And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
He set apart twelve to remain with Him, share His life, learn from His teaching and example and witness His works, so that He could send them out to preach and work as He did. Their ordination was the first step in organizing the church that after His departure was to be His representative on earth, continue His work, and carry the light of salvation from generation to generation until the close of time. After spending the whole night alone on the mountain in prayer for them, at dawn He called them to Him on the mountainside and dedicated them to the gospel ministry with prayer, instruction, and the laying on of His hands in blessing. He chose humble, unlearned but obedient and faithful men to educate and join to Himself, not from preference for lack of learning, but because those of learning and position who believed lacked the moral courage to confess Him before priests and rulers. Their sacred work, second in responsibility only to His own, was to depend not on human learning, eloquence, or wisdom but on the power of the Holy Spirit working through them.
Setting and Ordination
The ordination took place beneath sheltering trees on a mountainside a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, with no costly sanctuary at command. It was the same place where the Sermon on the Mount was given. Jesus deliberately withdrew from the confusion of the city to the quiet of the fields and hills, the outdoor retreats He loved. Open nature was more in harmony with the lessons of self-denial, simplicity, and faith He desired to teach them. The sacred experiences of that day were forever linked in the disciples' minds with the beauty of mountain and vale and sea.
Much of His teaching was given under the open sky rather than in the temple or the synagogues. He loved the scenes of nature, and to Him each quiet retreat was a sacred temple. The fields and hills were His favorite resorts. After spending all night alone on the mountain in prayer for His chosen ones, at dawn He called them to Him. He set them apart to the gospel work and ministry with words of prayer and instruction and by laying His hands upon their heads in benediction and dedication. Afterward He went with them to the seaside.
He selected humble, unlearned, obedient and faithful men and joined them to Himself to educate them. He did not do this because He preferred the uneducated or opposed education, since a life devoted to God should not be a life of ignorance and the human mind is capable of the highest cultivation. Learned and honorable men believed His teaching and were qualified to serve Him, but they lacked the moral power to fearlessly obey conscience, confess Christ, and risk reputation before frowning priests and jealous rulers. Knowing the hearts of all, He chose those who would obey, though they were humble and still needed further instruction. He chose disciples with differing characters to work together in harmony, so that their varied strengths could supply one another's deficiencies and advance a shared purpose.
He gave Judas a place among the twelve and trusted him to do the work of an evangelist, endowing him with power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. Judas had joined when multitudes were following after seeing the sick, the lame, the blind and the dying flock to Jesus and His mighty works in healing the sick, casting out devils, and raising the dead. He recognized Christ's teaching as superior to all he had ever heard, loved the great Teacher, desired to be with Him, and desired to be changed in character and life. But he never fully surrendered himself, never gave up worldly ambition and love of money, and never came under the divine moulding. While accepting the position of minister he retained his own judgment and opinions and cultivated a disposition to criticize and accuse.
Purpose and Church Mission
They were ordained to be with Him, to remain in His company, to share His joys and trials, to learn from His teaching and example, and to witness His works, in order to pass that instruction on to the world. Their time with Him was a training while He was present, so that He might send them forth to preach, to bear witness to what they had seen and heard of Him, to teach and to work as He did, and to preach the message of salvation. That training prepared them both to be sent out during His ministry and to continue the work after His death.
Their ordination was the first step in organizing the church that after His departure was to be His representative on earth, to continue His work, and to lay the foundation of the Christian church. Their appointment was to a sacred work second in responsibility only to His own. The twelve apostles represented the gospel church as the twelve patriarchs represented Israel.
Through these chosen human agents, working by His word and Spirit and shining amid the world's moral darkness, salvation would be offered to all, and their witness would carry the light of heaven from generation to generation until the close of time. He trained them to lead the church, to teach others, and to send them out with the gospel, and their work depended not on human learning, eloquence, might, or wisdom, but on the power of the Holy Spirit equipping them.
