And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.
Jesus went up into a mountain apart from the city to pray alone through the night, and at dawn He called to Himself those He wanted, who came to Him, and He set apart twelve as apostles to the gospel work. He chose the mountainside with its trees and open sky rather than temple or synagogue, because no building could hold the crowds, nature was His loved resort and sacred temple, and its quiet suited the lessons of simplicity, faith and self-denial. Those called were to remain with Him to share His life, learn His teaching, witness His works, and go out to preach and work as He did, until trained to carry on His work after His death and lay the foundation of the Christian church. This ordination was the first step in organizing the church to be His representative on earth, entrusted to humble and unlearned yet varied men whose success would depend not on human wisdom or power but on His word and the Holy Spirit, so that salvation might be brought within everyone's reach.
Mountain Setting and Calling
He went up into a mountain a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, and with no costly sanctuary at command He led His disciples to the retreat He loved, beneath the sheltering trees of the mountainside, apart from the confusion of the city. That sacred experience of calling was forever linked in their minds with the beauty of mountain and vale and sea. He chose the fields and hills and open sky for this calling rather than the temple or the synagogues, not only because no synagogue could have received the throngs that followed Him but because the fields and hills were His favorite resorts. He loved the scenes of nature, much of His teaching was given under the open sky in His outdoor life of journeying from place to place on foot, 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 and hills as more in harmony with the lessons of simplicity, faith, and self-abnegation He desired to teach them.
He spent all night alone on the mountain in prayer for His chosen disciples, and at dawn He called those He wanted to Himself. With words of prayer and instruction He laid His hands upon their heads in blessing, setting them apart to the gospel work. After their ordination He went with them down to a level place by the seaside, because the crowd had filled the shore. There on the mountain's level space He drew the disciples near so they could attend closely, hear clearly, and remember His teaching, while the level space also accommodated the assembled crowd.
On that same mountain He gave the Sermon on the Mount. It was addressed especially to the disciples but also to the assembled crowd. Its opening beatitudes set out the principles of His kingdom of divine grace rather than promises of earthly glory.
Ordination and Continuing Mission
The calling on the mountain, when He summoned whom He would and they came to Him, was the ordaining of the twelve to the apostolate, setting them apart to sacred gospel service, work, and responsibility. With words of prayer and instruction He laid His hands upon their heads in blessing in this consecration to the gospel work. Those called were to remain with Him, sharing His joys and trials, learning from His teaching, witnessing His works, and becoming faithful witnesses able to teach others. At times they were to go out to preach and work even as He did.
Their abiding with Him was a training and experience that fitted them to teach and labor on their own and to carry on His work after His death, helping to lay the foundation of the Christian church. This calling was the first step in the organization of the church that after His departure was to be His representative on earth and continue His work. Through these chosen yet weak men, laboring by His word and Spirit, salvation would be brought within the reach of all.
For this leadership He chose humble, unlearned men instead of depending on the learning of the Jewish teachers or the power of Rome, and He trained them to lead His church, instruct others, and bear the gospel forward. Their work was to rest on the power of the Holy Spirit, not on human might or wisdom. The disciples He chose differed in character, showing that God's work advances best when persons of varied qualities labor together, since no one alone is sufficient and each supplies what another lacks.
Jesus went up into a mountain apart from the city to pray alone through the night, and at dawn He called to Himself those He wanted, who came to Him, and He set apart twelve as apostles to the gospel work. He chose the mountainside with its trees and open sky rather than temple or synagogue, because no building could hold the crowds, nature was His loved resort and sacred temple, and its quiet suited the lessons of simplicity, faith and self-denial. Those called were to remain with Him to share His life, learn His teaching, witness His works, and go out to preach and work as He did, until trained to carry on His work after His death and lay the foundation of the Christian church. This ordination was the first step in organizing the church to be His representative on earth, entrusted to humble and unlearned yet varied men whose success would depend not on human wisdom or power but on His word and the Holy Spirit, so that salvation might be brought within everyone's reach.
Mountain Setting and Calling
He went up into a mountain a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, and with no costly sanctuary at command He led His disciples to the retreat He loved, beneath the sheltering trees of the mountainside, apart from the confusion of the city. That sacred experience of calling was forever linked in their minds with the beauty of mountain and vale and sea. He chose the fields and hills and open sky for this calling rather than the temple or the synagogues, not only because no synagogue could have received the throngs that followed Him but because the fields and hills were His favorite resorts. He loved the scenes of nature, much of His teaching was given under the open sky in His outdoor life of journeying from place to place on foot, 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 and hills as more in harmony with the lessons of simplicity, faith, and self-abnegation He desired to teach them.
He spent all night alone on the mountain in prayer for His chosen disciples, and at dawn He called those He wanted to Himself. With words of prayer and instruction He laid His hands upon their heads in blessing, setting them apart to the gospel work. After their ordination He went with them down to a level place by the seaside, because the crowd had filled the shore. There on the mountain's level space He drew the disciples near so they could attend closely, hear clearly, and remember His teaching, while the level space also accommodated the assembled crowd.
On that same mountain He gave the Sermon on the Mount. It was addressed especially to the disciples but also to the assembled crowd. Its opening beatitudes set out the principles of His kingdom of divine grace rather than promises of earthly glory.
Ordination and Continuing Mission
The calling on the mountain, when He summoned whom He would and they came to Him, was the ordaining of the twelve to the apostolate, setting them apart to sacred gospel service, work, and responsibility. With words of prayer and instruction He laid His hands upon their heads in blessing in this consecration to the gospel work. Those called were to remain with Him, sharing His joys and trials, learning from His teaching, witnessing His works, and becoming faithful witnesses able to teach others. At times they were to go out to preach and work even as He did.
Their abiding with Him was a training and experience that fitted them to teach and labor on their own and to carry on His work after His death, helping to lay the foundation of the Christian church. This calling was the first step in the organization of the church that after His departure was to be His representative on earth and continue His work. Through these chosen yet weak men, laboring by His word and Spirit, salvation would be brought within the reach of all.
For this leadership He chose humble, unlearned men instead of depending on the learning of the Jewish teachers or the power of Rome, and He trained them to lead His church, instruct others, and bear the gospel forward. Their work was to rest on the power of the Holy Spirit, not on human might or wisdom. The disciples He chose differed in character, showing that God's work advances best when persons of varied qualities labor together, since no one alone is sufficient and each supplies what another lacks.