Why were there 12 disciples?

Answer 1

Answer

12 was a very important number in Jewish culture. 12 signified 'perfection'. Part of the reason that 12 was special was that it is the smallest number that has a great number of factors (eg 1,2,3,4,and 6 all divide into 12 with no remainder. No other small number has so many factors).

As a result, 12 was used as a 'perfect' number - such as 12 symbols of the zodiac, 12x2 hours in the day, 12x5 seconds to the minute and minutes to the hour, 12 tribes of Israel and so on. In Revelation, the number in heaven is stated as "144,000" - ie 12 X 12 thousand. In other words, the number is not a literal number but signified a perfect multitude.

Jesus did not only have 12 close disciples, but he also had an inner group of intimate friends Peter, James and John (3 = a quarter of 12) and also a larger group of 72 adherents (half of 12 X 12). After Jesus' death Judas killed himself leaving just 11 disciples. After the resurrection and ascension, the disciples then agreed that the 12 should be restored, and so the replacement disciple, Matthias, was elected to take Judas' place, restoring the number to the perfect 12.

Jacob fathered 12 sons. They are the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, and the ones for whom the tribesare named. Each occupied a separate territory

It was to fit in line with the works of Revelation to fulfill prophesy about Heaven.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Answer 2

Jesus chose 12 disciples to represent the 12 tribes of Israel and to help spread his teachings. The number 12 has symbolic significance in Judaism and was meant to show continuity with the Old Testament.

Answer 3

From left to right:

1. Bartholomew
2. James 'the Lesser' (aka James of Alphaeus)
3. Andrew (Simon Peter's brother)
4. Judas Iscariot
5. Peter (aka Simon Peter)
6. John/Mary (John 'Boanerges'/possibly Mary Magdalene)
7. Jesus
8. Thomas (aka Thomas Didymus; Didymus Thomas; Judas Didymus Thomas; Jude Thomas)
9. James 'the Great' (James 'Boanerges', brother of John 'Boanerges')
10. Philip
11. Matthew
12. Judas Thaddeus (aka Jude Thaddeus; Lebbaeus Thaddeus; Judas of James)
13. Simon Zelotes (aka Simon 'the Zealot')

Answer 4

Well, first of all, the 12 disciples of Jesus were (as said in Matthew 10:2-4):

• Simon Peter
• Andrew, his brother
• James, son of Zebedee
• John, his brother
• Philip
• Bartholomew
• Thomas Travis
• Matthew
• James, son of Alphaeus
• Thaddeus
• Simon the Cananean
• Judas Iscariot

Here's what happened to them:

Andrew was crucified in Patrae and was also buried there.

Bartholomew was crucified with his head downward and was buried in Allanum.

James, son of Alphaeus, was stoned to death by the Jews in Jerusalem and buried.

After Stephen was stoned to death, James, son of Zebedee, was beheaded by King Herod.

John died of old age in Ephesus.

Matthew died of old age in Hierees.

Peter was crucified under Nero in Rome with his head downward.

Philip was crucified with his head downward in Hierapolis and buried.

Simon the Cananean died of old age in Jerusalem at 120 years old.

Thaddeus died of old age in Berytus and was buried there.

Thomas was thrust through in the 4 members of his body with a pine spear in Calamene, and was buried there.

(There are a few different stories of what happened to Judas Iscariot, but here is the one that I'm going with:) Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ. Some time later, he committed suicide by hanging himself (location anonymous).

We do not know what happened to the twelve disciples. There is no extra-biblical evidence that they even existed and certainly none that tells us what happened to them after the death of Jesus.

Answer 5

The main reason Jesus has had his 12 disciples was to be with him during his time with him. As they were just fishermen they learned the word of God from Jesus. And they were sent out to all corners of the world to make disciples and to baptize. them. Peter went to Rome and Thomas came to India to spread the word of god.

Answer 6

In biblical numerology, the number 12 represents organizational beginnings. Examples are the 12 months of the year, the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 Apostles who helped spread the Good News of the Church of God.

Answer 7

Yes, but he had the Twelve Apostles.

'Disciple' means 'taught one'.

Jesus had twelve 'specially chosen' disciples, called Apostles(meaning 'sent forth ones' Mark 3:13+14/Matthew 10:5), who were to take the lead in the preaching work(Luke 8:1/Matthew 10:1-42)(Acts 1:8) and in the Christian congregation(Acts 16:4+5)(Ephesians 2:20)after his death. But he also had atleast 120 additional disciples(Acts 1:13-15) by the time of the first Pentecost after he died, and many more joined them as thesedisciples continued to preach(Matthew 28:19+20/Matthew 24:14)(Acts 2:41).

Answer 8

A:

Paul says (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) that Jesus was seen by Cephas (Peter), then the twelve, then by more than 500, most of whom were still alive, then by James and all the apostles, and finally by himself. Here the twelve must refer to the twelve disciples, although there is also a reference to a separate group of apostles. However, the gospel account says that Judas was a traitor and therefore could not have been one of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared. Paul was either not aware of Judas' treachery (and perhaps suicide) or he was relying on a very different tradtion than was the author of Mark's Gospel and then the other New Testament gospels.

There seem to be some differences among the gospels as to just who the disciples were, but Mark's Gospel lists them as: Simon Peter, James and John the sons of Zebedee, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot. Mark also refers to Jesus calling Levi, a tax collector, but Levi does not appear in this list. Since those called by Jesus were not supposed to change their minds, Matthew's Gospel resolves this by making Matthew the tax collector and omitting mention of Levi. The gospels also omit Judas from the eleven to whom Jesus appeared.

Answer 9

We do not know what happened to the twelve disciples. There is no extra-biblical evidence that they even existed and certainly none that tells us what happened to them after the death of Jesus.

As far as is known for certain, none of the apostles was martyred, but various Christian traditions arose during the second century, attributing gruesome deaths to all of them, except John. The reason for John the apostle being allowed to escape martyrdom was that the Book of Revelation is signed by a person called John, on the island of Patmos. During the second century, the Church Fathers decided that this John was John the apostle, and so a tradition grew up that the Romans were miraculously unable to execute John and consequently exiled him to Patmos.

Answer 10

We are not certain why, but most were simple people fishermen onlyMatthew was a tax collector.