Jesus chose 12 men to be His closest disciples. Matthew 10 gives their names: “First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew (sometimes called Nathanel), Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.” [vs 2-4 HCSB]
Some were fishermen, one a tax collector, one part of a political movement called the Zealots. It appears Phillip was practical and levelheaded. Bartholomew may have been thoughtful and wise. Thomas had a moment of doubt. And Peter was often rash and spoke before thinking.
We don’t know a lot about these men prior to being named Jesus’ apostles. If someone had met these men before their association with Jesus, they would probably have called them ordinary.
And truthfully, we do not need to know a lot about them prior to their being named Jesus’ disciples. It is not what they were or what they did BEFORE Christ that is important. It is what they were and what they did AFTER Christ that is important.
Jesus still calls ordinary people to His side. I look around at church on Sundays and what I see are ordinary people given an extraordinary calling. And as I do, I remember what Matthew recorded prior to recording the disciples’ names:
Verse 12a: “Summoning His 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness. These are their names [insert yours here]…” [HCSB]
