0110 THE REST OF THE TWELVE

THE REST OF THE TWELVE

We talked briefly about the calling of the First Four–Peter, Andrew, James and John–a few days ago. We have also talked about Matthew. There are more details yet to come about them all, but today, let’s introduce a little about the remaining seven disciples. Their names are listed at the start of chapter 10, and then the chapter tells Jesus’ instructions to them as He sent them out on their first missionary journey.

It could be that 8 of the twelve disciples were sets of brothers: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew and James the less, and here we meet Phillip and Nathaniel (whom Matthew calls Bartholomew) were also brothers, and they grew up in Bethsaida with Peter and Andrew. Phillip meets Jesus first, and runs to bring his brother to meet him, whom he already sees as the Messiah. Nathaniel asks, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Phillip just replies, “Come and see.” Then Jesus says that Nathaniel is a true Israelite in whom there is no guile, and says that He saw him under the fig tree. We don’t know exactly what that may have meant to him, but Nathaniel saw it as confirmation of his character.

Later, Phillip asks Jesus where they would find food to feed the 5000 men, and at the Last Supper he asks Jesus to show them the Father so that they can believe.

Then there’s Thomas, sometimes known as Doubting Thomas. That is  mostly because of his response to the report from the other disciples on that first Sunday evening after the resurrection of Jesus. Because Thomas wasn’t there to see Jesus, he said that he would not believe until he had felt the nail prints in His hands and put his hand into His side. Shows that you should never skip church on Sunday evening, just in case Jesus shows up. In fairness, when he did see Jesus, he did not demand such proof, but fell down and called out, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas may have been a pessimist/realist, but he was actually an unhesitant follower of Jesus. When Jesus said they were going to Jerusalem, Thomas responded, “Let us also go, so that we may die with him.” 

Matthew lists James as “son of Alphaeus.” Seems like he would have been the younger brother of Matthew, because he is elsewhere known as James the Less. Maybe James was “less tall,” rather than “less old.” But either way, he is always referred to as lesser in comparison to someone. But Jesus did not choose disciples based on height or birth order. 

Maybe the biggest surprise of all was when Jesus picked Simon the Zealot. The Zealots were known as the “Fourth Party.” All four of the parties were out to solve the problem of Roman oppression. Pharisees hoped to be holy enough to have God rescue Israel. Essenes were out to pray for deliverance in the wilderness, while Sadducees and Herodians were finding ways to cooperate with the Romans, in order to live to fight another day. But the Zealots were a bunch of terrorist cells, whose single purpose was to overthrow the Roman government and take back Jerusalem for the Jews. Jesus didn’t deal with politics, and it seems odd that He would want someone like Simon on the team. Especially considering that Matthew was also on that team, and Matthew and Simon were as far apart as you could get. To their credit, they never killed each other. Which means I guess they were both changed, and Jesus believed in using their futures rather than their pasts. 

Next comes Thaddeus, also called Lebbaeus (Big Hearted). None of his words or actions are included in the gospel accounts.

Which brings us to the most qualified of all: Judas, from Cariot in Judea. Can you believe it? He was the only one who wasn’t from the despised region of Galilee. He was educated, didn’t have a “northern accent,” wasn’t politically compromised, was somewhat refined. He kept the moneybags for the group. Who would have guessed that he’d be the one who would go and betray Jesus? Just figures, I guess. 

You can’t judge a book by its cover. You can’t judge a man by his education or his accent or his background. 

They were such a ragtag group of saints. He was such an unexpected sinner. 

Go figure.

When these men said yes to the adventure of following this rabbi from Nazareth, they could never have imagined where that adventure would end. Jesus was crucified. James was run through with swords. Andrew and Peter were both crucified. John was sent into exile. Phillip converted the wife of a Roman proconsul in Asia Minor, and for that was arrested and cruelly put to death. Thomas was run through with spears in far-away India. James the Less went to Syria, where he was stoned and then clubbed to death. Thaddeus and Simon the Zealot worked together for the Gospel in Egypt and then Persia, where they were both run through with spears for Jesus.

I wonder. If they had known where their paths would lead ahead of time, do you think any of them would have traded it in to go back to a more “normal” life? 

Not on your life.