The 12 Apostles of Christ

The 12 disciples of Christ called apostles were a diverse group of men who were chosen by our blessed Lord Jesus to be His closest followers and to spread his teachings and the Good News of His salvation throughout the world.

Some were fishermen, one was a tax collector, one was a zealous, and the rest were ordinary men. They were transformed by the power of His Holy Spirit and changed the world. Despite facing persecution and even death, they remained steadfast in their faith and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Christian faith.

Contents

Preface

Introduction to the 12 Disciples              

1. Simon Peter
2. Andrew
3. James Son of Zebedee
4. John Son of Zebedee
5. Philip            
6. Bartholomew
7. Thomas
8. Matthew
9. James Son of Alphaeus
10. Thaddaeus
11. Simon the Zealot
12. Judas Iscariot

Who replaced Judas Iscariot?

13. Matthaeus
14. Paul

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Preface

 There are essentially two main themes in the Bible: what has gone wrong with our world and how it can be put right. Genesis tells us exactly the root of the problem, and how God promised to put it right by rescuing humanity from sinful nature; the rest of the Bible shows the details.

 The book of “The 12 Apostles of Christ” has one purpose: to help us to focus on Christ our Lord and Saviour, who chose the 12 to preach the gospel of his salvation to all nations.

 This booklet tells about the big picture of why the Lord Jesus chose the 12. Thanks to Marian Lee for editing this booklet.

May God be praised, and His name highly exalted for all good things that come from Him.

Soli Deo Gloria- To God Be the Glory

Botros Botrosdief

 Christmas 2025

Introduction to the 12 Disciples

The 12 Disciples of Christ called Apostles were a diverse group of men who were chosen by our blessed LORD Jesus to be his closest followers and to spread his teachings and the Good News of His Salvation throughout the world. They were fishermen, tax collectors, and ordinary men who were transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit of God and changed the world. Despite facing persecution and even death, they remained steadfast in their faith and played a crucial role in the establishment of Christianity. In this book, we are going to take a closer look at who these men were and what we can learn from them.

Q1: Who Were the Twelve Apostles?

The list of the twelve apostles of Christ found in the first three gospels; Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; and also found in the book of Acts 1:13.

“These are the names of the twelve apostles: Simon who is called Peter and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, known as Nathanael; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Jude known as Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him”.

John never mentioned the complete list of the twelve apostles, but only some of the names with specific dialogue that is not found in the other gospels. For example: in John 6:4-8, Philip and Andrew are in dialogue with Jesus when he said to them, “How to feed more than 5000 people”. Another example in John 21:1-4, we read that “Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter told them, “I’m going out to fish,”, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So, they went in the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Some play key roles like Peter and John, others are only mentioned by name like Thaddeus (Jude) and others have a single line of dialogue in the Gospels. Three of the Twelve; Peter, James, and John, were closer to Lord Jesus than anyone else.

Q2: Why did Jesus choose Peter, James and John to be His inner circle?

The three witnessed miracles and moments the other apostles did not see, including: the first when time Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead according to Mark 5:35–43. The second time was at the Transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17:1–13. And the third time according to Matthew 26:36-46, Jesus’ prayer of three times and his moment of agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Perhaps the reason why Peter, James, and John were chosen to be Jesus’ inner circle was that He was making a special effort to prepare these three for the leadership roles they would later occupy in the new born church.The special attention Jesus gave to Peter, James, and John was, part of Jesus’ leadership strategy. These three fishermen were truly made into fishers of men, “they were the Pillars of the Church” as Paul said in Galatians 2:9.

Q3: Why Jesus chose only 12 disciples? And what is the Biblical Significance of the Number 12?

The number 12 is a symbolic number that signifies a complete divine arrangement. The Twelve apostles represented God’s new covenant, just as the 12 tribes of Israel represented the old covenant. The blessed Lord Jesus said to the Twelve, “I grant you a kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel”(Luke 22:29–30).According to Revelation 12:12, The New Jerusalem will have the names of the 12 disciples on the foundation of the 12 walls. On the gates are 12 names of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Mark 3:13-15, declares plainly the purpose of choosing the Twelve disciples as we read, “Jesus appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons”.Their mission was three-fold: (1) to be with Jesus, learn from him; and to be His apostles.(2) to preach, and (3) to drive out evil spirits.

The 12 apostles were ordinary common people, like you and me. They came from various backgrounds; they were not without faults and shortcomings. They were quick tempered, argued among themselves and all them fled when Jesus was arrested. Interestingly, not one of them was a scholar or rabbi. These men had no extraordinary skills.

However, before His crucifixion and during his three years with them, He taught and instructed them and showed them how to preach and lead and said to them in John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit that will last”. But, after His resurrection, He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and the Lord said to them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Luke 24:44-49 & Acts 1:8).

In Matthew 28:18-20, He said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given tome. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age”.

Q4: How did the Lord Jesus chooses the 12 disciples?

 According to Luke 6:13-16, “Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles”.Our Blessed Lord Jesus was praying all night! This event highlights the importance of seeking God’s guidance in making any major decisions. 

Like the Lord Jesus who prayed all night to choose the 12, so we too,must seek God’s guidance in making any major decisions in our local Church and in our life. Like the Lord Jesus who united a diverse group from different backgrounds, to have one mission to preach the gospel to all people, we too we must unite together with the same mission and remain steadfast in our faith serving the Lord with all our hearts.

Simon Peter

The story of Peter in the Bible is fascinating. His weaknesses are not minimized, but still Peter shines as a man of faith and an example of zeal for God.Peter, in many ways, was like us in his ups and downsin life. The Lord Jesus patiently teaches Peter over and over. Peter needed correction, and the Lord gave it with patience and love and the fisherman becoming a fisher of men.

Peter’s calling

Peter is listed first in the list of the 12, because he was the most talkative and a risk-taker. But he was not the first one called. Lord Jesus called Andrew his brother first, and then Andrew brought Peter to Jesus as John 1:35-42 said, “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, heard John the Baptist pointing to Jesus saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes the sins of the world”, so he left John and followed Jesus, and the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon telling him, “We have found the Messiah”. Bringing him to Jesus, the Lord looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas”. Cephas is Aramaic name which is translated, “Peter a rock”, in Greek. And Lord Jesus reconfirmed Peter’s name “Rock” upon his confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:13-17).

In Matthew 16:13-17, Lord Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” By faith in Jesus, he said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” It wasn’t human knowledge that told him that; it was spiritually discerned. For that, Christ praised his faith, and said to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock – your confession of faith in Me- I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not overcome it”.

But, shortly after Christ praised Peter’s faith, Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter felt that he must rebuke Jesus and took Him aside and said, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” In return, Jesus said, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (vv 21-23).

God’s grace to Peter in his Ups and Downs

When Christ came walking across the water toward his fearful disciples in the boat, Peter in bold faith in Jesus asked Him to bid him to walk on the water. Without hesitation, he got out of the boat and began walking on the water!But then Peter got distracted, lost his focus and allowed his faith to weaken, and began to sink. Then Jesus helped him walk back to the boat, telling him, “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:25-31.

Peter learned a lesson: whether he sank or walked on the water depended on where his focus was. That is for us too. Where our focus is, our lives will be.Peter is seen in many occasions: His objecting to having his feet washed, but later agreeing (John 13:6-10). Peter was one of the three who witnessed the transfiguration of Christ (Mark 9:2-6). It was Peter who said to Jesus, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never deny you” (Matthew 26:31-35). It was Peter who cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest (John 18:10) and it was also Peter who denied Jesus three times(Matt 26: 69-75).

