12 apostles following Christ. Apostles of Christ: Twelve

During the years of his life, Jesus acquired many followers, among whom were not only common people, but also representatives of the royal court. Some wanted healing, while others were just curious. The number of people to whom he passed on his knowledge was constantly changing, but one day he made a choice.

12 apostles of Christ

The specific number of followers of Jesus was chosen for a reason, because he wanted the people of the New Testament, as in the Old Testament, to have 12 spiritual leaders. All the disciples were Israelis, and she was not enlightened or rich. Most of the apostles were previously ordinary fishermen. The clergy assure that every believer must memorize the names of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. For better memorization, it is recommended to “tie” each name to a specific fragment from the Gospel.

Apostle Peter

The brother of Andrew the First-Called, thanks to whom the meeting with Christ took place, received the name Simon from birth. Because of his devotion and determination, he was especially close to the Savior. He was the first to confess Jesus, for which he was called the Stone (Peter).

The apostles of Christ differed in their characters, so Peter was lively and quick-tempered: he decided to walk on the water to come to Jesus, and cut off the ear of a servant in the Garden of Gethsemane.
At night, when Christ was arrested, Peter showed weakness and, being frightened, denied him three times. After some time, he admitted that he had made a mistake, repented, and the Lord forgave him.
According to Scripture, the apostle was the first bishop of Rome for 25 years.
After the coming of the Holy Spirit, Peter was the first to do everything to spread and establish the church.
He died in 67 in Rome, where he was crucified upside down. It is believed that St. Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican was built on his grave.

Apostle Peter

Apostle Jacob Alfeev

Little is known about this disciple of Christ. In the sources you can find such a name - James the Less, which was invented to distinguish it from another apostle. Jacob Alfeev was a publican and preached in Judea, and then, together with Andrei, he went to Edessa. There are several versions about his death and burial, so some believe that the Jews stoned him in Marmarik, while others believe that he was crucified on the way to Egypt. His relics are located in Rome in the temple of the 12 apostles.

Apostle Jacob Alfeev

Apostle Andrew the First-Called

Peter's younger brother was the first to meet Christ, and then he brought his brother to him. Hence his nickname The First-Called.

All twelve apostles were close to the Savior, but only to three, he revealed the fate of the world, among them was Andrew the First-Called.
He had the gift of resurrection of the dead.
After the crucifixion of Jesus, Andrew began to preach in Asia Minor.
50 days after the Resurrection, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of fire and engulfed the apostles. This gave them the gift of healing and prophecy, and the ability to speak in all languages.
He died in 62, after he was crucified on an oblique cross, having tied his hands and feet with ropes.
The relics are in the cathedral church in the city of Amalfi in Italy.

Apostle Andrew the First-Called

Apostle Matthew

Matthew originally worked as a toll collector, and the meeting with Jesus took place at work. There is a painting by Caravaggio "The Calling of the Apostle Matthew", which presents the first meeting with the Savior. He is the brother of the Apostle James of Alfeev.

Matthew is known to many thanks to the Gospel, which can be called a biography of Christ. The basis was the exact sayings of the Savior, which the apostle constantly wrote down.
Once Matthew performed a miracle by sticking a rod into the ground, and a tree with unprecedented fruits grew out of it, and a stream began to flow below. The apostle began to preach to all the eyewitnesses who were baptized in the spring.
Until now, there is no exact information where Matthew died.
The relics are in an underground tomb in the temple of San Matteo in the city of Salerno, Italy.

Apostle Matthew

Apostle John the Evangelist

John got his nickname due to the fact that he is the author of one of the four canonical gospels and. He is the younger brother of the apostle James. It was believed that both brothers had a tough, hot and quick-tempered character.

John is the grandson of the husband of the Virgin.
The Apostle John was the beloved disciple and that is what Jesus himself called him.
During the Crucifixion, the Savior chose John among all 12 apostles to take care of his Mother.
By lot, he had to preach in Ephesus and other cities of Asia Minor.
He had a student who took notes of all his sermons, which were used in Revelation and the Gospel.
In the year 100, John told his seven disciples to dig a hole in the shape of a cross and bury it there. A few days later, in the hope of finding the miraculous remains, a hole was dug, but the body was not there. Every year, ashes were found in the grave, which healed people from all diseases.
John the Theologian was buried in the city of Ephesus, where there is a temple dedicated to him.

Apostle John the Evangelist

Apostle Thomas

His real name is Judas, but after the meeting, Christ gave him the name "Thomas", which means "Twin". According to the legend, he was a campaign against the Savior, but whether this external resemblance or something else is not known.

Thomas joined the 12 apostles when he was 29 years old.
Great strength was considered an excellent analytical mind, which was combined with unbending courage.
Among the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, Thomas was one of those who were not present at the Resurrection of Christ. And he said that until he saw everything with his own eyes, he would not believe, so the nickname appeared - the Unbeliever.
After the lot, he went to preach in India. He even managed to visit China for a few days, but he realized that Christianity would not take root there, so he left.
With his sermons, Thomas turned the son and wife of the Indian ruler to Christ, for which he was captured, tortured, and then pierced with five spears.
Parts of the relics of the apostle are in India, Hungary, Italy and Mount Athos.

Apostle Thomas

Apostle Luke

Before meeting the Savior, Luke was an associate of St. Peter and a famous doctor who helped people escape death. After he learned about Christ, he came to his sermon and eventually became his disciple.

Among the 12 apostles of Jesus, Luke stood out for his education, so he fully studied the Jewish law, knew the philosophy of Greece and two languages.
After the coming of the Holy Spirit, Luke began to preach, and Thebes was his last refuge. There, under his leadership, a church was built, where he healed people from various diseases. The pagans hung him on an olive tree.
The calling of the 12 apostles was to spread Christianity around the world, but in addition to this, Luke wrote one of the four Gospels.
The apostle was the first saint who painted icons and patronized doctors and painters.

Apostle Luke

Apostle Philip

In his youth, Philip studied various literature, including the Old Testament. He knew about the coming of Christ, so he looked forward to meeting him like no one else. Huge love glimmered in his heart, and the Son of God, knowing about his spiritual impulses, called to follow him.

All the apostles of Jesus praised their teacher, but Philip saw in him only the highest human manifestations. To save him from lack of faith, Christ decided to perform a miracle. He was able to feed a huge number of people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Seeing this miracle, Philip admitted his mistakes.
The apostle stood out among the other disciples in that he was not ashamed to ask the Savior various questions. After the Last Supper, he asked him to show the Lord. Jesus assured that he was one with his Father.
After the Resurrection of Christ, Philip traveled for a long time, performing miracles and giving healing to people.
The apostle died crucified upside down because he saved the wife of the ruler of Hierapolis. After that, an earthquake began, in which the pagans and rulers perished for the murder.

Apostle Philip

Apostle Bartholomew

According to the almost unanimous opinion of biblical scholars, described in the Gospel of John, Nathanael is Bartholomew. He was recognized as the fourth among the 12 holy apostles of Christ, and Philip brought him.

