Seven Facts About the Disciples of Jesus

Acts 1:14
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

1. Disciples were not limited to the twelve only. Acts 1:2-4 Jesus orders the eleven disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who actually met are not the eleven but about one hundred and twenty disciples according to Acts 1:12-15. Jesus also appointed officially some 72 disciples and sent them out, check Luke 10:1 and Luke 10:17. We know much about the 12 but not about the 72, yet they too were officially appointed disciples.

2. Disciples included men and women, not only men. When those who were considered to be disciples met, they were about one hundred and twenty and they included men and women according to Acts 1:14.

3. There was no discrimination against women among disciples, they were all in one accord both men and women according to Acts 1:14.

4. It is the women disciples who gave financial support to Christ and the team. Luke 8:1-3 lists some of the many women who were always with Jesus and providing support for Jesus and the team.

5. The discrimination against women based on the fact that Jesus only had male disciples is the skewed, cheap, and highly superficial, and misleading reading of scripture.

6. There were more than twelve disciples who were ever-present with Jesus during His earthly ministry. We know the twelve and their names, but Peter mentions the other two who are outside the twelve. Peter tells us that these two were always with Jesus from His baptism to the end. One of these two was to replace Judas who betrayed Jesus and committed suicide. Refer to Acts 1:21-23.

7. The twelve disciples were the critical mass but not the only team that Jesus moved around with. That is why it was necessary to mention that Matthias was replacing Judas by joining the eleven (the critical mass), Acts 1:26. Others may have been following Jesus erratically and many others consistently. The two who were voted for, in addition to the twelve, were consistent followers of Jesus. Acts 1:21-23.

John 17:20
Jesus Prays for All Believers
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

Jesus considered future converts to be part of the team of disciples. You and I are therefore disciples of Jesus as the twelve and others were. We are no less or better than them. Consider yourself a disciple of Jesus!

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:29
If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

No form of discrimination should be tolerated among the disciples of Jesus. He did not discriminate and we should not discriminate. Discrimination by tribe, race, nationality, and gender is not approved in the Bible. Jesus did not try to balance all nations, tribes, and races to satisfy human interests. All disciples of Jesus were known as Men of Galilee by none other than celestial beings, Acts 1:10-11. Galilee was not the only region in Israel. Jesus did not seek to balance all regions in His team.

All disciples of Jesus are also the modern-day Israelites because they are Abrahams’s seed. All believers are therefore Israelites not by birth but by faith. Therefore messages to Israel in scripture refer to the past Israelites and everyone who believes in our present time.

Since we are in every right the disciples of Jesus and the Israel of God, may God help us to live like disciples, to get blessings and favors of disciples, and eventually to bring glory to God as all disciples should, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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