Matthew 10:2

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

There are four listings of the Twelve in the New Testament, always occurring in groups of four, with positions 1,5, and 9 always listing Peter, Philip, and James the son of Alphaeus in that order. See Mark 3:13; Luke 6:12; Acts 1:13. From this, it is conjectured that Peter, Philip, and James the son of Alphaeus were the respective leaders in each of their groups of four. The other names do not always follow a given order, but they do not occur outside the group of four. Oddly, there are two Simons, two Jameses, and two Judases. Thaddaeus was also named Judas the brother of James, or son of James, the Greek word meaning either "son" or "brother."

The twelve apostles have a rank and dignity in the kingdom of heaven beyond that of all others. The number twelve is suggestive of the twelve tribes of Israel; and just as the patriarchs were the foundation of all that came afterwards for Israel, just so the Twelve are the foundation, in one sense, for the church of our Lord (Ephesians 2:20). Even Paul confessed that he was not of the Twelve (1 Corinthians 15:5), and that he was not worthy to be accounted an apostle, because he "persecuted the church of God" (1 Corinthians 15:9). Their names, including, no doubt, that of Matthias instead of Judas, are inscribed upon the twelve foundations of the Eternal City (Revelation 21:14). They are ruling now upon twelve thrones, with Jesus Christ in his kingdom, that is, during the "times of the regeneration (or `new birth')" (Matthew 19:28). It is specifically declared that God set some in the church, "FIRST, apostles" (1 Corinthians 12:28).

These men were not princes of the blood, but fishermen, a tax collector, and followers of other ordinary occupations. They were industrious, more than ordinarily successful in business, keen of mind, sensitive of soul, honest, perceptive, and courageous. They were ambitious, hard-working men, an excellent lot indeed; but apparently they possessed no skills or talents of an extraordinary nature. They were men most remarkably like the best men of any stable community anywhere on earth, peculiarly fitted to be the chosen representatives of all mankind, and eminently qualified for the possession of that power and dignity to which the Master called and elevated them.