Ordaining the Twelve

The words

1. Apostles

   Commissioned messengers; people sent with orders.

   Luke says Jesus spends the night in prayer, then calls his disciples and chooses twelve, naming them apostles. Mark describes their appointment as being with him and being sent out to preach.

   Luke 6:12–13 (opens a new tab) · Mark 3:14 (opens a new tab) · Strong’s G652: apostle (opens a new tab)

2. Bartholomew

   Bartholomew follows Philip in each of the three lists. Mark places him among the Twelve appointed to be with Jesus and to be sent out to preach; the NET explains his name as son of Tolmai.

   Mark 3:14, 18 (opens a new tab) · Luke 6:14 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 10:3 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Mark 3:13-19 (opens a new tab)

3. Boanerges

   Sons of thunder, as Mark explains it.

   Mark says Jesus gives James and John the name Boanerges and explains it as “The sons of thunder.” He identifies them as James son of Zebedee and John his brother within the list.

   Mark 3:17 (opens a new tab)

4. Canaanite

   Simon’s title, rendered Zealot in the NET.

   The KJV calls Simon the Canaanite in Matthew and Mark. The NET renders the title Zealot and explains that it comes from a term for zeal, rather than from the place names Cana or Canaan.

   Matthew 10:4 (opens a new tab) · Mark 3:18 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Mark 3:13-19 (opens a new tab)

5. Disciples

   In Luke, Jesus calls his disciples after a night of prayer and chooses twelve from among them, giving them the name apostles. The wording distinguishes the disciples gathered from the selected group.

   Luke 6:12–13 (opens a new tab)

6. James

   This entry concerns James son of Zebedee, named with his brother John and given the name Boanerges with him in Mark. The same list separately names another James, the son of Alphaeus.

   Mark 3:17–18 (opens a new tab)

7. Judas Iscariot

   Mark names Judas Iscariot last among the Twelve and immediately identifies him as the one who betrayed Jesus. Luke likewise places him last and describes him as the traitor.

   Mark 3:19 (opens a new tab) · Luke 6:16 (opens a new tab)

8. Matthew

   Matthew appears in all three lists; Matthew’s Gospel identifies him as the publican, rendered tax collector in the NET. In that list his name follows Thomas, before James son of Alphaeus.

   Matthew 10:3 (opens a new tab) · Mark 3:18 (opens a new tab) · Luke 6:15 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 10:1-4 (opens a new tab)

9. Ordained

   Appointed; chosen for a task.

   Mark says Jesus ordained twelve so that they would be with him and he might send them to preach. The NET renders the action as appointed, introducing the group’s purpose before its names.

   Mark 3:14–16 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Mark 3:13-19 (opens a new tab)

10. Sons of Thunder

    Mark explains Boanerges as “The sons of thunder,” naming James and John together. Luke later describes these brothers asking to call down fire on a Samaritan village; Jesus turns and rebukes them.

    Mark 3:17 (opens a new tab) · Luke 9:52–55 (opens a new tab)

11. Surnamed

    Gave an additional name; named.

    Mark says Jesus surnamed Simon Peter, then uses the same verb for naming James and John Boanerges. Luke’s list also identifies Simon as the man Jesus named Peter.

    Mark 3:16–17 (opens a new tab) · Luke 6:14 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Luke 6:12-16 (opens a new tab)

12. Thaddaeus

    Mark lists Thaddaeus after James son of Alphaeus and before Simon the Canaanite. Matthew’s KJV list has Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; the NET Matthew list simply reads Thaddaeus.

    Mark 3:18 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 10:3 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 10:1-4 (opens a new tab)

13. Thomas

    Thomas appears among the Twelve in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Matthew places him before Matthew the publican, while Mark and Luke place him after Matthew; all three include James son of Alphaeus nearby.

    Did you know?

    John 21:2 calls Thomas Didymus when naming the disciples gathered at the sea of Tiberias. Thayer’s lexicon explains Didymus as twin; the passage does not name a twin sibling.

    John 21:2 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 10:3 (opens a new tab) · Mark 3:18 (opens a new tab) · Luke 6:15 (opens a new tab) · Strong’s G1324: Didymus (opens a new tab)

14. Traitor

    Betrayer; Luke’s description of Judas Iscariot.

    Luke ends the list with Judas Iscariot, calling him the traitor. Another Judas appears immediately before him; the final designation identifies Iscariot’s betrayal rather than describing both men.

    Luke 6:16 (opens a new tab) · Mark 3:19 (opens a new tab)

15. Zelotes

    Zealot; the designation of Simon distinct from Peter.

    Luke calls one Simon Zelotes while separately naming Simon Peter earlier in the list. The NET renders Zelotes as Zealot; this identifies the second Simon’s designation without confusing the two men.

    Luke 6:14–15 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Luke 6:12-16 (opens a new tab)