Simon, ( whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
Luke 6:14 names the first six of the twelve men called to the apostolate, Simon whom Jesus also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew. Their calling took place beneath sheltering trees on a mountainside a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, the same mountainside near the sea where the sermon on the mount was also given. Fields and hills were His favorite resorts, and much of His teaching was given under the open sky rather than in the temple or the synagogues. No synagogue could have received the throngs that followed Him, but He chose fields and groves not for this reason only, for He loved the scenes of nature, and to Him each quiet retreat was a sacred temple.
Their calling marked the first step in organizing the church that would represent Christ on earth after His departure. The ordination came after Jesus spent the night in prayer to His Father in the solitude of the mountains. Before an important work, and before the disciples went forth on their mission, they were called up into the mount with Jesus, showing that power for service comes from communion with God.
The call to Peter and his fellow disciples offered no flattering prospects in this life, no promise of gain or worldly honor, and no stipulation about what they should receive. When bidden to follow Him they immediately left their boats and nets, and though some had friends dependent on them for support they did not hesitate or ask how they should live and sustain their families. Christ proved His care for them, so that when He afterward sent them without purse and scrip and shoes they lacked nothing. The same call comes today as when He called Matthew and John and Peter to His work, and those whose hearts are touched by His love do not put the question of compensation first but rejoice to be co-workers with Christ and do not fear to trust His care, and by making God their strength they gain clear conceptions of duty, unselfish aspirations, and a life actuated by a noble purpose that raises them above sordid motives.
The list includes Judas Iscariot among the apostles. His place among them shows that a false believer could be numbered with Christ's disciples, yet Jesus bore patiently with him rather than losing hope of his soul.
Luke 6:14 names the first six of the twelve men called to the apostolate, Simon whom Jesus also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew. Their calling took place beneath sheltering trees on a mountainside a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, the same mountainside near the sea where the sermon on the mount was also given. Fields and hills were His favorite resorts, and much of His teaching was given under the open sky rather than in the temple or the synagogues. No synagogue could have received the throngs that followed Him, but He chose fields and groves not for this reason only, for He loved the scenes of nature, and to Him each quiet retreat was a sacred temple.
Their calling marked the first step in organizing the church that would represent Christ on earth after His departure. The ordination came after Jesus spent the night in prayer to His Father in the solitude of the mountains. Before an important work, and before the disciples went forth on their mission, they were called up into the mount with Jesus, showing that power for service comes from communion with God.
The call to Peter and his fellow disciples offered no flattering prospects in this life, no promise of gain or worldly honor, and no stipulation about what they should receive. When bidden to follow Him they immediately left their boats and nets, and though some had friends dependent on them for support they did not hesitate or ask how they should live and sustain their families. Christ proved His care for them, so that when He afterward sent them without purse and scrip and shoes they lacked nothing. The same call comes today as when He called Matthew and John and Peter to His work, and those whose hearts are touched by His love do not put the question of compensation first but rejoice to be co-workers with Christ and do not fear to trust His care, and by making God their strength they gain clear conceptions of duty, unselfish aspirations, and a life actuated by a noble purpose that raises them above sordid motives.
The list includes Judas Iscariot among the apostles. His place among them shows that a false believer could be numbered with Christ's disciples, yet Jesus bore patiently with him rather than losing hope of his soul.