Why do Matthew and Mark list Thaddeus in the names of apostles, but Luke mentions another Judas?
Question:
Why is the listing of names for the twelve apostles in Matthew 10 and Mark 3 different from Luke 6? The first two evangelists list Thaddeus instead of a second Judas, as does Luke.<br />
Answer:
The apostle Thaddeus mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew (10:3) and Mark (3:18) is one and the same as the first Judas mentioned in Luke (6:16). It is likely that this apostle had a second name that was often used to avoid confusion with Judas Iscariot. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture explains:
Doubtless like others of his time he enjoyed several names, and it is natural that the early Christians should have avoided the name he shared with the traitor (948).
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