Who Were the First Disciples of Jesus?
The first disciples were the foundation upon which the early church would be built (Ephesians 2:20). These men’s calling reveals the nature of discipleship, the authority and trustworthy power of Jesus, and the continuity between the Old and New Testaments. This article will examine the identity and order of the first disciples, their significance, and their calling for the mission of God.
Discipleship in the Jewish Context
In first-century Judaism, discipleship was a familiar concept. A disciple (mathetes in Greek) was someone who followed a rabbi to learn his teachings and imitate his way of life. However, Jesus’ method of calling disciples was distinct. Rather than waiting for students to seek him out, Jesus took the initiative, calling individuals to follow him. It was a reversal of the norm, revealing Jesus’ unique authority and the divine nature of his mission.
The Old Testament anticipated a coming teacher and leader who would guide the people of God. Moses prophesied, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers–it is to him you shall listen” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Jesus, as the fulfillment of this prophecy, calls disciples not merely to learn from him but to participate in the inauguration of the kingdom of God. His call is instructional, but more importantly, transformational.
The First Disciples of Jesus
The Gospel of John provides the most detailed account of the earliest disciples and the order in which they were called. According to John 1:35-51, the first disciples were Andrew, an unnamed disciple (traditionally understood to be John, the son of Zebedee), Simon Peter, Philip, and Nathanael. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) also record the explicit calling of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, shortly after Andrew and Peter. Therefore, these six men form the earliest known group of Jesus’ disciples.
Andrew is the first disciple named. He had been a disciple of John the Baptist and followed Jesus after John declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). Andrew and the unnamed disciple spent the day with Jesus, and Andrew then found his brother Simon and said, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ) (John 1:41). This act of witness is significant, as it demonstrates the natural impulse of a true disciple to bring others to Jesus.
Simon Peter, Andrew’s brother, is the second named disciple. Upon meeting him, Jesus gave him a new name: “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter, a “stone”) (John 1:42). This renaming signifies a transformation of identity and mission. Peter would later become a central figure in the early church, fulfilling Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.”
The unnamed disciple who accompanied Andrew is widely believed to be John, the son of Zebedee, based on internal evidence and early church tradition. His presence at this foundational moment underscores his role as both a witness and a theologian, later authoring the Gospel that bears his name and emphasizing themes of light, truth, and eternal life.
Philip is the next disciple called. Jesus found him and said, “Follow me” (John 1:43). Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from Bethsaida. He then found Nathanael and declared, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45). Here, there is a deep awareness of messianic expectation rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly the promises of a coming deliverer found in passages such as Isaiah 9:6-7 and Micah 5:2.
Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew in the Synoptic Gospels, initially responded with skepticism: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). But Jesus revealed supernatural knowledge to him. Then Nathanael confessed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49). Jesus responded with a promise of greater revelation: “You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (John 1:51), an allusion to Jacob’s vision in Genesis 28:12, now fulfilled in Jesus as the true ladder between heaven and earth.
The Synoptic Gospels provide additional details about the calling of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. In Matthew 4:21-22, Jesus sees James and John mending their nets with their father and calls them. “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4:22). This immediate response reflects the radical nature of discipleship–leaving behind family, occupation, and security to follow Jesus.
James the son of Zebedee, often referred to as James the Greater to distinguish him from another disciple, James the son of Alphaeus, would become one of the disciples in the inner circle of Jesus, along with Peter and John. James was present at key moments such as the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1) and the agony in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37). James would later become the first apostle to be martyred, as recorded in Acts 12:2: “He [Herod Agrippa] killed James the brother of John with the sword.”
John, his brother, would become known as the “disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23) and would play a significant role in the early church. He is credited with writing the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. His theological emphasis on love, truth, and eternal life reflects the depth of his relationship with Jesus and his understanding of the gospel.
Significance of Their Calling
The calling of the first disciples is a statement about the nature of Jesus’ mission and the kind of people he chooses. These men were not religious elites or scholars of the law. They were fishermen and ordinary laborers. But this is the Lord’s theme. Here lies the beauty in his message: his grace is shown in choosing the humble and the lowly to carry out his purposes.
This is consistent with the Old Testament pattern of God choosing unlikely individuals for his work–Moses, a fugitive; David, a shepherd; and the prophets, often rejected by their own people. As the apostle Paul later wrote, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
The disciples’ immediate response to Jesus’ call–leaving their nets, boats, and even family–demonstrates the cost and commitment of true discipleship. And it shows the undeniable Truth encounter that these men experienced. Jesus would later teach, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Discipleship involves total allegiance to Jesus and a willingness to forsake all else.
Disciples’ Role in the Mission of God
The first disciples were not only followers but also witnesses and future leaders. Jesus called them to be with him, to learn from him, and eventually to be sent out to preach and heal (Mark 3:14-15). Their time with Jesus was a period of formation, preparing them for the mission that would continue after his resurrection.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus told them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” God’s salvation would extend to all nations just as the Old Testament promised (Isaiah 49:6). The disciples, as the foundation of Christ’s church, played a crucial role in this Great Commission.
Their imperfections–Peter’s denial, Thomas’s doubt, and the disciples’ frequent misunderstandings–highlight the transformative power of grace. These were not perfect men, but they were chosen, redeemed, and empowered by the Spirit to bear witness to the risen Christ.
Conclusion
The calling of the first disciples–Andrew, John, James, Simon Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and others–marks the beginning of a new covenant community centered on Jesus. Their response to his call, their transformation through his teaching, and their eventual role in the spread of the gospel reveal the heart of biblical discipleship.
These men were not chosen for their qualifications but for their willingness to follow. Their story is not only a historical account but also a theological model for all who would follow Jesus today. As Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). The call remains the same, and the invitation is open to all who would leave everything to follow the one who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.