“Who Were Jesus Christ’s Early Apostles?,” For the Strength of Youth, Feb. 2023.
Come, Follow Me
Matthew; Mark; Luke; John
Who Were Jesus Christ’s Early Apostles?
Find out more about the ordinary men the Savior called to do extraordinary things.
Illustrations by Carolyn Vibbert
Peter
Lived at Capernaum with his wife and her mother.
Son of Jonah; brother of Andrew.
Known as Simon; then Jesus gave him the name of Peter or Cephas, meaning “rock.”
Was the chief Apostle and received the keys of the kingdom of God on earth from the Lord.
Andrew
Probably lived at Capernaum with Peter.
Son of Jonah; brother of Simon Peter, probably younger.
Fisherman with Peter.
Disciple of John the Baptist.
Brought Peter to meet Jesus.
One of the earliest called to be a disciple.
James
He and John were with their father by the seashore when Jesus called them.
Son of Zebedee; brother of John.
Given the name Boanerges, or “sons of thunder,” along with John.
His mother asked Jesus to grant her sons seats in His kingdom.
One of the three present at the raising of Jairus’s daughter, the Mount of Transfiguration, and Gethsemane.
John
He and his brother were called Boanerges, or “sons of thunder.”
Son of Zebedee; brother of James.
Traditionally called “the Beloved”; calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
Was a fisherman in early life.
Took care of the Savior’s mother, Mary, after Jesus’s death.
One of the three present at the raising of Jairus’s daughter, the Mount of Transfiguration, and Gethsemane.
Philip
Of Bethsaida.
Introduced Nathanael to Jesus.
Nathanael
Friend of Philip.
Belonged to Cana in Galilee.
It is believed that the names Bartholomew and Nathanael refer to the same person.
Thomas
Also called Didymus.
Both Didymus and Thomas mean “twin.”
Called “doubting Thomas” because he would not believe in Jesus’s Resurrection unless he saw Him.
Matthew
Also known as Levi.
Son of Alphaeus.
He collected taxes for Rome from his fellow Jews in Capernaum, making him unpopular with the Jews.
After his call, he held a feast with publicans (tax collectors) and others, which Jesus attended.
Author of the Gospel of Matthew.
James
Likely a brother of Matthew.
Son of Alphaeus.
Jude
Sometimes called Judas the Zealot or Judas Thaddaeus.
Simon
Also called Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Zealot, or Zelotes.
Zealots were Jews with great zeal for the law. They rejected Roman or any foreign authority and sought to expel the Roman Empire from the Holy Land.
He may have been associated with this group or may simply have had great zeal for Jesus Christ and His gospel.
Judas
Probably from Kerioth in southern Judaea and thus the only Apostle who was not a Galilaean.
Designated treasurer among the disciples.
Betrayed the Savior for 30 pieces of silver.