Who Are All These People?
Most of the people in the Bible
stories are Jewish, and most of them lived in or around what is now modern
Israel, which was called Palestine during Jesus'
lifetime (about 2000 years ago.)
Jesus is the center of our story. He keeps the
promises God made to his people that a savior would come to save them from
their sins. We learn about his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
And we look at the way that his followers began to live out his teachings.
Mary is Jesus' mother, wife of Joseph, and cousin
of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.
Joseph is Mary's husband, a carpenter who was
a man of deep personal honor. He was visited by angels.
John the Baptist
is the son of Mary's cousin, Elizabeth, who prepares the people to listen
to Jesus' teaching.
Peter is the first follower or student (disciple)
that Jesus asks to follow him.
Paul is the first follower of Jesus who never met
him in person while he was alive. His life is a very interesting example
for those of us who have never met Jesus in person either.
Luke is one of four writers of the Gospels, the
Good News, which is the story of Jesus' life. He probably never met Jesus
either, but he may have known some of Jesus' relatives.
Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were the first disciples Jesus chose. Next Jesus called James and John, then Philip, Nathaniel (also called Bartholomew), Matthew, Thomas, and James, son of Alpheus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas, son of James, and Judas Iscariot.