The ups and the down of Peter’s life can serve as an inspiration and encouragement to us as we go forward in this troubled world.Shortly after Christ’s resurrection, seven of the apostles were together, and Peter suggested they go fishing. They fished all night and caught nothing. In the morning a man appeared on the shore and asked if they had any fish. When they said no, He instructed them to cast their net one more time on the right side of the boat. The net came up overflowing, and it was at that point they recognized it must be Jesus and they made their way to shore (John 21:1-8).

Think about the setting here from Peter’s perspective. On Passover night he had stood up and said he would never deny Jesus. But Peter had done just as Christ said he would. Since then, Christ had died and had been resurrected and now was back among them.Peter must have had conflicted feelings. He was overjoyed at seeing Christ again, yet at the same time he was ashamed, carrying the weight of having messed up just days earlier. The whole act of Jesus’ feeding them breakfast must have been comforting. However, after the meal, Christ zeroed in on Peter (John 21: 15-17). The Lord Jesus addressed Peter by his original name, Simon, son of Jonah. He did not call him Cephas, or Peter (Rock- Stone), the name Christ had given him. Here, the LORD was reminding Peter that at that moment, he wasn’t the stone, but was simply Simon.

Christ the Lord encouraged Peter and gave him direction for going forward. First, Christ wanted Peter to confirm he loved Him. Second, Christ also wanted to make sure Peter (and, by extension, all the ministers of the Church) would feed the flock—the members of His Church. Not just some of the flock, but all of the flock. And finally, Christ instructed Peter to follow Him.

Peter’s Pentecost sermon

 In Acts 1: 8, LORD Jesus promised His disciples, that they will, “receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. And this happened as Peter, at the Day of Pentecost, stood up and preached to the Jews from many nations who came to Jerusalem.

Those who heard his sermon were touched and asked what they should do since they realized that they were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. Peter powerfully called them to repentance and to be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2: 37-38).From that day forward, Peter played a prominent part in the early Church. We find that, in addition to powerfully speaking, he went about healing and even restoring people to life (Acts 5:15; 9:32-41).

Peter’s vision: God opens the door to the gentiles 

In Acts 10, Peter saw the vision of the sheet filled with all kinds of animals It was Peter who was first shown that gentiles were now to be a part of the Church.In those days Jews didn’t have anything to do with gentiles. In fact, Jews considered it to be against their law to associate with non-Jews (Acts 10:28). But in a vision, Peter was shown that God was calling gentiles as well as Jews into His Church.

Peter brought that revelation back to Jerusalem so the whole Church could now come to that understanding.Peter shared meals with gentiles, and he was comfortable around gentiles even though he himself was a Jew (Acts 10:34 -43; 11:11-18).In Galatians 2:11-16 the apostle Paul recounted a time when Peter reverted to not eating with gentiles. But it seems reasonable to conclude that after Paul’s correction, Peter once again gave the gentiles the respect God expected from him.

Peter’s letters and the Gospel of Mark

It is believed that, Peter was behind the writing of the Gospel of Mark, and Mark was his secretary who wrote what the Holy Spit led Peter to say. Also, His two Letters, First Peter and Second Peter, were written by Peter as it said in 1 Peter 5:12, “With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to youbriefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it”.

These letters were written near the end of his life. He was committed to Christ and had been a leader in the Church for many years.Peter relayed the same message he had received personally from Christ. He was interested in the genuineness and sincerity of the brethren’s faith. The elect Church members he was writing to loved Jesus Christ even though they were being tested, and even though they had never seen Him. Peter encouraged them to continue moving forward by following the words of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Peter’ Death

Christ our LORD predicted Peter’s future and foretold how he would die. Lord Jesus said to Peter, “Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go”. Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God” John 21:18-19This was not spoken as something that perhaps might happen, but as being certain. Christ’s own words indicated that Peter would be martyred. The Bible itself doesn’t tell us how Peter died.The most commonly accepted tradition says that Peter was crucified upside down. This tradition explains that Peter requested this form of martyrdom because he had denied Jesus and felt he was not worthy to die as Jesus had died. Again, this is only tradition, and the Bible does not confirm or deny that story.

Peter’s example, is an inspiration for us

Peter was faithful, he was obedient, and he also grew in humility. It didn’t matter if he was a prominent apostle. He was able to admit when he was wrong, and he was able to change. It would appear that at times Peter struggled to be righteous and allowed his humanity to get the better of him. In spite of that, Peter was able to overcome, and he was used by God to become a powerful leader of the early Church. Christ knew what kind of person Peter was from the very first time they met. He knew Peter’s potential, and He knew that in spite of all the rash things Peter might do, that potential was still there.The life of Peter can serve as an inspiration and encouragement to us as we go forward in this troubled world.

Andrew

In the four Gospels, Andrew is known as the brother of Simon Peter. He is the second in the list of the 12 Apostles, a fisherman before being called to follow Lord Jesus. Unlike his famous brother Peter, who is mentioned 156 times in the New Testament, Andrew’s name is only mentioned 12 times in the four Gospels and in the book of Acts.

Andrew’s calling

The Gospels of Matthew 4:18-20 and Mark 1:16-17, tell us how the Lord Jesus called Andrew to follow him. “Jesus, was walking by the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him”.But, in the Gospel of John, we find more details.

It was Andrew first who desired to follow Jesus. He was the first to tell his brother Peter about Jesus and brought him to Jesus. In Matthew and Mark, we see how the Lord Jesus confirmed Andrew’s desire and called him for a greater mission to be a fisher of men, and Andrew immediately responded to Jesus’ call and followed Him.The Gospel of John tells us that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. It was John the Baptist’s testimony that Jesus was the Christ which led Andrew to follow Jesus.

In John 1, Andrew heard John saying important truths about Jesus, to the Jewish leaders, who came to him from Jerusalem and asked him by what authority and why He was baptizing people. John the Baptist said, “I am not the Messiah… I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord. I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” John 1:19-27.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him (as the Messiah), but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

And I myself did not know him as the Messiah, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down as a dove and remain on him is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’  I have seen and I testify that this is the Messiah the Son of God. The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi, “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So, they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus (John 1:30-39).

One thing that made Andrew unique was,although he was a fisherman, he desired to spend time with John the Baptist, and then with Jesus whenJohn said, “He is the Messiah”.After spending a day with Jesus, “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” And he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:41-42).Because of Andrew’s desire to share Jesus with his brother, Peter would go on to be used greatly in establishing so much of the Lord’s Church.

Andrew found a boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes

The miracle of feeding 5,000 men, plus women and children from five loaves of bread and two fishes is found in all four Gospels: Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:32-44, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-15. But it was only the Gospel of John 6, that said it was Andrew who found a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish and brought him to Jesus (John 6:1-9).“When a great crowd followed Jesus because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick, Jesus said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”  He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So, they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into theworld”.  Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Again, we see someone Andrew took the time to introduce to Jesus. As a result, that someone, a boy, was used mightily for the furthering of Jesus’ ministry. We must introduce people to the Lord in sharing and in prayer.Again, Andrew introduces even more people to Jesus!  He told Jesus about a group of Greeks who wanted to see Jesus (John 12:20-22). “Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrews; and then they both told Jesus”.

This group first approaches the disciple, Philip, making it known that they desired to see Jesus. Philip acts in bringing them to Andrew, but once they are with Andrew, they are then led to meet Jesus. Andrew didn’t hesitate in this moment to bring a group of Gentiles to meet his Lord. It did not matter that they were of a different culture and inheritance. It did not matter that Jesus’ ministry at this time was mainly focused on the Jewish nation. Andrew desired to introduce anyone and everyone to Christ! He is an awesome example for the modern-day believer in how he lived out the mission with the heart attitude of sharing Jesus Christ with all nations.

Bringing people to meet Jesus is something that we should always desire to be doing without hesitation. And when Andrew did so, he and the rest of the apostles were told of the great mission that they would later do to bring all nations to the Crucified and Risen Lord.When Andrew brought those Gentiles to Jesus. The Lord said in John 12:23-24, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds”. 