At the first meeting with Jesus, Bartholomew did not believe that the Savior was in front of him, and then Jesus told him that he saw him praying and heard his appeals, which made the future apostle change his mind.
After the end of the earthly life of Christ, the apostle began to preach the Gospel in Syria and Asia Minor.
Many of the deeds of the 12 apostles caused anger among a large number of rulers, they were killed, this also applies to Bartholomew. He was caught on the orders of the Armenian king Astyages, and then crucified upside down, but he still continued to read the sermon. Then, to keep him silent forever, they tore off his skin and cut off his head.

Apostle Bartholomew

Apostle James Zebedee

The elder brother of John the Evangelist is considered the first bishop of Jerusalem. Unfortunately, there is no information about how James first met Jesus, but there is a version that the apostle Matthew introduced them. Together with their brother, they were close to the Master, which prompted them to ask the Lord to sit on both hands with him in the Kingdom of Heaven. He told them that they would endure calamity and suffering for the name of Christ.

The apostles of Jesus Christ were on certain steps, and James was considered the ninth of the twelve.
After the end of the earthly life of Jesus, James went to preach in Spain.
The only one of the 12 apostles whose death was detailed in the New Testament, where it is said that King Herod killed him with a sword. This happened around 44.

Apostle James Zebedee

Apostle Simon

The first meeting with Christ took place in the house of Simon, when the Savior turned water into wine before the eyes of the people. After that, the future apostle believed in Christ and followed him. He was given the name - zealot (zealot).

After the Resurrection, all the holy apostles of Christ began to preach, and Simon did this in different places: Britain, Armenia, Libya, Egypt and others.
The Georgian king Aderky was a pagan, so he ordered to capture Simon, who was subjected to prolonged torment. There is information that he was crucified or sawed with a saw. They buried him near the cave where he spent the last years of his life.

Apostle Simon

Apostle Judas Iscariot

There are two versions of the origin of Judas, so according to the first it is believed that he was the younger brother of Simon, and the second - that he was the only native of Judea among the 12 apostles, and therefore was not related to other disciples of Christ.

Jesus appointed Judas as the treasurer of the community, that is, he disposed of the donations.
According to existing information, the apostle Jude is considered the most zealous disciple of Christ.
Judas is the only one who, after the Last Supper, gave the Savior for 30 pieces of silver, and since then he has been a traitor. After Jesus was crucified, he threw money away from them. To this day, disputes are ongoing regarding the true essence of his act.
There are two versions of his death: he himself strangled himself and received punishment, falling to his death.
In the 1970s, a papyrus was found in Egypt, where it was described that Judas was the only disciple of Christ.

Apostle Judas Iscariot

With the names of the twelve Apostles, there is sometimes confusion even among church-going people. It will be easier to remember them if each of the names is “linked” to fragments from the Gospel narrative with their participation (more about the apostles on the Thomas website - Issue topic: 12 apostles).

- (Kepha - stone) so the Lord called him, and his first name was Simon. Fisherman from Capernaum. Jesus was a guest in his house, having once healed Peter's mother-in-law from a fever. With the permission of the Lord, Peter walked with Him for some time on the water. He was the first to believe that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, but he also denied the Teacher when he was seized by the servants of the Jewish high priest. Repentance came to Peter immediately. And the Lord forgave him, more than that, put him first above the other disciples.

ANDREW

- brother of the Apostle Peter, before meeting with Jesus was a disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew was the first to follow the Master right after John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God. Therefore, he is called the First-Called.

12 apostles - names and deeds of 12 apostles of Jesus Christ

12 apostles of Christ

Apostle Peter

Brother of Andrew the First-Called, thanks to whom there was a meeting with ...

Right now, try to name the 12 disciples of Jesus (Google is not allowed :). The whole confusion lies in the fact that the enumerations given in the three Gospels diverge ...

In order to reconstruct the full picture, one must compare the names from Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19 and Luke 6:12-16 and Acts 1:13.

Before understanding their names, let's first see who the Apostle is. Today, some spiritual leaders take this title for themselves, while others, on the contrary, are indignant that there were only 12 Apostles, and therefore everyone who uses this title today is sacrilegious.

Firstly, in the Bible, besides the 12 Apostles of Jesus, at least 7 more people had the title of apostle: Paul, Silas, Barnabas, Timothy, Apollos, Andronicus and Junia. It is interesting to note that theologians claim that Junia is exclusively woman's name... (do not rush to scold me, read on :).

Secondly, let's look at what the word Apostle means. The word apostle comes from...

We owe it to the apostles that we have the opportunity to find the way, moving along which we can reach the limit of human dreams - a happy, blissful, eternal life. For the apostolic mission, the Lord chose ordinary people for himself. They were timid and poor, there was rivalry between them, the desire to take first places - ordinary human weaknesses. Ordinary people, fishermen, He called for a different kind of fishing: "You will be fishers of men."

Hieroschemamonk Valentin (Gurevich): About emptiness, misfortune and drying up prayer (+Video)

Apostles Peter and Paul

The holy apostles were so different: Peter, the elder brother of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, was a simple, uneducated, poor fisherman; Paul is the son of wealthy and noble parents, a Roman citizen, a student of the famous Jewish law teacher Gamaliel, "a scribe and a Pharisee." Peter is a faithful disciple of Christ from the very beginning, a witness to all the events of his life from the moment he started preaching.

Paul - worst enemy Christ, kindling in himself ...

Before talking about the names of the apostles of Christ, it is necessary to know the meaning of the word "apostle". Not everyone knows that the literal translation of the word "apostle" is an ambassador, sent.
This was the name of the twelve disciples of Jesus, who left their homes and families for the sake of the new teaching, and followed the teacher. The Jewish people said: “The twelve disciples followed him and studied.” Two millennia ago in Israel, the words apostle and disciple were synonymous, often interchangeable.

apostles
The twelve disciples of Christ are His closest associates, called to convey the Word of God to the peoples of the World. Everyone today must know their names and deeds.
Andrew in Scripture is called the First-Called, because. before meeting with Jesus Christ, he was a disciple of John the Baptist and was with him when Jesus, who came to be baptized by the waters of the Jordan, called him to follow him. He was the first chosen apostle. Andrew was the brother of Simon, also called Peter.
Peter is the second apostle, the son of Jonah, born in the city of Bethsaida, ...

Matt. X, 1-4: 1 And calling his twelve disciples, he gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out and heal every sickness and every disease. 2 The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first Simon, called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, James Zebedee and John, his brother, 3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

Mk. III, 13-19: 13 Then he went up the mountain and called to himself whom he himself wanted; and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve of them to be with him and to send them out to preach, 15 and that they might have power to heal sickness and cast out demons; 16 appointed Simon, calling him the name of Peter; Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

OK. VI, 12-16: 12 In those days he ascended the mountain ...

twelve apostles

The Twelve Apostles are the closest disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. They were chosen by him during his life and service to people. Their activity was in the 1st century AD. e. This period of early Christianity is called the apostolic age. The disciples of Christ established churches throughout the Roman Empire, as well as in the Middle East, Africa and India.

