INVESTIGATION STATION 2: THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS
Fact finder:
What is a disciple?
How many disciples did Jesus have?
Bible Investigation 1:
Read Luke 6:12-16.
List the names of the 12 special disciples
that Jesus called. Include any extra
information you are told about each one.
A disciple is a follower of Jesus, someone who is a
friend to him.
Jesus had 12 disciples.
14
Simon (Jesus named him Peter),
Andrew, brother of Peter,
James,
John,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
15
Matthew,
Thomas,
James, the son of Alphaeus,
Simon, called the Zealot,
16
Judas, the son of James,
Judas Iscariot (the one who turned against Jesus).
Bible Investigation 2:
Read Mark 3:13-19.
List the names of the 12 special disciples
that Jesus called. Include any extra
information you are told about each one.
Bible Investigation 3:
Read Matthew 10:2-4.
List the names of the 12 special disciples
that Jesus called. Include any extra
information you are told about each one.
Simon also called Peter
Andrew, Peter’s brother
James, the son of Zebedee,
John, James’s brother,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew, tax collector,
James, the son of Alphaeus,
Thaddaeus,
Simon, the Zealot,
Judas Iscariot (the one who handed Jesus
over to the people who wanted him).
 As a group, discuss any differences you
found in your lists. Write down one
reason to account for any differences you
found.
Divide up the list evenly and do some
research online about each disciple.
Each person should note which disciples
they are doing.
They were written by different people who had
different perspectives.
Matthew was a tax collector and wouldn’t of been
liked among the others. He was one of the people
that people would least expect to be followers of
Jesus. Jesus forgave him for his profession. He was
one of the 4 evangelists. He was a 1st century
Galilean.
John was the author of 4 new testament stories and
church tradition holds that he was the author of the
Gospel of John. He was the son of Zebedee and
Salome and brother to James another disciple.
James was the son of Zebedee and brother of John.
He was considered the first disciple to be martyred
and is also know James the Great.
Simon the Zealot is called a Canaanite to distinguish
his political party as part of the Zealots. The funny
thing about Simon the Zealot is that he is never
mentioned throughout the bible appart to list him
as one of the twelve apostles.
Bartholomew was said to pray a hundred times a
day, had a voice like a trumpet. He knew all
languages and was always cheerful. It is said that
angels waited upon him.
Thaddaeus, also known as Judas and Lebbaeus, was
related to James, either his brother or son. He is not
often mentioned during the bible.
Judas Iscariot was the betrayer of Jesus who handed
him over to the Romans. Judas didn’t believe in
Jesus’s love and went behind his back when Jesus
was calling him a friend.
Thomas, also known as Saint Thomas by the catholic
church. Was particularly slow to believe in Christ. He
was gloomy and easily discouraged but although he
was a pessimist he was very loyal.
Philip was slow to recognize Jesus. Although once he
did, he shared His Greatness with his friend
Nathanael Bartholomew, who later became one of
Jesus’s disciples. The two were often talked about
together in the bible.
Andrew was the first apostle Jesus called. He came
to Jesus from being a disciple of John the Baptist,
who sent him to Jesus who he described as “The
Lamb of God”. But before his life as a disciple
Andrew was a fisherman. He dedicated his life to
spreading the word of Jesus.
The other James, James the son of Alphaeus, was
nicknamed James the Less to distinguish between
him and the other James that were thought to be
brothers. James was not mentioned much in the
bible.
Peter, whose real name was Simon, is characterized
as a strong willed and courageous man; however, at
times he could be quick to speak, impulsive and
impetuous. He made his home in Bethsaida, a
small town near the eastern shore of the sea
Galilee. Peter had firm belief in the teachings of
Christ and was thought to be one of the three
disciples closest to Christ. It is believed that he died
during the reign of Nero due to upside-down
crucifixion. Peter was condemned to death at the
cross but requested to be crucified upside-down
because he didn’t feel worthy enough to die the
same way Jesus did.
Watch “Bible Mysteries – The Disciples”
The disciples may have followed Jesus because they
Part 1 – accessible through the Virtual
may have wanted to get back at the Romans or tax
Classroom. Write down any extra
collectors for being unfair and cruel. In the video
information you are given about the
they said that the disciples may not have got along if
Disciples.
they didn’t have a leader like Jesus. All of his
 As a group, note the social, political
followers were from different areas, jobs and
and other community factors which might cultures and one of them was a tax collector. This
have influenced the Disciples to follow
may have also disrupted the group as most of them
Jesus.
didn’t like the tax collectors as they took everything
from them and gave them something they didn’t
want.
Make an advertisement for a disciple of
Jesus, listing the qualities they should
have in order to get the ‘job’.