The expression “Doubting Thomas” (or “infidel”) has become a common noun for the distrustful listener. “Thomas, who was once weaker than the other apostles in the faith,” says St. John Chrysostom, “by the grace of God became more courageous, zealous and tireless than all of them, so that he went around with his preaching almost the entire earth, not being afraid to proclaim the Word God to the nations wild." The Apostle Thomas founded Christian Churches in Palestine, Mesopotamia, Parthia, Ethiopia and India. The apostle sealed the preaching of the Gospel with martyrdom. For the conversion to Christ of the son and wife of the ruler of the Indian city of Meliapora (Melipura), the holy apostle was imprisoned, where he was tortured for a long time. After which, pierced by five spears, he died. Parts of the relics of St. Thomas the Apostle are found in India, Hungary and Mount Athos. The island of Sao Tome and the capital of the state of Sao Tome and Principe, the city of Sao Tome, are named in honor of Thomas.
Cousin
In all four Gospels, the name of Jacob Alpheus is given in the list of apostles, but no other information is provided about him. It is known that he was the son of Alphaeus (or Cleopas) and Mary, the sister of the Virgin Mary, and therefore a cousin of Jesus Christ. James received the name Younger, or Lesser, so that he could be more easily distinguished from the other apostle - James the Elder, or James of Zebedee. According to church tradition, Apostle James is the first bishop Jerusalem Church and the author of the canonical Council Epistle. The whole circle of post-biblical patericon stories about life and martyrdom James the Righteous. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Apostle James Alpheus made missionary travels together with Apostle Andrew the First-Called, preaching in Judea, Edessa, Gaza, and Eleutheropolis. In the Egyptian city of Ostratsin, Saint James martyrically completed his apostolic labors by death on the cross.
Not a traitor
Judas Thaddeus (Judas Jacoblev or Levvey) - brother of Jacob Alpheus, son of Alpheus or Cleopas (and, accordingly, another cousin Jesus). In the Gospel of John, Judas asks Jesus at the Last Supper about his coming resurrection. Moreover, he is called “Judas, not Iscariot” to distinguish him from Judas the traitor. In the Gospel of Luke and Acts, the apostle is called Judas of Jacob, which was traditionally understood as Judas, the brother of James. In the Middle Ages, the Apostle Jude was often identified with Judas, the brother of Jesus Christ mentioned in the Gospel of Mark. Nowadays, most biblical scholars consider the apostle Judas and Judas, the “brother of the Lord,” to be different persons.
A certain difficulty in this regard is caused by establishing the authorship of the Epistle of Jude, included in the canon of the New Testament, which may belong to the pen of both. According to legend, the Apostle Jude preached in Palestine, Arabia, Syria and Mesopotamia, and died a martyr’s death in Armenia in the second half of the 1st century AD. e.
Fighter against Rome
Information in the Gospels about Simon the Canaanite is extremely scarce. He is mentioned in the Gospel lists of the apostles, where he is called Simon the Zealot or Simon the Zealot to distinguish him from Simon Peter. The New Testament does not provide any other information about the apostle. The name Canaanite, which biblical scholars have sometimes erroneously interpreted as “from the city of Cana,” actually has the same meaning in Hebrew as the Greek word “zealot,” “zealot.” Either this was the apostle’s own nickname, or it could mean his belonging to the political-religious movement of the Zealots (Zealots) - irreconcilable fighters against Roman rule. According to legend, the holy Apostle Simon preached the teachings of Christ in Judea, Egypt and Libya. Perhaps he preached together with the Apostle Judas Thaddeus in Persia. There is information (unconfirmed) about the visit of the Apostle Simon to Britain.
According to legend, the apostle suffered a martyr's death on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus: he was sawed alive with a saw. He was buried in the city of Nikopsia, the location of which is also controversial. According to the official theory, this city is the current New Athos in Abkhazia; according to another (more probable), it was located on the site of the current village of Novomikhailovsky in Krasnodar region. In the 19th century, on the supposed site of the exploits of the apostle, near the Apsara Mountain, the New Athos Monastery of Simon the Canaanite was built.
Thirteenth Apostle
Judas Iscariot (Yehuda ish-Krayot, “Yehuda of Kerioth”) is the son of Simon, the apostle who betrayed Jesus Christ. Judas received the nickname “Iscariot” among the apostles to distinguish him from another disciple of Christ, the son of James, Judas, nicknamed Thaddeus. Referring to the geographical location of the city of Kerioth (Krayot), most researchers agree that Iscariot was the only representative of the tribe of Judah among the apostles.
After Jesus Christ was sentenced to crucifixion, Judas, who betrayed him, returned 30 pieces of silver to the high priests and elders, saying: “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They answered: “What is that to us?” Leaving the pieces of silver in the temple, Judas left and hanged himself. Legend has it that Judas hanged himself on an aspen tree, which since then began to tremble with horror at the slightest breeze, remembering the traitor. However, it acquired the properties of a magical weapon capable of killing vampires. After the betrayal and suicide of Judas Iscariot, Jesus' disciples decided to choose a new apostle to replace Judas. They chose two candidates: “Joseph, called Barsaba, who was called Justus, and Matthias,” and, having prayed to God to indicate whom to make an apostle, they cast lots. The lot fell to Matthias.