It should be noted that although Christian tradition refers to the apostles as 12, various evangelists give different names for one person, and the apostles mentioned in one gospel are not mentioned in others. After his Resurrection, Christ sent 11 of them (Judas Iscariot had died by that time) according to the Great Commission. It consisted in spreading his teachings among all peoples.

Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles

According to the Eastern Christian tradition (the Gospel of Luke), the Son of God, in addition to 12, chose 70 more apostles and set them the same tasks - to carry his teachings to people. The number 70 is symbolic. AT…

List of the twelve apostles
1. Andrew, the first among the apostles came to Christ (according to the Gospel of John - a former disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:35-40)).
2. Peter, also known as Simon Ionin (son of Jonah), also called Cephas, Brother of the Apostle Andrew
3. John the Evangelist, brother of James, (son of Zebedee)
4. James Zebedee, brother of John, (son of Zebedee)
5. Philip of Bethsaida
6. Bartholomew, aka Nathanael from Cana of Galilee (union conditionally)
7. Matthew the publican, evangelist, aka Levi Alfeev (association based on the parallelism of Matthew 9:9 and Mark 2:14)
8. Thomas, called the Twin
9. Jacob Alfeev, brother of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.
10. Thaddeus, aka Judas Jacoblev (Jacob's brother) or Levway
11. Simon Zealot, also known as Simon the Zealot, son of Cleopas (St. Hippolytus of Rome believes that he also bore the name Judas)
12. Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ
13. Matthias - replaced Judas Iscariot after his suicide (Matt. 27:5, Acts 1:26)…

Let’s start the topic of ‘’the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ’’ with the fact that in the book of Revelation it is written:

‘I, John, saw the holy city of Jerusalem, new, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb'' (Rev. 21:2,14).

Apostle - means "sent"; however, in this passage of Scripture we see that the role of these twelve chosen ones is special, the highest of people. And in this article, we will try to figure out what meaning the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ carry in themselves, and we will penetrate the secrets of the prophetic actions [signs] that happened to these followers of our Lord.

So let's start with the story:

''And God said to Moses: So say to the children of Israel: The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and the remembrance of me from generation to generation” (Ex. 3:15).

Abraham is...

Who were the 12 apostles?

And he appointed twelve of them to be with him and to send them out to preach
(Mark 3:14)

The word apostle literally means "messenger." For example, Christ himself is called in Scripture an apostle of God the Father. But tradition associates the word "apostle" primarily with the twelve chosen disciples of Jesus. They followed the Teacher during all the time of His earthly ministry to people, listened to His teaching, witnessed the miracles He performed, and most importantly, they believed that their Teacher is the Son of God. Christ bequeathed to them to carry the good news about himself to people, sending them to preach the gospel around the world.

And they did His will. Only thanks to the apostles and the people who were later ranked among them, the Word of God was preserved for centuries, and the teaching of Christ found followers everywhere. It is difficult to imagine the fate of Christianity without the asceticism of the Apostle Paul, without the Gospels of the Apostles Matthew and John, without the pilgrimage labors of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Helena,…

The Twelve Apostles of Christ: Names and Acts

Video: Apostles

Twelve Apostles: Names

The Twelve Apostles are the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, chosen by Him for the annunciation of the imminent Kingdom of God and…

Twelve Apostles (gr.

Before you learn about who the twelve apostles are, hear about their names and deeds, it is worth understanding the definition of the word "apostle".

Who were the twelve disciples, the apostles of Jesus Christ?

Many contemporaries do not know that the word "apostle" means "sent." At the time when Jesus Christ walked on our sinful earth, twelve people from the common people were called His disciples. As eyewitnesses said, "the twelve disciples followed Him and learned from Him." Two days after his death by crucifixion, he sent the disciples to be his witnesses. It was then that they were called the twelve apostles. For reference: in the time of Jesus in society, the terms "disciple" and "apostle" were similar and interchangeable.

Twelve Apostles: Names

The Twelve Apostles are the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, chosen by Him for the annunciation of the imminent Kingdom of God and the organization of the Church. Everyone should know the names of the apostles.

Andrew was named...

Before you learn about who the twelve apostles are, hear about their names and deeds, it is worth understanding the definition of the word "apostle".

Who were the twelve disciples, the apostles of Jesus Christ?

Twelve Apostles: Names

The Twelve Apostles are the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, chosen by Him for the annunciation of the imminent Kingdom of God and the organization of the Church. The names of the apostles should be known ...

Who were the twelve disciples/apostles of Jesus Christ?

Question: Who were the twelve disciples/apostles of Jesus Christ?

Answer: The word "apostle" means "one sent." During the stay of Jesus Christ on earth, 12 people were called His disciples. The twelve disciples followed Him and learned from Him. After His resurrection, He sent His disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8) to be His witnesses. Then they were called the twelve apostles. However, while Jesus was still on earth, the terms "disciples" and "apostles" were used interchangeably.

The original twelve disciples/apostles are listed in Matthew 10:2-4: “These names of the Twelve Apostles are: the first Simon, called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, James Zebedee and John, his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican , Jacob Alfeev and Leove, nicknamed Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. The Bible also gives a list of 12 disciples/apostles in…

Let’s start the topic of ‘’the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ’’ with the fact that in the book of Revelation it is written:

So let's start with the story:

''And God said to Moses: Thus say to the children of Israel: The Lord, the God of your fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob sent me to you. This is my name forever, and the remembrance of me from generation to generation” (Ex. 3:15).

Abraham, is the father of all believers and the prototype of the Heavenly Father (Rom. 4:3,10,11.).
Isaac, served a type of Christ sacrificed by the Father (Gen.22:15-18. John.3:16.).
But Jacob [from whom twelve sons were born - the patriarchs of Israel (Acts 7:8.)], prophetically represents the Holy Spirit.

The twelve apostles of spiritual Israel were born from the Holy Spirit.

The Lord told these followers:

‘Truly, I say to you that you who have followed Me are in everlasting life, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you will also sit on twelve thrones. judge the twelve tribes of Israel'' (Mat. 19:28).

However, which twelve tribes of Israel are referred to here?

Christ made a promise: ‘’I also have other sheep that are not of this fold, and those I must bring: and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one Shepherd” (John 10:16).
And starting with the calling of the Roman Cornelius in 36 AD. (Acts 10 ch.), it should be considered that the new spiritual Israel does not consist only of Jews. The apostle Paul wrote: “All of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. No more Jew or Gentile; there is no slave nor free; no male or female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. But if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:27-29. Eph. 2:11-13,19-22.).
Thus, what the Lord warned the carnal Israelites was fulfilled: ‘’and they shall come from the east and the west, and the north and the south, and shall lie down in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are the last who will be the first, and there are the first who will be the last” (Luke 13:29,30).

