A Quick Look at the Original Twelve Disciples Quiz

Answer: Judas

With Matthew being a former tax collector, one would think this would be a natural job for him. However, according to John 12:6 and 13:29, the treasurer, or the one who had "the money box", for Christ's ministry was none other than Judas Iscariot.

However, he wasn't good at his job. According to John 12:6, Judas "was a thief" and he used to take what was put in the treasury.

Answer: Nathanael

Nathanael is the correct answer. John 1:49, in the NKJV, quotes Nathanael as telling Jesus, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" The declaration is made months, perhaps years before Peter made his declaration in Matthew 16:16 that Christ is "the Son of the living God." Similar declarations by Peter are also recorded in Mark 8:29 and Luke 9:20.

Many theologians believe Bartholomew and Nathanael are the same person. When a list of the names of the disciples is given in Matthew, Mark and Luke, it contains the name Bartholomew, but not Nathanael. (The name Bartholomew is also mentioned in Acts.) However, in John there is mention of Nathanael, but no mention of Bartholomew. In Biblical times, it was common for people to have two names. For example, there's Peter who was also called Simon, and there's Matthew who was also called Levi, etc.

Answer: Matthew

One of the first things Matthew did was host a dinner at his house with his friends and Jesus in attendance. Details about the feast are recounted in Matthew 9:9-13.

Going by Scripture the dinner was a festive occasion for those in attendance. The Pharisees, however, were aghast Jesus would dare associate with tax collectors and "sinners".

Matthew 9:9-13 in the NKJV tells things this way:

"As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him.

"Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, 'Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?'

"When Jesus heard that, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance'."

Answer: Andrew

Prior to becoming one of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, Andrew served as a disciple of John the Baptist, as per John 1:40.

Details about John the Baptist appear in Matthew 3:1-17, Luke 3:1-20, and John 1:19-34. He preached a message of repentance and told the people he had been sent to prepare the way for the long-promised Messiah. He had harsh words for the church leaders of the day (the Sadducees and the Pharisees), calling them "a brood of vipers." John also baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

Many evangelical Christians regard John as the last of the Old Testament prophets.

Answer: Peter

Peter is the correct answer. In John 20:4, it tells of Peter losing the footrace to "the disciple Jesus loved." Tradition holds the disciple Jesus loved was John, however, some modern day theologians dispute this belief.

In regards to the footrace, John 20:1-4 in the NJKJV explains things this way: "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!' So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first."

The passage has caused some theologians to speculate John was somewhat younger than Peter. They have also speculated Peter was big and burly, and wasn't anywhere near as nimble as John.

Answer: Philip

Philip, according to Scripture, helped lead a delegation was from Greece to a meeting with Jesus. John 12:20-22, in the NKJV, states: "Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. 'Sir,' they said, 'we would like to see Jesus.' Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus." One wag suggests that Phillip and Andrew became the first foreign missionaries when they led the delegation to a meeting with Christ.

Scripture goes on to quote Jesus as stating to the delegation: "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor."

Christ goes on to predict His death on the Cross with Verse 27 and 28 stating: "'Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.' Then a voice came from heaven, saying, 'I have both glorified it and will glorify it again'."

Answer: James

Out of the Twelve Disciples, James was the first to be executed. (Judas Iscariot was the first to die, but he committed suicide, as per Matthew 27:3-9.) Details of James' death are contained in Acts 12:1-2 where it states Herod "killed James the brother of John with the sword." In other words, James was beheaded.

Verse 3 goes on to state that Herod had Peter arrested when he saw people were pleased with the execution of James. Peter, however, would avoid execution when he made a miraculous escape from prison, as per Acts 12:1-19.

Answer: John

John is the correct answer. In five different places in the Gospel of John, reference is made to the "the disciple whom Jesus loved." (See John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20.) Many scholars speculate John, the writer of the Gospel, didn't want to have his name front and center and to retain some anonymity, used the refrain "the disciple Jesus loved.".

One of the more touching incidents when the term is used is when Jesus is dying in agony on the cross and he looks down and sees his mother and makes arrangements for her to be taken care of by the "disciple He loved." John 19:25-27, in the NKJV, states: "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home."

It must be pointed out some modern day theologians are of the opinion the "disciple Jesus loved" was someone totally different than John. They're entitled to their opinions. However, I am on the side of tradition, and believe the disciple Jesus loved was none other than John.

Answer: Thomas

Thomas, of course, is remembered for having major doubts about initial reports from others about seeing the resurrected Christ after the crucifixion. His doubts, however, disappeared forever, when according to John 20:24-29, Jesus appeared before Thomas and the other disciples while they were meeting in a locked room.

John 20:24-29, in the NKJV, explains things this way: "Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, 'We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.'

"And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, 'Peace to you!' 27 Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'

"Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed'."

Answer: Simon

Simon was known as Simon the Zealot, as per Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13. In Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18, he's known as Simon the Canaanite. He's one of the little-known followers of Jesus.

According to the website Bibleinfo.com, the Zealots were "fanatical Jewish Nationalists who had heroic disregard for the suffering involved and the struggle for what they regarded as the purity of their faith." The Zealots were filled with hatred for the Romans, the website goes on to state.

It's highly interesting to note Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector for the Romans. Philosophically, Matthew was perhaps as far away as one could get from Simon, yet they both shared the common belief that Jesus was the Son of God. And for this belief, tradition has it both were martyred.