Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church

by Pope Benedict XVI

Based on Pope Benedict XVI's weekly teaching on the relationship between Christ and the Church, this book tells the drama of Jesus' first disciples - his Apostles and their associates - and how they spread Jesus' message throughout the ancient world. Far from distorting the truth about Jesus of Nazareth, insists Pope Benedict, the early disciples remained faithful to it, even at the cost of their lives.

Beginning with the Twelve as the foundation of Jesus' re-establishment of the Holy People of God, Pope Benedict examines the story of the early followers of Christ. He draws on Scripture and early tradition to consider such important figures as Peter, Andrew, James and John, and even Judas Iscariot. Benedict moves beyond the original Twelve to discuss Paul of Tarsus, the persecutor of Christianity who became one of Jesus' greatest disciples. Also considered are Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, the wife and husband "team" of Priscilla and Aquila, and such key women figures as Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Phoebe.

Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church is a fascinating journey back to the origins of Christianity. It reveals how Jesus' earliest disciples faithfully conveyed the truth about the "Jesus of history" and how they laid the foundations for the Church, through whom people today can know the same Jesus.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Theology, History, Christianity, Nonfiction, Biography

151 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2007

About the author

Originally Joseph Ratzinger , a noted conservative theologian before his election in 2005, Benedict XVI strove against the influence of secularism during his papacy to defend traditional Catholic teachings but since medieval times first resigned in 2013.

After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.

Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.

Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.

Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.

Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.

(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superb collection of homiletical talks given by Pope Benedict XVI to his weekly general audiences from mid-March 2006 through mid-February of the following year. I read these with an on-line book club using Amy Welborn's Study Guide which groups the chapters together topically into twelve sessions. However, the book can be read sequentially, in any order or no particular order; each talk providing the excellent basis for individual or small group silent prayer/meditation.

In the opening chapter, "Christ and the Church" PBXVI teaches us how we have come to know and love Our Lord through His Apostles. In fact, all we know of Him has come down to us through their loving hands, passed down, at first by word of mouth and then eventually written into Holy Scripture. By coming to a deeper appreciation of the Twelve and their beginnings, we can only learn more about Jesus who hand picked them to start His Church.

Altogether there are thirty-one short chapters, usually one per Apostle, with the exception being Peter, John and later St. Paul. After the Holy Father covers the original Twelve, or actually thirteen -- as Matthias replaced Judas -- he goes on to discuss a number of the other early disciples who were significant to the establishment of the early Church including: Saul/Paul, Stephen, Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Silas, Apollos, Pricilla and Aquilla.

Jesus, The Apostles, and the Early Church is basically the same book as The Apostles , the difference being the former is published by Ignatius Press and contains the exact text of the Holy Father's talks; the latter is published by Our Sunday Visitor and consolidates the material topically. Substantively they are interchangeable.

Indespendible and concise references for any study of the early Church!

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of a series of books which were intended to be very accessible by everyone and which I really love. That's because they were collections of a series of teaching homilies that Pope Benedict gave every Wednesday in the general audience. The chapters are short because they were oral, but are also deeper than you might expect.

This begins with seven chapters considering the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the Church from different perspectives. With that in mind, the life of each of the apostles is examined and then used as a springboard for each of us to examine our own lives in Christ and our relationship to God. For example, speaking of Barnabus's and Paul's disagreements about taking Mark on a missionary journey, Benedict says:

Hence there are also disputes, disagreements, and controversies among saints. And I find this very comforting, because we see that the saints have not "fallen from Heaven." They are people like us, who also have complicated problems. ...

I'd always thought about this in terms of what Mark must have done to make Paul not want him around. Pope Benedict moves us to look at what the text actually says and remember that these are two holy men in an argument about a fellow Christian. That makes this applicable to any Christian in any age.

These are good whether you want to know the background and life of each person or are looking for something deeper.

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this several years ago, though in a version that didn't have the beautiful art included in this version.

This is a series of homilies that Pope Benedict XVI gave which, I believe, began his series of teaching homilies. Eventually he proceeded to discuss the Church Fathers, various saints, Saint Paul, prayer, and other such topics. They are a real gift to us today and to the Church for the future.

