Apostles

See also: The Seventy-Two Disciples, Disciples, Apostolate, Zeal.

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Portrait of the twelve Apostles by Lorenzo Ferri according to the indications of Maria Valtorta. Source: documentary collection of the Maria Valtorta Heritage Foundation.

The distinction between Apostles (sent ones, in Greek) and Disciples is present in the synoptic gospels. The apostle must have been a witness to the public life of Christ from its beginning until his Ascension. Ordinarily, the name Apostle is reserved for the group of Twelve chosen by Jesus, but sometimes, in the broad sense, some Disciples are also included, Paul because he was chosen by Jesus directly, and other important Disciples such as Apollos and Junias.

The Twelve only receive the name Apostles after their retreat on the mountain. Jesus then institutes them, says Mark, "so that they may be with him and to send them out to proclaim the Good News with the power to cast out demons".

The Apostles and the Disciples

The Apostles are now closely associated with the ministry of Jesus, without making it an exclusive companionship. Jesus sends the Apostles on Mission, but he also does the same with the seventy-two Disciples and in similar terms. Matthias, chosen as apostle in place of Judas, was an early companion because he had evangelized as a disciple.

Although the presence of Disciples following Jesus is attested, notably by the departure of many of them after the discourse on the Bread of Life, they do not have the constant intimacy that Jesus has with his Apostles. He spends the Last Supper with them. But while all the Apostles flee except John, the holy Women and some Disciples remain at the foot of the Cross.

Their authority in the nascent Church

Severino Caruso - The valley of Arbel and the election of the twelve Apostles. Discoveries and spiritual account, CEV 2021.

It is to them that the holy Women announce the Resurrection, but they do not believe them, and Jesus reproaches them for it.. It is toward them that the Disciples of Emmaus come running to announce their encounter, and they do not believe them either.. Their authority, willed by Jesus and established by him, is therefore independent of their humanity, especially since it has not yet been transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Saint Paul, meeting the Apostles after several years of evangelization, calls them the pillars of the Church, a term not reserved solely for Peter.

The communal life of the Apostles continues until their Dispersion following Jesus' testament:

"Go! Make Disciples of all nations: baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the world."

According to Scripture

Four sources attest to the composition of the 12 Apostles:

Matthew 10,2-4. "These are the names of the twelve Apostles: first, Simon, called Peter; Andrew his brother; James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him."

Mark 3,13-19. "Peter, it is the name he gave to Simon, James, son of Zebedee, and John, brother of James. He gave them the name 'Boanerges', that is: 'Sons of thunder', Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him."

Luke 6,13-16. "Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter, Andrew his brother, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Jude son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor."

Acts 1,13. "There were Peter, John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James." The number is incomplete because Judas killed himself and Matthias has not yet replaced him."

The case of Paul

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul presents himself as "called to be an apostle (by Christ)", set apart for the Gospel of God. Paul, with Barnabas, was in fact set apart by the Holy Spirit during his stay at Antioch. It is the community that lays hands on them. Paul proclaims, for years, a gospel received directly by revelation, however he takes care to validate it with the "pillars of the Church". Later, in his epistle to the Romans, Paul gives himself the title "apostle of the Gentiles, or of the nations". A mission officially recognized by the authorities of the Church based on the fruits produced by his evangelization.

In "The Gospel as it was revealed to me"

Their appearance

Click on an apostle to consult his biography

Here is the portrait of the twelve Apostles in chronological order of their Call which differs from tradition for the first three, but Jesus explains it. These portraits were executed by Lorenzo Ferri, an Italian artist who was able to make some drawings from the descriptions of Maria Valtorta and have some validated directly by her. Each portrait from this panorama (Judea) is included in the individual biographies.

