12 ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS
12 Houses the Sun passes through every day
12 Hours in the day
12 hours in the night
12 Patriarchs
12 Disciples of Jesus
12 Tribes of Israel
12 gods of the Romans who each presided over a month
12 gods of the Greeks, Egyptians, the Persians
12 Herculean tasks
12 Helpers of Horus
12 “Generals” of Ahura-Mazda
GET THE DISCIPLES STRAIGHT
Nathaniel – a disciple in John 1:43-49 — but — NOT in Book of Mark, or Book of Matthew, or Book of Luke, or Book of Acts.
Joseph of Arimathea – a disciple in Book of John — but — NOT in Book of Mark, or Book of Matthew, or Book of Luke, or Book of Acts.
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of
Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. John 19:38
Disciple Jesus Loved – described in Book of John — but — NOWHERE ELSE. Name was hidden.
… disciple whom Jesus loved … John 13:23, John 19:26, John 20:2, John 21:7, John 21:20
Thaddeus – a disciple in Books of Mark and Matthew — but — NOT in Book of Luke, or Book of John, or Book of Acts.
Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Matthew 10:3
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot Mark 3:18
Simon – is called the Canaanite in Books of Mark and Matthew. He is called the zealot in Book of Mark, Book of Luke, and Book of Acts. In the Book of John there is NO Simon apostle, but Judas is called the son of Simon.
Judas – In John 6:71 it describes Judas as the son of SIMON. Book of Luke described TWO Judas’. Book of Acts 1:13 described Judas as the son of JAMES.
(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) John 6:71
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were
Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. Acts 1:13
Only one Judas is described in Books of Mark, Book of Acts, and Book of Matthew.
Two Judas’ – described in Book of John and the Book of Luke. The second Judas in Book of John is described as “not Isacariot.” The second Judas in the Book of Luke and the only Judas mentioned in the Book of Mark and Book of Matthew is described as “Isacariot.”
Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not
unto the world? John 14:22
The Book of John and Acts only named eleven disciples!
After Judas killed himself, they had to keep the number of apostles to only twelve so they drew straws to see who would replace Judas.
Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then
they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.. Acts 1:24-26
Paul elected himself as an apostle.
THE 12TH MEMBER OF APOSTLES
The lists of the Twelve Apostles are different:
Luke 6:13-16 and Acts 1:13 list Judas the brother of James as an apostle.
13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Luke 6:13-16
13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. Acts 1:13
Matt 10:3 and Mark 3:18 list does not include Judas, instead lists Thaddeus as the apostle.
3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Matt 10:3
16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Mark 3:16
HOW DID JESUS CHOOSE HIS DISCIPLES?
The Books of Matthew and John say that Jesus chose his disciples several at a time from different locations.
The Books of Mark and Luke say NO, the disciples were all chosen at once.
A – MATTHEW & JOHN – DIFFERENT TIMES & LOCATIONS:
One or two of his brothers (uncertain), fishermen from Galilee, several followers of John the Baptist, etc.
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Matthew
4:18
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, Matthew 4:21
Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Matthew 8:19
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. John 1:37
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had
followed Jesus. John 1:40
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
John 1:43
B – MARK & LUKE – ALL AT ONCE:
“Called unto him his disciples and of them he chose twelve.”
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to
God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he
also designated apostles: Luke 6:12-13
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He
appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach Mark
3:13-14
WHO WAS IT AT THE RECEIPT OF CUSTOM?
Who was the man sitting at the receipt of custom that Jesus called to be his disciple?
Matthew: It was Matthew
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s
booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9
Mark: NO, it was Levi
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow
me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. Mark 2:14
The author of the Book of Matthew doesn’t seem to be Matthew. Why would he use his name as it it were someone else instead of the first person “me”?
PAUL’S APOSTLES TOTAL 14
Paul in his writings described the people who saw Jesus after he had “risen.”
… he [Jesus] was seen by Cephas, and afterwords by the twelve … then he was seen by James, and afterwards by all the apostles. 1 Corinthians 15:5-7
A question for Paul is, Are “the twelve” different than “the apostles???” Cephas is associated with “the twelve” so that makes 13 total.
If you include the self-proclaimed apostle Paul, that would make 14 total