I didn't realize, or had forgotten, that this series began with three discussions of community. With that in mind, the life of each of the apostles is examined and then used as springboards for each of us to examine our own lives in Christ and our relationship to God. These are good whether you want to know the background and life of each person or are looking for something deeper.

Each discussion really meant something to me and I found them inspirational as well as helpful. This is done within a few pages for each person and with a simplicity that is deceptive, as is often the case with Benedict's writing. (I'm a fan, so there's that to consider.)

Highly recommended.

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes the homiletical talks given by Pope Benedict XVI to his weekly general audiences from mid-March 2006 through mid-February of the following year and synthesizes them into mini-meditations. I read this book with an on-line book club using Amy Welborn's Study Guide which groups the chapters together topically into twelve sessions. However, the book can be read sequentially, in any order or no particular order; each talk providing the excellent basis for individual or small group silent prayer/meditation.

In the opening chapter, "Christ and the Church" PBXVI teaches us how we have come to know and love Our Lord through His Apostles. In fact, all we know of Him has come down to us through their loving hands, passed down, at first by word of mouth and then eventually written into Holy Scripture. By coming to a deeper appreciation of the Twelve and their beginnings, we can only learn more about Jesus who hand picked them to start His Church.

Altogether there are thirty-one short chapters, usually one per Apostle, with the exception being Peter, John and later St. Paul. After the Holy Father covers the original Twelve, or actually thirteen -- as Matthias replaced Judas -- he goes on to discuss a number of the other early disciples who were significant to the establishment of the early Church including: Saul/Paul, Stephen, Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Silas, Apollos, Pricilla and Aquilla.

Jesus, The Apostles, and the Early Church is basically the same book as The Apostles , the difference being the former is published by Ignatius Press and contains the exact text of the Holy Father's talks; the latter is published by Our Sunday Visitor and consolidates the material topically. Substantively they are interchangeable and so I have given them almost identical reviews.

Indespendible and concise references for any study of the early Church! Excellent for group study or individual reflection!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a set of talks made over the course of a year (2007-2008) that Pope Benedict XVI made about the early Church and the Apostles duty to bring the Good News to the world. Pope Benedict XVI: The Church was built on the foundation of the Apostles as a community of faith, hope, and charity. Through the Apostles, we come to Jesus Himself.
Each chapter is brief (since it was originally a talk) and is an insightful look into the lives of the Apostles and their mission to bring us Christ. The book includes talks about the early Church and how the people picked up the message to live as followers of Christ.
It was helpful to me to read about each Apostle separately and there were some, of course, that the Pope wrote more extensively about. The book made the Apostles and early followers more real to me.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read (though I'm not Catholic); I found this to be informative and interesting, as sometimes it is very easy to forget or confuse who did what. Especially helpful as I've begun to really dig in and read Scripture again.

[Laine · Rating 5 out of 5]

highly recommended. Better to read as an adoration book - read some and let it soak in. There is a study guide available for this book online.

[Leroy Seat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book probably would not have published if it had been written by anyone else as it is not very profound.

[Christopher Blosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hovered between a 3 / 4 star on this one -- relative to his academic, theological works both as Pope (aka. "Jesus of Nazareth") and those written prior to his election, I'd put this as the former, noting that these are basically homilies briefly surveying the biographies, teachings and spiritual example of each of the Twelve Apostles, St. Paul and their co-workers.

On its own, however, I found it genuinely edifying and informative (4 stars) -- I confess though familiar with the Scriptures I was not AS acquainted with each and every apostle (beyond Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and those who are typically paramount) as I wanted to be, so this was for me a very welcome introduction to all twelve of them. The chapters in this book as well are also short and easy enough (though substantial) that they made for easy spiritual reading before bedtime. I'm interested in his subsequent homilies similarly devoted to the early Church Fathers and Doctors of the Church.

[Devon Harant · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book about the history of the Church and the significance of important people in the early Church, from the Apostles to their successors it’s good to learn what sort of lessons we can take from them as early Christians

[Luke Daghir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pope Benedict the XVI continues to inspire me through his elegant and theological writings. The Apostles is a fantastic, short book on the direct apostles of Christ and the apostles of the apostles.