From the history of Israel's journey through the wilderness, it is narrated:

‘’And they came to Elim; there was] twelve springs of water and seventy date trees and encamped there by the waters” (Ex. 15:27).

It was also a prophetic sign. For example:

Israel had twelve patriarchs and the heads of the tribes of Israel. Likewise, from the time of Moses it was elected seventy elders Israel [Sanhedrin] (Num. 11:16,17.).
Christ sent before Him twelve apostles(Luke 9:1.); then more seventy students(Luke 10:1.).
When the first miracle with the loaves was performed, it remained twelve baskets of loaves(Mark 8:19.); the second, seven (Mark 8:20,21.).

So what does the sign with twelve streams and seventy date trees mean?

The Psalm of David says:

‘Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly and does not stand in the way of sinners… And he will be like a TREE planted by the FLOWING WATER which bears its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in everything he does he will succeed” (Ps. 1:1,3).

Trees are shepherds of spiritual Israel (1 Peter 5:1-4. Luke 12:42-44).
But twelve streams are the apostles of Christ.

It was through the actions and ordination of the apostles that in the first century the Holy Spirit was given - “water” (John 4:12-14. John 7:37-39.). In this sense, they were the patriarchs of spiritual Israel among the sons of the Heavenly Kingdom (Galat. 4:22-26.).

So: a place from Rev. 21:14. [''The wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb''], confirms the importance of such an arrangement, which we have discussed in this article. Next, we will discuss how important the activities of some of the apostles of Jesus Christ were; and let's try to understand the meaning and meaning of some of the prophetic actions that took place with these "streams" of the Holy Spirit, the patriarchs of Christianity.

Apostle Peter

Before his calling, this apostle was a fisherman, and his name was Simon (Luke 5:4-10.).

According to his will (Rom.9:11; 11:6.), Almighty Yahweh chose him as the leading apostle of the twelve first disciples of Christ. And the Lord said to Simon:

‘You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mat. 16:18,19).

It cannot be said that this apostle was the arbiter and judge of Christianity. The apostle Paul put it well:

‘’…God works in you both to will and to act according to [His] good pleasure’’ (Phil. 2:13).

Therefore, Peter, serving as an apostle, did not act according to his personal human discretion - but was guided exclusively by the Holy Spirit from the Most High.

And what “keys of the kingdom” can we note in this connection?

Our Master said: ‘’You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.(Acts 1:8)

‘’in Jerusalem and in all Judea’’ ... Peter's sermon on the feast of Pentecost and the establishment of the church of Christ in Jerusalem (see Acts 2:1,14,36-42.).
‘’in Samaria’’ ... the establishment of the church in Samaria, and the giving of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of the hands of the apostles: Peter [and John] (Acts 8:14,15,25.).
‘’and even to the ends of the earth’’ ... the calling of the pagan Cornelius and his household (Acts 11:1-18.). *** Judging by the prophecy of Daniel that “one week will establish the covenant for MANY” (Dan. 9:27.), this happened a little more than three years after the death of Christ.

The Apostle Peter was by nature ardent and emotional. Sincerely loving his Lord [having only two swords], he was not afraid to fight with the clear majority in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:51.). However, he clearly overestimated his abilities and did not understand that “every man is a liar” (Rom. 3:4.). Claiming that he would never deny Christ, he denied it three times (Luke 22:54-61. 2 Cor.13:1.). Why did it happen?

Firstly, the understanding that it was necessary to pray was closed to them. Jesus warned: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). This meant that they loved their Teacher - but their "flesh" remained weak, doomed to unfaithfulness. ‘‘And returning, he again found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to answer him’’ (Mark 14:40).

Secondly, there is a principle about which the apostle Paul wrote: "And so that I would not be exalted by the extravagance of revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given me, an angel of Satan, to oppress me, so that I would not be exalted" (2 Corinthians 12: 7. Also: Luke 22:31,32.).

Before putting Peter to 'herd the sheep'' of the Lord (John 21:15-17.), it is he who needs the 'corrective rod', indicating that he was made ''the stone of the church'' not for his own works, but according to the choice of grace.

Apostle Paul

Before his apostolic calling, his name was Saul [Saul] (Acts 9:1-15.).
Higher spiritual education, made it possible to advance along career ladder clergy (Acts 22:3,24-29.).
Subsequently, a high knowledge of the Scriptures and understanding by the Holy Spirit, affected the style of presentation of his messages. Places such as: Romans 9:8-33. 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. Galatians 4:22-31. , also, the book of the epistle ‘‘Hebrews’’ opens up really deep thoughts of the prophetic images of the Old Testament time.

However, it should be noted that no less interesting is the history and significance of his vocation, as well as the ministry itself. The violent persecution of Christians, and subsequently the fact that he himself became a Christian, has a deep spiritual meaning - what?

The apostle Paul wrote about himself:

“I am the least of the Apostles, and I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9).

‘’Me, who was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and an offender, but was pardoned because [thus] acted out of ignorance, in unbelief. But for this reason I received mercy, so that Jesus Christ in me first would show all longsuffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him unto eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:13,16).

“For whom I have been ordained a preacher and an apostle—I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and in truth” (1 Timothy 2:7).

Firstly: [like the apostle Peter] before receiving the greatest ministry of the apostles, Paul was guilty - and pardoned. And this was for the same reason as with Peter's denial: "So that I should not be exalted by the extravagance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to afflict me, so that I would not be exalted" (2 Corinthians 12:7). If Peter was convicted of infidelity, then Paul is in anger.

Secondly: note that he was from the tribe of Benjamin (Rom. 11:1.), an apostle of the GENTIANS - what is the connection in this? [*** Benjamin is the son of Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, or Israel. He was the second after Joseph - Joseph is a prophetic image of Christ. See: Gen. 41:39-46; 48:13,14,17-20. Jer.31:6,15-18,23-25.].

The history of how, after the death of Solomon, Israel was divided into two kingdoms, shows that the kingdom of Judah consisted of two tribes: Judah and Benjamin (1 Kings 11:29-35; 12:19,20.). Benjamin was the younger brother of Judah - how is this reflected prophetically in spiritual Israel, i.e. Christianity? The apostle Paul wrote:

‘’There is neither Jew nor Gentile … for you are all one in Christ Jesus. But if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise'' (Gal. 3:28,29).

‘’For it is not the Jew who [is] outwardly, nor the circumcision which is outwardly in the flesh. But [that] Jew who is inwardly [such], and [that] circumcision [which] is in the heart, according to the spirit… ‘’ (Rom. 2:28,29).

The prophecy of the Lord from John 10:16 shows that the Gentiles, having become one kingdom with Judah, will be figurative ‘‘Benjamites’’, the younger brothers of the Jews. This is clear from the words of Paul:

''Remember, then, that you who were once Gentiles according to the flesh, who were called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcised by the fleshly [circumcision] performed by hands, that you were at that time without Christ, alienated from the society of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, had no hope, and were godless in the world. And now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who made both one and destroyed the barrier that stood in the middle. ... you are no longer strangers and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God'' (Eph. 2:11-14,19).

