Jesus

====Disciples and followers====
{{Main|Apostles in the New Testament|Commissioning of the Twelve Apostles}}
[[File:Brooklyn Museum - The Exhortation to the Apostles (Recommandation aux apôtres) - James Tissot.jpg|thumb|right|''The Exhortation to the Apostles'', by [[James Tissot]], portrays Jesus talking to his 12 disciples.]]
Near the beginning of his ministry, Jesus [[Commissioning of the Twelve Apostles|appoints twelve apostles]]. In Matthew and Mark, despite Jesus only briefly requesting that they join him, Jesus' first four apostles, who were fishermen, are described as immediately consenting, and abandoning their nets and boats to do so.<ref>[[wikisource:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#4:18|Matthew 4:18–22]], [[wikisource:Bible (American Standard)/Mark#1:16|Mark 1:16–20]].</ref> In John, Jesus' first two apostles were disciples of John the Baptist. The Baptist sees Jesus and calls him the [[Lamb of God]]; the two hear this and follow Jesus.{{sfn|Brown|1988|pp= 25–27}}{{sfn|Boring|Craddock|2004|pages= 292–93}} In addition to the Twelve Apostles, the opening of the passage of the [[Sermon on the Plain]] identifies a much larger group of people as disciples.<ref>[[wikisource:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#6:17|Luke 6:17]].</ref> Also, in [[s:Bible (American Standard)/Luke#10:1|Luke 10:1–16]] Jesus sends [[Seventy disciples|70 or 72 of his followers]] in pairs to prepare towns for his prospective visit. They are instructed to accept hospitality, heal the sick, and spread the word that the [[Kingship and kingdom of God|Kingdom of God]] is coming.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | title=The Gospel According to Luke | encyclopedia=New Collegeville Bible Commentary: New Testament | publisher=Liturgical Press | year=2009 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sdooTRyPMCwC&pg=PA255 | page=255 | first=Michael F. | last=Patella | editor-first=Daniel | editor-last=Durken | isbn=978-0-8146-3260-4 | access-date=14 August 2015 | archive-date=10 September 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910044704/https://books.google.com/books?id=sdooTRyPMCwC&pg=PA255 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In Mark, the disciples are notably obtuse. They fail to understand Jesus' miracles,<ref>{{bibleref2|Mark|4:35–41}}, {{bibleref2|Mark|6:52}}.</ref> his parables,<ref>{{bibleref2|Mark|4:13}}.</ref> or what "rising from the dead" means.<ref>{{bibleref2|Mark|9:9–10}}.</ref> When Jesus is later arrested, they desert him.{{sfn|Harris|1985|pp=285–96}}