And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him,
He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal
all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first,
Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of
Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas
and Matthew the tax collector; (Matt. 9:9-13)4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also
betrayed Him.
Having declared the need for laborers for the harvest, the Lord Jesus now calls His chosen twelve disciples to Himself with the purpose of sending them out too basically be His Person in the flesh wherever they went, to whomever they met, which is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ wants to do through us, reveal Himself to others through us. Now when the Lord Jesus Christ called the disciples to Himself He also gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Their ministry then which was at that time exclusively to the nation of Israel (vs. 5) would be an exact representation of His own Persons Power and Authority. Therefore, the power given them over unclean spirits as well as the abilities to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease should not be thought by us as either given us all, or even required by Christ for us to now be either His disciples or witnesses.
The Lord Jesus Christ has bestowed on
these twelve men the great privilege and responsibility of judging the twelve
tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28). Simon,
whose name is called Peter along with his brother Andrew came to the Lord first,
both were initially disciples of John the Baptist (John 1:35-42) and both were
fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. They were from the city of Bethsaida, were
Philip was also from (John 1:44). Now it was Simon Peter who was the first
disciple to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah, and it would be the
Lord Himself who would change his name to Peter to reflect this understanding
(Matt.16:13-20). Later the Lord Jesus would bestow much responsibility on him
as an apostle, preacher and leader of the early church (Matt. 16:13-20; John
21:15-23). The Apostle Peter along with the brothers James and John would also be
the only disciples whom the Lord would bring with Him inside the room when He
healed Jairus’, the Synagogue rulers daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51), and it
would be Peter along with the brothers James and John whom the Lord Jesus chose
to be eye witnesses of His transfiguration, clearly indicating that the Lord
had plans for these men to be leaders in the church (Matt. 17:1-13). For Peter,
James, and John are all mentioned together first in list of disciples in the
upper prayer room after the Lord’s Ascension (Acts 1:13). Though before
Pentecost the Apostle Peters eagerness, hastiness, and sometimes misguided zeal
is often apparent (Matt. 17:1-8, vs. 4; Matt.26:30-35, vs. 33; Matt. 26:51
etc.). Nonetheless Peter’s personality after Pentecost because of Holy Spirit
regenerating him into a new creation (see 2 Cor 5:17) would see some wonderful
new attributes that previously could not be easily ascribed to him, and whereas
before he was rather rash and would often stumble in his use and understanding
of the Scriptures, at Pentecost and beyond the Apostle Peter would be the most powerful
and effective preacher, leader, and apostle in the early church (Acts 2:14-47;
3:1-26; 4:1-31), truly a Holy Spirit transformation and enabling of his person
for Christ’s service. Later as it became revealed to Him by God in a vision he
would also become the first Gospel preacher to the Gentiles, receiving them as
full and equal brethren (Acts 10:1-11:18, Acts 15:7-10 etc.); yet it would be
the Apostle Paul whose Gospel ministry to the Gentiles and ministry of the Word
of God to all the churches by the Will of the Lord exceed Peters and all the
Apostles (Acts 9:15; Rom 1:4-5; 11:8; Gal. 2:7-10; Eph.3:7-8; 1 Tim.2:7; 2
Tim.1:11). Now through the Apostle Peter God worked many miracles and mighty
signs as a means of both authenticating and establishing the Gospel’s Message (Acts
3:1-26; 5:12-16; 9:32-43), for which he was also imprisoned for his faith (Acts
4:1-31; 5:17-42). Now it would be the Apostle Peter who as the prominent leader
of the early disciples would pronounce God’s judgment on Ananias and Sapphire
for lying to the Holy Spirit for which they died (Acts 5:1-11). And when Herod
killed the Apostle James and saw that it pleased the Jews he then went on and
seized the Apostle Peter imprisoning him so that he might bring him out and
kill him before the Jews as well. However, God had other plans and the
Apostle’s Peters miraculous deliverance and Herod’s death is recorded for us in
Acts 12:1-24. Now it was at Antioch where the early church was thriving and
where the Apostle Paul and Barnabas were ministering the Word of God to the
church when certain men came there and begin to tell the Gentiles that unless
they were circumcised according to the custom of Moses they could not be saved.
