The Twelve
In Luke it says Jesus had many disciples (And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples, Luke 6:17) yet others are selected to be apostles, a higher calling.
In Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:13-16 there are 12 disciples named and listed. They were selected by Jesus from his larger group of disciples: And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles (Luke 6:13).
- Simon Peter
- Andrew (brother to Peter)
- James (the son of Zebedee)
- John (brother to Peter)
- Philip
- Bartholomew
- Thomas
- Matthew (tax collector)
- James (son of Alphaeus)
- Thaddaeus (or Judas son of James)
- Simon the Zealot
- Judas Iscariot
Were the The Seventy Two Apostles?
We see Jesus send out the twelve:
- Selects them Himself: Matthew 10:1, Mark 6:7, Luke 6:13, Luke 10:1
- Giving them power and authority over demons: Matthew 10:1, Mark 6:7, Luke 9:1
- Power to heal diseases: Matthew 10:1, Luke 9:2
- Proclaim the kingdom of God: Mathew 10:7, Mark 6:12, Luke 9:2
- Sent two by two: Mark 6:7
- They are sent as sheep in the midst of wolves: Matthew 10:16
He also instructed them:
- Heal the sick: Matthew 10:8, Mark 6:13
- Raise the dead: Matthew 10:8
- Cleanse the lepers: Matthew 10:8
- Cast out demons: Matthew 10:8, Mark 6:13
- Don’t take any money, or bag or staff: Matthew 10:9, Luke 9:3, Mark 6:8,
- Stay with people in the town you visit: Matthew 10:11, Luke 9:4, Mark 6:10,
- Do not travel from house to house: Matthew 10:11, Mark 6:10
- Declare peace upon their house: Matthew 10:13
- If you are not received by the town, shake that dust off your feet: Matthew 10:14, Mark 6:11, Luke 9:5
- Those that do not receive them will be judged: Matthew 10:15
In Luke 10 we see Jesus send out a group of 72 others with an almost identical charge:
- Giving them power and authority over demons: Luke 10:19
- Power to heal diseases: Luke 10:9
- Proclaim the kingdom of God: Luke 10:9
- Sent two by two: Luke 10:1
- They are sent as sheep in the midst of wolves: Luke 10:3
- Heal the sick: Luke 10:9
Raise the deadCleanse the lepers- Cast out demons: Luke 10:19
- Don’t take any money, or bag or staff: Luke 10:4
- Stay with people in the town you visit: Luke 10:7
- Do not travel from house to house: Luke 10:7
- Declare peace upon their house: Luke 10:5
- If you are not received by the town, shake that dust off your feet: Luke 10:11
- Those that do not receive them will be judged: Luke 10:12
The 72 are not explicitly named as apostles, or given the “office” of apostle, but they are given a near identical level of responsibility and calling. Where Mark calls the apostles the “twelve” (Mark 6:7) as does Luke (Luke 9:1) and Luke refers to the others as the “seventy-two” (Luke 10:1, Luke 10:17).
There may also be meaning behind the number 72. The number 12 is an integer divisor of 72, such that 6 * 12 = 72. The concept is that Jesus sends out another six-sets of 12 apostles. The addition of the 72 to the 12 also makes for a total of 96, which is seven sets of 12 apostles, 7 * 12 = 96.
Mathias
After Judas’ death, Mathias was selected by the 11 apostles to replace Judas in ministry and apostleship (Acts 1:25-26).
Barnabas
Barnabas is introduced in Acts 4, originally named Joseph, when he sells a field and gives the money to the apostles (Acts 4:36-37). He is later named an apostle when he is on a journey with Paul: But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it … (Acts 14:14).
Paul
Paul refers to himself as an apostle multiple times in his letters:
For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 1 Timothy 2:7
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle … Romans 1:1
Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus … 1 Corinthians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God … 2 Corinthians 2:1
James
In Paul’s letter to the Galatians he calls James an apostle: But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (Galatians 1:19)
Jesus
Jesus is called an apostle in the book of Hebrews: Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession … (Hebrews 3:1)
Others?
From 2 Peter 3:
This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 2 Peter 3:1-3
Peter refers to your apostles in a general and vague way. Could this be only the 12 he is referring to? Possibly. Could he be referring to others outside the 12? That is also possible.