Gospel of Matthew 10:2-3
Names of the Twelve Apostles
These are the names of the twelve apostles:The first, Simon, who was called Peter;
Andrew, his brother;
James the son of Zebedee;
John, his brother;
Philip;
Bartholomew;
Thomas;
Matthew the publican;
James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddaeus;
Simon the Cananaean;
and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed him.
The Less-Known Apostles
Thaddeus (also known as Jude, Judas the son of James, or Lebbaeus) is perhaps the least known of the apostles. He spoke only one time in the Gospels, at the Last Supper, when he asked Jesus, " Lord, how is it that you will show yourself only to those that love you? Why not the whole world?" (John 14:22-23) Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him." As St. Jude, he became the patron saint of lost causes.
Simon, the Cananaen, was also known as "Simon the Zealot". Very little is said of him in the New Testament. Perhaps, like Paul, he started out harassing the followers of Christ. Tradition has it that he was killed with a saw, and he is often depicted holding one.
Thomas (known as Didymus, meaning "the twin" in Greek, as Thomas comes from a Hebrew word meaning the same thing) was rather brave. He gave rise to the expression "doubting Thomas" because he would not believe that the resurrected Christ was really Jesus, until he had put his finger into the spear wound in His side.
Both the James were known as brothers of prominent apostles. We have just met James, the son of Zebedee, who was recruited with John to become a "fisher of men". He is the only apostle whose martyrdom is recounted in the New Testament. James, the son of Alphaeus, was apparently a rather quiet man. He might have been Matthew's brother.
Philip was the fourth apostle called. It was the first time Christ is quoted saying "follow me". He spoke Greek and was apparently the link to the Greek-speaking community.
There is little about Bartholomew in the Gospels. He may be the person called Nathanael. Later writings assert that, after Christ's death, he traveled east, ending somewhere in present-day India. He is a patron saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church (along with Jude).
Andrew, was one of the third pair of brothers; he was a fisherman and Simon Peter's brother. He was traditionally killed by crucifixion on a sideways cross, giving rise to the Scottish "cross of St. Andrew", the blue and white X shape on many flags, including the British flag.
