Why did Jesus want his disciples to follow him?

Answer 1

Because they knew he was the Messiah that was going to die for our sins. Jesus also preached to all the people and the disciples wanted to hear too.

Answer:

For awhile, more than just the twelve followed Jesus around.

At that time... mostly due to John the Baptist's public ministry for repentance -- "...This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: '... Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him..." (Matt.3:3 NIV). -- the air was virtually "electric" throughout Judaea with the expectation of the Messiah's appearance.

Along with all the other Jews across the land, the twelve men who would be specifically "called" by Jesus to "follow Him," were also waiting to see who John would point to. It was Peter's brother, Andrew, who stood at John's side when he revealed who the Messiah was:

"...John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!' When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus... So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him... Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAH' (that is, the Christ)." (John 1:35-41 NIV)

The Jews' lives revolved around the scriptures and the prophecies of their salvation by the coming Messiah [and still are]. When Jesus walked the earth as a man, John the Baptist's preaching, baptizing and "paving the way"... not to mention the advent of Daniel's "4th Beast" [see Dan.7], the Roman Empire, set the stage for the growing expectation of the appearance of the long-awaited Messiah. The Jews saw all the prophecies coming together.

Andrew's declaration to his brother, Peter, that he found the Messiah was exactly what Peter and thousands of others throughout the land wanted to hear.

But only two of John's disciples were with him when he revealed who the Messiah was. And Jesus went about calling certain people out of all the multitudes -- not everyone.

Andrew and Peter... and the others who followed Jesus closely for the next 3 1/2 years went on John's say-so that Jesus was the expected Messiah... and "believed" what Jesus told them: that they would hold leadership roles [be kings] in the coming Kingdom of God, of which, He was its King.

"...I tell you the Truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, YOU WHO HAVE FOLLOWED ME WILL ALSO SIT ON TWELVE THRONES, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt.19:28 NIV)

The disciples followed Jesus, because they believed Jesus was going to set up the Kingdom of God on earth according to the prophecies, which they believed they were seeing being fulfilled before their eyes.

And, even more importantly to them... according to the One whom they followed, they believed that they would be given authority and power to become co-rulers in the prophesied Kingdom of God with Him, when He finally made His move.

Even James' and John's mother selfishly tried to get Jesus to afford her two sons special consideration of high positions of authority at either side of Jesus' throne when the Kingdom would come to be:

"Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of Him... She said, 'Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your Kingdom.'" (Matt.20:20-21 NIV)

Initially, at least... for the most part [until they later would be given understanding of the Truth of God that would be revealed to them by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost], for 3 1/2 years they followed Jesus for purely selfish, carnal reasons of their own: to be with Him when He finally "kicked the Roman Empire out of Judaea" and "restored the Kingdom to Israel" -- and that they would be, as He promised; governmental co-leaders... in with Him on the ground floor of the new regime when it took over.

Answer 2

Samuel from the time he was a boy , he was willing to listen and follow god.

Answer 3

Because he knew that they would have to follow him now, but later they would spread the word of god.

Answer 4

Jesus had far more than 12 disciples. He had 12 apostles, and they joined because by the guidance of the Spirit they saw Jesus to be the promised Messiah, or in Greek, the Christ.