All which made for the Apostle Paul and Barnabas to have no small dispute with
them. However, when the church there could not settle the matter themselves, they
sent Paul and Barnabas along with others to the Apostles at Jerusalem for a
decision from them, for it was there where the twelve resided. Now their
decision would later become known as the Jerusalem decree that has forever
bound the believing church under the grace of God. Now when the Apostle Paul
presented the matter before the Apostles, elders, and church leaders there, it
would be the Apostle Peter speaking first, then the Apostle James, who would by
the Holy Spirit also take their stand in defence of the grace of God as the
sole means of salvation for both believing Jews and Gentiles; something which
had universal acceptance amongst all there (see Acts 15). Now two epistles were
written by the Apostle Peter to the churches, in which he also acknowledges
that the doctrinal ministry of the Word of God to all the churches had largely
been entrusted to the Apostle Paul (2 Peter 3:15) and which the Apostle Peter
in opening of his last epistle foretells of his own imminent demise by
martyrdom (2 Peter 1:14). Which was foretold by the Lord Jesus Christ in John
21:18-19 on how Peter would glorify Him.
Andrew: Is the brother of Simon Peter, both were disciples of John the Baptist before they came to Christ. Andrew would discover Christ first and bring his brother Simon Peter to Him (John 1:40-41). Later it would be the Lord Jesus Himself who would call them both into His discipleship (Matt. 4:18-19). After his call into Christ’s discipleship Andrew is mentioned sparsely in the N.T., though Andrew is the cheerful optimist who noticed that there was a lad with 5 barely loaves and two small fish by which Jesus went on to feed the five thousand (John 6:1-14, vs. 8-9). Whereas Peter was an impetuous natural leader, Andrew seems like a natural mediator, very approachable and easy to speak with, for it would be both Andrew and Philip who approached Jesus with the Greeks request when they wanted to see Jesus (John 12:20-22). Not until the Lord Jesus Christs’ declaration of the Temple’s complete destruction before His own crucifixion is Andrew mentioned again, this time along with Peter, James and John as being with Jesus on the Mount of Olives asking Him when these things will be (Mark 13:1-4). The Apostle Andrew is last mentioned in the N.T. in Acts 1:13 when all the Apostles went up into the upper room to continue on in prayer, along with the woman and those who followed Jesus after they had been not only eye witnesses of His Resurrection but also His Ascension back to heaven.
James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother: the sons of Zebedee who along with their father were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. They were both called into Christ’s discipleship after He called Simon Peter and Andrew. Their mothers name was Salome, who also became a disciple of Jesus, later she is seen asking Jesus to bestow special status on her two sons, which Jesus turned into a wonderful teaching moment (Matt. 10:20-23). She is also mentioned along with the other notable woman who ministered to Jesus’ daily needs. She followed the Lord Jesus Christ even to His Crucifixion death (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40-41), and she may have been the sister of Mary who bore Christ, though that is only speculation (John 19:25), if so that would have made James and John cousins of Jesus (gleaned from Nelsons Bible Dictionary). Later she along with two other key woman brought spices after His death to anoint Him (Mark 16:1). Though not mentioned by name she was likely in the upper prayer room after the Lord’s Resurrection and Ascension (Acts 1:13), Zebedee though, outside of being mentioned at his son’s public call into discipleship is never mentioned again.
