How many apostles were there?

[AformerChristian]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The canonical New Testament gives names to the followers of Jesus, and many assert that those persons constituted a group known as “The Twelve.” Nevertheless, only the gospel of Matthew gives exactly twelve names. As shown below, named members of The Twelve ranged in number from seven to thirteen, depending upon the source.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The Thirteen disciples or Apostles in Mark [2:14 and 3:14ff][/FONT]

• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Levi, son of Alphæus, a tax gatherer[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Simon, renamed Peter[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]James, son of Zebedee[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]John, son of Zebedee[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Andrew[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Philip[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Bartholomew[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Matthew[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Thomas[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]James, son of Alphæus[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Thaddæus, or Lebbæus, or Daddæus (manuscripts disagree on the name)[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Simon the Canaanite[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Judas Iscariot[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The Thirteen or More Disciples-Apostles in Luke [5:27ff and 6:12ff][/FONT]

• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Levi, or Levi son of Alphæus, a tax gatherer[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Simon, given the name of Peter[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Andrew[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]James[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]John[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Philip[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Bartholomew, or Martholomew[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Matthew[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Thomas, or Thomas the Twin[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]James, son of Alphæus[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Simon, called the Zealot[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Judas, son of James[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Judas Iscariot[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The Seven or Eight disciples in John [1:40, 1:42, 1:44ff, 6:71, 11:16, 12:22, 20:2][/FONT]

• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Andrew (brother of Simon Peter) and an unnamed other[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Simon, son of John (or Jonah), to be called Cephas (interpreted “the Rock&#8221 (manuscripts disagree on Simon’s father)[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Philip[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Nathanael[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Judas son of Simon Iscariot (or Simon from Karyot) (manuscripts disagree on the name)[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Thomas the Twin[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Judas not Iscariot[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]“The other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.”[/FONT]

The Twelve Apostles in Matthew [10:2]

• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Simon, called Peter[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Andrew[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]James, son of Zebedee[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]John, son of Zebedee[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Philip[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Bartholomew[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Thomas[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Matthew, the tax gatherer[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]James, son of Alphæus[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Lebbæus, or Lebeus, or Thaddæus, or Lebbæus surnamed Thaddæus, or Thaddæus surnamed Lebbæus (manuscripts disagree on the name)[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Simon the Canaanite[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Judas Iscariot[/FONT]

Any explanation?

 

[ebia]

Many of the poeple have more than one name (or nickname). Eg Levi & Matthew are the same person. Thaddeaus and Judas son of Simon are the same person. Batholowmew and Nathaniel refer to the same person. “The other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.” is John (as is, it is usually assumed, the unnamed other disciple with Andrew). Have I missed any?

Of course you can't prove any of the above, but it's perfectly reasonable that people are called by more than one label, and the above parings fit what we do know. Surely as a former Christian you know this - it's pretty basic and usually accepted amongst people who aren't biblical inerrantists as well as those who are.

 

[BigNorsk]

Well the twelve are the twelve, they aren't always individually numbered, but the exact number of Apostles, well, we don't know. For example there is Paul, who would raise the number to 13. And he gave an account of the Apostles.

1Co 15:5-8 NET.
(5) and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
(6) Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
(7) Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
(8) Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.

Notice that the twelve are not all the Apostles for they were already mentioned before in verse seven we see "all the apostles". So they aren't equivalent. That's important because there are people who claim Matthias isn't an Apostle, that Peter acted improperly in naming him to be in Judas' office, but here Paul recognizes him.

An exact number we will never know. Some would say that all the 500 plus mentioned in this passage are apostles, others would say the 72 sent by Jesus were all the Apostles with the addition of Paul. I don't really know and I don't think we ever will on this earth know an exact number. But it isn't twelve.

I do notice that Paul tells us how very unusual Jesus' appearance to Paul is and how it is the last of all. That's aorist, final, done, not something that is going to happen over and over. So the list is not open ended, when someone starts telling you he or she is now an Apostle and how they saw Jesus just last week, be protected by scripture and have nothing to do with them.

Marv

 

[ISeekTruth]

We should all be Apostles.

 

[ContentInHim]

Yep, it's 12 no matter how many are named. The number 12 has much meaning in the OT and NT.

12 tribes of Israel
12 disciples
even 12 sons of Ishmael!

 

[Key]

I can see you are confused about this.

Here is a link for you to read, it lists the 12 Apostles, and clears up the issues you have brought forth.

The 12 Apostles

Hope this Helps.

God Bless

Key

 

[AformerChristian]

Okay, pretty clear now. Thank you all for responses!