He set apart twelve to remain with Him, share His life, learn from His teaching and example and witness His works, so that He could send them out to preach and work as He did. Their ordination was the first step in organizing the church that after His departure was to be His representative on earth, continue His work, and carry the light of salvation from generation to generation until the close of time. After spending the whole night alone on the mountain in prayer for them, at dawn He called them to Him on the mountainside and dedicated them to the gospel ministry with prayer, instruction, and the laying on of His hands in blessing. He chose humble, unlearned but obedient and faithful men to educate and join to Himself, not from preference for lack of learning, but because those of learning and position who believed lacked the moral courage to confess Him before priests and rulers. Their sacred work, second in responsibility only to His own, was to depend not on human learning, eloquence, or wisdom but on the power of the Holy Spirit working through them.
Setting and Ordination
The ordination took place beneath sheltering trees on a mountainside a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, with no costly sanctuary at command. It was the same place where the Sermon on the Mount was given. Jesus deliberately withdrew from the confusion of the city to the quiet of the fields and hills, the outdoor retreats He loved. Open nature was more in harmony with the lessons of self-denial, simplicity, and faith He desired to teach them. The sacred experiences of that day were forever linked in the disciples' minds with the beauty of mountain and vale and sea.
Much of His teaching was given under the open sky rather than in the temple or the synagogues. He loved the scenes of nature, and to Him each quiet retreat was a sacred temple. The fields and hills were His favorite resorts. After spending all night alone on the mountain in prayer for His chosen ones, at dawn He called them to Him. He set them apart to the gospel work and ministry with words of prayer and instruction and by laying His hands upon their heads in benediction and dedication. Afterward He went with them to the seaside.
He selected humble, unlearned, obedient and faithful men and joined them to Himself to educate them. He did not do this because He preferred the uneducated or opposed education, since a life devoted to God should not be a life of ignorance and the human mind is capable of the highest cultivation. Learned and honorable men believed His teaching and were qualified to serve Him, but they lacked the moral power to fearlessly obey conscience, confess Christ, and risk reputation before frowning priests and jealous rulers. Knowing the hearts of all, He chose those who would obey, though they were humble and still needed further instruction. He chose disciples with differing characters to work together in harmony, so that their varied strengths could supply one another's deficiencies and advance a shared purpose.
He gave Judas a place among the twelve and trusted him to do the work of an evangelist, endowing him with power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. Judas had joined when multitudes were following after seeing the sick, the lame, the blind and the dying flock to Jesus and His mighty works in healing the sick, casting out devils, and raising the dead. He recognized Christ's teaching as superior to all he had ever heard, loved the great Teacher, desired to be with Him, and desired to be changed in character and life. But he never fully surrendered himself, never gave up worldly ambition and love of money, and never came under the divine moulding. While accepting the position of minister he retained his own judgment and opinions and cultivated a disposition to criticize and accuse.
Purpose and Church Mission
They were ordained to be with Him, to remain in His company, to share His joys and trials, to learn from His teaching and example, and to witness His works, in order to pass that instruction on to the world. Their time with Him was a training while He was present, so that He might send them forth to preach, to bear witness to what they had seen and heard of Him, to teach and to work as He did, and to preach the message of salvation. That training prepared them both to be sent out during His ministry and to continue the work after His death.
Their ordination was the first step in organizing the church that after His departure was to be His representative on earth, to continue His work, and to lay the foundation of the Christian church. Their appointment was to a sacred work second in responsibility only to His own. The twelve apostles represented the gospel church as the twelve patriarchs represented Israel.
Through these chosen human agents, working by His word and Spirit and shining amid the world's moral darkness, salvation would be offered to all, and their witness would carry the light of heaven from generation to generation until the close of time. He trained them to lead the church, to teach others, and to send them out with the gospel, and their work depended not on human learning, eloquence, might, or wisdom, but on the power of the Holy Spirit equipping them.