The book is constructed in short chapters, allowing for the reader to focus on one Apostle or significant person at a time. I found this style to be very helpful in learning about each Apostle and Co-worker.

Another aspect of the structure of the book that I found to be very beneficial was the lead in that Pope Benedict XVI began with. The Origins of the Church- what the Church is, significance of communion, and the tradition of God's grace through The Spirit and "Apostolic wisdom and authoritative discernment."

My favorite Apostle is St. Andrew and so my favorite aspect of this book was his chapter. Pope Benedict XVI elaborated on his mission and his final moments in which, on the cross, St. Andrew said:

"Hail, O Cross, inaugurated by the Body of Christ and adorned with his limbs as though they were precious pearls. Before the Lord mounted you, you inspired an earthly fear. Now, instead, endowed with heavenly love, you are accepted as a gift. Believers know of the great joy that you possess, and of the multitude of gifts you have prepared. I come to you, therefore, confident and joyful, so that you too may receive me exultant as a disciple of the One who was hung upon you….O blessed Cross, clothed in the majesty and beauty of the Lord’s limbs!...Take me, carry me far from men, and restore me to my Teacher, so that, through you, the one who redeemed me by you, may receive me. Hail, O Cross; yes, hail indeed!”

I recommend this book to all believers and especially those who are unbelievers.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fulfilling read. It expounds on the 12 Apostles and those like Paul who played an important role in the early church. The book simply helps us to understand the message of those early church missionaries. Benedict uses the bible as a crucial instrument to highlight the various roles and thinking of those early apostles.. He sees it as necessary that we go back to the foundation of Catholicism to find our way to Christ. Benedict highlights St Paul as a giant of theological thinking and action and gives us Paul’s message. That is to keep Christ central in our lives, to exist with the Holy Spirit within and to take in Paul’s dedication to the development of the church through those early church communities. I found that after reading this book I wanted to go back to the bible and read more about these men and women. Benedict writes so clearly and concisely which enables you to digest the book in reasonable time as well as giving you a crucial understanding of these early figures.

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading during Lent, but given the recent huffings shufflings in the succession to Peter (yay Leo <3), I’d say I timed this book pretty damn well.

A series of weekly (or weekly +) homiletical talks by Pope Benedict the XVI at the height of his incumbency moving methodically through the each of apostles and other key figures that would be the prototypes for the very line that he became part of; the safeguarders of apostolic succession. It is through the appointed apostles that the Church established herself, whose number twelve evidently refers to the twelve tribes of Israel (Judas would be replaced by another Matthias, but even Judas has his position in salvation).

Peter, Fisherman, Rock
What more is there to be said?

Andrew, Protoclete
Brother of Peter, also a fisherman. Called with his brother, he had previously been a disciple of John the Baptist, and a man of faith and hope. He is honored in the Byzantine church with the nickname Protocletus (Protocelete) because he, notably, was the first to go and follow Jesus.
Perhaps he is more to the Eastern Church what Peter is to the Latin.

James, the Greater
James son of Zebedee, brother of John. Together with Peter and John is often admitted first to important moments in Jesus' life.

James, the Lesser
James, son of Alphaeus. Has often been identified with another (or was there a third?!) James, The Younger. Probably related to Jesus.
The letter that bears the name James is attributed to him and describes a very practical Christianity rooted in love of one’s neighbour and dedication to the poor “faith apart from works is dead,” which is seen in opposition to what Paul said (see below). Really it’s obvious that it is less a question of contradiction than just that each statement is magnified in the context of the personality, strengths, and weaknesses of the two apostles, and that both are needed for salvation. And also, not falling into the trap of buttressing statements with individual bible verses (I can’t remember exactly what this is called and for that I am irritated at myself)

John, son of Zebedee, the theologian and Seer of Patmos
Brother of James, the Greater. The one whose gospel is funky and floaty. The Eastern church calls him, quite simply “the theologian,” that is, one who can speak in accessible terms about the divine (Deus caritas est; he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him) and accordingly Byzantine tradition depicts him as quite elderly, in contemplation.
It was on Patmos that John would have his grandiose vision of The Apocalypse, Revelation.