Andrew desired to introduce people and everyone to Christ, leadingthem with the apostles after the resurrection of Jesus, to go and preach the Gospel to all nations as the Lord said to them,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation… Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20 & Mark 16:15)

The last thing we see of Andrew in the Gospels

Andrew was one of the four disciples who asked Jesus privately about the destruction of the temple. When Jesus went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!” Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.” Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite thetemple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, “Tell us, when these things will be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4).

This is the last thing we know about Andrew from the 12 times his name was mentioned in the four gospels. It teaches us to ask, to understand, to dig and find out what the Lord meant when He said this to his disciples.

Andrew’s Death

The Bible doesn’t tell us about Andrew’s death, but there’s plenty of church tradition to fill in details about his ministry and death. Tradition claims Andrew was crucified in the Greek city of Patras around 60 AD, and that like Peter, he didn’t consider himself worthy of dying the same way as Jesus. Instead, he was bound to an X shaped cross, which became a symbol known as Saint Andrew’s cross. According to Acts of Andrew (an apocryphal text), he hung there for three days, preaching the entire time.

Now, let us take some lessons from Andrew’s life. One thing that made Andrew unique was how he desired so greatly to spend time apart from his job as a fisherman to be with John the Baptist and be his disciple. He then spent a day with Jesus, when John said “He is the Messiah”.

Andrew then did what any good evangelist who loves God would do – he evangelized. Andrew went at one and told his brother Simon Peter about Jesus and brought him to Jesus.Because of Andrew’s desire to share Jesus with his brother, Peter would go on to be used greatly in establishing so much of the Lord’s Church.When the Lord Jesus confirmed Andrew’s desire and called him for a greater mission to be a fisher of men, Andrew immediately responded to Jesus’ call and followed Him. Obedience is the sign of a real follower of Christ.When Andrew found a boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes and brought him to Jesus, as a result, the boy’s lunch was a blessing to more than 5000 people.

As followers of Christ, we must introduce people to the Lord in sharing and in prayer.Bringing people to meet Jesus is something that we should always desire to be doing, without hesitation. Andrew desired to introduce anyone and everyone to Christ! He is an awesome example for the modern-day believer in how he lived out the mission with the heart attitude of sharing Jesus Christ with all nations.The last thing we know about Andrew, that he asked questions when he did not understand how the end of time will be. It teaches us to ask, to dig and find out what the Lord meant in His Word.

James Son of Zebedee

Who was the Apostle James?

Two other men named James appear in the New Testament: James, the son of Alpheus, another of Christ’s chosen disciples; and James, the brother of the Lord, who became a leader in the Jerusalem church after the Resurrection of theLORD and author of the Letter of James.James, the son of Zebedee, the brother of apostle John, was a fisherman before being called to follow the Lord Jesus. He is the third in the list of the 12 Apostle found in Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; and in Acts 1:13. Unlike his brother John, who is mentioned 30 times in the New Testament, James’s name is only mentioned 9 times.

James’s calling

James was a man who responded to Jesus’ call without hesitation. In the Gospels of Matthew 4:18-22 and Mark 1:16-20, we see how Lord Jesus called James and his brother John to follow him. Jesus, was walking by the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him”.

So, James was the one of the first four disciples (Peter, Andrew, James and John) that Jesus called and He followed the LORD immediately.

James was part of Jesus’ inner circle, alongside his brother John and Simon Peter

The three witnessed miracles and moments the other apostles did not see, such as: the time Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead (Mark 5:35–43);  the Transfiguration (Matt 17:1–13) and Jesus’ moment of agony and weakness in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:36–46). So, why did Jesus choose Peter, James, and John to be His inner circle? The reason why Peter, James, and John were chosen to be Jesus’ inner circle was that LORD Jesus was making a special effort to prepare these three men for the leadership positions they would later occupy to pastor the new born church.

Why did Lord Jesus give James and his brother John a nickname “Boanerges”?

In Mark 3:17, James and John were given a nickname “the sons of thunder”, because they displayedfiery zeal and extreme reactions for the Lord. In Luke 9:51-56 we see,“As the time approached for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him. When James and John saw this, they asked, Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them as Elijah did? But He turned and rebuked them saying, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them”.

In rebuking them, Lord Jesus revealed His Great Merciful Loving Mission to the world; He came into the world to save people not to destroy them.

For us, we will all go through times of correction. As we continue in the process of growing in grace of God, we learn more and more that our spirit is reflected through our words and actions.Like James, it is good to transform our passion from the wrong zeal against people who reject God, into the right zeal and look for ways to save them and help them for the sake of Christ Jesus.

James and John asked Jesus to have special positions in his kingdom

In Matthew 20:17-28 we see, “The mother of James and John came to Jesus, kneeling down, asked, “Grant my two sons to sit one at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom. But He said to her, “You do not know what you are asking. Then He said to James and John, are you able to drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

They said to Him, “We are able.” So, He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”

At this point, we again find James with his brother in the midst of misunderstanding Christ’s Kingdom, since He had told the disciples they would be seated upon twelve thrones in his glory (Matthew 19:28.)We see the misguided nature of James’ passionneeded to be conformed to the image of Christ the Lord. “When the ten other disciples heard about this, they were angry with the two brothers”.Then the Lord Jesus took this opportunity to teach, not only the two brothers, but all his disciples, and us too, that the way to be great in the kingdom was, and is, to be a servant on earth to others.

And the Lord called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”.

So, despite his rashness to express a willingness to suffer for Jesus, James’ faith strengthened after Jesus’ resurrection, ultimately leading him to proclaim the gospel with correctzeal and endure suffering for Christ the Lord.

James’s Death as martyr in AD 44

Given James’ outspoken nature, he was probably a bold witness for the Lord and led many to faith. As the Lord Jesus had predicted, James experienced persecution soon after the church began. Acts 12:1-2 states, “It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword”. As the first apostle to be martyred, James stands as an example for the ages of devotion and passion for evangelism. James was a man who responded to Jesus’ call without hesitation. One thing that made James unique was his passion for Jesus.

Like James, when we are called, corrected, and conformed, we will count it an honor to drink of the cup of suffering if it is the Lord’s will for us to do so.Known for his zeal and dedication, James was the first of the 12 apostles to be martyred, a sign of his commitment to his faith.The life of James the apostle shows us that Jesus knows our nature: He identified James as a “son of thunder” right away. Likewise, Jesus patiently works with us to conform us to His will, just as He did for James. We also learn from the life of James that courage in our service to Christ is a valuable asset in spreading the gospel, although it can make us the target of persecution.

John Son of Zebedee

The apostle John is Known as the disciple “whom Jesus loved”, and being present at the crucifixion of Jesus entrusted His mother to him.  He is the author of two books; the Gospel of John, and the book of Revelation and the three Letters; 1^stJohn, 2^nd John and 3^rd John in the New Testament. He is the only disciple who lived a long life of 98 to 100 years and died peacefully in his old age.John, is known as the son of Zebedee, the brother of James, and was a fisherman before being called to follow Lord Jesus. He is the fourth in the list of the 12 Apostles found in Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; and in Acts 1:13. His name is mentioned 30 times in the New Testament.  After Peter, John is the best known of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles.

John’s calling

John was a man who responded to Jesus’ call without hesitation. In the Gospels of Matthew 4:18-22 and Mark 1:16-20, we see how Lord Jesus called James and his brother John to follow him. “Jesus, was walking by the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him”.

So, John was one of the first four disciples (Peter, Andrew, James and John) who Jesus called and He followed the LORD immediately.

