Matthew 10:1-4 records the event of Jesus calling His disciples. It lists all twelve of whom Peter, John, Andrew, and James were the first four. They naturally spent more time with Jesus than any of the other eight disciples. Of the four Peter, John and James are the three that Jesus shares His deepest sorrow and highest glorification. When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, they were the three disciples that He took with Him and to whom He said “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here and watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). Peter, James, and John were also the three disciples that Jesus took with Him on a high mountain recorded in Matthew 17 and they saw Jesus transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.
Peter was a rugged fisherman, but he became the evangelist proclaiming the gospel of the good news of Jesus Christ to the Jews. He was a logically man. We find one occasion of this when Jesus instructs his disciples to throw the nets in on the deep side. His response: “ Lord, we toiled all night and took nothing.” His logical mind was based on exploring the facts. If they could not catch fish all night, then why would they in the day.
When the disciples find themselves in the midst of the storm in the fourth watch with the waves beating against the boat, it is Peter who cried out to Jesus who was walking on the water, “ Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you.” Peter did not take it for granted that it was Jesus, he ascertained the fact. Jesus replied, “Come.” The Hebrew word “come” is much more explanatory. The word “come” is spelt בוא beyt-vav-aleph. The beyt is a picture of a tent, speaking of Jesus tabernacling with man, the vav, a picture of a nail, fastening two objects and the aleph a picture of an ox, speaking of the strong leader. The “come” pictographically then expresses Jesus as the mediator to the Father. Jesus confirms this in John 14:6: “ I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
Peter also did not hesitate to ask the difficult questions. He asks Jesus how many times should you forgive your brother and he did not shrink back from answering the difficult questions. When Jesus asked him who do you think I am, he boldly answered, “ You are the Son of the living God.”
Yet, his boldness failed him when a servant girl recognised him as one of Jesus’ disciples. It is this experience and Jesus’ commission of to him to feed His sheep, which made Peter realised that there hope beyond his denial. He writes in his letters of the hope of future grace, the hope of salvation and speaks of the hope of glory, which is Christ in us (1 Peter 3:14).
James, like Peter, was a fisherman. His mother was Salome and his father was Zebedee and he, like Peter was born in Bethsaida. The name meaning house of fishing. Bethsaida connects the place where Jesus walks on the water to the place where Jesus healed the blind man. The blind man was from the same town. The healing of the blind man of Bethsaida speaks of faith. In Mark 8 we read that the people brought the man and begged Jesus to touch him.
James and John were called the sons of thunder, Βοανηργές (Boanerges). This nickname pointed to the ministry of James and John. The use of the word thunder appears in the account of the giving of the law on mount Sinai. Exodus 19:16 reads: “ On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightning. As the thunder on mount Sinai announced the law, so the sons of thunder announced the fulfilment of the law. Righteousness, not through the keeping of the law, but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
The book of James reveals some of the characteristics of James. He was a man who was self- controlled. His exposé on how to bridle the tongue leads the reader to believe that he must have had experience to the contrary.
James was also a man to whom wisdom was important as he believed that wisdom will show in a person’s actions. That he clearly meditated on this topic is evident form the detailed description he gives on wisdom. His analytical mind leads him to define wisdom. It is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
But above all, James had unwavering faith. He believed that God hears prayer and his words are so often quoted: “The fervent prayer of the righteous man has great power.” He concludes his letter with a statement of faith. “Believe on the Lord Jesus.”
The third man of the inner circle is John. Although James and John were both the sons of Zebedee and Salome their emphasis is different. James places the emphasis on faith where John places it on love. 1 John uses the word love 36 times. (Translations differ on the number of times.) John is also the apostle that wrote the gospel of John in which he says that God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life.
John was also a lexicographer. He defines who the antichrist is . Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist (1 John 2:22); A murderer - anyone who hates his brother, (1 John 3:15); God’s promise - eternal life, (1 John 2:25); Sin - all wrongdoing, (1 John 5:17); The manifested love of God- He sent His Son, (1 John 4:10); abidance, the Spirit of God, the spirit of error, a liar and many more.
Because of his analytic mind and attention to detail, when incarcerated on the island of Patmos, he receives the revelation of Jesus Christ. Written about 95-96 AD, the book of Revelation gives a detailed message to each one of the churches. It describes how history will unfold in the seven seals, the seven trumpets and the seven bowls to the culmination of the end of the age when Jesus will come as the Rider on the white horse described in Revelation 19.
The characteristics of the men in the inner circle can be expressed by the words of 1 Corinthians 13:13. “And now remains faith hope and love.” Peter, the apostle of hope, James, the apostle of faith and John, the apostle of love.
