Early Ministry: Jesus had already begun His public ministry when He called His disciples. The disciples accompanied Him, getting to know Him and listening as He taught the multitudes. It was a time of building relationships. During this period of his ministry, Jesus prepared His disciples for life.

Later Ministry: During the later half of His ministry, perhaps after Peter's confession that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus turned His attention to teaching His disciples. There is less evidence of public ministry. He prepared His disciples for and gave them practical experience in ministry.

We know that Jesus had an especially close relationship with Peter, James and John. In each of the four lists of disciples, the first, fifth and ninth names are the same (Peter, Philip and James). The three disciples listed after each of these disciples are the same but are listed in different order. This may mean that the disciples lived and moved in groups of four and thereby encouraged each other and contemplated together what Jesus was teaching.

The Hebrew Model for Discipleship

Pastor and author Bill Hull urges believers to reclaim the biblical or Hebrew model for discipleship. That includes:

1. Submitting to a teacher who teaches him or her how to follow Jesus.

2. Learning Jesus words.

3. Learning Jesus' way of ministry.

4. Imitating Jesus' life and character.

5. Finding and teaching other disciples for Jesus.

Hull believes that churches today focus on elements two, three and four and leave out one and five. He exhorts believers to move discipleship out of the classroom and into action.[1]

[1] Bill Hull, Chose the Life (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004) 36-37.