Commissioning of the Twelve Apostles

The commissioning of the Twelve Apostles is an episode in the ministry of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 10:1–4, Mark 3:13–19 and Luke 6:12–16. It relates the initial selection of the Twelve Apostles among the disciples of Jesus.^[1]^[2]

Biblical accounts

According to Mark:

He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve to be with him and to be sent out to preach and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder), and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who handed him over.^[3]

According to Matthew:

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.^[4]

According to Luke:

Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.^[5]

Commentary

In the Gospel of Matthew, this episode takes place shortly before the miracle of the man with a withered hand. In the Gospel of Mark and Gospel of Luke it appears shortly after that miracle.^[6]

This commissioning of the apostles takes place before the crucifixion of Jesus, while the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16–20 takes place after his resurrection.

St. Jerome comments on this passage saying, "A kind and merciful Lord and Master does not envy His servants and disciples a share in His powers. As Himself had cured every sickness and disease, He imparted the same power to His Apostles. But there is a wide difference between having and imparting, between giving and receiving. Whatever He does He does with the power of a master, whatever they do it is with confession of their own weakness, as they speak, In the name of Jesus rise and walk. (Acts 3:6.) A catalogue of the names of the Apostles is given, that all false Apostles might be excluded. The names of the twelve Apostles are these; First, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother. To arrange them in order according to their merit is His alone who searches the secrets of all hearts. But Simon is placed first, having the surname of Peter given to distinguish him from the other Simon surnamed Chananæus, from the village of Chana in Galilee where the Lord turned the water into wine."^[7]

References

^ The first gospel by Harold Riley, 1992 ISBN 0-86554-409-3 page 47
^ Mercer dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 1998 ISBN 0-86554-373-9 page 48
^ New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition [1]
^ New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition [2]
^ New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition [3]
^ The life of Jesus by David Friedrich Strauss, 1860 published by Calvin Blanchard, page 340
^ "Catena aurea: commentary on the four Gospels, collected out of the works of the Fathers: St. Matthew - Volume 1, Oxford: Parker, 1874. Thomas Aquinas". 1874. pp. 363–364. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

Commissioning of the Twelve Apostles Life of Jesus: Ministry Events
Preceded by New Wine into Old Wineskins	New Testament Events	Succeeded by Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount/Plain

[1] The first gospel by Harold Riley, 1992 ISBN 0-86554-409-3 page 47

[2] Mercer dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 1998 ISBN 0-86554-373-9 page 48

[3] New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition [1]

[4] New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition [2]

[5] New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition [3]

[6] The life of Jesus by David Friedrich Strauss, 1860 published by Calvin Blanchard, page 340

[7] "Catena aurea: commentary on the four Gospels, collected out of the works of the Fathers: St. Matthew - Volume 1, Oxford: Parker, 1874. Thomas Aquinas". 1874. pp. 363–364. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

v t e Jesus
Outline List of topics
Chronology of Jesus's life	Annunciation Nativity Virgin birth Date of birth Flight into Egypt Infancy (apocryphal) Unknown years Baptism Temptation Apostles Selecting Great Commission Ministry Disciples Sermon on the Mount/Plain Beatitudes Prayers Lord's Prayer Parables Miracles Transfiguration Homelessness Great Commandment Olivet Discourse Anointing Passion Entry into Jerusalem Last Supper Farewell Discourse Agony in the Garden Betrayal Arrest Trial Crucifixion Sayings on the cross Burial Tomb Resurrection Ascension
New Testament	Gospels Matthew Mark Luke John Five Discourses of Matthew Gospel harmony Oral gospel traditions Historical background of the New Testament New Testament places associated with Jesus Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament
Historicity	Historical Jesus Quest for the historical Jesus Sources Josephus Tacitus Mara bar Serapion Gospels Christ myth theory
Depictions	Bibliography Christ Child Life of Christ in art Life of Christ Museum Statues Transfiguration
Christianity	Christ Christianity 1st century Christology Incarnation Person of Christ Pre-existence Relics Second Coming Session of Christ Son of God Cosmic Christ
In other faiths	Jesuism In comparative mythology Judaism In the Talmud Islam Ahmadiyya Baháʼí Faith Manichaeism Jesus the Splendour Mandaeism Master Jesus
Family	Genealogies Mary (mother) Joseph (legal father) Holy Family Panthera (alleged father) Brothers of Jesus Holy Kinship Anne (traditional maternal grandmother) Joachim (traditional maternal grandfather) Heli (paternal grandfather per Luke) Jacob (paternal grandfather per Matthew) Descendants Clopas (traditional uncle)
Related	Language of Jesus Interactions with women Mary Magdalene Mary, sister of Martha Christmas Easter Rejection of Jesus Criticism Mental health Race and appearance Sexuality and marital status
Category

v t e Twelve Apostles of Jesus
Apostles	Andrew Bartholomew Nathanael James, son of Alphaeus the Less James, son of Zebedee John Beloved Evangelist Patmos Judas Iscariot Jude Thaddaeus Matthew Philip Simon Peter Simon the Zealot Thomas
Later	Seventy disciples Matthias James, brother of Jesus Paul conversion Barnabas
Related	Commissioning of the Twelve calling of the disciples calling of Matthew Mission Discourse coming persecutions Holy Kinship Last Supper Farewell Discourse Great Commission Apostolic Age Apostolic see Acts of the Apostles Pentecost Holy Spirit Dispersion Pauline epistles Relics and burial sites Apostolic succession Apostles' Creed Early Christianity

Commissioning of the Twelve Apostles

Biblical accounts

Commentary

See also

References