The twelve harvesters
Children's Activity
Can you name the 12 disciples? There are four J's, two P's, two T's, a B, an A, an M, and an S. The original 12 were: John, James, Judas, another James, Peter, Philip, Thomas, Thaddaeus, Bartholomew, Andrew, Matthew and Simon. These men were with Jesus from almost the beginning of his ministry. They are important figures and it's good for us to know more about them.
Each man had a distinct role in Jesus' ministry. Older children can research the lives, ministries and deaths of the disciples in the Bible and in books such as The Penguin Dictionary of Saints by Donald Attwater. Younger children can celebrate the disciples by coloring shields with the symbols of each man drawn upon it. In learning more about them we can greatly understand their commitment to Jesus Christ.
To get you started, here are some commonly held facts about several of the more familiar disciples:
o John -- brother of James, fisherman, writer of the fourth gospel, three epistles and probably Revelation, represented in art by an eagle
o James the Greater -- brother of John, fisherman, first apostle to be martyred, represented in art by a pilgrim with a cockle shell
o James the Less -- possibly the same person as James, the brother of Jesus, who wrote of the Epistle of St. James
o Peter -- brother of Andrew, fisherman, author of First and Second Peter, represented in art by two crossed keys
o Matthew -- also called Levi, a tax collector, author of the first gospel, represented in art as a man with wings
Each man had a distinct role in Jesus' ministry. Older children can research the lives, ministries and deaths of the disciples in the Bible and in books such as The Penguin Dictionary of Saints by Donald Attwater. Younger children can celebrate the disciples by coloring shields with the symbols of each man drawn upon it. In learning more about them we can greatly understand their commitment to Jesus Christ.
To get you started, here are some commonly held facts about several of the more familiar disciples:
o John -- brother of James, fisherman, writer of the fourth gospel, three epistles and probably Revelation, represented in art by an eagle
o James the Greater -- brother of John, fisherman, first apostle to be martyred, represented in art by a pilgrim with a cockle shell
o James the Less -- possibly the same person as James, the brother of Jesus, who wrote of the Epistle of St. James
o Peter -- brother of Andrew, fisherman, author of First and Second Peter, represented in art by two crossed keys
o Matthew -- also called Levi, a tax collector, author of the first gospel, represented in art as a man with wings