We know that when we talk about his brother James, John was part of Jesus’ inner circle, alongside Simon Peter. We also know the Lord gave John and his brother James a nickname “Boanerges” which means “the Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17).This is why John later wrote in his three letters and in his gospel about how great, the love of God is shown to man, and said for example inJohn 3:16-17 & 1 John 4:9-11, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”

For us, we all go through times of correction. As we continue in the process of growing in the grace of God, we learn more and more that our spirit is reflected through our words and actions.Like John, it is good to transform our passion from wrong zeal that react against people who reject God, into right zeal and look for ways to save people and help them for the sake of Christ Jesus.

And we understand when the brothersasked Jesus to have special positions in his kingdom, we again find them in the midst of misunderstandingChrist’s Kingdom. Jesus helped them to see that serving others and suffering for Christ is the way to glory. So, despite his rashness to express a willingness to suffer for Jesus, John’s faith strengthened after Jesus’ resurrection, ultimately leading him to proclaim the gospel with the correctzeal and endure suffering for Christ the Lord.

John’s exile in Patmos and his death

After the ascension of Christ, John was present on the Day of Pentecost and did his part in fulfilling the Great Commission with zeal and love for the Lord. Because of that he was persecuted many times and arrested and finally sent to exile in Patmos. John said in Revelation 1:9-11, “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

In Patmos, it was revealed to him the mystery of the ages, from the beginning to the end of the world, with the final and great end in the New Heaven and in the New Earth. Tertullian, a Christian writer from the late second and early third century, wrote that before the Romans exiled John, in Patmos they brought him into a colosseumand dunked him in a vat of boiling oil. When he emerged unharmed, the entire colosseum converted to Christianity.The Roman Emperor in anger sent him to exile in Patmos and he was there to his old age and then a new emperor issued a decree to release him in his old age. John was the only disciple to pass away peacefully rather than in martyrdom. He died at 98 or 100 years old.

Let us take away four things we can learn from the apostle John’s encounter with the Lord Jesus:

 The Ture Greatness

During the year’s ministry of the Lord until His resurrection, all disciples had been troubled by their desire to be great in the Kingdom of God. In Luke 9:46, argument started among the disciples about who was the greatest of them. John and his brother James used their mother to get to Jesus and ask him for them to, “sit, one on His right and the other on his left, in His coming kingdom” (Matt 20: 21). Our Lord Jesus did not put the disciples down for their desire to be great, but showed them anotherway. In Matthew 18:4, He said to them “Whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”In Luke 9:47-48, He said “Whoever is least among you—this one is great”.

The last lesson about Greatness was just before His crucifixion and the Lordpoured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.When he had finished washing their feet, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you?“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:1-17).

Whoever wants to be great must humble themselves and become as a child, being childlike andnot acting childish!

True greatness is when we realize our God-given potential, stop living a self-serving life, and serve God and others. May the Lord our God help us to serve others as He did willingly with His great sacrificial love to us.

The Good Zeal

In Luke 9:51-56, Lord Jesus was not welcomed in a Samaritan village. “When the disciples John and his brother James saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them as Elijah did?’” That is why; our Lord gave John and his brother James the title Boanerges, or “sons of thunder.” 

As their nickname might suggest, they were hot-tempered or at least had very strong-willed zeal. But the Lord rebuked them and corrected their view of serving Him and transformed this passion from the wrong zeal against people who reject God, into the right zeal to help to seek God and be saved. In rebuking them, the Lord Jesus revealed His Great Merciful Loving Mission to the world: He came into the world to save people not to destroy them, “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them”.

Inanother occasion, in Luke 9:49-50, John said to the Lord, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”In this incident, John, the beloved disciple, incorrectly zeal for Jesus and his group of disciples had when he saw someone else casting out demons in Jesus’ name. He tried to stop him, as he wasn’t part of their group. Lord Jesus responded by saying that whoever is not against them is for them, implying that they should not be so quick to judge or exclude those who are working with God, even if they are not part of our immediate circle or our church. Therefore, we too should not be quick to dismiss or exclude those who are doing good in God’s name, regardless of their affiliation or different church.

Defending The Truth of God

Concerning the Truth of God, John was not meek and mild. He was a son of thunder! He is a defender of truth. The Spirit of God used him to write the gospel of John, First, Second, and Third John, and Revelation. He used the word truth 25 times in his gospel and another 20 times in the epistles. That’s 45 times most of which were to defend the Truth of God against the false teachings that had spared in the early Church. Thank God John the apostle was used by Him to tell the Truth in His Gospel and his three letters.

The kingdom of God needs people today who are zealous for the truth. Jesus is the Son of God, the God who came in the flesh. The antichrist is the one who denies Jesus’ divinity, His crucifixion and His resurrection.There are good and necessary distinctions in life: good and evil, light and darkness, truth and error. Some things we should draw clear lines on and defend. But we must “speak the truth in love”(Eph 4:15).

The True Love

John used the word truth 45 times, but he would go on to use the world love 85 times. Throughout his Gospel and his three letters, John emphasizes the significance of love. His message was that God is love and that we are to love one another. Zeal for truth must be balanced by love for people.In John 15:9-12, John tells us that Jesus’ final lesson before His crucifixion centres on love: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you”. 

And John said, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love… Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”(1 John 4:8-10).

We cannot forget the Gospel message of love in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”.

The life of John shows us that Jesus knows our nature. Like a “son of thunder”, Jesus patiently works with us to conform us to His will, just as He did with John. We also learn from his life that courage in our service to Christ is a valuable asset in spreading the gospel. Knowing, however also it can make us the target of persecution. Finally, like John, after correction and learning from the Lord’s teaching, our desire for greatness should be in serving others. Our zeal for God, and defending His truth, should be expressed with love for others. This being theonly goal that they may be saved. Amen.

Philip

Philip is mentioned only one time in the list of the twelve apostles in the first three gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the book of Acts. All we know of him appears only in the Gospel of John. John, mentions Philip in five different situations, and it can help us to know his character.

Philip’s Name

Philip’s name appears as the fifth in the list of the 12 Apostles found in Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; and in Acts 1:13. Philip, is Greek name (Philippos), and is not a Hebrew name, which might suggest his father had a Hellenistic background. That is very significant, because when some God-fearing Greeks came to see Jesus, they approached Philip, the only apostles whose name is so Greek.

Philip’s calling

The interesting thing about Philip is that Jesus personally found him. While Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, and Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, no one brought Philip to Jesus. Instead, Jesus came right to him. John’s Gospel 1:43 tell us, “The following day –after Jesus met with John, Andrew, and Simon Peter- Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said tohim, ‘Follow Me’”. Philip was a man who responded to Jesus’ call and followed the LORD without hesitation.

Philip’s Invitation to Nathaniel

The first thing that Philip did after Jesus found him, was to find Nathanael and tell him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” John 1:43-46.However, Nathaniel, expressed skepticism, asking, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Despite Nathaniel’s initial doubt, Philip urged him saying, “Come and see.”

Philip’s invitation to Nathaniel teaches us four things we need to know about evangelism:First, his immediate evangelism reflects his quick acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah. Like what Paul did too (Acts).Second, in obedience to Jesus’ invitation to “follow me”, Philip immediately began following the example of Christ, using the few words and actions of Jesus that he knew, and found Nathanael.

Third, when Philip found Nathanael he said, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

That is very significant and teaches us how to introduce Jesus to people and tell them the truth.Fourth, when Philip saw it is hard to convince his fanatical and judgmental friend who said, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”. Philip stops talking and says, “Come and see.”

Like Philip we may say, “Come and see, or read for yourself. Examine the evidence” is a wise attitude we can use, because as the Bible says, “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.  And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.  Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:23).

Philip, the Analyzer

Philip was known for his analytical and questioning nature, often asking Jesus for clarification on his teachings. In John 6:1-14, Philip is portrayed as a practical man. For example, when Lord Jesus asked him where they could buy enough bread to feed a large crowd, 5000 and more, Philip responded that it would take more than six months’ wages to buy enough bread for everyone.

