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CHRISTIAN - THE TWELVE APOSTLES
Jesus reenters the Gospel narratives at about the age of
30 (circa 26 AD). The four gospels agree that Jesus' first
act was to be baptized by John the Baptist. This event
marked the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
After the baptism, several of John's followers left to
follow Jesus. Jesus then selected several others until he
had established a group of 12 disciples. Two of these
disciples, Matthew and John, are the
traditional authors of the Gospels that carry their name.
Jesus then spent from one to three years teaching and
working miracles among his disciples and before large
crowds. His recorded miracles included turning water to
wine, walking on water, cursing a fig tree, healing the
sick, multiplying a small meal to feed a crowd, casting out
demons, and even raising a man from the dead.
In the Gospels Jesus repeatedly suggests to his disciples
his end is near, but they do not fully understand or accept
the idea. The clearest expression of this is at the "Last
Supper," which took place on the night before his death. All
four Gospels record Jesus shared bread and wine with his
disciples, asking them to "do this in remembrance of me."
Christians celebrate this event in the sacrament of the
Eucharist, or Communion.
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WORLD RELIGIONS
COMPARED
WORLD
RELIGIONS CLIPART
WORLD
RELIGIONS HOME
CHRISTIAN HOME |
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ANDREW: He was active in bringing people to Jesus,
including his brother Peter.
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BARTHOLOMEW
(NATHANAEL): He was one of the disciples to whom Jesus
appeared at the Sea of Tiberias after His resurrection.
He was also a witness of the Ascension.
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JAMES THE GREATER
(SANTIAGO): He was one of Jesus' closest
disciples and was present at the miracle of the raising
of Jarius' daughter and the Transfiguration.
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JAMES THE LESSER (JAMES THE YOUNGER): James was the
older brother of John. He was the first of the apostles
to be martyred. He wrote the epistle which bears his
name.
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JOHN
THE BAPTIST: Jesus was baptized by John
and began his ministry soon after. John was the brother
of James the Less.
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JUDAS ISCARIOT: The traitor.
Every story needs a villain and Judas Iscariot fills
this role in the gospels. He is the apostle who betrays
Jesus and helps the Jerusalem authorities arrest him.
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JUDE (JUDE
THADDEUS, LEBBAEUS): He was a cousin to Jesus
and in his boyhood and youth Jude must have associated
with Jesus. At the beginning of the public life of
Jesus, Jude left all to follow the Master. As an
Apostle, he labored with great zeal for the conversion
of Gentiles.
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LUKE: He wrote the
Gospel
According to Luke, much of which was based on the teachings
and writings of Paul, and his own experiences.
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MATTHEW (LEVI): Formerly a tax-collector at Capernaum, he became
one of the more prominent apostles.
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PETER (CEPHAS,
SIMON): A fisherman from the Sea of Galilee.
Considered to be the most impulsive of the group, always
ready to speak up, and swing a sword on occasion (like
cutting off of a man's ear at the time of Jesus' arrest).
Some traditions hold that he was eventually crucified,
upside down, by the Romans. There has been a very long
debate as to whether or not he was actually the first
pope.
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PHILIP:
He had many mystical experiences - healed many that came
to him and counseled thousands of others to lead lives
of greater holiness.
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THOMAS (DOUBTING
THOMAS / DIDYMUS): He was also called
Didymus which is the Greek
version of his name. Not easily convinced, he has the
nickname Doubting Thomas because he wanted to actually
see and touch Jesus after His Resurrection.
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MATTHIAS:
Twelve was an important number to the Israelites. Matthias was chosen by the remaining
eleven apostles after Judas betrayed Jesus to bring the
number of Apostles back up to twelve.
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PAUL (SAUL):
There is no figure aside from Jesus himself who is more
important to the history of this world religion, and no
figure from the age of the early church about whom we
know more or of whom we have a more rounded view. Paul
is considered The second "odd" apostle (besides
Matthias) because of his position as the fourteenth
apostle. |
Blessed is
the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers.
Psalm I
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