Matthew
Information on the tax collector is scarce and fragmentary.
On recent trip to Rome a friend of mine was turned away from entering the French church of Louis des Francais (because, y’know, the French), and it’s a good job I didn’t know about it at the time, but apparently there is housed a Carravagio that depicts the scene where Jesus says to him “follow me”.

Philip
Always comes fifth in the list of the twelve. Closeness, familiar, and habit are his jam, inviting us to listen, respond, and know Jesus.

Thomas, the twin
Yes yes, I know we all want to call him “doubting,” and the reason for the alternative nickname is unclear. He asked Jesus some stupid questions, which we needed someone to do, because otherwise we would be asking the same things. Thomas’ example comforts us in our uncertainty, and shows us that every doubt can lead to an outcome brighter than we ever could have imagined.

Bartholomew
Also associated with the name Nathaniel.

Simon & Jude
Simon—to be ardent, to be a zealot! An attachment to Jewish law, identity, his people.
Jude—Thaddeus. One letter warning against those who make pretext of God’s grace to excuse their own licentiousness and corrupt their brethren.

Judas & Matthias
Judas was, and remains, “one of the twelve” After Satan entered him Judas, like Peter repented. But unlike Peter his repentance degenerated into desperation and became self-destructive. Jesus, nevertheless is rich in mercy and forgiveness; her is open, when we do repent.

Paul of Tarsus
From the first moment Paul realised that sharing in the “Good news” was not something reserved for the Jews or to a particular group of men, but meant for all.
(I learnt this in Rome) Was not actually thrown from a horse on the road to Damascus.
Had some astoundingly bad luck with boats: “Three times I was shipwrecked”

Timothy, Titus, Stephen, Barnabas, Silas (Silvanus), Apollos, Priscilla & Aquila
Timothy and Titus Paul’s closest collaborators. This turned out to be quite painful for poor Timothy, who Paul had circumscised (just before insisting it should be done away with I might add) because “there were Jews” in the parts they were going, and they might not look kindly on this little detail.
The other characters, martyrs almost all, exemplify the community that worked and still work to spread the Church and bring her into being.
Silvanus ended up I think, in the Netherlands. I'm pretty sure that they're pretty sure because when I visited a few weeks ago there were MULTIPLE processions of his relics.

"Women"
Benedict closes with a long commentary on the importance of women in the early days of the Church, and notes that it was Mary Magdalene to whom Aquinas reserved the special title “Apostle of Apostles” ; “Just as a woman has announced the words of death to the first man, so also a woman was the first to announce to the Apostles the words of life.”

The Church of the New Covenant has no place for the individualism of liberal theology; the Church must be a gathering of people. Unlike the moniscist religions or individualistic philiosphies, a Catholic (and more broadly a Christian, and I assume to some extent, other Abrahamic religions) cannot exist in isolation, in spite of the sins of its members.

[Noonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little happy homilies from Pope Benny. Nothing challenging or profound. Anyone familiar with the Orthodox Church's book The Holy Apostles, would find this a very narrow, simplistic overview of the apostles. His primary source is the New Testament with a few references to early church fathers and very little on traditions. Therefore this book would be appreciated by both Catholics and Protestants.

[Nathanial]

Transcripts of short speeches, mostly based on an individual figure, although Peter and Paul each required a few speeches and John was given two. Ties together the various scriptural references, introduces a few traditional descriptions, and sums up tidily. There's almost a rabbinical mode of discourse to Benedict's writing here, a tone of "so what do we learn from this?" which leads to repetition on the page but probably provides a unifying motif for weekly public addresses.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book to sort through the work of the original Apostles... especially some of the lesser known ones. This book was adapted from a series of talks Pope Benedict gave for his Wednesday audiences. Therefore, it reads much differently than his other writings. With the more common language, you can tell it was a speech.

[Gil Michelini · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to the Apostles. The text is taken from homilies the pope gave. It starts strong with great insight on the most well known of the 12 and then trickles to the end as if he ran out of material. Another review wrote that had this been written by any one else, it would not have been published, and I agree with that insight.

