The four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – each provide accounts of Jesus calling His first disciples. However, the order in which the disciples are called differs between the Gospels. This has led some to question the reliability of Scripture. However, there are reasonable explanations for these differences that do not require denying the inerrancy of God’s Word.
The Calling of the First Disciples in the Synoptic Gospels
The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) have much in common in their narratives, likely because of their reliance on shared sources. However, there are differences in order between their accounts of Jesus calling His first disciples:
- In Matthew 4:18-22, the first disciples called are Simon Peter and Andrew, followed by James and John.
- In Mark 1:16-20, the order is the same: first Simon Peter and Andrew, then James and John.
- In Luke 5:1-11, Simon Peter is called first after the miraculous catch of fish. His partners James and John are called later in Luke 6:12-16.
The Calling of the First Disciples in John
The Gospel of John differs more significantly in its account:
- John 1:35-51 records Jesus’ earliest followers. Andrew and an unnamed disciple (probably John) met Jesus first. Andrew then brought Simon Peter to Jesus.
- Philip and Nathanael are also called in this first chapter of John.
- The calling of James, John and the other apostles happens later.
Explaining the Differences
There are several factors that reasonably explain the differences between the Gospels on the calling of Jesus’ first disciples:
- Different authors, audiences and purposes. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each wrote to a specific audience with a unique purpose and theological emphasis in mind. This influenced how they told Jesus’ story.
- Topical, not strictly chronological. The Gospels are not strictly chronological accounts. Events are sometimes arranged topically rather than in precise time order.
- Multiple encounters with Jesus. The disciples probably had various encounters with Jesus before permanently leaving to follow Him. The Gospels record different initial meetings.
- The complexity of disciple calling. Jesus’ calling of the Twelve did not happen all at once. It occurred over a period of time and in different circumstances.
1. Different Authors, Audiences and Purposes
Each Gospel author wrote from his own perspective to a specific audience. Their individual purposes shaped how they told the story of Jesus:
- Matthew targeted a Jewish audience, focused on presenting Jesus as the Messiah and King promised in the Old Testament.
- Mark wrote concisely, likely for Roman believers, showing Jesus as the powerful Son of God.
- Luke investigated thoroughly, compiling an “orderly account” for Theophilus and Gentiles to establish the certainty of what Christians believe.
- John composed a theological work so readers would believe Jesus is the Christ and have life in His name.
Given their distinct purposes and audiences, variance in detail is expected. The core facts about Jesus and the calling of the disciples remain consistent between Gospels.
2. Topical Rather than Strictly Chronological Order
The Gospels often arrange material topically rather than always maintaining chronological sequence. For example, the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 contains teachings Jesus gave at various times and places, brought together by topic.
In calling the disciples, the Gospel writers seem to have likewise arranged the accounts based on topic or theme, rather than strict time order. Their primary concern was communicating the truth about who Jesus is, not precise chronology.
3. Multiple Encounters with Jesus
It seems the disciples had various significant encounters with Jesus before leaving everything to follow Him permanently:
- Initial introductions led them to believe something extraordinary about Jesus (John 1:35-51).
- Seeing miracles firsthand drew them to Jesus (Luke 5:1-11).
- A direct, personal call from Jesus convinced them to leave their occupations and become His full-time disciples (Matthew 4:18-22).
The Gospels record different first encounters that eventually led the disciples to decisively follow Him.
4. Complexity of Calling the Twelve
Scholars do not believe Jesus called all twelve primary disciples at a single moment. Rather, various disciples were called over Jesus’ ministry in different circumstances, including:
- Some knew of Jesus through John the Baptist and soon believed (John 1:35-42).
- Others were drawn through encounters, miracles and teachings (Matthew 4:18-22).
- Still others were invited to follow, after prayer, later in Christ’s ministry (Luke 6:12-16).
The narratives represent this complex, months-long process of calling the Twelve succinctly, without always sticking to precise time order.
Minimal Contradiction, Maximum Truth
In the end, perceived differences in the calling of Jesus’ first disciples do not equate to irreconcilable contradiction between the Gospels. Rather, the accounts reflect each author’s perspective on this important event. The core facts are consistent. Viewed together, they provide a complete picture of how Jesus called His first disciples over time and in various circumstances.
As the 19th century Bible scholar John Wenham said, “Our principle must be to recognize that the evangelists were not necessarily guided to reconcile to a hair’s breadth the different traditions they included in their gospels. Where we cannot reconcile immediately we have to allow such small inconsistencies…and recognize that it is our understanding that is at fault.”
The Gospel accounts can be fully trusted as God-breathed truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Apparent difficulties often increase understanding when studied carefully. The variations in order and detail surrounding Jesus’ calling of the Twelve disciples ultimately enhance our knowledge of this important event.
In summary, the differences between the Gospels on the calling of the first disciples can be reasonably explained by the distinct purposes of the authors, topical arrangement of events, multiple encounters between the disciples and Jesus, and the complexity of the disciple calling process over time. There is minimal contradiction and maximum truth revealed through the composite witness of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.