And on this occasion, Jesus, trying to stretch Philip’s faith, posed a question to him as the crowd gathered: “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”.Philip responded, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little”. Philip didn’t do so well on that test. But what the Lord Jesus did to feed such big crowd from two loafs of bread and five fish increasedPhilip’s faith in Jesus as the Promised Messiah.

Philip, refers some Greeks to Jesus

In John 12:20-22, “Some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.”

These Greeks may have come to Philip because of his Greek name, and he spoke Greek, or because he was a person who was easy to speak with, and they found something in him which attracted them.

The Bible said in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope”. Let us always be ready and ask the Lord to give us more opportunity that people come to us and ask us to know about Jesus, our Saviour.

Philip’s request to see the Father

Philip like all the disciples had no idea what the Lord Jesus was talking about, when He told them that He was going to prepare a place for them and that they did not know where He is going”.Thomas asks, “How can we know the way if we don’t know where you’re going?” Then Jesus said, “‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

But Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?’”  John 14:6-10.

Philip’s basically trying to demonstrate his faith by saying, “I do not know all these details LORD, just seeing the Father will be enough for us- satisfied.”Philip’s statement gave our LORD Jesus another opportunity to teach his disciples about the unity of the Father and the Son. That wasdirectly about his divinity, and helps us understand the Mystery Union between the Father and the Son..

How Philip died

Although little is known about Philip after the ascension of Christ, Bible historians believe Philip preached the gospel in Phrygia, in Asia Minor, and died a martyr there at Hierapolis. One thing we know for certain, Philip’s searched for the truth of the promised Messiah, and Christ came to him and found him and called him to serve him.And that is exactly what Philip did.

In Revelation 21:14-20, Philip’s name is onthe fifth of the 12 foundations of the New Jerusalem, “The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst”.

Bartholomew- Nathanael

Nathanael’s Name

His name appears in the list of the 12 Apostles, as Bartholomew that found in Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; and in Acts 1:13. But, in the Gospel of John he is known as Nathanael. “These are the names of the twelve apostles: Simon who is called Peter and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, known as Nathanel; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Jude known as Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him”. We may ask why the two name?

When names are translated into other languages, it reads differently. “Bartholomew”,is Nathanael’s surname. Itis the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name “Bar- Tolmai”, which means“son of Tolmai”.And Nathanael means in Hebrew “Natan- Eil, “Gift of God.”

Nathaniel’s Call

The Lord called Nathaneal to be his disciple with the 12 after He “spent the night praying to God… and chose the twelve, whom he also named apostles” (Luke 6:13-16 &Matthew 10:1-4).It was Philip who brought Nathaneal to Jesus. In John’s Gospel 1:43-46, we read, “The following day –after Jesus met with John, Andrew, and Simon Peter- Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow Me’. And Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph”.But Nathanael said to Philip,“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Philip answered, “Come and see,” said Philip.

It is evident from that interaction, that both Philip and Nathanael had been students of their Bible (the Old Testament), before meeting Lord Jesus. They had studied the Law of Moses and read the prophets and were ready, waiting and searching for the Promised Messiah like many in Israel at that time (Luke 2:36-38).Nathanael did not accept what Philip said without question.

Nathaniel tested what Philip said against Scripture. He knew that there were no direct prophecies about the Messiah coming from Nazareth, but that the Messiah was prophesied to come from Bethlehem. Nazareth was a small, insignificant village with a population of only about 400 people. He was expressing a common sentiment that a Messiah, who was expected to be a figure of great importance, could not come from such an unremarkable despised place with a poor reputation. The prophecy in Micah 5:2 pointed to Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah: “But you, Bethlehem-Ephratha, least among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.”

Nathanael, like some Jews,had a basic knowledge of the Law and the Prophets. Like Nicodemus and the Pharisees,they did not fully understand some Prophecies that refered to the Messiah who would be called a despised Nazarian.Matthew 2:23 states that Jesus’ residence in Nazareth fulfilled a prophecy that he would be called a Nazarene: “He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He shall be called a Nazarean.’”

This may refer to Isaiah 11:1 & 53:3, where the Hebrew word for “branch” (nezer) resembles “Nazareth”: “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him …He was despised and rejected by many. We esteemed him not”. However, this connection wasn’t obvious to everyone, including Nathanael who questioned that the Messiah came from Nazareth.

The Lord Called Nathanael “The One in Whom There Is No Deceit”

This statement highlights Nathaniel’s integrity and his willingness to seek the truth without pretense. Despite his initial doubts about Jesus, Nathaniel was willing to “come and see” for himself. He was sincere, honest and without hypocrisy, this pleases God.Nathanael, caught off guard by Christ’s saying this responded by asking Jesus, “how do You know me?”. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” The Lord revealed Nathaniel’s heart, as one who took time to meditate on spiritual things. He was under the fig tree, thinking of God’s promise of sending the Messiah. He was concerned and seeking after God.

Why Nathaniel addressed Jesus, as “the Son of God, and King of Israel”

We may be surprised by this sudden “turn around”. How did Nathaniel get from a sarcastic, “What good thing ever came out of Nazareth?” to a reverent, “You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!” so quickly? By calling Jesus, the “Son of God” and “the King of Israel”, was Nathanael’s confession of faith in Jesus, using two of the most significant Messianic Titles associated with the prophecies concerning the Promised Messiah in the Old Testament.

When Nathaniel declared, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel”, he was expressing his belief that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the divine appointed King prophesied in the well-known Messianic prophecy of Psalm 2:1-7, “Why do the nations rage, against the Lord and against His Anointed… The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You”. His exact understanding however was not as we think today, that he acknowledged that Jesus is God.The apostles only knew that Jesus is God Himself after His resurrection.

Nathaniel was promised of Greater Revelations Awaited him

The Lord said to him, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that… you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”Nathanael, with the other apostles during the three years of Jesus ministry, witnessed greater manifestations of Jesus’s glory, symbolized by “heaven opening” and angels ascending and descending on the Lord Jesus the Son of Man. This also refers to Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28:12), and Daniel prophecy of the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-14).

After his crucifixion and resurrection, we know that Jesus is the bridge between heaven and earth—the mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).Nathanael is being promised deeper revelations and heavenly encounters.

How Nathaniel died

Though not much is known about Nathanael beyond the gospel of John, church history suggests that Nathanael traveled to Persia and Armenia. These churches claim him as their founder to this day. Some traditions tell of Nathanael being tied up in a sack and thrown into the sea. Another said he died by crucifixion. How he really died, we don’t know. What is known is that Nathaneil’s name is on foundations of the New Jerusalem as Revelation 21:14-20 states.

To sum up the life of Nathanael, here are some key lessons for us as Christians today:

1. The Lord knew Nathaniel even before Philip called him; He is the same Lord who knows us directly and personally. The Lord knows all about us – our desires, longings, prayers, everything.
2. The Lord is concerned for us and interested in us. He encourages even our smallest moves towards Him. The Lord is patient with us and willing to answer our questions. He knows we are imperfect and leads us on.
3. We must Be Open to God Working in Unexpected Ways: God can choose unlikely people or places to fulfil His divine plans. We should remain open to God’s work in unexpected circumstances.
4. Nathanael’s story underscores the importance of faith, openness, and the willingness to look beyond societal expectations to recognize the work of God in the world.
5. As the Lord was dealing with Nathanael, drawing him to Himself through Philip, thattoo is a sign of His grace in our lives. Knowing that God knows us, is a great encouragement.

Thomas

Thomas is best known for the story that labeled him ”Doubting Thomas.” While the other disciples saw the resurrected Jesus and believed that he was bodily resurrected, Thomas wanted physical proof, asking to put his finger through the holes where Jesus was pierced in his crucifixion.

