Jesus Chooses the Disciples
Personal
Thoughts:
According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, after John’s imprisonment for berating
Herod for unlawfully marrying his brother’s wife, Herodias, Jesus went out
teaching and healing before and while choosing his disciples. I’ve put their
introduction in one section as it won’t take away from Jesus’ teachings and
actions. The disciples are seldom mentioned as part of that ministry until
later when Jesus sends them out on their own.
{Matthew
and Mark}
Jesus
traveled about Galilee teaching and healing. One day he saw two fishermen,
Simon and his brother Andrew. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make
you fishers of men.” They left their nets at once and followed him. Farther on
he saw two other brothers, James and John, in a boat with their father,
Zebedee. Jesus called them to follow, and they immediately left the boat and
their father.
{Matthew,
Mark, and Luke}
Later,
Jesus came upon a man named Levi, or Matthew, sitting at the tax collector’s
booth. “Follow me,” he told him. Matthew did and Jesus had dinner at Matthew’s
house (not necessarily that same day). Many tax collectors and sinners ate with
Jesus and his disciples (more than just the twelve, who hadn’t been picked at
this point).
The
Pharisees (a group who believed in the strict interpretation and observance of
the laws Moses wrote down) asked the disciples why Jesus would eat with such
people. On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy but the sick who
need a doctor. It is written ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ (Hosea 6:6) I
have come for sinners, not the righteous.”
The
Twelve
Jesus
went up on a mountainside and appointed the twelve apostles: Simon, to whom he
gave the name Peter; James and John, called the Sons of Thunder; Andrew,
Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus, Simon
the Zealot (a group who opposed Roman rule), and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed
him.
Next
time in The Point of the Gospel—Luke
and John’s versions of the story.
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