The Original Disciples Series

You might ask why twelve disciples? Why not a hundred to start with—as many as possible? In the Bible, twelve, like the numbers of seven and forty, frequently suggested completeness and perfection. In the Old Testament, twelve represented “all Israel.”

Genesis 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Genesis 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. (Note: The sun is a star for a total of twelve.)

Genesis 49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing, he blessed them.

The Book of Revelation provides many references to twelve.

Twelve tribes of Israel, which are sealed and protected (Revelation 7:5-8).

Twelve stars in the woman’s (Israel) crown, symbolizing the twelve sons of Jacob (Revelation 12:1).

Twelve apostles of the Lamb, part of the church and body of Christ (Revelation 12:14).

And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names are written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 21:12).

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Revelation. 21:14).

The mention of ‘twelve’ appears in other areas of the New Testament as well. Jesus first spoke in the Temple at twelve years of age (Luke 2:42, 49-52). The miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes, providing twelve baskets of leftovers (Matthew 14:19-20).

As Jesus’ immediate followers, the Twelve’s obedience was often challenged. A promise of heaven itself was extended to these chosen men. These twelve men were called to be disciples so they could travel, see, hear and learn from Jesus who said to His disciples, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). This promise shows the glory and status reserved for these disciples who had suffered earthly persecution for the cause of Christ.

After Jesus had endured the temptation in the wilderness, He returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit. He tried to speak in His hometown of Nazareth but was rejected. So spiritually blinded were the people of the synagogue that they tried to kill Jesus by attempting to throw Him off a cliff. Jesus traveled to Capernaum, a beautiful town at the edge of the Sea of Galilee. An Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, had prophesied that Jesus would live in Capernaum. “In the future he [Jesus] will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan” (Isaiah 9:1).

Prior to Jesus choosing these men, He fervently sought to fulfill the will of God, the Father. Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12). These men would not only be His first followers but individuals close to Him in every way. The Son of God showed His humbleness and vulnerabilities to them. They would witness His fury against the money changers, His miracles, and His sadness as they abandoned Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. These men were the twelve that God desired and was generally willing to be submissive students but sometimes headstrong and at other times blatant cowards. They even argued among themselves about which disciple would be the greatest (Luke 9:46; 22:24). Christ showed displeasure when they contradicted Him (Matthew 16:23). Repeatedly, Jesus spoke of His betrayal, death, and resurrection (Matthew 16:21-22; Mark 9:30; Luke 18:31-34), yet the disciples faltered.