James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus,
φιλιππος και βαρθολομαιος θωμας και ματθαιος ο τελωνης ιακωβος ο του αλφαιου και λεββαιος ο επικληθεις θαδδαιος
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Following that, after naming Philip and Bartholomew, he included Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; however, Luke places him preceding Thomas. Then came James, son of Alphaeus, whom I previously referred to as James the Covenanter. Lastly, there was Lebbaeus, who was also known as Thaddaeus.
Refer to Matthew 10:2. Historical accounts within the Church share the tradition that the apostle Thaddeus was sent to Edessa to meet Abgar, the ruler of Ozroena. In the writings of Luke, he is referred to as Judas, son of James (Lk. 6:16), while in other texts, he is identified as Levi (Matthew 10:3), a name that signifies a wise individual. It is reasonable to consider that he possessed multiple names, similar to how Simon is referred to as Peter and the sons of Zebedee are called Boanerges, meaning sons of thunder, due to the steadfastness and vigor of their faith (Mk. 3:16-17).
Philip and Bartholomew followed Christ, as previously mentioned, which is why they appear in this sequence. Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector, are distinguished by Mark (Mark 3:18) and Luke (Luke 6:15), who list Matthew before Thomas, since Matthew became a disciple prior to Thomas. Yet, out of humility, Matthew refers to himself as a tax collector. James, the son of Alphaeus, along with Levi, known as Thaddeus, is noted here; this James is the brother of Matthew, who was also called Levi, the son of Alphaeus, as he observed Levi of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth (Mark 2:14).
In his account, Luke mentions Simon the Zealot, or Canaanite, instead of Thaddeus, and he associates Thaddeus with Judas Iscariot, referring to him as Judas, specifically Judas of James and Judas Iscariot (Luke 6:16). The Evangelists grouped them by the similarity of their names. Consequently, there were two individuals named Simon: Simon, referred to as Peter, and Simon the Zealot, also known as Canaanite; two Jameses: James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus; and two Judases: Judas the son of James, who is identified as Levi and Thaddeus, and Judas Iscariot. To avoid confusion due to their similar names, the Evangelists added further identifiers. However, if Luke chose to associate Thaddeus with Judas Iscariot based on name similarity, why did he not do the same for Simon Peter and Simon the Canaanite, or for James Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus? The answer lies in the fact that Peter was accompanied by his brother Andrew, and James by his brother John, as they both followed Christ, thus warranting their mutual placement not only as siblings but also for having followed Him together. Yet, James the son of Alphaeus wasn’t paired with his brother Matthew because Matthew began to follow afterwards.
Philip and Bartholomew, who is also known as Nathanael, Thomas (or Didymus, meaning twin), and Matthew the tax collector, also referred to as Levi, who is the brother of James the Less (St. John Chrysostom observes that St. Matthew positions Thomas above himself, despite Thomas being of lesser status), along with James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus (who was also known as Judas, son of James, to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot).
As time went on, the Lord found it increasingly important to distinguish a select group of individuals from the multitude of His followers. This distinction was essential for expanding His mission through them and equipping them for future ministry. The growing adoration of the masses contrasted sharply with the deepening animosity of His adversaries. Although their hostility was permitted by Divine Providence and remained within the limits set by Him, never encroaching on His Divine autonomy to lay down His life purely out of His love for humanity, these developments were nonetheless part of God's predetermined plan and would soon come to fruition.
In light of this, the Lord sought to avoid the looming persecution from the Pharisees and intended to forge a closer bond with a few chosen disciples. With this goal in mind, He withdrew one evening to a solitary mountain to engage in prayer. What the Lord prayed during that time remains a mystery, but one might surmise that as the Divine Intercessor was preparing to establish the Church of the New Covenant, He petitioned His Father’s blessings upon His work, seeking fortitude against the forces of darkness (and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; I have witnessed Satan fall from heaven; this Satan demands to sift you like wheat, yet I have prayed for you, Simon).
The Son of Man may have also implored His heavenly Father for strength to face the final challenge ahead: that morning He would, in alignment with the Father's will and His own purpose, draw to Himself Judas Iscariot, the instrument of His impending death. The following morning, He called His disciples together on that mountain and selected twelve of them to remain in close companionship with Him, so they could bear witness to what they experienced firsthand (Mk. 3:14). These twelve would serve as the foundational leaders of the new, future tribes of the new Israel (Rev. 21:14).
