The Twelve.

We know very little about the 70 disciples. But we know of the 12 disciples,  that none were of the elite of Israel. Only one was Gentile, the others were fishermen. The inner circle were Peter, James and John, who witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus! There is much speculation about why  Jesus chose them as a kind of triumvirate! Each wrote a letter or epistle or more which we now read centuries later!  The Jews knew that the disciples were unschooled fisherman and were amazed! That they had been with Jesus of Nazereth.