So: the fact that the Apostle Paul from the tribe of Benjamin was an apostle of the spiritual ‘’Benjamites’’-pagans was not an accident.

‘’But for this reason I received mercy, so that Jesus Christ in me first showed all longsuffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him to eternal life’’(1 Tim. 1:16) - what does this mean?

We will find the key to the answer here: ‘

'you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people, a people taken as an inheritance, in order to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; once not a people, but now the people of God; [once] unpardoned, but now pardoned. ... and lead a virtuous life among the pagans, so that for what they revile you as villains, seeing your good deeds, glorify God on the day of visitation. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we might follow in His footsteps.(1 Peter 2:9,10,12,21).

Also, the prophet Isaiah, in the 19th chapter (Isaiah.19:1,2,16-25.) indicates that just like the Apostle Paul himself [but ignorant] - so the spiritual pagans [unbelievers] will persecute the followers of Christ . But those who acted this way out of their own misunderstanding, the Almighty will have mercy on them, and they will repent. We can also see this thought in the prophecy from the book of Revelation: ‘’…the rest were seized with fear and gave glory to the God of heaven’’(Rev. 11:3,7,8,13. Compare: Luke 23:47,48.).

But that's not all... The Lord said: ‘’First of all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute [you], delivering you into synagogues and prisons, and they will lead you before kings and rulers for my name’s sake; this will be for you as a witness.(Luke 21:12,13). Even though these words refer mostly to the sign of the coming of Christ and the end of the days of the ungodly world - typifying [as a prophetic sign in the last days], it happened the same way with the apostle Paul.

During Paul's journey to Jerusalem, one of the prophets said: "He took the belt of Paul and, having tied his hands and feet, said: thus saith the Holy Spirit: the man whose belt this is, the Jews will thus bind in Jerusalem and hand over into the hands of the Gentiles. '' (Acts 21:11). To which the apostle replied: ‘’I not only want to be a prisoner, but I am ready to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus’’(Acts 21:13).

This was not the reckless heroism of the martyr; by the Holy Spirit he understood his destiny as a preacher of the Heavenly Kingdom (Acts 20:22-24.). Taking advantage of the fact that he was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25-29.), Apostle Paul was able to testify first in Jerusalem (Acts 22:30; 23:1,11.), Then in Caesarea and Rome (Acts 25 :23; 26:1,21-23,32.).

It is also interesting to note that during a trip to Rome, the ship on which the apostle Paul sailed fell into a storm - and this also has a symbolic meaning.

We offer you some passages of Scripture on this topic for independent reflection: (Mark 4:23-25.). Luke 21:25. Acts 27:13-15,20. Dan.11:40,41,45. Psalm 123:1-8. Luke 8:22-25; 18:1-8.

Apostle John

The Apostle John, brother of James [of the sons of Zebedee], was probably the youngest of the apostles. They were also called ‘’Voanerges’’ - i.e. ‘’Sons of Thunder’’ (Mark. 3:17.); the reason for this most likely was impetuous temperament. Until Pentecost 33 AD they were closed understanding of the essence of the coming of Christ to earth. And when the Samaritans did not accept their Master, they turned to Him

: ''God! Would you like us to say that fire comes down from heaven and consumes them, as Elijah did?’’ (Luke 9:54).

Also, the mentality of the Israelis [as well as other peoples] encouraged to have a prominent position in society - so they were not alien to vanity.

‘’Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee and her sons approached him [Jesus], bowing down and asking something of him. He said to her: what do you want? She says to him: Tell these two my sons to sit with you, one on your right hand and the other on your left in your kingdom. When [the others] heard [this, the other] ten [disciples] were indignant with the two brothers” (Mat. 20:20-28).

Nevertheless, by the call of the Lord [like his brother, James], John was almost always present at the most important events. For example:

1) Resurrection of the daughter of Jairus - Mark 5:22,23,37.

2) Vision of the glory of Christ on the holy mountain - Luke 9:27-31. 2 Peter 1:16-18.

3) Evidence of suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane - Mark 14:32-34. 1 Peter 5:1. In addition to the fact that the apostle John was most likely the most beloved disciple of the Lord [and the guardian of His mother – John 19:26,27], he also had a special calling…

John himself narrates about it this way: ‘’…when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you, and lead you where you do not want to. He said this, making it clear by what death [Peter] would glorify God. And having said this, he said to him, Follow me. Peter, turning, sees the disciple, whom Jesus loved and who, at the supper, bowed to His breast, and said: Lord! who will betray you? Seeing him, Peter says to Jesus: Lord! what is he? Jesus says to him: If I want him to remain until I come, what is it to you? you follow me. And this word passed among the brethren, that the disciple would not die. But Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but: if I want him to remain until I come, what is it to you?'' (John 21:18-23).

What is the meaning of the words, "If I want him [John] to remain until I come"?

If we read such scriptures about the sign of the coming of Christ, as: Luke 21:5-24. Matt.24:1-8,15-18. Mark 13:1-16. , we can notice that the Lord spoke of two periods of time. And the first part of the prophecies points to the destruction of Jerusalem as the main representation of the kingdom of Judah - Luke 23:28-30.

This ''coming'' in the first century was in absentia, conditional. It was a prophetic model showing how, at the end of the wicked world, Babylon the Great, an adulterous Christianity that had departed from its Lord, would be destroyed.

Why can it be understood in this way? The apostle Paul wrote:

“But about times and dates, there is no need to write to you, brethren, for you yourselves know for certain that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. For when they say, "Peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, just as childbirth [comes upon] a woman with child, and they will not escape" (1 Thess. 5:1-3).

As a type, this situation occurred in the time of the prophet Jeremiah. It was written in his prophecies:

‘Now I am giving all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, My servant, and even the beasts of the field I am giving to his service. And if any people and kingdom do not want to serve him, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and do not bow their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish these people with a sword, famine and pestilence, says the Lord, until I destroy them by his hand '' ( Jer. 27:6,8).

However, the Jews refused to surrender into the hands of this king. And the false prophets prophesied to Jerusalem: ‘’The Lord said: peace will be with you… trouble will not come upon you’(Jer. 23:17. Eze. 13:9-11.). As a result, almost all the inhabitants of Jerusalem during the time of King Zedekiah were destroyed (see the book Lamentations of Jeremiah).

The same situation happened to Jerusalem in the first century (see: Ps.2:1-12.). Greater Nebuchadnezzar - ‘‘Golden Head’’ (Dan. 2:37,38.), i.e. Jesus Christ said: ‘Do you think that those eighteen men on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them were more guilty than all those living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.(Luke 13:4,5) - what did that mean?

In the gospel we read: ‘’When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand; then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; and whoever is in the city, get out of it; and whoever is in the vicinity, do not enter it, for these are the days of vengeance, may all that is written be fulfilled.(Luke 21:20-22). At that time, it was important to heed the preaching of Christ's followers about repentance and salvation. However, most of the inhabitants of Jerusalem in 70 AD. refused to leave the city or surrender. That year, more than a million Jews were exterminated in this city; the city itself was destroyed.