Following the accounts of the second-first Sabbath and the one that followed, Luke does not suggest any notable shift in the location of Christ's ministry. Nevertheless, according to the Gospel of Mark, the first notable occurrence after this is the choosing of the twelve apostles. The Gospel of Matthew does not document this event at all; it simply presents a list of the apostles' names as they were sent to proclaim the message, implying that their selection had already been previously communicated. Neither Mark, who states that they ascended the mountain, nor Luke, who notes it occurred during those days, connect this event chronologically to the one preceding it. Luke informs us that the Lord devoted the entire night before this moment to prayer.
These twelve disciples were called to be the closest associates of Christ during His earthly ministry and to carry on His mission after His ascension to glory. From that point forward, He drew them near, creating a single community, a family, with Himself as the leader. The apostolic names listed are the same across the evangelists, with only minor variations in their arrangement. In identifying James and John, Mark mentions that Jesus named them Boanerges, meaning sons of Thunder. This naming likely occurred at a different time, perhaps connected to an event that displayed the passionate nature of these apostles (as suggested in Luke 9:54). Similarly, concerning Simon, Mark notes that Jesus named him Peter, a designation given previously (John 1:42). Some apostles listed by the evangelists are recognized from the accounts of their initial encounters with Christ (John 1:37 ff.) and their call to follow Him (Matthew 4:18 ff., 9:9 ff., and parallels), including Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Nathanael, as well as Matthew the tax collector. The details regarding the calling of the other apostles remain unknown.
He selected twelve individuals from among His followers on the mountain and referred to them as Apostles, a term derived from Greek meaning messenger. The primary role of these twelve chosen individuals was to be sent forth to proclaim the Gospel, prompting Jesus to designate them as apostles. Acknowledging that signs might be necessary during their ministry and that miracles were to be performed, He empowered them to heal ailments and expel evil spirits. Some of these apostles, such as Simon and his brother Andrew, John and his brother James, Philip, Nathanael (also known as Bartholomew), and Matthew, had been specifically called by Jesus to follow Him prior to this appointment (refer to Matthew 9). The remaining apostles were newly appointed from a wider group of His disciples.
The Evangelist Matthew does not detail the selection of the twelve Apostles, mentioning them by name only when recounting Jesus’ commissioning of them to preach; notably, he identifies himself as Matthew the tax collector. Conversely, the Evangelist Luke discusses the choosing of the Apostles in a manner consistent with the account of the Evangelist Mark. Differences in naming some of the Apostles can be observed among the Evangelists; however, these discrepancies are only apparent and arise from their intention to distinguish between Apostles who shared the same names. For instance, in contrast to Simon Peter, Matthew and Mark refer to the second Simon as Simon the Cananite, while Luke refers to him as the Zealot. The term Zealot derives from Greek, and Cananite is its Hebrew equivalent, thus both terms are clear in meaning. The second Simon was likely referred to as Zealot because he belonged to a Jewish faction known for advocating for the autonomy and independence of the Jewish people prior to being called by Jesus. The Apostle Levi was nicknamed Thaddeus according to Matthew, while Mark also uses the name Thaddeus and Luke identifies him as Judas of Jacob. The presence of two Apostles named Judas is confirmed in the Gospel of John; during the Last Supper, after Judas Iscariot left, it was Judas—not Iscariot—who asked, 'Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?' (John 14:22). Thus, Judas—not Iscariot—is called by Luke as Judas of Jacob, brother to James Alphaeus (Acts 1:13), while Matthew refers to him as Levi, known as Thaddeus, and Mark simply names him Thaddeus. The second Judas, Iscariot, was identified by this name because of his origins from Kerioth, with the term Iscariot understood as a combination of two words: Ish, meaning man, and Kerioth, the name of the town. The apostle Nathanael is recognized by all three Evangelists as Bartholomew, meaning son of Pholomew (bar meaning son). Initially, Jesus called Simon by the name Peter (John 1:42) and likely reiterated this designation. He referred to James and John, sons of Zebedee, as sons of thunder, highlighting the vigor of their character: as sons of thunder, they exhibited both strength and fervor in their actions and words. These traits became evident when they requested Jesus to call down fire from heaven to punish those who rejected Him in a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54).
