The Growing Community of Disciples

A disciple is a "learner," a student.  We also identified them as "followers of Jesus: and "choice-makers" (that's a good one!).
Who are Jesus' disciples in the gospel stories?  We began to make a list.

Simon Peter (the fisherman in Luke 5:1-11 and later a visible leader among the disciples)
Andrew (Simon's brother; in John's gospel the first disciple)
John  (he and brother James are the sons of Zebedee and fishing partners with Simon and Andrew)
James
Mary Magdalene  (one of our early names, and a key follower of Jesus!)
Judas Iscariot (known as the one who betrays Jesus)
Matthew  ( a Roman tax collector called to follow Jesus)
Philip
Bartholomew
Thomas
The Other Simon: the "Zealot" or Canaanean  ( the Zealots were revolutionaries who fought the
Roman occupation)
James son of Alphaeus
Thaddeus
Nathaniel
Levi (also identified as a tax collector)
Judas son of James

We always hear about "The Twelve."  But our first count is sixteen!
We are looking through biblical sources:
Matthew 4:18-20; 9:9-13; 10:1-10
Mark 1:16-20; 3:13-19
Luke 6:12-16; 8:1-3; 10:1-2
John 1:35-41;43-51

The list grows. Luke 8:1-3 mentions Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, and "many others."  They provide for Jesus' ministry out of their resources.  Joanna is the wife of King Herod's steward Chuza , which is amazing, since it was this King Herod who killed John the Baptist!
In Matthew's gospel it is clear that Jesus has not only called Matthew but gathers other tax collectors around his table.
In Luke Chapter 10, we hear of Jesus sending out seventy (or seventy two) to go ahead and prepare the way!
The emerging communion of disciples is much bigger and more diverse than we might have imagined!
He calls at least one person that everyone hates--the Roman tax collector--then calls a Zealot, the kind of person who might kill a tax collector!  But Jesus teaches them to live as brothers and fellow disciples rather than enemies.





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