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The Disciples of Jesus
Jesus chose twelve men out of all of those who followed Him to be His disciples. The names of these men are found in Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; and Luke 6:14-16. The disciples are also called apostles (Matthew 10:2). The word "disciple" means a learner, a follower, believer, or the adherent of a teacher. The word "apostle" means one who is sent, an ambassador or messenger commissioned to carry out the instructions of the commissioning agent.
Three of the disciples wrote books of the Bible
| -Matthew wrote the gospel that bears his name. |
| -Peter wrote two epistles that bear his name. |
| -John wrote a gospel and three epistles that bear his name, plus the book of Revelation. |
The Lord's primary reason for calling His disciples is revealed in Matthew 4:19: They were to follow Jesus and become fishers of men. Prior to His return to Heaven, Jesus gave them a commission to reach the entire world with the Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20).
The Gospels reveal that Jesus taught His disciples by example, parables, demonstrations of God's power, and by communicating all that the Heavenly Father gave Him to speak. He also trained them by sending them out in ministry and evaluating their labors upon their return. The subsequent ministries of these men are recorded in Acts and the Epistles and in various historical records, from which biographical information about their lives is obtained.
As in all biblical analysis, the goal of study is not only understanding, but personal application. Use the form provided at the end of this document to study and apply what you learn about the disciples.
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Sources:
Adapted from Commands of Jesus by Harvestime International.