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;
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John Chrysostom
AD 407
“Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; first, Simon, who is called Peter.” There was also another Simon, the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot, Judas the brother of James, James the son of Alphaeus, and James the son of Zebedee. Mark lists them according to their dignity. After the two leaders, Jesus then numbers Andrew. Matthew, however, lists them without this kind of distinction. He even places Thomas before himself, as one who was much less significant. Let us observe the order of the list of disciples from the beginning: “First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother.” Even this is no small praise. One he named from the excellence of his character and the other from his relation to the first. Then, “James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother.” Do you note that he does not arrange them according to their dignity? For John seems to me to be greater, not only than the others but even than his brother. After this, when he had said, “Philip, and Bartholomew,” he added, “Thomas, and Matthew the publican.” (Luke lists them in the opposite order.) Next, “James the son of Alphaeus,” to distinguish him from James the son of Zebedee. Then after mentioning “Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus,” and “Simon” Zelotes, whom he calls also “the Canaanite,” he comes finally to the traitor. He described him as a betrayer, not as if he were viewed as enemy or adversary but as one writing a history. He does not say “the abominable, the utterly despicable one” but simply named him from his city, “Judas Iscariot.” He does so because there was also another Judas, “Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus,” who Luke identifies as the brother of James, writing, “Judas the brother of James.” Therefore to distinguish him from this man, the text simply reads, “Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” Matthew is not ashamed to speak of his betrayal. There was no attempt to disguise things that might seem to be matters of reproach. At the very top of the list is the unlearned Peter. Now see what happens: “These twelve,” it is said, “Jesus sent!” What kind of people were these? Fishermen and publicans. Indeed, four of them were lowly fishermen and two were publicans— Matthew and James—and one was even a traitor. These “he sent!” The Gospel of Matthew, Homily