Order of Calling by Jesus

1. John of Zebedee the Apostle (Boanerges) – Galilean from Bethsaida, fisherman, single.
2. James of Zebedee the Apostle (the elder) – his brother, Galilean from Bethsaida, fisherman, single.
3. Andrew the Apostle of Jonas – Galilean from Bethsaida, fisherman, brother of Peter, single.
4. Simon of Jonas (Peter). – Galilean from Bethsaida. Married to Porphirea, fishing boat owner, without children.
5. Philip – Galilean from Bethsaida, married to Mary, father of two daughters.
6. Bartholomew (Nathaniel) the Apostle (Bartholomew) – Galilean from Cana, married to Anne, father of two daughters.
7. Thomas (Didymus, the twin) – Judean from Ramah (Judea), goldsmith, single.
8. Simon (the Zealot) – Judean probably from Jerusalem or Bethany, rentier, single.
9. Jude of Alphaeus (Thaddaeus). – Judean by his father and Galilean by his mother, born in Nazareth, cousin of Jesus, single.
10. Judas of Kerioth (the Iscariot) – Judean from Kerioth, "functionary" of the Temple, single.
11. James of Alphaeus the Apostle (the younger) – Judean by his father and Galilean by his mother, born in Nazareth, cousin of Jesus, single.
12. Levi (Matthew) the tax collector. – Galilean from Capernaum, tax collector, single.

Matthias (Tobias) - Judean from Bethlehem, shepherd, single. Called by the Holy Spirit to replace Judas.

All will die as martyrs, according to Jesus’ prediction, except Judas Iscariot who will commit suicide.

Training and Mission of the Apostles

The retreat mountain, by Lorenzo Ferri, from the book “Valtorta and Ferri”

After having successively called them in the first months of His Public Life, Jesus makes the choice of the Apostles at the end of a long period of observation. Jesus uses the summer months of the first year to begin their instruction:

"During these months of presence and absence, I have weighed and studied you. Now I have decided to send you into the world. But first, I must instruct you, to make you capable of facing the world with gentleness and wisdom, calm and steadfastness, with the Conscience and knowledge of your Mission."

The following autumn, Jesus begins with them the communal life according to John 3,22 at The Beautiful Water, a property of Lazarus. In the following winter, after a week of spiritual retreat, Jesus proceeds to their election according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.:

"From today, you are no longer my favored Disciples but the Apostles, the leaders of my Church. From you will come, over the centuries, all its hierarchies. I have chosen you instead of the shepherds who have been my Disciples since I was a crying baby. Among you, there are Galileans and Jews, scholars and ignorant, rich and poor. So that it will not be said that I preferred only one category. But you will not be enough for all that needs to be done. Neither now nor later."

Between the calling of the first apostle (March 27) and the election of the twelve (February 28), a year has passed, which is one-third of the public life of Jesus according to Maria Valtorta. One of the recommendations Jesus gives them calls for a balance between requirement and mercy:

"There are two things that are essential to have in order to be true masters:

• The first: an austere life for oneself, so as to judge without condemning in others what one forgives oneself.
• The second: a patient mercy to give Souls the possibility to heal and strengthen. Not all Souls heal instantly from their wounds. To chase them away, condemn them, frighten them, is not the art of the spiritual physician."

A deliberately imperfect group

Phrases of Jesus about the choice of His Apostles:

• "If I had chosen all the perfections, how would the poor Souls sick dare to become my Disciples?"
• "What are you? Men of all social classes, ages, and regions. I preferred to take people who are virgins in matters of Doctrine and knowledge, because I will penetrate them more easily with my Doctrine... Here are brothers. I want you to give each other that name and to consider yourselves as such... Be united. Love one another. Love one another to provide mutual help. Love one another to teach others to love..."
• "You too are like this winter soil: arid, barren, rough... And you have received the seed and accepted the work of the hoe, because you have the good will to bear fruit in the work of God."
• "You the best... you who have an honest will and the ability to follow it..."
• "With cowards, quarrelers, usurers, sensuals, disbelievers, I made martyrs and saints, evangelizers of the world. Only the one who did not want to, did not change."
• "The Apostles... very imperfect, rough, ignorant, violent, but of good will."

Their occupation

For the Apostles whose profession is not determined, one should seek in this phrase of Jesus, said at the beginning of the Public Life, when neither James son of Alphaeus, nor Matthew-Levi (tax collector) had yet been called:

"Humble fishermen without education, and you who are merchants or sons of merchants, officers or sons of officers, rich or sons of the rich."

And in this one:

"Among you, there are fishermen, landowners, more than one who owns a workshop, and the Zealot who had a servant. Well, when the boys of the boat, or the men who helped you like servants in the olive grove, the vineyard or the fields, or the apprentices in the workshop, or simply the faithful servant who took care of the house or the table, had finished their work, did you by chance serve them?"

