PETER
The chief apostle, Simon Peter, was among the first of the Savior's disciples and was present at many significant events. A fisherman who lived in Capernaum, near the Sea of Galilee, with his wife and her mother, he was called with his brother Andrew by the Savior "while casting a net into the sea," to become "fishers of men." (Mark 1:16-17.) The brothers thenceforth "forsook all and followed him." (Luke 5:11.)
Andrew, a disciple of John the Baptist's, introduced his brother to the Savior, who said, "That shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone." (John 1:40.) The name "Peter" is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic cephas. The Joseph Smith Translation states: "which is, by interpretation, a seer, or a stone."
When Peter later declared to Jesus that "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16), the Savior's response becomes more understandable: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." (Matt. 16:18.)
Peter was one of three apostles present on several important occasions. At the Transfiguration, Peter said, "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses and one for Elias.
"While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." (See Matt. 17:1-8.)
He was present when Jairus' daughter was raised from the dead, (Mark 5:35-43) and at the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter's impetuous declaration "Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended," was soon followed by his three denials, culminating with "I know not the man." (Matt. 26:74).
After this event, however, Peter's nature changed. The first to whom the Savior appeared after the resurrection (Luke 24:34), "it was Peter who called the Church together and acted in the office of his calling as the one who possessed the keys of the priesthood. (See Acts 1:2, and Bible Dictionary, LDS Edition, p. 749.) Peter also presided at the Day of Pentecost, and defined the outpouring of the Spirit as the coming of the Holy Ghost as foretold by the Prophet Joel.
"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses." (Acts 2:32.) Peter instructed those who had felt the Spirit "to repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ." (Acts 2:38.)
Peter performed miracles, testified boldly before Caiaphas and the council of Jewish leaders, and was beaten and left the council "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." (Acts 5:41.) He was once freed from Herod's prison by an angel. (Acts 12:7-9.)
Peter was the instrument through whom the gospel was first taken to the gentiles. He saw a vision in which three times he was presented animals to eat that were considered by Jewish law to be "common or unclean." (Acts 10:19-17.) This vision led Peter to baptize Cornelius and other gentiles, of whom he exclaimed: "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons." (Acts 10:34.)
The gospel of Mark was written under Peter's direction, and Peter also wrote two books of the New Testament bearing his name, of which Joseph Smith described, "Peter penned the most sublime language of any of the apostles." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 301.)
It is believed that Peter suffered martyrdom in Rome in A.D. 64 or 65, about the same time as Paul.
Peter also had an important role in the restoration of the gospel in modern times.
"Because of his ancient office, it was Peter who, with the assistance of James and John, was commissioned to restore apostolic authority to a new gospel dispensation and to endow Joseph Smith with the same priesthood keys that Christ had given Peter, thereby re-authorizing the performance of the ordinances of salvation by the authority of the priesthood." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 3:1077-1079.)
PAUL
Born in Tarsus of Cilicia (in what is now Turkey) as Saul — a Pharisee educated in Jerusalem and a Roman citizen by birth — was also familiar with Greek because of his early life in the Hellenistic city where he was born. He was a pupil of Gamaliel, a celebrated Jewish teacher. He worked for the Jewish high priest in persecuting the Christians. When Stephen was stoned, "the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
"And Saul was consenting unto his death. . . .
"As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and having men and women committed them to prison." (Acts 7:58, 8:1, 3.)
As Saul journeyed to Damascus to continue his persecution, he saw a vision and the resurrected Lord appeared to him. He was then forever a changed man who discharged his life in the service of Jesus Christ, whose followers he had persecuted. Saul was baptized, and he retired to Arabia for a time. He returned to Damascus and "straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues." (Acts 9:20.)