The following are the names of the foundational figures of New Testament spirituality: Peter and Andrew, the sons of Jonah; James and John, the sons of Zebedee; and Philip, who all hailed from the small fishing town of Bethsaida. Next are Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Judas the brother of James, Simon the Zealot from Cana, and Judas Iscariot from the Jewish town of Carioth. Among this esteemed group of apostles, three — James the Less, the Judas who is the brother of James, and Simon the Zealot — remain largely unrecognized. The Gospels offer little insight into their identities, with only the Gospel of John mentioning ‘Judas not Iscariot’ during the Last Supper, who posed a notable question to the Lord (John 14:22).
Simon is only recognized by his appellation, Zealot. The terms ‘Zealot’ or ‘Cananite,’ which carry the same meaning, indicate that he was once part of the fervent and tumultuous adherents of Judas of Giscalcus. The Greek names of Philip and Andrew, along with the record of Philip being approached by Greeks seeking to meet Jesus before His earthly ministry concluded, suggests a potential link to the Hellenist community; however, beyond their initial calling, little is revealed about them, a sentiment that holds true for Nathanael and Matthew. Regarding Thomas, also referred to as Didymus, meaning ‘twin’ in Greek, there is noteworthy information that portrays him as a man of distinct character, both sincere and straightforward, yet also passionate and noble; he was ready to face death yet conflicted in his faith. Judas from Carioth, likely the only Jewish member among the Apostles, is commonly mentioned last on the apostolic roster, seemingly indicating a lack of comparable merit to the others in the esteemed role of apostleship, which he later tragically confirmed through a grievous act. Among the apostles, three — Peter, James, and John — received the extraordinary privilege of being part of Christ's inner circle of dearest friends and disciples. They alone were witnesses to the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter, the transfiguration, and Christ's agonizing prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. Beyond his status as the first martyr among the apostles, little else is known about James. He and his brother John appeared to have better worldly circumstances than their fellow fishermen, as their father Zebedee owned a fishing boat and employed hired workers. John notes in his Gospel that his family was acquainted with the high priest, likely due to their frequent presence in Jerusalem for the fish trade from the Sea of Galilee. Young and fervent in faith, John was particularly beloved by Christ, being referred to as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ However, amongst this esteemed trio, Peter stands out as the most prominent member, embodying the name given to him as the rock (Cephas – Peter) upon which Christ's confession of God is built. In Peter, the Lord found an extraordinarily devoted disciple, who did not hesitate to express his love and unwavering commitment to Him. Even Peter’s denial at the moment of betrayal only served to deepen his sorrow and ultimately reinforced his love and commitment to the One whom he had first acknowledged as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.
Bartholomew means son of Pholomew, and his true name was Nathanael (John 1:45, John 21:2). James, son of Alpheus, and Matthew, also known as Levi the tax collector (Mark 2:14), were brothers. Levi, who was given the name Thaddaeus, is additionally referred to as Judas, son of Jacob (Luke 6:16; cf. John 14:22; Acts 1:13). As noted in the apocryphal acts of Levi, he was named Thaddaeus at the time of his baptism by John, but prior to being known as Judas. He may have acquired the name Abbaeus when he was chosen as an apostle, potentially as a distinction from Iscariot, who shared a similar name, reflecting the tradition of adopting a new name during significant life events. He was the son of Joseph, betrothed through his first marriage, and the brother of the Apostle James, hence he is also referred to as James (see Chet. Min. Jun. 19).
Philip and Bartholomew. Philip hailed from Bethsaida, the same town as Peter and Andrew, and was already acquainted with Jesus Christ. He appears multiple times in the Gospel of John. Bartholomew, which translates to "son of Pholomew," is believed to be the same individual as Nathanael, who was from Cana in Galilee and was introduced to Jesus Christ by Philip.
Thomas and Matthew. Thomas, also known as Didymus or the Twin, was given the opportunity to touch the wounds of the risen Jesus for confirmation. Matthew, also referred to as Levi, son of Alphaeus, worked as a tax collector before he received the call to follow the Lord. He authored the Gospel that is placed first among the New Testament writings.
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Levi, known as Thaddeus. James, son of Alphaeus, is distinct from James, the Lord's brother, who was part of the group of seventy apostles and was called the least. This James had his brother Judas among the twelve apostles. Levi, or Thaddeus, can be identified as this Judas, the brother of the lesser James, as evidenced by comparing the lists of apostles across the Gospel writers. He is also known for writing the epistle that comes last among the councils.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 14 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS