All the apostles were disciples, but not all disciples were apostles. The word "disciple" means "learner" and is applied to all followers of Jesus Christ.

The word "apostle" means "one sent forth on a mission" or "a missionary."

Most people think it refers to a senior minister of the Lord, but that is not the case.

Jesus knew that He needed trained workers to carry on His ministry and work. These apostles were to be fellow laborers with Him in founding His church and in evangelizing the world.

Why were twelve chosen?

Twelve was God’s governmental number. This number indicated that Jesus was about to establish the Kingdom of God.

Just as there were twelve sons of Jacob who became the founders of the nation of Israel, so the twelve apostles were to become the founders of the church.