And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
After a night alone in mountain prayer while the disciples slept below, Jesus at dawn called them up to him and chose twelve from them and named them apostles, setting them apart to the gospel work with prayer and laying on of hands in benediction. That choosing was the first step in organizing the church that was to be his representative on earth after his departure, with the twelve apostles standing for the gospel church as the twelve patriarchs stood for Israel. Their office was the most important ever given to human beings, second only to that of Christ himself, to be workers together with God for the saving of the world. They were to stay with him and share his life and receive his words into their hearts, that they might go forth as his witnesses to declare what they had seen and heard and to labor even alone as he labored, and that training under his direction would fit them to carry on and lay the foundation of the Christian church after his death. His long communion with the Father before choosing them strengthened him for work and conflict and kept his oneness with infinite power, showing that hearts must be refreshed alone with God to resist temptation and that communion with God must come before important work and great trial.
Setting and Manner of Choosing
The choosing took place on a mountainside a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, beneath sheltering trees in a retreat He loved. It was the same mountainside where the sermon on the mount was given. The sacred experiences of that day were thus forever linked in the minds of the disciples with the beauty of mountain and vale and sea.
He had no costly sanctuary at command, and He chose the quiet of the fields and hills and the open sky rather than temple or synagogue. No synagogue could have received the throngs that followed Him, but that was not the only reason for choosing the fields and groves. Surrounded by the works of His own creation He could turn thoughts from the artificial to the natural, for He loved the scenes of nature and to Him each quiet retreat was a sacred temple. In training His disciples He withdrew from the confusion of the city to the quiet of the fields as more in harmony with the lessons of self-abnegation He desired to teach them, and the quiet away from the city fit the lessons of simplicity, faith and self-denial. This belongs to His largely outdoor life, journeying from place to place on foot and giving much of His teaching in the open air.
When day came He called them after going into the mountain and continuing all night alone in solitary prayer to God the Father while the disciples slept at its foot. He prayed especially for these chosen ones. Prayer strengthened Him for His work and conflicts and preserved His oneness with infinite power, so that though tempted in all points like human beings Satan obtained no victory over Him. The night teaches the necessity of coming away alone for communion with God so that mind and heart are refreshed and strengthened to resist the temptations of Satan. Communion with God must come before important work and great trial, and this important work of choosing and appointing the twelve was preceded by communion with the Father, for He sought solitude in the mountains and prayed before important work or great trials.
At dawn He summoned the disciples up into the mount and set them apart to the gospel work in an ordination. Gathering His disciples about Him, He bowed in their midst and with words of prayer and instruction laid His hands upon their heads in benediction, offering a prayer dedicating them to His sacred work. Then He went with them to the seaside, where in the early morning a great multitude had already begun to assemble to hear and to be healed. There He healed the sick and comforted the sorrowing until the crowd outgrew the narrow beach. So He moved up the mountain to a level space where the people could be accommodated, and called His disciples near Him and kept them close so that the great truths He uttered might be indelibly impressed upon their minds with nothing to divert their attention and so they would remember His words.
Office and Work of Apostles
The choosing of the twelve whom He named apostles was the first step in organizing the church that after His departure was to be His representative on earth. As the twelve patriarchs stand as representatives of Israel, so the twelve apostles were to stand as representatives of the gospel church. Their office was the most important to which human beings had ever been called, second only to that of Christ Himself, to be workers together with God for the saving of the world.
They were to be linked with Jesus, to be with Him, to share His joys and trials, and to receive His teachings and His words into their hearts. They stayed close and listened attentively so they would remember, recognizing His words as spirit and life and words of eternal life. He called them to send them forth as His faithful witnesses to declare to the world what they had seen and heard of Him and His mighty works and to impart what they learned. He would qualify them so He could at times send them alone to teach and work even as He taught and worked.
That experience in gospel labor under His comfort and direction while on earth would enable them to continue successfully after His death and lay the foundation of the Christian church. He knew the character of the men He chose, all their weaknesses and errors, the perils through which they must pass and the responsibility that would rest upon them, and His heart yearned over them. Their call involved no promise of worldly gain or honor, for they left former work and followed without first asking what they would receive, teaching that service should be driven not by concern for compensation but by desire to be with Him and join His work.
Judas was numbered among the apostles, which illustrates that false believers can be found in the church and that Christ bears patiently with perverse character. The disciples themselves wanted Judas included and recommended him because they considered his commanding appearance, keen discernment, and executive ability useful to the work.