Thomas’s Name

Thomas is called “the twin” in John 21:2. His Aramaic name “Ta’oma,“and his Greek name “Thomas” means also “the twin.” His name appears in the listings of the 12 Apostles, that found in Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; and in the book of Acts 1:13.

Thomas’s call

Thomas’ call does not appear in the Four Gospels unlike some of the other disciples, but the Lord called him to be his disciple with the 12 after He “spent the night praying to God… and chose the twelve, whom he also named apostles” (Luke 6:13-16 & Matthew 10:1-4).Thomas plays a prominent role in asking Jesus questions only in the Gospel of John.

Thomas words and Questions in John’s Gospel

In the Gospel of John, Thomas plays a leading role in three significant accounts. There we find his words and questions with Lord Jesus.

(1) Thomas’s words to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). Near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He received the news that Lazarus was at the point of death (John 11:1-3). Lazarus’s sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Jesus stayed where he was for two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, forthey have no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So, then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Then Thomas, also known as the twin, said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:1-16).

The disciples fearfully reminded Jesus that the Jews at Lazarus’ hometown of Bethany, which was near Jerusalem, wanted to stone him, and they thought that the death threats certainly awaited them too. But Thomas boldly said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him”.Thomas’s readiness to stay with Jesus despite the consequences is noteworthy. Although his outlook may have been pessimistic and his words rather gloomy, he demonstrated extreme loyalty to Jesus.

(2) Thomas’s question to Jesus before the event of Crucifixion, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way”? (John 14:5)

In John 14:1-4, the Lord Jesus, before his Crucifixion and his Resurrection, said to His disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going” (John 14:1-4). The disciples were confused by Jesus’ mysterious language. They did not understand what He is talking about. But Thomas’ honest skepticism prompted him to be the first to ask, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way”? (John 14:5)Our Lord Jesus doesn’t get frustrated about this. In fact, because of Thomas’ question, our LORD Jesus says one of the most profound things written in John’s Gospel14:6-7, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

 The Lord Jesus wasn’t talking about knowing a route or a religious ideology to find salvation, but He was talking about knowing Him as the Only One in which we find salvation and eternal life. That is why Peter after the resurrection of Jesus said to the Jews, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The lesson here is that we should not be ashamed of our questions. Asking for clarification can lead us to new insights and breakthroughs as Thomas did.

(3) Thomas’ doubting statement, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25)

On the day of His resurrection, Lord Jesus appeared to a group of His disciples in a closed room. For some reason, Thomas was not with them for this supremely significant event (John 20:19-24). When the disciples later told Thomas they had seen the Lord, he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe”.With those famous words, Thomas earned a name that he would be remembered by throughout history – Doubting Thomas.A week after Thomas expresses his doubts, the Lord Jesus appears to the disciples and this time Thomas is among them: “Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe”.

It is amazing to recognize the gentleness that Lord Jesus expresses here. He doesn’t chastise Thomas for his lack of faith. Instead, He addresses Thomas in a way that allows him to believe.After Thomas touched Christ’s wounds and recognizing that Jesus is the LORD God Himself, he responded with the words “My Lord and my God”. Then Lord Jesus makes an important comment: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). The Lord Jesus is talking about us! We didn’t walk with Him or touching His scars. We live thousands of years from the events recorded in the Gospels, and Jesus recognizes the faith that it takes for us to believe. That’s why He pronounces a special blessing on us for trusting Him! We learn from the life of Thomas that he was deeply committed to His Lord Jesus, and yet he struggled with doubts and questions. For Thomas, and for many of us, seeing is believing.

Did Really Thomas write the so-Called the Gospel of Thomas?

     NO. The so-called the Gospel of Thomas is written by a Gnostic man who claimed to be apostle Thomas. The text includes 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. In its text, he affirms that Jesus was a wise popular travelling teacher in the areas of Samaria and Judea and large crowds gathered to hear his secret teachings that gave spiritual enlightenment.

Why the So-Called the Gospel of Thomas Not Considered a Gospel at all, but a false gospel?

(1) The so-called gospel of Thomas was written between 130 to 250 AD which explains why it’s not in the Bible. It is far too late from the New Testament books which were written before 70 AD. Even according to Liberal scholars, the 27 books of the New Testament, were known to all churches before the death of Peter before 70 AD and before the death of John the last apostle around 89 AD.

(2) The text was discovered in 1946 near the village of Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt, among other Gnostic works and it differs from the reliable Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It opens with the words, “These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and the Twine Judas Thomas recorded.”

(3) Some of the 114 sayings of Jesus in its text are very similar to those in Four Gospels, but it has been adapted for gnostic view. Others are completely gnostic in origin and form, emphasizing that salvation is only for the spirit not for the body. It comes throughspiritual enlightenment which is characteristic of Gnostic groups of the 2^ndand 3^rdcentury.

(4) The Gospel of Thomas overlooked the death and the resurrection of Jesus for man’s salvation from sin. Sin is not the problem in the gospel of Thomas – ignorance is!  Salvation is for spirit of man by knowing the secret words of Jesus if they are properly and insightfully understood.

(5) According to the false gospel of Thomas, there is no resurrection for the body, only the immaterial spirit will return back to the realm of light of which it came from.

(6) The earliest leaders of the Church recognized the Gospel of Thomas was a late, inauthentic, heretical Gnostic work. For example,

1. Bishop Hipploytus identified it as a fake and a heresy in “Refutation of All Heresies” (222-235AD),
2. Origen referred to it in a similar way in a homily (written 233AD),
3. Eusebius rejected it as an absurd, impious and heretical “fiction” in the third book of his “Church History”, written prior to 326AD).
4. Cyril advised his followers to avoid the text as heretical in his “Catechesis” (347-348AD), and
5. Pope Gelasius included the Gospel of Thomas in his list of heretical books in the 5th century.

For these reasons, all Christian of the second to the fifth century, rejected that false gospel and considered it as a heretical document that reflect the Gnostic view of a different Christ and different Gospel.

How did the real apostle Thomas die

Although not much is known about Thomas beyond the gospel of John, church history suggests that Thomas went to preach the Gospel of Christ in India,whose church to this day claims him as their founder.He was martyred there by decapitation.

Thomas’ life, his words and questions highlight several key lessons for us as Christians today: Like Thomas, we do not have to be afraid to ask questions; the Lord Jesus cares about our sincere questions.

Like Thomas, it is good if we pay attention to the details. The Bible is full of valuable details and facts, and the more we dig into those details, the more encouragement we will uncover.

Not unlike Thomas, being absent and away from the Lord’s Day, causes us to miss the Presence of the Lord that takes away our fear and turn our sorrow into joy as the disciples experienced. But, like Thomas, to be back with the body of Christ, our faith will be strengthened in Jesus, our Lord and our God.

Matthew

Matthew is best known as the Tax Collector, and the one who wrote the Gospel of Matthew.His name appears after Thomas in the listings of the 12 Apostles. Matthew, also known as Levi, is best known for his role as a tax collector before becoming a follower of Jesus (Luke 5:27).Tax collectors were known to cheat their fellow Jews by charging more than required and pocketing the difference. As a tax collector, Matthew would have been seen as an outcast by his fellow Jews, who viewed tax collectors as collaborators with the Roman occupiers and traitors to their people. For this reason, Matthew would have been considered unworthy to be chosen to follow Jesus by many Jews (Matthew 9:11)

Matthew’s call

According to the Gospel accounts in Matthew 9:9-13, and Luke 5:27-28, Matthew was sitting at his tax customs post, when Jesus approached him and said to him, “Follow me.” Matthew immediately left his job and became a disciple of Jesus. When Matthew decided to follow Jesus, he left behind his wealth and lucrative career as a tax collector. This shows his complete devotion to Christ and willingness to sacrifice worldly possessions for a greater calling. This was likethe Apostle Paul when he said after his conversion, “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:7-8).