Now James is always mentioned first, and thus was likely the elder of the two, John then being the younger. Both James and John were partners with Simon Peter in the fishing business (Luke 5:10), and like Andrew and Simon Peter they to left their fishing careers behind them when the Lord Jesus Christ called them into His discipleship (Mark 1:16-20). James and John then along with Andrew and Simon Peter are frequently mentioned together in the N.T. (Mark 1:29; 13:3) though it is Peter, James, and John whom the Lord Jesus held in His closest confidence, for they alone were chosen to see Christ’s transfiguration, and they alone were asked by Him to stay with Him while He prayed in Gethsemane before His Crucifixion (Matt. 17:1; Mark 5:37; 14:33; Luke9:28-36). These three men then will form the backbone of the early church. And though they appear as pillars of it, it will be by Christ’s choice and design the Apostle Paul’s missionary activity and incredible insights on the Word of God revealed in his epistles to the churches and disciples everywhere that will do the most in forwarding the Gospel and stunning growth of the early church in the Gentile realms (Gal. 2:9).
Now early on the Lord Jesus bestowed on the brothers James and John the appellation: “Sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17), likely referring to their strong personalities, for both James and John after the Lord Jesus Christ was rejected by a certain Samaritan village are seen asking Him if they should pray that God send down fire upon them, as Elijah once did on Ahab’s servants sent to take him, for which the Lord Jesus had to rebuke and correct their misguided zeal and thought (Luke 9:51-56). Now James along with His brother John before the Lord’s Crucifixion are themselves also seen asking the Lord Jesus to bestow special status on them in His Kingdom, something which brought about the displeasure of the remaining twelve and brought about the Lord’s exalting service far above striving for personal status as the means of true discipleship (Mark 10:35-45).
Bartholomew the Apostle is always mentioned along with Philip in the Gospels (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14). Bartholomew’s only other mention in the N.T.is in Acts 1:13 in the upper prayer room in Jerusalem with all the Apostles and early disciples. Bartholomew’s lack of mention in the N.T. does not mean a lack of importance or influence since the twelve Apostles chosen by Christ will one day judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector: Thomas is first mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels in the lists of the Apostles (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). Thomas is also called Didymus in John 20:24 (a Greek word meaning “twin”). Thomas’s first mention in the context of Jesus is in John’s Gospel where the Lord Jesus is on His way to Judea to raise Lazarus from the dead, and thinking that the Lord Jesus would be killed by the Jews if He went into Judea, Thomas wanting to be fully committed to Jesus no matter what He does or where He goes, says to the his fellow disciples: “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11:16). The next mention of Thomas is in John 14:5 where the Lord Jesus having told the disciples that He is going to prepare a place for us, (John 14:1-4), Thomas then says to Him: “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:5-6
Now Thomas’ most infamous notation is found in John 20:24-29 where the Lord Jesus Christ having Risen from the dead and appeared to the eleven disciples, Thomas not being present is then told by them that they have seen the Lord to which Thomas responds: “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:25 And so it will be eight days later that the Lord Jesus will again appear to the disciples and this time Thomas is present with them, upon which the Lord Jesus having bestowed peace on them all then says to Thomas: “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:26-29 Thomas last mention in the Gospels is in John 21:2 where he is mentioned with Simon Peter, Nathaniel of Cana of Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus who being discouraged seemingly are about to return to their fishing livelihoods. And so, it is here in John chapter 21 that the Lord Jesus again appears to them before appointing Peter to the responsibility of leading and caring for His people. Finally, Thomas’ last mention is in Acts 1:13 with all of the disciples in the upper prayer room in Jerusalem.
Matthew the tax collector: Before being called by the Lord Jesus Christ Matthew was a tax collector; an occupation that put him in the service and servitude of the despised Romans. As such Matthew was a social outcast amongst his Jewish brethren being thought of in the same light as lepers, sinners, and Gentiles. Nonetheless with Matthews being called by Christ to be one of His chosen twelve Apostles the Lord opened the door to not only Matthews acceptance and place in His Kingdom, but every believing sinner and Gentile as well (Matt. 9:9-13). In Marks and Luke’s Gospel Matthew is referred to as Levi (Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32). And though Matthew began as an outcast amongst his own nation, Matthew the tax collector after Pentecost would become Matthew the writer of the Gospel that bears his name. A Gospel that is the most proficient of them all in quoting the Old Testament Scriptures fulfilled in and by the Lord Jesus Christ.
