List of the 12 Apostles in the New Testament
The New Testament identifies twelve men whom Jesus chose and commissioned as apostles during his earthly ministry. Matthew records their names: "Simon who is called Peter and his brother Andrew, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John" [1], followed by Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot [1]. This list appears with minor variations in Mark 3:16-19 and Luke 6:13-16, with Acts 1:13 omitting Judas Iscariot "on account of his betrayal and death" [9].
The Term "Apostle"
The word "apostle" derives from the Greek apostolos, meaning "one sent forth" [2]. John Gill notes that Matthew 10:2 marks "the first time these disciples are called 'apostles', they were learners before; now being instructed, they are sent forth to preach publicly" [3]. The term designated "emissaries" who represented Jesus and were "endowed with his authority" [4]. While the word could apply more broadly to Christian messengers and teachers in the early church [2], the Twelve held a distinct official status as those whom Jesus chose "to be with him during the course of his ministry on earth" [2].
Symbolic Significance
The number twelve carried deliberate theological weight. Jesus "appointed twelve to represent Israel's twelve tribes and to proclaim that the Kingdom of God had arrived" [4]. This symbolism appears throughout the New Testament: "The number twelve symbolically represents the twelve tribes of Israel. The apostles represented the restored people of God" [7]. In Revelation's vision of the New Jerusalem, "the twelve tribes of Israel represent the redeemed people of God," while "the foundation for this community of God's redeemed is the twelve apostles of the Lamb" [5]. The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary draws a typological parallel: "Joshua, the type of Jesus, chose twelve men out of the people, to carry twelve stones over the Jordan with them, as Jesus chose twelve apostles to be the twelve foundations of the heavenly city" [8].
Foundational Role
The apostles served as the authoritative witnesses to Christ's teaching and resurrection. Paul describes the church as "built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets," meaning "on their faithful witness" to Christ [10]. This foundation was not Peter alone: "Peter is not the only apostolic rock on whose preaching Christ builds His Church. Christ Himself is the true foundation: the twelve are foundations only in regard to their apostolic testimony concerning Him" [8]. The apostles functioned as specially commissioned representatives distinct from the broader circle of disciples, chosen both "to accompany him and to be sent out" with authority to preach and cast out demons [4].
The Replacement of Judas
After Judas's betrayal and death, the remaining eleven apostles gathered with the larger company of 120 disciples in Jerusalem, where they "appointed an apostle to replace Judas Iscariot" [9]. This action maintained the symbolic number of twelve, though the New Testament acknowledges Paul as "an apostle besides the twelve" [8]. The reference in 2 Peter to "the commandment of the Lord and Saviour (declared) by your apostles" distinguishes these New Testament apostles from the Old Testament prophets, identifying them as those "who live among you in the present time" [6].
The Twelve thus occupy a unique position in redemptive history—neither merely disciples nor simply church officers, but the foundational witnesses through whom "God's promise to bless all of the families of the earth through Abraham has been fully realized" [5].
Sources
- Matthew “Matthew 10:2 (LITV) — And the names of the twelve apostles are these: First, Simon who is called Peter and his brother Andrew, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John,”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Apostle — (one sent forth), in the New Testament originally the official name of those twelve of the disciples whom Jesus chose to send forth first to preach the gospel and to be with him during the course of his ministry on earth. The word also appears to have been used in a non-official sense to designate a much wider circle of Christian messengers and teachers See (2 Corinthians 8:23; Philemon 2:25) It is only of those who were officially designated apostles that we treat in the article. Their names are given in (Matthew 10:2-4) and Christ's charge to them in the r”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 10:2: Now the names of the twelve apostles are these,.... This is the first time these disciples are called "apostles", they were learners before; now being instructed, they are sent forth to preach publicly, and therefore are called apostles, or messengers, persons that were sent: so the elders of the priesthood are called , "the apostles", or messengers "of the sanhedrim" (n), to whom the high priest were delivered, before the day of atonement. So six months in the year, "apostles", or messengers, were sent by the (o) sanhedrim, throughout all the land of Israel, and to ”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 3:14: 3:14-15 Jesus appointed twelve to represent Israel’s twelve tribes and to proclaim that the Kingdom of God had arrived. He called them apostles (Greek apostoloi, “emissaries”). He chose them to accompany him and to be sent out (Greek apostellō) to preach and to cast out demons. They represented Jesus and were endowed with his authority.”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 21:12: 21:12-14 In this vision, the twelve tribes of Israel represent the redeemed people of God (see 7:4-8; see also Rom 9:6-7). The foundation for this community of God’s redeemed is the twelve apostles of the Lamb. In Jesus, God’s promise to bless all of the families of the earth through Abraham has been fully realized (Gen 12:3).”
- 2 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Peter 3:2: prophets--of the Old Testament. of us--The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read, "And of the commandment of the Lord and Saviour (declared) by YOUR apostles" (so "apostle of the Gentiles," Rom 11:13) --the apostles who live among you in the present time, in contrast to the Old Testament "prophets."”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 6:13: 6:13 Disciples were students and followers; apostles were specially commissioned representatives. • The number twelve symbolically represents the twelve tribes of Israel. The apostles represented the restored people of God.”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 21:14: twelve foundations--Joshua, the type of Jesus, chose twelve men out of the people, to carry twelve stones over the Jordan with them, as Jesus chose twelve apostles to be the twelve foundations of the heavenly city, of which He is Himself the Chief corner-stone. Peter is not the only apostolic rock on whose preaching Christ builds His Church. Christ Himself is the true foundation: the twelve are foundations only in regard to their apostolic testimony concerning Him. Though Paul was an apostle besides the twelve, yet the mystical number is retained,”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 1:13: 1:13-26 While the apostles waited for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit (1:4-5), the whole company of 120 disciples in Jerusalem engaged in earnest prayer (1:13-14) and then appointed an apostle to replace Judas Iscariot (1:15-26). 1:13 All eleven of the remaining apostles were present (cp. Matt 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16). Judas Iscariot is omitted from this list on account of his betrayal and death (Acts 1:18-19).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:20: 2:20 Apostles are missionary evangelists commissioned by God. • Here, the prophets appear to be New Testament prophets, not Old Testament ones (see 3:5; 4:11; see also 1 Cor 12:10, 28-29; 14:1-5, 22-24, 29-32, 39; cp. Acts 13:1; 19:6; 21:9-10). In both the Old Testament and New Testament, prophets are not primarily predictors of the future but are empowered to speak a message from God (see 1 Cor 12:10). • The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets (or on the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets)—that is, on their faithful wit”