The Apostles

Document # TX001082
God Calls Us
• individually in a
unique manner.
• to be his witnesses
and share the
message of the
Gospel

© Elnur / Shutterstock
Mark 1:16–20
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw
Simon and his brother Andrew casting their
nets into the sea; they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I
will make you fishers of men.” Then they
abandoned their nets and followed him. He
walked along a little farther and saw James,
the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them. So they left their
father Zebedee in the boat along with the
hired men and followed him.
Jesus Calls Whom He Wills
• Jesus called men to be his
Apostles during his lifetime.
• Apostle comes from the
Greek word apostolos,
meaning “messenger,”
especially one sent on a
mission.
• The most notable of Jesus’
apostles are the Twelve
Apostles.
• Jesus called many other
men and women to be his
disciples in the early Church.
Image in public domain
 The Twelve Apostles
How many of the Twelve Apostles can you name? Take a
moment and jot them down.
Let’s see how you did. The following are names of the Twelve
Apostles. Add the ones you missed.
Simon (Peter) Bartholomew
Andrew Thomas
James, the son of Zebedee Matthew
John James, the son of Alphaeus
Jude Thaddaeus Simon the Zealot
Philip Judas

Image in public domain

Characteristics of the Apostles
• Jesus chose people who had certain characteristics to be
his Apostles.
• These characteristics were very similar to
those possessed by early leaders of
Israel: judges, kings, and prophets.
• Some of these characteristics are:
– They were obedient to God’s will.
– They understood the need and
purpose for divine justice.
– They were committed to ethical
responsibility.
– They were men and women who committed themselves to God
and were willing to be his voice among the people.
On The Job Training
Jesus provided the training necessary for following him and
speaking on his behalf through the following actions:
• He taught the Apostles both publicly and privately over three
years.
• He performed miracles in front of the Apostles.
• He demonstrated through actions how the Apostles should
act and treat one another.
• He told the Apostles to share his message with the entire
world.

Images in public domain

Review
• God calls people to follow him and invites them to share his
mission of spreading the message of the Gospel.
• Jesus called twelve men to follow him as Apostles, and later
called other men and women in the early Church to share in
the same mission.
• The people called to be Apostles possessed certain
characteristics that were seen in the early leaders of Israel.
• Jesus provided training for the Apostles by living with them
and setting an example for them.
• 12 tribes of Israel- 12 Apostles
• Christ chose these holy men to
spread the faith
• Christ chooses us for a specific
mission

• The Apostles by Joseph Ratzinger

• http://www.12apostlesofthecatholicchurch.com/
 Peter
• brother was Andrew
• fisherman – Fishers of Men
• Denied Christ three times
• received keys of the kingdom
• power to bind and loose sins
• First pope
• Martyred in Rome by the Roman
authorities as prophesized by Jesus
in John 21:18-19. Peter was
crucifixion, at his request, upside
down ca.64?67 AD
Andrew
• Simon Peter’s
brother
• Fisherman
• previously a disciple
of John the Baptist
• evangelist to Greeks
• Stoned suffered
crucifixion on X-
shaped cross
John
• Evangelist
• “beloved apostle”
• brother of James the Greater
• only apostle not martyred
• wrote book of Revelation
• present at major events in
• Jesus’ life; Transfiguration,
Agony in the garden
• prepared room for Last Supper with Peter
• only apostle to endure Jesus’ Passion and stay at foot of
the cross
• took Mary into his home after dead of Christ; Ephesus
• slain by the Jews
James the Greater
• one of the 3
important and
privileged apostles
(Peter, James, John)
Agony in Garden,
Transfiguration
• Beheaded by a
sword – ordered by
King Herod Agrippa
Philip
• always listed 5th
• from town
Bethsaida
• mediator between
Greeks and Jesus
Martyred and is
buried at the
Turkish city of
Hieropolis
Bartholomew
•name = God
has given”
•possible
evangelization
into India
•flayed to death
 Thomas
• “Doubting Thomas”
• 8 days after Easter,
didn’t believe Christ was
risen until placed finger in
wounds
• relic of finger in
Church of Holy Cross
in Rome
Martyred by the sword while praying
at the altar of his Church in India.
 Matthew
• Evangelist
• Levi
• tax collector
• Hebrew name = “gift of
God”
• Mt 9:9 – Jesus met
Matthew
• Martyred in Egypt or
Persia? Either by the
sword or spear.
James the Lesser
• -from Nazareth
• prominent role in
Council of Jerusalem
• -Allowed converted
gentiles to be received
into Church without
being circumcised
• stoned
Jude (Thaddaeus)
• always listed with
Simon below
• at the Last Supper,
states “How is it that
you will manifest
yourself to us but not to
the world?”
• Suffered martyrdom in
Armenia
Simon the Zealot
• even if not part of
the Zealot group,
still had passionate
attachment to Jewish
Identity
• He was crucified 10 May 61 AD
by the Roman Catus Decianus,
at Caistor, modern-day
Lincolnshire, Britain.
Judas Iscariot

• listed last
• betrayed Jesus with a
kiss for 30 pieces of
silver
• repentance fell into
desperation and self-
destruction
• In despair he hanged
himself.
Matthias
• replaced Judas
• “enrolled with
the eleven”
• witnessed some
of the events of Jesus’
earthly life
• preach the gospel in Judea
and Colchis, where he
was crucified
St. Paul
• Known as the
13th apostle
• Evangelized
western world
• Wrote epistles
• Beheaded