why did Jesus choose 12 disciples?

The reasons are never directly mentioned in any of the Gospels, but centuries of study have resulted in four major competing theories.

1. Twelve disciples, twelve tribes.
At a recent meeting of the Biblical Studies Confederation, this theory was described as "embarrassingly obvious," "trite," and "obviously true."

2. The Count can count only to twelve, and no further.

3. Seven is the holy number. Three is the number of the Trinity. Seven multiplied by three is twenty-one; reverse the numbers to get twelve.
Espoused by Orestes Metcalf, D.Lit., Ph.D., J.D., of the Biblical University of Oshkosh. "Number reversal plays a huge role in Christian theology," Metcalf claims. "I can think of fifteen--or maybe fifty-one, I can't remember--examples of numeric reversal in the New Testament, where God revealed His will in verses like Romans 6:11 and 11:6." Metcalf, it should be noted, wears a cape covered with moons, stars, four-leaf clovers, and horseshoes.

4. As an prophetic foreshadowing of the Gregorian calendar.
Moving away from the flux between twelve or thirteen months, Christianity, breaking away from its Judaic roots, would set the number at an even twelve. Twelve disciples, twelve months.




[ninety-sixth in a series]