SPECIAL TOPIC: CHART OF APOSTLES' NAMES

From notes at Luke 6:14:

▣ "Simon, whom He also named Peter" There are three other listings of the twelve apostles. Peter is always first; Judas Iscariot is always last. There are three groups of four which remain the same, even though the order of names within the groups is often reversed (cf. Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Acts 1:13).

▣ "Andrew" The Greek term means "manly." From John 1:29-42 we learn that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist and that he introduced his brother, Peter, to Jesus.

▣ "James" This is the Hebrew name "Jacob" (BDB 784), which means "supplanter," cf Gen. 25:26). There are two men named James in the list of the Twelve. One is the brother of John (cf. Mark 3:17) and part of the inner circle (i.e., Peter, James, and John). This is the brother of John.

▣ "John" This was James' brother and a member of the inner circle of disciples. He wrote five NT books and lived longer than any other Apostle.

▣ "Philip" The Greek name means "fond of horses." His call is recorded in John 1:43-51.

▣ "Bartholomew" The name means "son of Ptolemy." He may be the Nathanael of the Gospel of John (cf. John 1:45-49; 21:20).

▣ "Matthew" The Hebrew name (from the Mattithiah, cf. 1 Chr. 9:31; 15:18,21; 16:5; 25:3,21; Neh. 8:4) means "gift of YHWH." This is referring to Levi (cf. Mark. 2:13-17).

▣ "Thomas" The Hebrew name means "twin" or Didymus (cf. John 11:16; 20:24; 21:2).

▣ "James the son of Alphaeus" This is the Hebrew name "Jacob." There are two men named James in the list of the Twelve. One is the brother of John (cf. Luke 6:17) and part of the inner circle (i.e., Peter, James, and John). This one is known as "James the less" (cf. Mark 3:17).

▣ "Simon who was called the Zealot" The Greek text of Mark has "Cananaean" (also Matt. 10:4). Mark, whose Gospel was written to Romans, may not have wanted to use the political "hot button" word, zealot, which referred to a Jewish anti-Roman guerilla movement. Luke does call him by this term (cf. Acts 1:13). The term Cananaean has several derivatives.

1. from the area of Galilee known as Cana

2. from the OT use of Canaanite as merchant

3. from a general designation as a native of Canaan.

If Luke's designation is right, then zealot is from the Aramaic term for "enthusiast" (cf. Acts 1:17). Jesus' chosen twelve disciples were from several different and competing groups. Simon was a member of a nationalistic group which advocated the violent overthrow of Roman authority. Normally this Simon and Levi (i.e., Matthew, the tax collector) would not have been in the same room with each other.

▣ "Judas the son of James" He was also called "Lebbeus" (cf. Matt. 10:3) or "Judas" (cf. John 14:22). Both Thaddaeus and Lebbeus mean "beloved child."

▣ "Judas Iscariot" There are two Simons, two Jameses, and two Judases. The name Iscariot has two possible derivations:

1. man of Kerioth (a city) in Judah (cf. Jos. 15:23, which would mean he was the only Judean)

2. his father's name (cf. John 6:71; 13:2,26)

3. "dagger man" or assassin, which would mean he also was a zealot, like Simon

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