What are the names of the 12 disciples? And why do the gospels differ?

Question

Matthew and Mark agree completley in who they are. Luke has one name different than Matthew and Luke, while John is quite different from all three. Matthew and Mark do not have the name Judas son of James, but do have the name Thaddeus which Luke does not have. John does not list all 12 but adds the name Nathanel that is not in any of the other gospels. Please show support for your answer.

Answer 1

According to the list occurring in each of the Synoptic Gospels (Mark 3:13-19, Matthew 10:1-4, Luke 6:12-16), the Twelve chosen by Jesus near the beginning of his ministry, those whom also He named Apostles, were:

Simon: called Peter (Grk. petros, petra; Aram. kēf; Engl. rock) by Jesus, also known as Simon bar Jonah and Simon bar Jochanan (Aram.) and earlier (Pauline Epistles were written first) Cephas (Aram.) by Paul of Tarsus and Simon Peter, a fisherman from Bethsaida "of Galilee" (John 1:44; cf. 12:21)
Andrew: brother of Peter, a Bethsaida fisherman and disciple of John the Baptist, and also the First-Called Apostle
James and
John: sons of Zebedee, called by Jesus Boanerges (an Aramaic name explained in Mk 3:17 as "Sons of Thunder")
Philip: from Bethsaida "of Galilee" (John 1:44, 12:21)
Thaddeus: "Judas, son of James and Judas (not Iscariot)", (Mark 10:3, Acts 1:13, Luke 6:16, John 14:22)
Bartholomew: in Aramaic "bar-Talemai?", "son of Talemai" or from Ptolemais, some identify with Nathanael
Thomas: also known as Judas Thomas Didymus - Aramaic T'oma' = twin, and Greek Didymous = twin
James: commonly identified with James the Less [1]
Matthew: the tax collector, some identify with Levi son of Alphaeus
Simon the Canaanite: called in Luke and Acts "Simon the Zealot", some identify with Simeon of Jerusalem[2]
Judas Iscariot: the name Iscariot may refer to the Judaean towns of Kerioth or to the sicarii (Jewish nationalist insurrectionists), or to Issachar;
He was replaced as an apostle in Acts by Matthias


The Gospel of John, unlike the Synoptic Gospels, does not offer a formal list of apostles, but does refer to the Twelve in 6:67, 6:70, and 6:71. The following nine apostles are identified by name:

Peter
Andrew (identified as Peter's brother)
the sons of Zebedee (plural form implies at least two apostles)
Philip
Nathanael
Thomas (also called Didymus (11:16, 20:24, 21:2))
Judas Iscariot
Judas (not Iscariot) (14:22)

Answer 2

1. Simon
2. Andrew: brother of Peter, a Bethsaida fisherman and disciple of John the Baptist, and also the First-Called Apostle
3. James and
4. John: sons of Zebedee,
5. Philip: from Bethsaida
6. Bartholomew: "son of Talemai" or from Ptolemais, some identify with Nathanael
7. Thomas: also known as Judas Thomas Didymus -
8. James: commonly identified with James the Less [1]
9. Matthew: the tax collector,
10. Simon the Canaanite: called in Luke and Acts "Simon the Zealot",
11. Judas Iscariot: He was replaced as an apostle in Acts by Matthias
The identity of the other apostle of the twelve, traditionally called St. Jude, varies between the Synoptic Gospels and also between ancient manuscripts of each gospel:

Mark names him as Thaddaeus.

The reason the gospels differ is because they were written by differrent people in different time periods.

Answer 3

The original twelve disciples / apostles are listed in Matthew 10:2-4, "These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him." The Bible also lists the 12 disciples / apostles in Mark 3:16-19 and Luke 6:13-16. In comparing the three passages, there are a couple of minor differences in the names. It seems that Thaddaeus was also know as "Judas, son of James" (Luke 6:16) and Lebbaeus (Matthew 10:3). Simon the Zealot was also known as Simon the Canaanite (Mark 3:18). Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was replaced in the twelve apostles by Matthias (see Acts 1:20-26). Some Bible teachers view Matthias as an "invalid" member of the 12 apostles, and instead believe that the Apostle Paul was God's choice to replace Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle.

Answer 4

Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, James the Less, Matthew, Simon, Judas, and Thaddeus. I believe that Thaddeus and Judas son of James are the same man just a different manuscript calls him something different.

Answer 5

The 12 names are: Peter. Andrew. Bartholomew. John. Jude. Thomas. Matthew. James. Philip. Simon. Judas. Simon. The gospels differ because they were actually events they they saw on a everyday basis....kinda like a diary. It was kinda a diary of the life and teachings of jesus. Not all of the disciples kept "diaries" of these events. The "diaries" that made it into the bible were the most acurite. Some "diaries" were lost and some couldn't be translated. Some say that there was another disciple and that It was Mary of Magdalene. Some also say that she was jesus' wife.

Answer 6

PETER, ANDREW, MATHEW, THOMAS , PHILIP, BARTHOLEMEW , JAMES, JOHN, SIMON, JUDE, MATTHIAS, JAMES THE LESSER.]

THOSE ARE THE ORIGINAL 12 RECOGNIZED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. JUDAS WAS LATER REPLACED, MUCH LATER BY SCHOLARS, WITH THADDEUS. MOSTLY A SYMBOLIC REPLACEMENT

why are the gospels different? well they were, at best, written 60-100 or more years AFTER Jesus was crucified. and there were hundreds of DISCIPLES of Jesus, just the 12 closest to him were called APOSTLES. it would be kinda like trying to write down the first names of the front row of your first grade class, when you are 80...hard to remember.

Answer 7

the names will vary because some people are known by different names (or nicknames) in different areas. also some people were known by their craft or their trade.
as for why the gospels differ due to being the viewpoints of different people.
remember the game telephone or telegraph?
you tell a short, small tale to one person of twenty and by the time it reaches the last person it doesn't resemble the original tale.
same thing. more than one person seeing it, more than one version. each persons experience having them seeing different details of the same event.

hope this helps

Answer 8

the names of the disciples were simon james john judas andrew philip bartholomew matthew thomas james thaddaeus and another simon !!! and all the gospels wernt ritten at the same it was first passed down by word of mouth and then written

hope i was helpful

Answer 9

Four eye witnesses tell the same story. Each from their unique view point and varying degrees of personal knowledge with various people involved in the event. Some have talked with other witnesses, etc. All four will tell stories with different focus and ways of refering to people and places and yet each will be exact and truthful. All four witnesses are needed to give the full picture. The differences coalesced with the agreements really make the Gospels what they are...the undeniable truth of God.

Answer 10

Actually there were many disciples, only 12 original Apostles.
The Came the greatest, Paul.