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Nat Geo: The Apostles, Part 1
Nat Geo: The Apostles, Part 1
SPREADING THE GOSPEL
by National Geographic
The Bible says Jesus named a dozen of his most devoted disciples Apostles, or messengers, choosing a number that paid homage to the 12 tribes of Israel. The 12 Jews preached their new faith across thousands of miles in the first century A.D., changing history. Several early converts—including Matthias, Mary Magdalene, Mark, and Luke—also became apostles. A vision transformed Saul, a persecutor of the early Christians, into Paul. His missionary journeys helped spread Christianity throughout the Mediterranean.
MARY MAGDALENE
Mary, from Magdala, followed Jesus after he cured her of “seven demons.” She stayed
near him during the Crucifixion and was the first to see him after his resurrection.
BY DOMENICHINO, ARTE & IMMAGINI SRL/CORBIS
PETER
Jesus gave some disciples a second name; Simon the fisherman was also Peter, the “rock.”
He was the first to invite non-Jews to join the early church.
BY EL GRECO, ERICH LESSING, ART RESOURCE, NY
ANDREW
Persuaded by John the Baptist, Andrew and his brother Peter became Jesus’ first followers.
Andrew later preached in Greece and perhaps Ukraine.
BY EL GRECO, SCALA/ART RESOURCE, NY
JAMES THE GREATER
He was a fisherman with his brother, John, and was beheaded in Jerusalem. Some
believe that he preached in Spain and was buried there.
BY GAROFALO, FINSIEL/ALINARI/ART RESOURCE, NY
JOHN
John and his brother, James, “sons of Zebedee,” were in Jesus’ inner circle. The
fourth Gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation are attributed to John.
BY VALENTIN DE BOULOGNE, RÉUNION DES MUSÉES NATIONAUX/ART RESOURCE, NY
PHILIP
Like nearly all of the Apostles, Philip hailed from Galilee, the region in northern Israel where
Jesus’ ministry was centered. He may have been martyred in Hierapolis.
BY POMPEO GIROLAMO BATONI, ILIFFE COLLECTION/ NATIONAL TRUST PHOTOGRAPHIC LIBRARY/JOHN HAMMOND/BRIDGEMAN ART LIBRARY
BARTHOLOMEW
Some believe he was Nathanael, who questioned the Messiah’s small-town origin: “Can
anything good come out of Nazareth?” He may have gone to Turkey, India, or Armenia.
BY REMBRANDT VAN RIJN, FRANCIS G. MAYER, CORBIS
THOMAS
Though doubting Thomas needed to touch Jesus’ wounds to be convinced of the
resurrection, he became a fervent missionary who is said to have proselytized in India.
BY EL GRECO, UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/ ART RESOURCE, NY
MATTHEW
Jesus shocked Jewish society by dining with Levi, whose job as a tax collector had made
him an outcast. As an Apostle, Levi was called Matthew and wrote the first Gospel.
BY GUERCINO, HANS-PETER KLUT, BPK, BERLIN/ GEMÄLDEGALERIE ALTE MEISTER, STAATLICHE KUNSTSAMMLUNGEN DRESDEN/ART RESOURCE, NY
JAMES THE LESSER
The Bible reveals little about this James—only that he was a “son of Alphaeus.” Most
scholars think a different James wrote the biblical epistle of that name.
BY GEORGES DE LA TOUR, PHILIPP BERNARD, RÉUNION DES MUSÉES NATIONAUX/ART RESOURCE, NY
THADDAEUS
Several stories connect Thaddaeus, known also as Lebbaeus or Jude, to Persia. According
to Eastern tradition, he converted the city of Edessa after healing its king.
BY ANTHONY VAN DYCK, FRANCIS G. MAYER, CORBIS
SIMON
The Bible calls him Simon the Zealot, perhaps a reference to his political affiliation. Later
accounts depict him as a missionary to Persia, where he was martyred.
BY EL GRECO, ERICH LESSING, ART RESOURCE, NY
JUDAS ISCARIOT
Famous for betrayal, Judas (gold robe) was paid 30 pieces of silver for leading Roman soldiers
to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas later repented and hanged himself.
BY PHILIPPE DE CHAMPAIGNE, ERICH LESSING, ART RESOURCE, NY
MATTHIAS
To replace Judas Iscariot, the Apostles chose Matthias, who was a disciple during
Jesus’ ministry. Post biblical lore says he preached in the “land of the cannibals.”
BY ANTHONY VAN DYCK, ELKE ESTEL AND HANS-PETER KLUT, BPK, BERLIN/STAATLICHE KUNSTSAMMLUNGEN DRESDEN/ART RESOURCE, NY
MARK
Also called John, he was mentored by Peter—his likely source for writing the second Gospel -
and traveled with Paul to Antioch. Mark founded the Church of Alexandria.
BY VALENTIN DE BOULOGNE, DANIEL ARNAUDET AND JEAN SCHORMANS, RÉUNION DES MUSÉES NATIONAUX/ART RESOURCE, NY
LUKE
A gentile physician from Antioch who joined Paul’s missions, Luke chronicled the
development of the early church in the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.
BY EDWARD MITCHELL BANNISTER, SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, D.C./ART RESOURCE, NY
Paul
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