#45 Jesus Calls The Twelve Apostles
Apostle
James E. Talmage:
“A survey of the general
characteristics and qualifications of this body of twelve men reveals some
interesting facts. Before their selection as apostles they had all become
close disciples of the Lord; they believed in Him; several of them,
possibly all, had openly confessed that He was the Son of God; and yet it
is doubtful that any one of them fully understood the real significance of the
Savior’s work.
It is evident by the late remarks
of many of them, and by the instructions and rebuke they called forth from the
Master, that the common Jewish expectation of a Messiah who would reign in
splendor as an earthly sovereign after He had subdued all other nations, had a
place even in the hearts of these chosen ones. After long experience,
Peter’s concern was: “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed
thee; what shall we have therefore?” They were as children to be
trained and taught; but they were mostly willing pupils, receptive of soul,
and imbued with a sincere eagerness to serve. To Jesus they were His
little ones, His children, His servants, and His friends, as they
merited. They were all of the common people, not rabbis, scholars, nor
priestly officials. Their inner natures, not their outward accomplishments were
taken into prime account in the Lord’s choosing. The Master chose
them; they did not choose themselves; by Him they were ordained, and
they could in consequence rely the more implicitly upon His guidance and
support. To them much was given; and much was required. With the one
black exception they all became shining lights in the kingdom of God, and
vindicated the Master’s selection. He recognized in each the
characteristics of fitness developed in the primeval world of spirits.” (Chapter
16)
“Calling to him his twelve
disciples, he gave them authority to cast out evil spirits, and to heal every
disease and every infirmity. These twelve Jesus sent on a mission,
charging them as follows: Do not go along the route of the Gentiles, and
do not enter a Samaritan town (again). Go rather to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel, and as you go, proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is fast
approaching. Heal the sick, cure lepers, cast out demons. You
received without paying anything … give without payment. Do not carry
gold, silver, or copper coin in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two
tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff. The worker deserves his keep. Find
out who is suitable in any town or village you enter, and stay there until you
leave. As you enter the house, greet it, and if the house is deserving,
then let your blessing rest upon it. If it is undeserving, let your
blessing return to you. If anyone will not receive you, or listen to your
words, then on your departure from that house or town, shake off the dust from
your feet. I solemnly declare to you that Sodom and Gomorrah will be in
happier case on the day of judgment than that town.” (Matthew 10:1-15)
Augsburger:
Jesus laments about the weary multitudes
scattered like sheep and with no compassionate shepherd; ready for the
harvest, but no laborers are in sight and many are needed; pray for God to
send “shepherds.” How fitting it is that Jesus will now follow his own counsel
and call more shepherds. (Matthew 9:35-38)
Larson’s
work “Communicator’s Library” provides the following thoughts:
Although Jesus is now
well-acquainted with these brethren, he spends the night in prayer and
counseling with the Father before calling the Twelve. Among other things,
isn’t this showing the example to all who would work in the Lord’s
church?
The time has now arrived for Jesus
to begin formally organizing the Church and Kingdom of God on the
earth. His ministry has been going about one and a half years (since his baptism
by John the Baptist.)
He has established a presence and
large groups of followers in Jerusalem and surrounding areas of his
choosing. The Church Jesus will now organize and the gospel it will
present will be (in full or in part) the same as in previous
dispensations, and the same as today’s restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints. “First apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers … after
that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of
tongues.”
(1 Cor. 12:28 – signs of the true
church) (Luke 6:12-13)
Apostle
Bruce R. McConkie
For these twelve “there was no
happenstance in their calls; they had been foreordained by Him who knows
all things and who had prepared them from all eternity to be his ministers in
the meridian day.”
Witnesses of the Redeemer ... humble
folk, weak and simple Galileans, unlearned in Rabbinic lore, but men who
could be taught from on high, whose souls will vibrate as the revelations of
eternity pour in upon them.” They are the ones Lehi, Nephi, Abraham,
Jeremiah and other prophets saw in vision and who were chosen to be rulers
before they were born. We know very little detail about the original
twelve individuals, but as ordained apostles we know they went
forward teaching, preaching, baptizing, ordaining, calling others, bestowing
the gift of the Holy Ghost, arbitrating, doing miracles and healings,
testifying, rebuking evil … they were fearless in the performance of their
office.
Apostle
Bruce R. McConkie:
The ordaining of the Twelve to the
Apostleship was a/the major step in Jesus’ final organizing of his earthly
Church and Kingdom. As he prepares them to eventually preside over
the affairs of his Church in his absence, they will also be given the Keys and
Priesthood authority to do so.
Jesus had such zeal in his
ministerial labors he would neglect to stop and eat or rest and care for his
physical needs. His followers were concerned for his well-being and
referred to him as one “beside himself,” as we sometimes do today. (Mark
3:20-21)
Eleven of the original twelve
apostles were from the province of Galilee, where Jesus made his home at
Capernaum during much of his active ministry. One apostle, Judas, was from
the province of Judea wherein Jerusalem was located.
Glenn R. McGettigan
January 2016
References:
“Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary.” McConkie
“The Mortal Messiah.” Book 2.
McConkie
“Communicator’s Library.” Larson
“Communicator’s Commentary.” Augsburger
“Jesus the Christ.” Talmage
“A New Translation.” Albright
and Mann
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