The King Choosing His Ministers
Luke 6:13-16
And when it was day, he called to him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;…


1. The words "when it was day," recall the preceding verse. When the work most expressed His authority, He was still renouncing all independence. Every prayer is a renunciation of independence. Every prayer says, "We can do nothing without Thee." As His prayers were the essentially true prayers, they must have had this meaning perfectly, without any reservation.

2. That night in which He was not alone, because the Father was with Him, prepared Him to come down amidst the disciples whom He had gathered about Him. He had gathered them; they knew it. Each of them had heard a voice, more or less distinctly, bidding him come. Each had yielded to One who, he felt, had a right to command him. And now He takes twelve out of their number. He calls them apostles. They are to be sent forth.

3. Clearly they were distinguished from the other members of the little flock. What had caused the difference? Bid He merely like them better that the rest? Had they merited some greater honour at His hands? Had He discovered some peculiar capacity in them? All such questions would occur to these poor fishermen; would occur to them not less because they were poor fishermen.

4. The number which our Lord fixed upon for His apostles of course reminded them of the tribes into which their nation was divided.

(F. D. Maurice.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

WEB: When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:




The Designation of the Twelve
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