The same will happen with the harlot from the book of Revelation: ‘’… For she says in her heart: “I sit as a queen, I am not a widow and I will not see sorrow!” Therefore, in one day, executions, death, and weeping, and famine will come upon her, and she will be burned with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.(Rev. 18:7(b), 8). I.e. when she will speak ‘’peace and security’’– destruction will suddenly come upon her (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

So: what did the words from John 21:22,23 mean. about the coming of Christ?

The Apostle Peter told the Jewish people: ‘‘be saved from this perverted generation’’(Acts 2:40). However, he did not live to see the events that took place in the second half of the sixties, when it was necessary to flee from Jerusalem. He was probably executed by the Romans shortly before these events. But John was the only apostle who survived the time of this conditional coming - the last days of Judea. He was a typical representative of those Christians about whom the apostle Paul wrote:

‘I tell you a secret: we will not all die, but we will all change. Suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

The last ruler who will rule in the wicked world will reach extraordinary power - Dan.8:23-25. Due to the fact that the devil himself will give him such opportunities - with his cruelty and sophistication, he will bring many disasters to Christianity (Dan.7:25,26. Jer.30:7.). However, the true church of Christ on earth will not be completely destroyed, and some will remain alive.

Judas Iscariot. The essence of betrayal

Of the twelve chosen apostles (Mark 3:13-19.), most likely, Judas Iscariot was the only representative of the Jewish tribe - the rest were Galileans (Acts 2:7. Matt. 4:14-23.). The betrayal of the Jew - Judas, was a significant feature that reflected the attitude of the vast majority of Jews towards Christ: ‘’He came to his own, and his own did not receive him’’ (John 1:11. Matt. 23:33-38.).

‘He who puts his hand with Me in the dish, this one will betray Me; However, the Son of Man comes as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed: it would have been better for this man if he had not been born” (Mat. 26:23,24).

So where can we read that, ‘ 'as it is written about Him''? Let's go back to history...

After sinning [forefather of Christ], David, it was said:

‘’The sword will not depart from your house forever… Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your house… ‘’ (2 Sam. 12:9-11.).

The sin was twofold: fornication and murder. And this was subsequently reflected in the actions of his sons: Amnon and Absalom, who committed the same sins. But the expression: ‘’the sword will not depart from your house FOREVER’’, indirectly shows that ‘’Son of David’’, Christ, will have to take upon Himself the atonement for the sins of the whole house [city] of David. The prophet Isaiah wrote about this:

‘How the faithful city, full of justice, has become a harlot! Truth dwelt in her, and now there are murderers' (Isaiah 1:21).
‘Listen, house of David! ... So the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call his name: Immanuel '' (Is. 7:13,14.
Also, see: 2 Kings 7:12,14. Isaiah 53:4-6.).

In the time of David, the prototype of Judas Iscariot was Ahithophel, the closest adviser to the king (2 Kings 16:23; 17:1-4,23.). Later, about Ahithophel, David wrote:

‘’for it is not the enemy who reviles me, that I would endure; it is not my hater who magnifies himself over me - I would hide from him. But you, who were for me the same as I, my friend and my close one, with whom we shared sincere conversations and went together to the house of God '' (Ps.54:13-15).

However, this was only a prophetic image for the future, and in fact, indicated the betrayal of the ‘closest friend’, i.e. Judas Iscariot. And for good example, it is worth comparing these two Scriptures: Psalm.40:5,10-13. + John 13:18. From the fortieth Psalm we see that David, describing his suffering, points not only to his closest adviser, but it is also a prophecy pointing to the betrayal of the ''Son of David'' - Judas Iscariot [also, see: Acts 2:25 -31.].

What can we personally learn from the story of Judas?

The Apostle John tells:

‘Jesus answered: the one to whom I, having dipped a piece of bread, will give it. And, having dipped a piece, he gave it to Judas Simonov Iscariot. And after this piece, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him: whatever you do, do it quickly” (John 13:26,27).

That the devil entered and forced Judas to betray his Master does not show that Iscariot was a puppet victim. Despite the fact that the Son of Man [walked] as it is written about Him, the reason for the betrayal of Judas was that he was a wicked and a thief (John 12:4-6. Psalm. 109:7,17.). The apostle Paul wrote:

‘’in a large house there are vessels not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and earthenware; and some in honorable, and others in low use. Whoever, then, is clean from these things, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified and acceptable to the Master, fit for every good work” (2 Tim. 2:20,21).

Judah was that unclean ''vessel'' that was used for ''low use''. In Hebrews, the apostle Paul explains:

‘’try to have peace with everyone and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Lest there be [between you] any fornicator, or wicked one, who, like Esau, for one meal would give up his birthright. For you know that after that, desiring to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; could not change [his father's] thoughts, although he asked for it with tears” (Heb. 12:14,16,17).

This was exactly the situation with Iscariot, ‘’who had no holiness’’. Having renounced his ‘’birthright’’ because of wicked gain, but later repenting of his betrayal, he already brought upon himself an inevitable curse, which David wrote about in the 108th Psalm.

But Judas was not only a collective image of the apostate Jews of the time of Christ - it is also a lesson for us, and an image for the time of a sign of the second coming of the Lord.

In the letter of the Apostle Peter, we read a warning:

‘There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will introduce pernicious heresies and, denying the Lord who redeemed them, will bring swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow their wickedness, and through them the way of truth will be reviled. And out of covetousness they will deceive you with flattering words; Judgment has long been ready for them, and their destruction does not sleep. ... They will receive retribution for iniquity, for they place pleasure in everyday luxury; shameful and defiling, they delight in their deceptions, feasting with you. Their eyes are filled with lust and incessant sin; they deceive unasserted souls; their heart is accustomed to covetousness: these are the sons of damnation. Leaving the straight path, they got lost, following in the footsteps of Balaam, the son of Bosorah, who loved the reward of the unrighteous” (2 Pet. 2:1-3, 13-15).

Upon careful and detailed study of this passage of Scripture, we see that it speaks of apostates from the holy covenant, false Christs and false prophets. These ‘‘sons of the evil one’’, at the end of the time of the wicked world, will betray their fellow Christians for their own gain. About that time, and retribution for these crimes, we can read in the book of the prophet Obadiah. Also, this is evidenced by these Scriptures: Dan.8:23-25. Dan.11:30-32.39. Matt.24:10-12,23,24. Rev. 13:11-13; 19:20. Matt.7:15,16,22,23,26,27.

We will not describe in detail the events of recent days, as you can find information about this in other articles. The essence of the theme of Judas, point out the importance of sincerity and purity; in the end, it will affect everyone living on earth.

''For we all must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [according to what] what he did while living in the body, good or bad'' (2 Corinthians 5:10. / Rev. 20:7-9. 2 Thess. 2:10-12.).