James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus: James the son of Alphaeus is only mentioned in the list of the Apostles and as being in the upper prayer room after the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus is mentioned only name in Matt. 10:3, being held to be Judas the son (or brother) of James in Luke 6:16 (Nelsons Bible Dictionary).
Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him: Now Simon the Cananite is thus designated to distinguish him from Simon Peter, the appellation “the Cananite” is used only in Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospel, being referred to as Simon the zealot in Luke (Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). As such Simon was before being called by the Lord Jesus Christ part of radical faction of the Jews that hated and opposed any and all foreign intervention and rule.
Judas Iscariot is the one who betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ to the chief priests and captains of the Jewish people for thirty pieces of silver (Luke 22:1-6). Judas Iscariot though amongst the disciples from the beginning was only a thief, stealing what was put in the money box which he himself was entrusted to secure (John 12:4-6). And thus, Judas Iscariot is always to be distinguished from Judas the son of Simon (John 6:17). Now the term or designation Iscariot refers to his hometown of Kerioth in southern Judah, (Nelsons) which seems most fitting since it would be the chief priests and people from this region who would demand the Lord’s Crucifixion death from Pontius Pilate in fulfillment of God’s Word (Acts 3:13-26; 4:27-28; 13:27). Judas Iscariot then was the only one of the twelve who was a Judean (the epicenter of the Jewish religion) and thus was not called from the region Galilee (often considered by the Judeans as a defiled “land of Gentiles”). Judas Iscariots end then also comes according to the Word of God and thus having betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and feeling remorse later he hangs himself, and thus he lives forever not only in torment but also in infamy as the betrayer of the only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Matt. 26:14-16; 27:3-10).
Commentary
Vs.
1 “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him,
He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal
all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.”Having declared the need for laborers for the harvest, the Lord Jesus now calls His chosen twelve disciples to Himself with the purpose of sending them out too basically be His Person in the flesh wherever they went, to whomever they met, which is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ wants to do through us, reveal Himself to others through us. Now when the Lord Jesus Christ called the disciples to Himself He also gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Their ministry then which was at that time exclusively to the nation of Israel (vs. 5) would be an exact representation of His own Persons Power and Authority. Therefore, the power given them over unclean spirits as well as the abilities to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease should not be thought by us as either given us all, or even required by Christ for us to now be either His disciples or witnesses.
Vs.
2-4
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first,
Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of
Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James
the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also
betrayed Him.
Andrew: Is the brother of Simon Peter, both were disciples of John the Baptist before they came to Christ. Andrew would discover Christ first and bring his brother Simon Peter to Him (John 1:40-41). Later it would be the Lord Jesus Himself who would call them both into His discipleship (Matt. 4:18-19). After his call into Christ’s discipleship Andrew is mentioned sparsely in the N.T., though Andrew is the cheerful optimist who noticed that there was a lad with 5 barely loaves and two small fish by which Jesus went on to feed the five thousand (John 6:1-14, vs. 8-9). Whereas Peter was an impetuous natural leader, Andrew seems like a natural mediator, very approachable and easy to speak with, for it would be both Andrew and Philip who approached Jesus with the Greeks request when they wanted to see Jesus (John 12:20-22). Not until the Lord Jesus Christs’ declaration of the Temple’s complete destruction before His own crucifixion is Andrew mentioned again, this time along with Peter, James and John as being with Jesus on the Mount of Olives asking Him when these things will be (Mark 13:1-4). The Apostle Andrew is last mentioned in the N.T. in Acts 1:13 when all the Apostles went up into the upper room to continue on in prayer, along with the woman and those who followed Jesus after they had been not only eye witnesses of His Resurrection but also His Ascension back to heaven.
James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother: the sons of Zebedee who along with their father were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. They were both called into Christ’s discipleship after He called Simon Peter and Andrew. Their mothers name was Salome, who also became a disciple of Jesus, later she is seen asking Jesus to bestow special status on her two sons, which Jesus turned into a wonderful teaching moment (Matt. 10:20-23). She is also mentioned along with the other notable woman who ministered to Jesus’ daily needs. She followed the Lord Jesus Christ even to His Crucifixion death (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40-41), and she may have been the sister of Mary who bore Christ, though that is only speculation (John 19:25), if so that would have made James and John cousins of Jesus (gleaned from Nelsons Bible Dictionary). Later she along with two other key woman brought spices after His death to anoint Him (Mark 16:1). Though not mentioned by name she was likely in the upper prayer room after the Lord’s Resurrection and Ascension (Acts 1:13), Zebedee though, outside of being mentioned at his son’s public call into discipleship is never mentioned again.
Now James is always mentioned first, and thus was likely the elder of the two, John then being the younger. Both James and John were partners with Simon Peter in the fishing business (Luke 5:10), and like Andrew and Simon Peter they to left their fishing careers behind them when the Lord Jesus Christ called them into His discipleship (Mark 1:16-20). James and John then along with Andrew and Simon Peter are frequently mentioned together in the N.T. (Mark 1:29; 13:3) though it is Peter, James, and John whom the Lord Jesus held in His closest confidence, for they alone were chosen to see Christ’s transfiguration, and they alone were asked by Him to stay with Him while He prayed in Gethsemane before His Crucifixion (Matt. 17:1; Mark 5:37; 14:33; Luke9:28-36). These three men then will form the backbone of the early church. And though they appear as pillars of it, it will be by Christ’s choice and design the Apostle Paul’s missionary activity and incredible insights on the Word of God revealed in his epistles to the churches and disciples everywhere that will do the most in forwarding the Gospel and stunning growth of the early church in the Gentile realms (Gal. 2:9).
Now early on the Lord Jesus bestowed on the brothers James and John the appellation: “Sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17), likely referring to their strong personalities, for both James and John after the Lord Jesus Christ was rejected by a certain Samaritan village are seen asking Him if they should pray that God send down fire upon them, as Elijah once did on Ahab’s servants sent to take him, for which the Lord Jesus had to rebuke and correct their misguided zeal and thought (Luke 9:51-56). Now James along with His brother John before the Lord’s Crucifixion are themselves also seen asking the Lord Jesus to bestow special status on them in His Kingdom, something which brought about the displeasure of the remaining twelve and brought about the Lord’s exalting service far above striving for personal status as the means of true discipleship (Mark 10:35-45).
Now it is John along with Peter that the Lord Jesus asked to seek a place for
them all to eat the Passover Meal before His Crucifixion (Luke 22:8) indicating
their own personal friendship something which continued on in the early church
as the Apostle John is frequently seen with the Apostle Peter during his early Gospel
ministry, even being arrested with him for preaching the Gospel, then boldly
defending the Gospel before the Jews Sanhedrin council (Acts 3-4). After
Pentecost the Apostle John’s person and ministry is not as public or as dynamic
as the Apostle Peters; though God worked many mighty signs and miracles through
all the Apostles (Acts 5:12). The Apostle John’s ministry seems to have been
rooted in prayer and the Word of God as it was later revealed to the twelve
Apostles in Jerusalem to do (Acts 6:2). To this end the Apostle Johns Gospel is
filled with the most Spirit filled truths and Words spoken by the Lord Jesus
Christ. The Apostle John also wrote three epistles, with the first being the
most Spiritually significant, containing Spirit truths and understanding that
are necessary for every believers and Assemblies Spirit growth and survival. And
though the Apostle John was with the Apostles Peter, James and Andrew when the
Lord gave His discourse on the end times before His Crucifixion, it would be
the Apostle John who nearing the end of his life that the Lord would commit His
Finial Revelation to while John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos. An
incredible man and an incredible life filled with the Word of God and Spirit and
life of Christ! Now James the brother of
John was the elder brother, for he is always referred to first whenever
they are mentioned in the N.T. This James shares all of the same family tie’s
as John and so see his brief biography for details on that. Same with the
appellation “sons of thunder” that the Lord Jesus bestowed on him and his
brother John. Now both James and John are always referred to together, (and
thus this James is to be distinguished from James the Lord’s brother who wrote
the Epistle James), as well James and John are also referred to with the
Apostle Peter as being the Lord Jesus’ most entrusted Apostles, though clearly
John the youngest of the two had a much more significant role in the Lord
establishing the Word of God to the churches and believers everywhere. James earthly legacy after the
Resurrection of Christ was sadly cut short because he was the churches second known martyr being killed by Herod Agrippa I (see Acts 12:1-3).
