Day 55 – The Twelve

“And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:” Luke 6:13

We really do not know much about most of these men; only a select few have their interactions with Jesus recorded in detail. Their true fame is reserved for heaven, where their names are forever etched into the twelve foundations of God’s heavenly city. (Revelation 21:14)

When you look closely at this group, the dynamic is fascinating. There were brothers, like James and John, and Peter and Andrew. There were business partners, as Peter, James, and John were all fishermen. There were even fierce political opposites like Matthew (the tax collector who worked for Rome) and Simon the Zealot (who hated Rome with a passion). And then there was Judas Iscariot, who ultimately became a traitor. His name likely means “man from Kerioth,” making him the only Judean among the twelve.

Jesus had many followers to choose from, yet He intentionally selected these twelve. He wasn’t looking to spark controversy or scandal for the sake of it. In fact, we read of no obvious scandals surrounding Judas during their three years of ministry – the other disciples often seemed to make much bigger mistakes! I’ve often wondered, as I’m sure you have, why Jesus chose Judas. Then I came across this story: A man once asked a theologian, “Why did Jesus choose Judas Iscariot to be his disciple?” The teacher replied, “I don’t know, but I have an even harder question: Why did Jesus choose me?”

Luke lists these names in pairs, likely reflecting how Jesus sent His apostles out two by two: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James alongside Judas Iscariot. What a diverse, broken, and unexpected group of men—yet God used them to change the world.

Pray with me: Lord Jesus, thank You for choosing me and that You have chosen great company around me to help me in my spiritual walk and to stay close to You. We know that these men chose to be obedient to Your call and had the heart to follow beyond the cross. Amen. ©

Love, Iriza