Deputy by lot
The Apostle Matthias was born in Bethlehem, where from early childhood he studied the Law of God according to holy books under the leadership of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver. Matthias believed in the Messiah, followed him relentlessly and was chosen as one of the 70 disciples whom the Lord “sent out two by two before Him.” After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Matthias preached the Gospel in Jerusalem and Judea along with the other apostles. From Jerusalem with Peter and Andrew he went to Syrian Antioch, was in the Cappadocian city of Tyana and in Sinope. Here Apostle Matthias was imprisoned, from which he was miraculously released by Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Then Matthias went to Amasia and Ethiopia Pontic (present-day Western Georgia), repeatedly being subjected to mortal danger. He performed great miracles in the Name of the Lord Jesus and converted many people to faith in Christ. The Jewish high priest Anan, who hated Christ, who had previously given the command to throw James, the brother of the Lord, from the heights of the temple, ordered the Apostle Matthias to be taken and presented to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem for trial. Around the year 63, Matthias was condemned to death by stoning. When Saint Matthias was already dead, the Jews, hiding the crime, cut off his head as an opponent of Caesar. According to other sources, the Apostle Matthias was crucified on the cross. And according to the third, least reliable, he died a natural death in Colchis.
One of the most known facts about the life of Jesus is that he had a group of twelve disciples who were called the “Twelve Apostles.” This group was made up of people whom Jesus personally chose to accompany him on his mission to establish the Kingdom of God and bear witness to his words, works, and resurrection.
St. Mark (3:13-15) writes: “Then Jesus went up to the mountain, called to him those whom he wanted, and they went to him. There were twelve of them to be with him and to send them out to preach with power to cast out demons.” Thus, the initiative of Jesus was emphasized, and this was the function of the Twelve: to be with him and go out to preach with the same power as Jesus. St. Matthew (10:1) and St. Luke (6:12–13) are expressed in similar tones.
How many apostles did Jesus Christ have and who are they?
The twelve people described in the New Testament writings appear to be a stable and well-defined group. Their names:
Andrey (considered the patron saint of Russia). He was crucified on a cross that looked like an "X". St. Andrew's flag is the official flag of the Russian Navy.
Bartholomew. It is said that after the Ascension, Bartholomew went on a missionary trip to India, where he left a copy of the Gospel of Matthew.
John. It is believed that he wrote one of the four gospels New Testament. He also wrote the Book of Revelation. Tradition states that John was the last surviving apostle, and the only apostle who died of natural causes.
Jacob Alfeev. He appears only four times in the New Testament, each time in the list of twelve disciples.
Jacob Zavedeev. Acts of the Apostles 12:1–2 indicates that King Herod executed James. Jacob was probably the first person to be martyred for his faith in Christ.
Judas Iscariot. Judas is famous for betraying Jesus for 30 silver coins. This is the greatest mystery of the New Testament. How could a man so close to Jesus betray him? His name is often used as a synonym for betrayal or treason.
Judas Fadey. Armenian apostolic church reveres Thaddeus as his patron. IN Roman Catholic Church he is the patron saint of desperate causes.
Matthew or Levi. Notable for the fact that before meeting Jesus he was a tax collector, Levi. But at the same time, Mark and Luke never equate this Levi with Matthew, named one of the twelve apostles. Another mystery of the New Testament
Peter. There is a legend that says that Peter asked to be crucified upside down before his execution because he felt unworthy to die like Jesus.
Philip. Philip is described as a disciple from the city of Bethsaida, and the evangelists connect him with Andrew and Peter, who were from the same city. He was also among those around John the Baptist when the latter first pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God.
Simon Zelot. The most obscure figure among Christ's disciples. The name Simon appears throughout the Synoptic Gospels and the Book of Acts whenever there is a list of apostles, but without further detail.
Thomas. He is informally called Doubting Thomas because he doubted the resurrection of Jesus.
There are slight differences in the lists appearing in the other Gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles. Thomas, in Luke, is called Judas, but the variation is not significant.
In the stories of the evangelists, the Twelve disciples accompany Jesus, participate in his mission and receive their own special teaching. This does not hide the fact that they often do not understand the words of the Lord, and some desert him during the trial.
IN Christian theology and ecclesiology The Twelve Apostles (also called the Twelve Disciples) were the first historical disciples of Jesus, central figures in Christianity. During Jesus' life in the 1st century AD, they were his closest followers and became the first bearers of Jesus' gospel message.
The word "apostle" comes from the Greek word apostolos, originally meaning messenger, messenger.
The word student sometimes used interchangeably with apostle, for example the Gospel of John does not distinguish between the two terms. Various gospel writers give different names to the same person, and the apostles mentioned in one gospel are not mentioned in others. The commissioning of the Twelve Apostles during the ministry of Jesus is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels.