Philip and Bartholomew: Philip was
from Bethsaida, the city of the brothers Andrew and Peter (John 1:44; 12:21).
Philipps delight in being called by the Lord Jesus Christ, and then Philips
bringing Nathaniel his friend to the Lord is recorded for us in John 1:43-51. Now
since Philip and Nathaniel came to the Lord Jesus at the same time, some have
speculated that Nathaniel is the same person as Bartholomew, for it is only Philip
and Bartholomew who are always mentioned together in the list of the Twelve
Apostles (Matt. 10:2-3; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16), though that is not
substantial enough to verify anything. The next time Philip is mentioned in the Gospels is when the Lord Jesus is
approached by the multitudes on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, during
which He will turn to Philip and test him asking him where they could get bread
for the multitudes to eat (John 6:1-14). Philip’s response though is that of
pragmatic and only sees the need as being too great for them to meet by their
own resources; whereas Andrew will interject with the view of an optimist for seeing
a lad with seven loaves and two small fish he sees a chance for them to meet
the need. But what the Lord Jesus Christ was looking for from His disciples was
a response of faith, that through Him the need could and would be met. Later in Johns Gospel Philip is mentioned again, this time being
approached by some Greeks who were from the same city as he, who had come to
worship God at one of the Jewish feasts. These men then wanted to speak with
Jesus and so they approach Philip with their request. Now instead of bringing
these men to Jesus; like when he joyfully brought his friend Nathaniel to Jesus;
here Philip (shows his lack of leadership confidence) by first going and finding
Andrew (Peters brother) and then both he and Andrew bring their request to
Jesus (John 12:20-22). Now stating as much about Philip is only done to show
that the Lord takes us as we are with all of our doubts, faults, and weaknesses
and then forms us into His disciples. For nobody who is called by Christ comes
to Him complete and “perfect”. Now Philips doubts are seen in John 14:8-9 when he asks the Lord Jesus
to show them the Father, saying that would be enough, which the
Lord Jesus responds to him, saying: “Have I been with
you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen
the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in
Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the
sake of the works themselves.” John 14:9-11 Philips last mention in the N.T. is in the upper room in Jerusalem after
the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, thus Philip the Apostle is to be
distinguished from Philip the evangelist who is frequently mentioned in the
Book of Acts (Acts 6:5; 8:5-40; 21:8-11).