As the leaders "watched the gates day and night to kill him" (Acts 9:24), the disciples let him over the wall in a basket. He spent the rest of his life on missions. He went to Jerusalem, where he met Peter and James, but again had to flee for his life to Tarsus where he preached six or seven years. He was brought by Barnabas to Antioch of Syria for about three years and there started his first formal missionary journey. During this journey he changed his name to Paul, the Latin word for Saul. (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 3:1068-70; Bible Dictionary, LDS Edition, p. 742.) He visited Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Perga, Paphos, Salamis and Seleucia, and Jerusalem, then traveled back to preach in Antioch.
Paul's second missionary journey took him through Antioch of Syria, Tarsus, Lystra, Iconium, Antioch of Galatia, Troas of Mysia, and Neapolis, Philippi, Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica and Beroea of Macedonia, and Athens and Corinth of Achaia, and Ephesus of Lydia before returning to Caesarea and Jerusalem.
His third journey included many of the same cities, with the addition of Mitylene and Assos of Mysia, and Meletus and Patara of Lycia, and Tyre and Ptolemmais in Syria. Today, most of the cities Paul visited are in Syria, Turkey and Greece.
"Whenever he entered a city, Paul went first to the Jews, preaching Christ in their synagogues. Usually they would reject his message, but gentiles associated with the synagogues would frequently be converted; Paul would then turn his attention to teaching the gentiles of that city and would establish a branch of the Church made up of gentiles and perhaps a few Jewish converts." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 3:1068-70.)
When he returned to Jerusalem from his third mission, he was arrested and imprisoned for two years in Caesarea. (Acts 21:1-26.) He was sent as a prisoner to Rome, suffering a shipwreck on the way, where he spent two years and was released. Many of the writings of Paul during these and later periods were lost. (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 3, pp. 1068-70.)
"He then appears to have visited Asia, Macedonia, Crete, and perhaps Spain. At the end of about four years, he was again taken a prisoner to Rome and suffered martyrdom, probably in the spring of 65 A.D." (Bible Dictionary, LDS Edition, p. 743.)
"Paul's influence upon Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints is seen at many points. Joseph Smith referred to "the admonition of Paul." (Phil. 4:8.) The language of Paul is discernible in most of the Articles of Faith." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 3:1068-70.)
MATTHEW
Author of perhaps the most widely read gospel, Matthew was well-versed in Judaic scripture. His gospel, which is amended throughout in the Joseph Smith Translation, contains many references to Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah.
Before his conEdition to be a disciple of Jesus, he was known as Levi, son of Alphaeus. He was a tax-gatherer, or publican, at Capernaum, a city on the north end of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum was the same city where Peter lived when he was called as an apostle. Matthew probably was in the service of Herod Antipas, in whose tetrachy he resided. The calling of Matthew caused ripples among the Pharisees because of his occupation.
But the Pharisees were not alone in condemning the publicans; indeed, if the people of Judah were to be united on a single subject, it was against the publicans.
Publicans were essentially tax contractors for the Romans or their Jewish puppets, and paid fees for the right to collect taxes. In Galilee, many of the tax-gatherers were in the service of Herod. Publicans collected taxes from those transporting goods by land or sea, and it was a common practice for publicans to make their profits by charging higher taxes than the law required. Normally, a publican charged 5 percent of the price of trade items, sliding up to 12.5 percent for luxury items. Sometimes, however, publicans greatly overcharged as there was no Roman limit on how much they could demand of their public. Jews considered publicans' money so unclean that they would never ask for change.
Matthew likely had a booth located just outside the city of Capernaum where he collected his taxes from those passing to and from Damascus. He may have also collected from fishermen from their catches.
Publicans were considered traitors who served the Romans and the puppet Jewish leaders. Especially despised were those who collected money from travelers. Matthew was one of these. (The Bible Almanac, Nelson Publishers, pp. 529-31.)
Interestingly, the calling of Matthew as an apostle did not lessen Jesus' denunciation of the publicans, whom He ranked with harlots. (See Matt. 21:31.) Nor did Matthew himself spare his fellow publicans. He wrote that "As Jesus sat at meat in the house, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him." (Matt. 9:10.)