The biographical information about the 12 apostles or disciples of Jesus used the texts of the New Testament, as well as the most famous legends. No one is going to conclude what the legends say about historical fact. However, they provide at least some information about the lives of these people who turned the world upside down.
The twelve disciples were ordinary people, whom God has used in extraordinary ways. Among them were:
- fishermen;
- tax collector;
- rebel.
Among the twelve apostles, Peter was the undoubted leader. He was in charge and stood out as the representative of all the other students.
The fate and death of the apostles after the crucifixion of Christ
After the resurrection, Jesus sent 11 apostles (Judas Iscariot had died by then. Matthew 27:5 says that Judas Iscariot threw away his silver, which he received for betraying Jesus, and then went and hanged himself) with the Great Commission to spread his teachings to all nations . This event is usually called Dispersion of the Apostles.
Entire period early Christianity during the life of the apostles is called the Apostolic Age. In the 1st century AD, the apostles founded their churches throughout the Roman Empire in the Middle East, Africa and India.
The Gospels record the constant shortcomings and doubts of these twelve men who followed Jesus Christ. But after witnessing Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven, it is believed that the Holy Spirit transformed his disciples into powerful men of God who turned the world upside down.
Of the twelve apostles, it is believed that all but one were martyred, only the death of Jacob, son of Zebedee, is described in the New Testament.
But the early Christians (second half of the second century and first half of the third century) claimed that only Peter, Paul and James, the son of Zebedee, were martyred. The rest of the claims about the martyrdom of the apostles are not based on historical or biblical evidence.
According to the Bible, Christ had 12 disciples close to him. They were called apostles. These were ordinary people, mostly all fishermen. He called them while he was on earth. God gave them great power so that they could use it to heal all the sick, to resurrect from world of the dead, cast out evil spirits, and also tell all people about it.
Apostles are those sent. They were the ones who witnessed how Jesus was resurrected and ascended into heaven. In the upper room of Zion, the Holy Spirit descended on them, and after that the apostles began to speak in different languages, previously unknown, but the most important thing is that they strengthened in their faith and became real preachers.
Andrey
The first of them was Andrei, he was called the First-Called. He walked with good news to the Dnieper River and the hills, on which, after time, the city of Kyiv was built. Chroniclers claim that Andrei told his students that instead of huge mountains, a Majestic city would be built, where large number churches. After his words, the apostle climbed the mountains, blessed them and placed a cross there. According to legend, Andrei went from Kyiv to Novgorod, where he was amazed by how people, while bathing in baths, beat themselves with rods and doused themselves cold water and kvass.
Peter
Andrew the First-Called had brother, his name was Peter. People loved him very much, because with all his power he preached, healed and resurrected. People even carried hopelessly ill relatives out into the streets so that at least Peter’s shadow would fall on them.
Two brothers
Continuing to remember the names of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, let's talk about two brothers, John and James. In the Gospels they were called Zebedees, since their father was called Zebedee. The brothers had an explosive temper, so Jesus gave them another name - "Boanerges", which means "sons of thunder." According to legend, the Apostle James died a painful death at the age of 44. His remains were released into the Mediterranean Sea and found in 813 by the hermit monk Pelayo. Later, in 896-899, by order of Alfonso III, a church was built on the site where the remains were found. This place was given a beautiful name - Compostella, and the Apostle James began to patronize Spain. By the way, the capital of Chile, Santiago, was named after him.
The Israeli temple differs from all others with its pink domes. was built around the eighties of the twentieth century. There are rumors that on the site where the temple stands, there used to be a house in which Jesus healed a man from paralysis.
Tula is also famous for its building in honor of the 12 apostles. There used to be an ancient wooden building there, but over time there was a need to expand it. And in 1903, construction of a stone temple began. In 1912, a school and almshouse for the elderly were equipped in the building itself. The walls of the temple are painted with images and ornaments of famous artists. This is a very large building that can accommodate more than a thousand people.
The 12 Apostles is a national monument. It was built in 1635 -1656 by Russian craftsmen. It has five chapters and looks like a palace. The materials that were used in its construction were the most expensive that existed at that time. The best icon painters and isographers worked on the painting. In 1917, the temple was shelled by revolutionaries, and in 1918 it was converted into a museum.
Another temple
In Balaklava, the temple of the 12 apostles, along with all the others, is a unique monument of the 18th century. It was built in 1794 on the foundation of an ancient church. The history of the temple says that it was a repository of banners and relics of the Balaklava battalion, then transferred to the diocesan department. And after they installed it in Crimea Soviet power, the sanctuary was closed, and it housed a pioneer house, and later a club.
In the nineties it was transferred Orthodox Church and began to restore. Everything was restored through the works of Augustine. In 1991, the temple was consecrated again. Today this is a courtyard Inkerman Monastery. Many relics of various saints are kept here. There are no paintings at all inside the temple, but perhaps they previously decorated the walls of this great building.
Conclusion
We told you about the twelve apostles of Christ, we learned the necessary information about them. In addition, we realized that many churches and cathedrals were built in honor of these saints.
