Question: I was once taught that Jesus calling his ‘primary’ disciples was an activity begun in the latter half of his first year of ministry and completed in his early second year of ministry. When do you understand Jesus calling his ‘primary’ disciples?
Answer: Comparing the four Gospels we know that:
- Those who were called first and then named apostles had already been following the ministry of John the Baptist (see John 1);
- Jesus was baptized and had finished the 40 days of temptation when He returned to Galilee, but then immediately began calling disciples;
- According to Acts 1, a requirement of apostles is to have been with Jesus for all three and a half years of His public ministry.