Soon after his call, Matthew held a feast for his old associates at which the Lord was present. The Lord was criticized for associating with "publicans and sinners." (Matt. 9:11.)
Matthew accompanied the Twelve through Jesus' mortal ministry and resurrection. Little is known about his later life, but tradition asserts that he suffered a martyr's fate. (Bible Dictionary, LDS Edition, p. 729.)
JOHN THE BAPTIST
"Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist" (Matt. 11:11), said Jesus regarding His forerunner, the Elias who was prophesied hundreds of years earlier to prepare the way for the Savior's earthly ministry.
John the Baptist was "the voice that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord." (Isa. 40:3.)
His birth brought the first recorded miracle in some four centuries. John the Baptist was born of Zacharias and Elisabeth, who both came from priestly lines. The birth itself was miraculous because Elisabeth was "well-stricken in years." (Luke 1:18.) An angel, Gabriel, appeared to Zacharias and told him of the prophetic ministry that was to come. Zacharias, who expressed doubt, was struck dumb, a sign that caused the people to marvel and realize again that God worked miracles with His people.
John had a number of divinely appointed attributes. He was filled with the Holy Ghost, "even from his mother's womb," (Luke 1:15) and he "leaped in her womb" at the approach of Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:41). He was ordained by an angel when eight days old "unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the ways of the Lord," and he was baptized while in his childhood. (D&C 84:28.)
According to the Bible Dictionary in the LDS edition of the King James Bible, p. 714, "John was the embodiment of the law of Moses, designed to prepare the way for the Messiah, and make a people ready to receive him. He was the outstanding bearer of the Aaronic Priesthood in all history, and was entrusted with its most noble mission."
John the Baptist touched three dispensations: he closed the Law of Moses in one dispensation, baptized the Messiah in another, and, as a resurrected being bestowed the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood in a third, the Dispensation of Fullness of Times. (Bible Dictionary, LDS Edition, p. 714.)
"John came forth vigorously preaching repentance and many principles of the gospel in the wilderness of Judaea near the River Jordan. (Mark 1:4-5.) He ate ritually clean foods, locusts (Lev. 11:22), and wild honey; he drank 'neither wine nor strong drink' (Luke 11:22), and he wore the traditional clothing of a prophet, camel's hair and a leather girdle (Mark 1:6). He also fasted. (Matt. 11:18.) He attracted large crowds and came under the increasing condemnation of those Jewish leaders whom he challenged with his preaching." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 2:755-57.)
The LDS Bible Dictionary notes, "At the time of the baptism of Jesus, John saw the sign [of the dove] and heard the voice of the Father bearing record that Jesus was the Beloved Son, in whom the Father was well pleased." (Matt. 3:13-17.)
As Jesus began His ministry, John's ministry declined and he watched without jealousy. (See John 3:25-36.) Some of John's disciples became Jesus' disciples. (John 1:35-42.)
For criticizing the unlawful marriage of Herod to his brother Phillip's wife Herodias, John was imprisoned. (Mark 6:16-29.) John continued to be influential while in prison. He spoke to his disciples and sent them to see Jesus. After a year's imprisonment, he was beheaded by Herod at the instigation of Herodias. (Matt. 14:3.) When Herod heard that Jesus was working miracles, he said, "That John the Baptist was risen from the dead." (Mark 6:14.)
John was among those "who were with Christ in his resurrection" (D&C 133:55), and on May 15, 1829, he appeared as a resurrected being to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood.
JAMES
Among four people in the New Testament with this name, James — the brother of John the Beloved or the Revelator — was one of three apostles who held a higher role among the Twelve. In fact, he is rarely mentioned in the New Testament without a reference to his brother John.
James is the English Edition of the Hebrew name Jacob. (Bible Dictionary,LDS Edition, p. 709.) James and John were called shortly after Peter and Andrew: "And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him." (Matt. 4:21-22.)