And then [if someone did not keep himself in spiritual purity], as in the case of the Apostle Jude, all our secrets will someday be revealed.

Christianity spread over the earth through the great labors of the disciples of Christ - the apostles. They traveled around countries and continents, accepted martyrdom, giving their lives for Christ, whom they even denied during their lifetime out of cowardice. Among them, the twelve apostles, the closest disciples of Christ, stand out.

Names of the twelve apostles

The 12 apostles are the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, who accompanied Him everywhere during His earthly life.

Andrew the First-Called,

Simon is the son of Jonah, nicknamed Peter (or Cephas, a stone).

Simon the Zealot, the Zealot, is said to be the bridegroom at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, where Christ turned water into wine. where Jesus was with his Mother, where, as it became known to everyone, He turned water into wine.

James, the brother of the Lord, is the son of Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage (theologians also call him the cousin of Christ, considering Joseph's nephew, opinions differ here). It was the apostle James who became the first bishop of Jerusalem. He was tortured to death by the Jews around the year 65 in Jerusalem, preaching the Cross of Christ by his very death.

James Zebedee (the Elder), brother of the Apostle John — His Lord was one of the first to invite him to follow Him, learning His teaching. And after the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord into Heaven, together with the other apostles, Saint James labored and preached the teachings of Christ. His path was not the longest. But he did not die a natural death, but ended his life as a martyr at the sword of Herod Agrippa. The death of the Apostle James - the only one of the twelve apostles - is described in the New Testament.

The Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian is a saint, known and revered throughout the world. He is one of the 12 apostles, called by the Orthodox Church "a companion of God." Prayer to him in all ages and today remains strong, because this is an appeal to the beloved disciple of Christ, one of his twelve closest ones and the only one who did not betray the Lord, remaining with him even at the Cross. In earthly life, he was always a witness of the miracles of Christ, and after his death, his body was not even found. John's earthly life was holy and righteous: he was the youngest disciple of Christ. Almost as a young man, Christ called him to serve people, and until old age - and he died at the age of more than 100 years - he preached and worked miracles by the power of God.

Philip is the apostle who brought the Pharisee Nathanael to Jesus.

Bartholomew is from the same city as Andrei and Peter.

Thomas - nicknamed Thomas the unbeliever, became famous for the fact that the Lord appeared to him, showing his wounds after the Resurrection.

Holy Apostle Jude or Judy Thaddeus. He is mentioned more than once in the four books of the Gospel, and in the New Testament there is an Epistle from Jude, that is, the instructions of the apostle to newly converted Christians.

Apostle Levi Matthew, one of the four evangelists

Judas is a betrayer of the Lord.

The most revered apostles

It is known that in the Orthodox tradition it is customary to pray to different saints in different difficulties, on different occasions. The grace to help in special areas of life is associated with the miracles they performed on earth or their fate. So many of the holy apostles became famous for the grace of helping in a large number of cases, because their life was varied, full of spiritual exploits and travels.

Apostle Andrew

The Holy Apostle Andrew is called the First-Called because he became the first disciple of Christ. His Lord was the first of the people to invite them to follow Him, learning His teachings. And after the Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord into Heaven, together with other apostles, Saint Andrew labored and preached the teachings of Christ. His path was longer and longer than that of other missionaries. It was the Apostle Andrew who brought Christianity to the lands of the future Russia. But he did not die among the barbarians, but ended his life as a martyr not far from his homeland, preaching the Cross of Christ and His teachings by his very death. Sometimes the image shows the death of the Apostle Andrew or the instrument of his execution: the cross on which he was, like Christ, crucified, which has an unusual shape for those times: these are two beveled boards equal length. At the direction of Peter I, it became the basis of the banner of the Russian fleet - the St. Andrew's flag. He is also sometimes depicted on the icon - this is a white cloth crossed out by two beveled blue lines.

Apostle Peter

Saint Peter was the son of the fisherman Jonah, brother of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. At birth, he was named Simon. The Apostle Andrew, who was the first to be called by Christ, proclaimed the good news (this is how the word “Gospel” is translated, in a general sense meaning the teaching of Christ) to the elder brother Simon. According to the evangelists, he was the first person to exclaim: “We have found the Messiah, whose name is Christ!” Andrew the First-Called brought the brother to Christ, and the Lord called him a new name: Peter, or Cephas - in Greek “stone”, explaining that on him, as on a stone, the Church would be created, which hell would not be able to defeat. Two simple brother fishermen, who became the first companions of Christ on His path, accompanied the Lord until the end of their earthly life, helped Him in preaching, protected from the attacks of the Jews and admired His strength and miracles.

Hot in character, the apostle Peter was inflamed with a desire to serve the teachings of Christ, but just as suddenly he renounced Him even during his arrest. The Apostle Peter was among the chosen disciples of the Lord, whom he gathered on the Mount of Olives to tell about the Last Judgment and the future of mankind. He accompanied Christ at the sunset of His earthly path: at the Last Supper, he received Communion from the hands of Christ, then, together with other apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane, he tried to intercede for Christ, but was frightened and, like everyone else, disappeared. Peter was asked if he had followed Christ, and he said that he did not know Jesus at all. Seeing the death of Christ, like the other apostles, being afraid to approach His Cross, he eventually repented of his betrayal of the Lord.

The apostle went through many countries, preaching Christianity, and was executed on an inverted cross in Rome.

Beloved Disciple of Christ

After the calling of the first two apostles - Andrew the First-Called and Peter - Christ called the apostles James and John, who mended the nets in the boat with their father. They were the sons of Zebedee, just like the apostles Peter and Andrew were fishermen; John was a youth, and James was about the same age as Christ. Throwing their nets, they remained with Christ forever among his closest disciples.

Over time, the Zebedee brothers received from Christ the name "Boanerges" - "Sons of Thunder" in Hebrew. This nickname was ironic - the Gospel tells us about episodes with their participation, when James and John showed a fiery, hot nature. The Lord singled them out even from the twelve apostles, making them partakers highlights of his earthly ministry. Only them He

took with him as witnesses of the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus,
made participants in His Transfiguration on Mount Tabor,
asked for joint prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before the Crucifixion.

During the betrayal of Christ and His Crucifixion, the Lord was abandoned by all the apostles, except for John the Theologian. He was dying on the Cross, and only His Mother, John and the myrrh-bearing women stood by. Perhaps that is why only John the Theologian died of old age.

He also wrote the last, fourth gospel "from John", preserving for us the deep theological thoughts of Christ, His prophecies and the last conversation with the disciples during the Last Supper.

13 apostle - Paul

The holy Apostle Paul, who had the name Saul before coming to Christ, was in fact the exact opposite of Peter. If Peter was a poor fisherman, the apostle Paul was a citizen of the Roman Empire, having been born in the Asia Minor city of Tarsus. He graduated from the Greek academy there, studied many works of Greek philosophers, but remained an orthodox Jew and transferred to the rabbinical academy, preparing for the post of religious mentor of the Jews in Jerusalem. He witnessed the death of the first Christian martyr Stephen, who was killed by the Pharisees for his faith, and then he himself became a persecutor of Christians - Saul was looking for them and sought to betray them into the hands of the Pharisees who condemned Christians.

However, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in a miraculous vision directed him to Himself. He appeared to Saul in a strong light, asking, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" - and to the bewildered question of the future apostle, who it was, he answered: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." Saul was blind and was sent by Christ to Damascus so that Christians would baptize him with the name Paul and heal him. And so it happened.

The Apostle Peter was one of the first teachers of Saul-Paul in Christianity. Over time, Paul went through the greatest missionary path of all the apostles and wrote more than all the apostles had Epistles to Christians in different cities.

The Holy Apostle Paul was executed. As a citizen of Rome, he could not be subjected to a shameful execution for vagabonds and foreigners on the cross - the apostle was beheaded with a sword.

Relics of the Holy Apostles

Several centuries later, during the triumph of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire, in 357, Emperor Constantine the Great ordered the relics of the first enlightener of the Byzantine lands, Apostle Andrew, to be transferred to Constantinople, the former village of Byzantium, where the saint preached. Here they were solemnly placed for worship in the church of the Cathedral of the Apostles, along with the relics of the Apostle and Evangelist Luke and the Apostle Timothy, an associate of the Apostle Paul. Here they rested until 1208, when the city was captured by the Crusaders and Cardinal Peter of Capuan transferred part of the relics to the Italian city of Amalfi. Since 1458, the head of the holy apostle has been staying with the relics of his brother, the chief apostle Peter, in Rome. And the right hand - that is, the right hand, which is given a special honor - was transferred to Russia.

The Russian Orthodox Church, considering itself the successor of the apostolic ministry of Andrew the First-Called, from the beginning of the conversion to Christianity in Rus', considers him its patron and helper.

The tomb of St. James the Elder, Bishop of Jerusalem, was located in Jerusalem near the cathedral church, but several centuries after his death, with the blessing of the Patriarchs, the relics of the Apostle James were raised from the ground - found - and deposited in various Christian cities of the world. A particle of the holy body of the apostle was also brought to Russia. The apostle has been especially revered since antiquity in Novgorod: this part of the relics of the saint is kept here and two churches were built in his honor. The name of Jacob, abbreviated - Yakov, Yasha - was often called the children of peasants.

And the relics of St. James, brother of John the Theologian, are especially revered in Spain. He preached in those places, passing the wine route from Jerusalem (which is why he is revered as the patron saint of travelers and pilgrims). According to legend, after his murder by Herod, his body was carried in a boat to the banks of the Ulya River. Now here is the city of Santiago de Compostela named after him. In 813, one of the Spanish monks received a sign of God: a star, with its light showing the burial place of the relics of Jacob. The name of the city built on the site of their acquisition is translated from Spanish as "The place of St. James, marked with a star."

From the 10th century, pilgrimage began here, which by the 11th century had acquired the significance of the second pilgrimage in terms of status after visiting Jerusalem.

Above the place of execution of the holy Apostle Peter, a cathedral was erected in his honor, now - the most important cathedral Rome, where the chair of the Pope and the relics of the Apostle Peter are located. On the site of the death of the Apostle Paul, Emperor Constantine the Great, who gave freedom to the Christian faith and made Christianity the state religion of Rome, the first Roman ruler to be baptized, built a temple where the relics of the apostle are kept.

According to scientists, the relics of both the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul are their remains. There are a number of anatomical details that confirm that their bodies have indeed survived to this day.

May the holy apostles keep you with their prayers!

July 13 year after year Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the 12 apostles, disciples of Jesus Christ. This is an important day for all Christians. The holy apostles have been honored by the church since the 4th century.

The Council of the 12 Apostles is celebrated the day after the feast day of Paul and Peter, the two supreme saints. Earlier we talked about these two apostles who gave their lives for pure faith and love for God. Peter is one of the 12 main apostles.

12 apostles

Apostle means "servant of God". These 12 chosen ones include all of his closest students. They left their lives and devoted themselves entirely to Christ and his mission.

Of course, and they doubted, even they had difficulty understanding the words of Jesus. Many of them were not sure that they were doing everything right, but in the end the truth was revealed to everyone. As you know, one of the chosen apostles even betrayed Christ. All this once again hints at the true human nature - we always doubt and demand proof of the existence of God. For their torment and suffering, they deserved to be present at the Last Judgment, but not next to other people, but next to the Lord.

Peter. The supreme apostle was crucified upside down to look at God from the bottom up.
Andrew the First-Called. The brother of the Apostle Peter, who was crucified on a cross in the shape of the letter X. This symbol is the banner of the Russian fleet.
Matthias. Chosen as an apostle after the betrayal of Judas. Was stoned.
Simon Zealot. He preached in Abkhazia, for which he was crucified on the cross.
Thaddeus. Brother of the Lord in the flesh. He was executed for faith in Christ in Armenia.
Matthew. Was burned in Egypt.
Jacob Alfeev. Brother of Matthew. Also died in Africa.
Thomas, who did not believe in the Resurrection of Christ. He preached in India and Asia. Executed in India.
Bartholomew. He preached in Asia with Philip. Executed in Armenia, died in inhuman agony.
Philip. He carried the faith and the cross together with Bartholomew. Executed on the cross.
John the Theologian. He died peacefully in Ephesus. Evangelist, preacher.
Jacob Zavedeev. Brother of John, killed in Jerusalem.

As you can see, only the Theologian died a natural death. All these people were great martyrs, because they suffered terrible torments for their faith in God. Since they were the very first, they were honored to be near Jesus Christ even after death.

In honor of the 12 apostles, many churches were built, including in Russia. In the 17th century, a church was built in the Kremlin in honor of the most devoted students.

July 13 Traditions

July 13 is also considered a national holiday, because in Russia it has always united people in an attempt to become closer to God. On the 13th, it is customary to visit temples and pray for yourself and your family. If you can’t come to church, read the prayer to the 12 apostles at home:

About the holy apostles of Christ: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Fomo and Matthew, James and Jude, Simon and Matthias! Hear our prayers and sighs, which are now brought with a contrite heart, and help us, the servants of God (names), with your all-powerful intercession before the Lord, get rid of all evil and enemy flattery, keep the Orthodox faith firmly betrayed by you, in it with your intercession or wounds , nor by prohibition, nor pestilence, nor any wrath from our Creator, we will diminish, but we will live a peaceful life here and be able to see the good on the land of the living, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the One in the Trinity glorified and worshiped by God, now and forever and ever ages of ages.

At the Council of the 12 Apostles, it is customary to help not only relatives or relatives, but also people in general. If someone asks you for help, then do not refuse him.

Also on July 13, people ask each other for forgiveness and reconcile. This is a great day for all Christians, so that insults are forgotten.

We wish you good luck and strong faith in God. Of course, this day of the 12 apostles is not among the 12 main holidays, but it is no less important for all believers. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and