Matthew’s Banquet for Jesus

According to the Gospel accounts in Matthew 9:9-13 and Luke 5:27-32, “Matthew known as Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them”. This significant event, highlights Jesus’ willingness to associate with those considered outcasts by the religious leaders of the time. The banquet was a way for Matthew to introduce Jesus to his circle of friends and for Jesus to demonstrate his acceptance of all people, including those often marginalized by society.When the Pharisees and the teachers of the law questioned and complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”Lord Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Matthew’s Gospel 

Becoming a disciple of Jesus, Matthew became an important figure in the early Christian community and is credited with writing the Gospel of Matthew, one of the four canonical gospels of the New Testament. Because he writes of Jerusalem and the temple in the present tense, many historians think he wrote his Gospel between 42 and 50 A.D; they point to the fact that the temple was not destroyed by the Romans until 70 A.D. Matthew explained how Jesus fulfils the teachings of the prophets in the Old Testament. Matthew’s central theme is promise and fulfillment: God’s promises in the Hebrew Scriptures to bring salvation to his people Israel and to the world are being fulfilled with the coming of Jesus the Messiah. Matthew writes his Gospel to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah, that he has the right to the throne of David as Israel’s true King, and that he is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing to all the world.

Matthew wrote his Gospel in Aramaic, the language of the Jews at that time for the Jewish people. The Gospel of Matthew begins with these words, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” significantlythis connects the Old Testament with New Testament.His Gospel tells of Lord Jesus’ life, teaching, and His sacrificial death on the Cross and His resurrection to take away our sins.

Matthew emphasizes certain themes

1. God is our Heavenly Father. 5:16, 45, 48; 6:1,9; 7:11,21.
2. Jesus is the Saviour and the king who calls us to enter His Kingdom ( Matt. 1, 13, 28)
3. Matthew said three times, in the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the Gospel that Jesus, the Immanuel is God with us (Mt 1, Mt 18:20; Mt 28).
4. Jesus is the Law giver, who gave the correct meaning of it (Mt 5-7; 22:37-40 ; 23:23)
5. Matthew presents five major discourses by Jesus: Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7); Commissioning the Twelve (Mt10); Parables of the Kingdom (Mt13); Church Life and Discipline (Mt. 18) and Olivet Discourse (Matt 23-25).
6. Matthew quotes 130 prophesy and allusions from the Old Testament that are fulfilled in Jesus (His birth; His life and ministry, and His death and resurrection).

The Gospel ends with the Lord’s Great Commission to His church to preach the gospel to the whole world, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of allnations, 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. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Matthew’s Gospel is still a living testimony to many who trust in God’s grace and believe in the Lord Jesus; the only Saviour and the King of Kings.

Matthew’s Death

Church history suggests that Matthew preached the gospel in Judea and Ethiopia before his death, although the details of his life and ministry are largely unknown.

Like Matthew, we must acknowledge God’s grace and not to be ashamed of our past sinful life as He mentioned his name, “Matthew, the Tax Collector”. Like Matthew, let us make sure that whatever might keep us from following Jesus, we leave it all behind. Like Matthew, we should look for opportunities to tell our friends about Jesus, as he invites his friends over for a meal with Jesus. This method creates a way to share and tell our friends about Jesus.

James, Son of Alpheus
Simon the Zealot
Thaddeus

These three apostles were the leastknown apostles. Scripture tells us almost nothing about them. They were only mentionedby their names in four places, in the listingof the 12 apostles recorded in Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:14–16; and Acts 1:13.

The only things we know for certain are their names and that they were present in the upper room of Jerusalem after Christ ascended to heaven as Acts 1:13 said, “Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alpheus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James, were in the upper room joined together in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers”.

James, son of Alpheus is best known as James the younger to distinguish him from James son of Zebedee, the great, and James the brother of the Lord and the author of the book of James.

Scripture tells us almost nothing about Simon the Zealot except that his name is mentioned only in list of the 12 apostles of Christ.

Thaddeus in the list of the 12 apostles is known by three different names. “Lebbaeus whose surname was Thaddaeus” in Matthew 10:3. And “Judas son of James” in Luke 6:16. And in John 14:22, is known as “Judas not Iscariot”.

At the Last Supper, in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, and before His crucifixion and His Resurrection, the Lord Jesus said to the twelve, that the Holy Spirit will dwell in them and help them in their mission to the world, and then he said, “The world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” John14:19-21. Confused, Thaddeus asked Jesus, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world?” John 14:22. These are the only recorded words of Thaddeus. He could not understand how the Lord could appear to the disciples without also being seen by the world. Thaddeus thought of Jesus as the Messiah and that of a conquering King or popular hero as the most of common Jews thought of the Messiah.Thaddeus did not understand that the Lord Jesus, as the Messiah, would manifest Himself to His own in a spiritual manner.

Christ responded by saying He would reveal Himself to anyone who loved Him.“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (John 23-24).The apostles of Christ, would see Jesus by faith through His Word. Christ’s answer to Thaddeus’ question shows that the promised manifestation to His individual followers is connected with obeying the Word of God. We arethankful to that question that made our Lord reveal to us, the important role of His Spirit in our life, so as to guide us to Jesus’ Word and remind us all He said.

While some apostles wrote books of the Bible and others were featured regularly in the gospels, all we know of those three apostles, are their names in the list of the twelve, and Thaddaeus’ question to the Lord.However, the lack of information about James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Thaddaeus are a lesson in itself to us. They can be an encouragement to those called to lives of obscurity and only few may ever know about their names or their work for Christ on earth.There will be no billboards, or headlines praising our efforts. Some of us toil for decades in remote regions of the world with little to show for it. Others serve quietly in their homes or neighborhoods and then die relatively unnoticed. But God notices.

These three unknown apostles remind us that our only responsibility is to be obedient to God’s call, and be faithful to His work to the end. As Paul says, “Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58). God said, “Those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be insignificant” (1 Samuel 2:30).

Judas Iscariot

According to Luke 6:12-16, our Lord Jesus spent all night in prayer, and then in the morning, He chose Judas Iscariot and called him to be his apostle.  This act raises many questions!Did Jesus know Judas would betray Him?Why Did Jesus Choose him to Be a Disciple?

But, Judas treason came as no surprise to Jesus, for He knew precisely what He was doing when He chose Judas, for the Bible says in John 6:64, “Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him”.

In John 6:71, the Lord said to the twelve, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” He spoke of Judas Iscariot; the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve”. Also, at the last Supper He said, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me”.

John asked him, “Lord, who it is?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot.  As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So, Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly” (John 13: 21-30)

Since the Lord Jesus knew everything about Judas Iscariot, and he is the one who would later betray Him, it may seem puzzling why Jesus did choose him to be a disciple giving him authority to do miracles?

The first and main reason was that prophecy had to be fulfilled

In John 13: 10-18, the Lord said to the twelve, “You are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean…. I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me”. TheLord Jesus in quoting Psalm 41:9. says, “This is being done so that the prophecy will be fulfilled.” Nothing had gone wrong. Also, Zechariah 11:12 speak of a price of 30 pieces of silver, which is also seen as a prophecy fulfilled by Judas’ betrayal in Matthew 26 and 27.

These two prophecies of betrayal raise another question: Was Judas forced to betray Him or was it his own responsibility?We see one point at a time; God sees all at one time. God knew what Judas would do before Judas did it. We dwell in time. God dwells in eternity: the past, present and future are all alike to Him.Judas was not forced to betray Jesus. He was absolutely responsible for what he did, for the Lord described him as “unbeliever” in John 6:64, “a devil” in John 6:70, “a thief” in John 12:6, and “spiritually unclean” in John 13:10.

When Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead gave a dinner for Him, Mary, Lazarus’ sister took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me” (John 12:1-8.)This is a clear declaration of the character of Judas. The love of money is behind the worst sin in the world. He desired money. And money is what he received to betray Christ.

Judas planned to betray Jesus and chose to do so as the Bible said in Matthew 26:14-16, “Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you? And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him”.

Some think that Judas may have been disappointed with Jesus’ lack of action against the Roman occupation, leading him to believe that a more direct approach was necessary. He may have expected Jesus to overthrow Roman rule, and when this didn’t happen, he betrayed him. Others suggest that Judas thought if he could arrange for Jesus Christ to be captured, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death, the Lord would have to call the mighty angels from heaven and begin The Kingdom and fulfill the prophecies. So, he plotted with the Jews to betray Christ.However, the Bible clearly declares the main reason, why Judas betrayed Jesus was tofulfill Scripture: Scriptures cannot be broken, and God is in control.Even horrific sins serve the saving purposes of God in his sovereign plan of redemption of man requiring the death of Jesus for our sins.

Never the less, none of this means that Judas and others who condemned and crucified Jesus were without fault. Judas Iscariot bore the responsibility for what he chose to do. Jesus said, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Mark 14:21).

Predestination and human accountability go hand in hand. God does not create evil, but He does control it. God does not participate in sin, but, in His power and wisdom, God can and sometimes does use the sin already existing in our world to fulfill His purpose. Judas was chosen with the foreknowledge of God that he would betray Jesus, but his betrayal, rather than stop God’s plan for salvation, actually advanced it.

Judas’ tragic Death 

After Judas realized what he had done, he went to the chief priests and the elders and gave them back those thirty pieces of silver, “saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood”. But they said to him, “What do we care about that? That is your business!” 

Then, Judas threw the coins down in the Temple and left; then he went off and hanged himself” (Matt 27:4-5) Judas’s mind was filled with sorrow and regret, so he hanged himself, and there his body bloated, and then the body fell to the ground below “Falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out”.As the apostle Peter said to the believers after the Day of Pentecost, “Brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry. For it is written “Let another take his office’” (Acts 1:16-20).

Judas, stands as a warning about the hardness of the heart. Here was a man who drew as close to the Savior as it is humanly possible to be. He enjoyed every privilege Christ affords. He was intimately familiar with everything Jesus taught. Yet he remained in unbelief and went into a hopeless eternity.

In Judas, we have a clear example of how a person can be religious, hear the Word of God taught, witness genuine miracles, and yet not be a real bornagain believer, and be unsaved. And this what our Lord said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7: 21-23)

Matthias

Some may ask what about Matthias and Paul? Which one of them had to replace Judas Iscariot and take his office?

Matthias was not one of the TwelveApostles. He is also the only one who was not personally called by Lord Jesus. Instead, he was appointed by the apostles to replace Judas Iscariot.Whether or not God intended for him to replace Judas Iscariot, his appointment by casting a lot was more the result of Peter’s restlessness than God’s plan, since Paul was personally called by Lord Jesus to be an apostle later. “Casting lots” could have just meant voting, drawing a name from a jar, or something else. But the principle of casting lots goes back to the Old Testament. It was a process the Israelites used to discern God’s will, seek his wisdom, or learn the truth.

According to Acts 1:15-25, the apostle Peter stood up among the 120 believers, and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our numbers and shared in our ministry… may another take his place; therefore, it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us.

For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. So, they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.”  Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so, he was added to the eleven apostles”.

Paul

Paul was called by the Lord himself after His ascension to heaven to be His apostle. He is also, known by his Hebrew name as Saul. Paul did more to help spread the gospel throughout the world than anyone else in the early church.  He often appears on lists of the most influential people who have ever lived

Saul -Paul’s early life

He was born in Tarsus in the southeastern corner of Asia Minor sometime in 1-5 AD. He said about his early life, “I was circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless” (Philippians 3:5-6). At age thirteen Saul was sent to Jerusalem to learn from rabbi Gamaliel, under whom Saul mastered Jewish history, and Hebrew Scripture.

This would take five years according to Jewish tradition (Acts 22:3).Saul’s early adult was marked by religious zeal, brutal violence, and the relentless persecution of the early church. It is this zeal that led Saul down the path of religious extremism. Saul became determined to eradicate Christians, ruthless in his pursuit as he believed he was acting in the name of God. He watched and approved while people stoned the first Christian martyr Stephen to death (Acts 8:1).

Apostle Paul’s ministry lasted nearly 30-35 years, from his conversion around 33-34 AD to his death around 65-67 AD. This period was filled with intense missionary work, establishing churches, and writing about 13-14 letters.

Paul’s dramatic conversion to Christ Jesus, the Lord

Acts 9:4-6 and Acts 22:1-21 recorded his encounter with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, as Saul intended to arrest Christians. Here what Paul said of his conversion, “I was zealous for God. I persecuted the followers of the Way to their death, arresting believers in Jesus and throwing them into prison, as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting, he replied. “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. The Lord Jesus said to me, ‘Get up, and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’  

In Damascus, a man named Ananias came to see me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him. Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.  Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’ “When I returned to Jerusalem, I saw the Lord in a vision speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’ “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”From that point forward, the Lord called Paul to be His apostle to bring Jews and the Gentiles to Christ Jesus.

Paul’s First Years Ministry as the apostle of Christ

In Acts 9: 19-25 states that, “Immediately following his conversion, Saul spent several days with the Christians-Jews who believed in Jesus in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.  All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah”.

Paul’s Missionary Journeys of Evangelism

The book of Acts tells us that Paul did three great missionary journeys.First Missionary Journey lasted nearly two years, from 47-48 AD.  While in Antioch- Syria, Paul and Barnabas were called to the Lord’s service to preach the Gospel. They went from Antioch- Syria to Cyprus, then to Perga, to Antioch- Turkey. Then to Iconium, and Lystra – all cities of Asia Minor- Turky.

The 2^ndMissionary Journey- 49-52 AD

This journey lasted 3 years, from Jerusalem to northwest through Asia Minor (Turky) then crossed into Macedonia, in Philippi – and to – Greec in Corinth and back to Jerusalem.

The 2^nd Missionary Journey- 49-52 AD

This journey lasted 3 years, from Jerusalem to northwest through Asia Minor (Turky) then crossed into Macedonia, in Philippi – and to – Greec in Corinth and back to Jerusalem.

The 3^nd Missionary Journey- 53-58 AD

This journey lasted 4 to 5 years.Into the heartland of Turkey, he travelled throughoutGalatia andPhrygia, strengthening all the believers of all churches he planted.

Paul’s last Journey to Rome from 60-67 AD

At last, arriving in Rome, Paul stayed two years under house arrest, from 60-62 AD, awaiting trial, but he continuing his ministry and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus with all boldness and without hindrance.God kept His promise to Paul, and the means of getting him to Rome were far more roundabout—and far more dangerous—than Paul had expected.

But through it all, he had God’s protection and took advantage of the many opportunities to preach Jesus Christ. During that time of imprisonment in Rome, Paul wrote four letters, the Ephesians, the Colossians, the Philippians, and Philemon.  Then Paul was released and was free to preach for almost two years, and then He was arrested again and beheading in Rome by the order of Nero around the year 67 AD.

Paul’s Letters and Missionary Journeys

Here the amazing work of the Sovereign LORD. Satan turned Judas Iscariot one of Jesus’ followers against him, but LORD Jesus turned one of the strongest adversaries of the Church into one of her strongest advocates and called him to be his apostle in a dramatic way. Praise God, our LORD God is the Sovereign God who rules in the kingdom of men.  Whatever he Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in earth. Praise the LORD. Amen.