Some believe that Salome (not to be confused with the daughter of Herodias), the mother of James and John, was a sister to Mary, the mother of Jesus, which would make the brothers first cousins of Jesus. Perhaps this was the basis for her request that her sons "may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom." (See Matt. 20:20-23.)
Jesus gave a surname to James and John when He called the Twelve Apostles and ordained them "that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils . . . and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder." (Mark 3:14-17.)
An example of their zeal came when a Samaritan village refused to receive Jesus, and the two brothers asked "wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?' (Luke 9:54.)
James, with Peter and John, was with the Savior at three important occasions, at the raising of Jairus' daughter from the dead (Mark 5:35-43), at His glorification on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-13, Mark 9:2-9) and at His suffering in the Garden of Gesthemane. (Matt: 26:37.)
Latter-day Saints attribute the presence of Peter, James and John on these occasions to the priesthood office they held among the apostles. Joseph Smith taught that the Savior, Moses, and Elias, when transfigured before them, gave the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood to Peter, James and John. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 158.)
James was with the other apostles when the resurrected Savior appeared to them. His epistle, a verse of which prompted young Joseph Smith to "ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally" (James 1:5), is held in high repute by Church members.
James emphasizes "be doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22) and following "pure religion and undefiled." (James 1:27.) He also mentions anointing with oil followed by the "prayer of faith shall save the sick." (James 5:14-15.)
In about A.D. 44, James was taken by Herod Agrippa I and beheaded (Acts 12:2), becoming the first of the apostles martyred.
JOHN
It is widely believed that John was one of the two disciples of John the Baptist who were sent to follow Jesus. The brother of James, John was also called John the Beloved and John the Revelator. He was a son of well-to-do Zebedee the fisherman, who owned a boat and employed servants. John and his brother James were named "Boanerges," or sons of thunder, by Jesus. (Bible Dictionary, LDS Edition, p. 715; Mark 3:17.)
Illustrative of John's impetuous nature was when he once reported to the Savior that he saw one "casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbade him. . . ."
Jesus replied that "he who is not against us is on our part." (Mark 9:38, 40.)
John, with Peter and James, formed an inner circle among the apostles who accompanied the Savior at the important events of the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1), of raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead, (Mark 5:37) and of the night in Gesthemane. (Matt. 26:37.)
He is the author of five books of the New Testament: the gospel of John, the three epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation.
His gospel is supplementary to the other three gospels in that it talks more of the Judaean ministry than the ministry in Galilee, which is covered in the other three books. In the Gospel of John, he refers to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." (John 13:23.)
At the Last Supper, John described himself "leaning on Jesus' bosom" and followed the Savior after His arrest and "went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest." (John 18:15.) The only apostle who witnessed the crucifixion, John was with Mary, the mother of Christ; Mary, the wife of Cleophas; and Mary Magdalene.
"When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! and from that hour, that disciple took her unto his own home." (John 19:26-27.)
John was the first to arrive at the empty tomb after the resurrection of the Savior, having outrun Peter. (John 20:4.) When the resurrected Lord made His last appearance to the Twelve on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias where they were fishing, it was John who first recognized Him. (John 21:7.)
The Savior gave a special calling to John to remain on the earth until He came a second time. Jesus said to Peter about John: "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? . . . " (John 21:22.) John's role of remaining in mortality was clarified in modern revelation: "Thou shalt tarry until I come in my glory, and shalt prophesy before nations, kindreds, tongues and peoples." (D&C 7:3.)
John accompanied Peter in healing the lame man at the temple (Acts 3:1), was taken with Peter to face the council of Jewish leaders (Acts 4:13), and assisted Peter in conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost on converts in Samaria (Acts 8:14-15).
John recorded that he was banished to the isle of Patmos. (Rev. 1:9.) It was after his return to Ephesus that he wrote his three epistles.
In the latter days, he returned with Peter and James to restore the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