After a night alone in mountain prayer while the disciples slept below, Jesus at dawn called them up to him and chose twelve from them and named them apostles, setting them apart to the gospel work with prayer and laying on of hands in benediction. That choosing was the first step in organizing the church that was to be his representative on earth after his departure, with the twelve apostles standing for the gospel church as the twelve patriarchs stood for Israel. Their office was the most important ever given to human beings, second only to that of Christ himself, to be workers together with God for the saving of the world. They were to stay with him and share his life and receive his words into their hearts, that they might go forth as his witnesses to declare what they had seen and heard and to labor even alone as he labored, and that training under his direction would fit them to carry on and lay the foundation of the Christian church after his death. His long communion with the Father before choosing them strengthened him for work and conflict and kept his oneness with infinite power, showing that hearts must be refreshed alone with God to resist temptation and that communion with God must come before important work and great trial.
Setting and Manner of Choosing
The choosing took place on a mountainside a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, beneath sheltering trees in a retreat He loved. It was the same mountainside where the sermon on the mount was given. The sacred experiences of that day were thus forever linked in the minds of the disciples with the beauty of mountain and vale and sea.
He had no costly sanctuary at command, and He chose the quiet of the fields and hills and the open sky rather than temple or synagogue. No synagogue could have received the throngs that followed Him, but that was not the only reason for choosing the fields and groves. Surrounded by the works of His own creation He could turn thoughts from the artificial to the natural, for He loved the scenes of nature and to Him each quiet retreat was a sacred temple. In training His disciples He withdrew from the confusion of the city to the quiet of the fields as more in harmony with the lessons of self-abnegation He desired to teach them, and the quiet away from the city fit the lessons of simplicity, faith and self-denial. This belongs to His largely outdoor life, journeying from place to place on foot and giving much of His teaching in the open air.
When day came He called them after going into the mountain and continuing all night alone in solitary prayer to God the Father while the disciples slept at its foot. He prayed especially for these chosen ones. Prayer strengthened Him for His work and conflicts and preserved His oneness with infinite power, so that though tempted in all points like human beings Satan obtained no victory over Him. The night teaches the necessity of coming away alone for communion with God so that mind and heart are refreshed and strengthened to resist the temptations of Satan. Communion with God must come before important work and great trial, and this important work of choosing and appointing the twelve was preceded by communion with the Father, for He sought solitude in the mountains and prayed before important work or great trials.
At dawn He summoned the disciples up into the mount and set them apart to the gospel work in an ordination. Gathering His disciples about Him, He bowed in their midst and with words of prayer and instruction laid His hands upon their heads in benediction, offering a prayer dedicating them to His sacred work. Then He went with them to the seaside, where in the early morning a great multitude had already begun to assemble to hear and to be healed. There He healed the sick and comforted the sorrowing until the crowd outgrew the narrow beach. So He moved up the mountain to a level space where the people could be accommodated, and called His disciples near Him and kept them close so that the great truths He uttered might be indelibly impressed upon their minds with nothing to divert their attention and so they would remember His words.
Office and Work of Apostles
The choosing of the twelve whom He named apostles was the first step in organizing the church that after His departure was to be His representative on earth. As the twelve patriarchs stand as representatives of Israel, so the twelve apostles were to stand as representatives of the gospel church. Their office was the most important to which human beings had ever been called, second only to that of Christ Himself, to be workers together with God for the saving of the world.
They were to be linked with Jesus, to be with Him, to share His joys and trials, and to receive His teachings and His words into their hearts. They stayed close and listened attentively so they would remember, recognizing His words as spirit and life and words of eternal life. He called them to send them forth as His faithful witnesses to declare to the world what they had seen and heard of Him and His mighty works and to impart what they learned. He would qualify them so He could at times send them alone to teach and work even as He taught and worked.
That experience in gospel labor under His comfort and direction while on earth would enable them to continue successfully after His death and lay the foundation of the Christian church. He knew the character of the men He chose, all their weaknesses and errors, the perils through which they must pass and the responsibility that would rest upon them, and His heart yearned over them. Their call involved no promise of worldly gain or honor, for they left former work and followed without first asking what they would receive, teaching that service should be driven not by concern for compensation but by desire to be with Him and join His work.
Judas was numbered among the apostles, which illustrates that false believers can be found in the church and that Christ bears patiently with perverse character. The disciples themselves wanted Judas included and recommended him because they considered his commanding appearance, keen discernment, and executive ability useful to the work.