[Bryan Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pope Benedict XVI, is one of the great theologians of the Church. This book, takes his papal audiences and guides the reader through short chapters on the the early church, the lives of the apostles, and some of those found in scripture. I enjoyed that each chapter was its own stand alone story.

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of Wednesday audiences given by the Pope, each of which can be found on the vatican website. However there's something nice about having all these insightful reflections in one hardbound volume.

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good primer on the background of each of the Apostles and the significance of each man's selection by Jesus. Quick read, not an in depth analysis. It provides an insight into how their background and contributions helped to spread the Word to the world.

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was very informative on not only the Apostles, but also on people like Timothy and Barnabas. Pope Benedict XVI is a much better writer/speaker than many people might think.

[Eduardo Garcia-Gaspar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy recomendable. Ligero, claro, ordenado. Una respuesta a quiénes fueron los apóstoles por parte de un gran teólogo. Y dentro de esa ligereza cada lector encuentra su profundidad, tanta como él quiera. Lo fascinante es descubrir el origen del Cristianismo y su sentido actual.

[elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Each chapter is a beautiful lesson about the lives
Jesus' Apostles and how they preserved the Christian Faith for all future generations.
You can't go wrong if it's authored by Pope Benedict XVI.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, simple little book. It always amazes me how easy the Pope Benedict XVI is to read.

[Charles Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a good introduction.

[Sarah O'connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good synopsis of the lives of each apostles and some other "first" Christians. Because it comes from Pope Benedict's speeches it is much easier to read than a lot of his writings.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the Jesus of Nazareth trilogy, these thumbnail sketches are rather disappointing! I was hoping for more research, or at least a good bibliography at the end.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pope Emeritus' little book is more devotional than historical but firmly set on the base of the bible and quite interesting for what it is.

[Erika Robuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of the apostles lives after the resurrection. I would have like to see more about Magdalene, however, and the women who helped spread the Good News.

[James Hecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

We just finished this book in our parish book club. It is great to read with others so that we can share our own perspectives. Often something another shared gave me a deeper understanding or a different perspective that I had not experienced. Although we did not use it, there is also a study guide available.

Pope Benedict XVI’s The Apostles is an exploration of the lives and missions of Jesus' closest followers. Originally delivered as a series of catecheses during his general audiences, this book reflects the theological depth and clarity that characterized Benedict’s papacy and his writings.

The book provides a detailed and spiritually enriching examination of the Twelve Apostles, along with St. Paul and other key figures of the early Church. Rather than presenting a mere historical or biographical account, Benedict XVI delves into the significance of each apostle’s role in salvation history, weaving Scripture, tradition, and theological reflection into a cohesive narrative. His writing is deeply intellectual yet pastoral, making it engaging for both scholars and lay readers.

This book makes these ancient figures relevant to modern readers. Benedict emphasizes their humanity—their doubts, weaknesses, and ultimate transformation through Christ’s grace—reminding us that their journey of faith is one we can all relate to. His reflections on Peter’s impetuous nature, Thomas’ doubts, and Paul’s radical conversion are particularly insightful, highlighting how God works through imperfect individuals to build His Church.

It was surprising to some of us how little historical information there was available on a few of the apostles, and how much more we learned about some of the others. The book is well researched and quite illuminating on the lives and impact of the early members of Christ’s ministries and the Church.

It also reflects the continuity between the apostles' mission and the Church today. Benedict XVI highlights how their witness and martyrdom laid the foundation for Christianity and how their message remains important in the world today. His reflections on apostolic succession and the Church’s unity provide a rich theological perspective that both inspires and provokes our own consideration of the evolution of the Church from its beginning to today.

While the book is relatively short, it is dense with meaning, requiring slow and meditative reading to fully absorb its insights. Some readers might find its theological depth challenging, but Benedict’s clear and elegant writing style makes it approachable.

The Apostles is a beautifully written and spiritually enriching work that offers a deeper understanding of the men Christ chose to spread the Gospel. It is highly recommended for anyone interested in Scripture, Church history, or deepening their faith.