Bartholomew the Apostle is always mentioned along with Philip in the Gospels (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14). Bartholomew’s only other mention in the N.T.is in Acts 1:13 in the upper prayer room in Jerusalem with all the Apostles and early disciples. Bartholomew’s lack of mention in the N.T. does not mean a lack of importance or influence since the twelve Apostles chosen by Christ will one day judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector: Thomas is first mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels in the lists of the Apostles (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). Thomas is also called Didymus in John 20:24 (a Greek word meaning “twin”). Thomas’s first mention in the context of Jesus is in John’s Gospel where the Lord Jesus is on His way to Judea to raise Lazarus from the dead, and thinking that the Lord Jesus would be killed by the Jews if He went into Judea, Thomas wanting to be fully committed to Jesus no matter what He does or where He goes, says to the his fellow disciples: “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11:16). The next mention of Thomas is in John 14:5 where the Lord Jesus having told the disciples that He is going to prepare a place for us, (John 14:1-4), Thomas then says to Him: “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:5-6
Now Thomas’ most infamous notation is found in John 20:24-29 where the Lord Jesus Christ having Risen from the dead and appeared to the eleven disciples, Thomas not being present is then told by them that they have seen the Lord to which Thomas responds: “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:25 And so it will be eight days later that the Lord Jesus will again appear to the disciples and this time Thomas is present with them, upon which the Lord Jesus having bestowed peace on them all then says to Thomas: “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:26-29 Thomas last mention in the Gospels is in John 21:2 where he is mentioned with Simon Peter, Nathaniel of Cana of Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus who being discouraged seemingly are about to return to their fishing livelihoods. And so, it is here in John chapter 21 that the Lord Jesus again appears to them before appointing Peter to the responsibility of leading and caring for His people. Finally, Thomas’ last mention is in Acts 1:13 with all of the disciples in the upper prayer room in Jerusalem.
Matthew the tax collector: Before being called by the Lord Jesus Christ Matthew was a tax collector; an occupation that put him in the service and servitude of the despised Romans. As such Matthew was a social outcast amongst his Jewish brethren being thought of in the same light as lepers, sinners, and Gentiles. Nonetheless with Matthews being called by Christ to be one of His chosen twelve Apostles the Lord opened the door to not only Matthews acceptance and place in His Kingdom, but every believing sinner and Gentile as well (Matt. 9:9-13). In Marks and Luke’s Gospel Matthew is referred to as Levi (Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32). And though Matthew began as an outcast amongst his own nation, Matthew the tax collector after Pentecost would become Matthew the writer of the Gospel that bears his name. A Gospel that is the most proficient of them all in quoting the Old Testament Scriptures fulfilled in and by the Lord Jesus Christ.
James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus: James the son of Alphaeus is only mentioned in the list of the Apostles and as being in the upper prayer room after the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus is mentioned only name in Matt. 10:3, being held to be Judas the son (or brother) of James in Luke 6:16 (Nelsons Bible Dictionary).
Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him: Now Simon the Cananite is thus designated to distinguish him from Simon Peter, the appellation “the Cananite” is used only in Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospel, being referred to as Simon the zealot in Luke (Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). As such Simon was before being called by the Lord Jesus Christ part of radical faction of the Jews that hated and opposed any and all foreign intervention and rule.
Judas Iscariot is the one who betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ to the chief priests and captains of the Jewish people for thirty pieces of silver (Luke 22:1-6). Judas Iscariot though amongst the disciples from the beginning was only a thief, stealing what was put in the money box which he himself was entrusted to secure (John 12:4-6). And thus, Judas Iscariot is always to be distinguished from Judas the son of Simon (John 6:17). Now the term or designation Iscariot refers to his hometown of Kerioth in southern Judah, (Nelsons) which seems most fitting since it would be the chief priests and people from this region who would demand the Lord’s Crucifixion death from Pontius Pilate in fulfillment of God’s Word (Acts 3:13-26; 4:27-28; 13:27). Judas Iscariot then was the only one of the twelve who was a Judean (the epicenter of the Jewish religion) and thus was not called from the region Galilee (often considered by the Judeans as a defiled “land of Gentiles”). Judas Iscariots end then also comes according to the Word of God and thus having betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and feeling remorse later he hangs himself, and thus he lives forever not only in torment but also in infamy as the betrayer of the only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Matt. 26:14-16; 27:3-10).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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