By Age, from oldest to youngest

NB: Maria Valtorta, recipient of visions, estimates ages by appearance, except when an age is given by one of the characters.

1. Bartholomew (Nathaniel) the Apostle (Bartholomew). The oldest of the Apostles.
2. Simon the Zealot (Apostle).
3. Philip, about the same age as Peter.
4. Peter (Simon) "He appears about forty-five years old"
5. Matthew (Levi), "about the same age as Peter."
6. Andrew the Apostle.
7. Thomas (± 38 years old).
8. James of Zebedee the Apostle (around thirty)
9. James of Alphaeus the Apostle, but younger than his brother below. "slightly older than Jesus".
10. Jude of Alphaeus "He seems to be about thirty years old".
11. Judas, probably in his twenties.
12. John (around 20 years old).

By groups

The sibling groups

There are three sibling groups (instead of the two explicitly indicated by the Gospels):

1. John and James, sons of Zebedee and Mary Salome, mother of the apostles John and James.
2. Andrew the Apostle and Simon (Peter), sons of Jonas, probably deceased, and of an unnamed mother.
3. James and Jude, sons of Alphaeus and Mary (daughter) of Cleophas.

The couples

Three Apostles are married: Simon-Peter (+ Porphirea) - Philip (+ Mary) – Bartholomew (Nathaniel) the Apostle/Bartholomew (+ Anne).

Places of origin

1. Seven Galileans: John and James, sons of Zebedee - Simon-Peter and Andrew the Apostle - Philip and Bartholomew - Matthew (Levi).
2. Three Judeans: Thomas - Simon the Zealot (Apostle) - Judas Iscariot the Apostle. Judas is replaced by another Judean: Matthias.
3. Two Judeo-Galileans: James and Jude, sons of Alphaeus (born of Galilean mother and Judean father).

Key passages

Choice of the Apostles

• John is my preferred? Yes
• I know what you are worth… I chose you, not you.
• Reasons for the choice of Apostles and Disciples.
• Election of the twelve Apostles, mountain of Arbela near Tiberias - the function of apostle and that of disciple.

Mission of the Apostles

• The Apostles were humiliated by their desertion of Christ. At this moment, all the branches of corrupt humanity took over in them and again all that disturbs man seized, shook, and excited them. They then understood that the fact that they had become different was not due to their own merit alone, but because they were with Jesus.
• The duties of Apostles and Disciples will always be those of priests and Levites of Ezekiel: to practice Worship, to destroy idolatry, purify hearts and places, preach the Lord and His Word.
• The Dispersion of the Apostles to make Disciples of all nations.
• Man can Believe in man, in the man he sees. It is difficult for man, fallen so low, to To Believe in a God he does not see… But when you, transformed into masters, will be like an example, like a testimony, like Leaven among men, men… will have to say: "These are men like us."

Moral and spiritual qualities to be an apostle =

• Following Jesus as Apostles.
• What to compare apostolic training to? [...] Leaving one’s Family.
• "The apostle’s cunning: it is good Grace, his weapon: perseverance, the secret of success: the example and the prayer for those who must be converted."
• Spiritual requirements to be an apostle.
• Training of the Apostles: Jesus takes them on retreat on the mountain of Arbela before the definitive Call.
• This episode, which inaugurates the Sermon on the Mount, broadly addresses the spirituality for the apostleship of the Apostles and Disciples.

In other works of Maria Valtorta

The Notebooks of 1944

• Catechesis of January 2: I have seen the apostolic college throughout the day […] Now, I tell you what I saw… (Physical and moral details).

Noteworthy points

In the Acts of the Apostles, Jude is called "son of James", which Maria Valtorta disputes, making him a brother of James of Alphaeus the Apostle and a cousin of Jesus. It should be noted that the filiation with a James, totally unknown otherwise, is an interpretative translation, since the Vulgate says "Iudas Iacobi", which translates as "Jude of James" with the possibility to validly interpret either "son of James" or "brother of James" which Maria Valtorta supports. Moreover, in his epistle, Jude presents himself well as "servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James." James son of Alphaeus was bishop of Jerusalem and cousin of the Lord.

Name given to the first three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) because of their common framework.

The Gospel as it was revealed to me (Maria Valtorta).