The Disciples, New Testament

I have read in other places that Jesus would have been better off without the twelve Galileans who formed the group we call the disciples. They were mainly younger men, no doubt familiar with the history of the House of Israel. They weren't theologians, but they could tell right from wrong, and some had been followers of John the Baptist, a fiery opponent of what the Judaism of his day had come to embody. Jesus himself recognized John as one holding the authority to perform baptisms, and requested one for himself. Though not recorded, it is safe to assume that the disciples followed Jesus' example in this important ordinance.
These were not ignorant men. They were literate in Hebrew and Greek along with Aramaic. I've seen them described as "small businessmen", but this is a description that would have fit most male adults of the time, including Jesus, a carpenter. A neutral observer might have been impressed with them as a group, but it would not have been from their status or accomplishments.
Choosing twelve disciples was one of the first tasks Jesus took on at the start of his mortal ministry. He had to see these men, not just for who they were, but for what they could become when given the inspiration to take the new Gospel out into the world just a few years later.
All of them were Jews, but they couldn't be anti-Roman revolutionaries, because the kingdom they sought was not earthly in nature.We know little about the lives of several of them, a bit more about others. Peter and Andrew were partners in fishing. Matthew was a tax collector. James and John were also brothers, with the latter also identified as a fisherman.
Besides the disciples named, others might have been offered the opportunity. Joining the group would have been entirely voluntary, but no one would be asked twice. It must have been understood by all that the level of commitment was open-ended, although none probably realized to what extent.
Then there was the matter of Judas. Some might argue that the group had to include a disloyal member in order to fulfill prophecy, but, with that assumption Judas' agency of choosing good or evil would be sacrificed. I am more comfortable in feeling that Judas joined for the same reasons as the others, but later chose treachery for reasons that are just not clear today.
They saw and heard wonderful things every day, with their tasks no doubt growing in importance in line with the growth of their faith. There were other followers of Jesus, including women, but from this original tiny group, specifically ordained for this purpose, Christianity eventually spread to all parts of the world.