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;… I. WHY DID OUR LORD CHOOSE APOSTLES? 1. TO spread the Christian religion after His ascension. 2. To record and transmit to future ages the most important facts concerning Jesus — His miracles, doctrines, precepts. II. WHY WERE TWELVE THOUGHT NECESSARY? 1. AS the apostles were to be witnesses to the world of facts of the highest importance, it was proper that they should not be too few. The consistent evidence of twelve men must be unexceptionable. Their thorough agreement as to the same facts, doctrines, and precepts, is remarkable and convincing, especially when we consider that after Christ's ascension they were so widely scattered as to shut off all possibility of collusion. 2. They were destined to propagate the gospel among many nations. They were not too numerous, in proportion to the duties assigned them. 3. If it be farther demanded why twelve were fixed on, rather than eleven, or thirteen, we can give no other answer, but that this was probably done to gratify the Jews, who might prefer twelve, as corresponding to the number of their tribes. III. WHY DID JESUS GIVE A PREFERENCE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHOM HE SELECTED? (J. Thomson, D. D.) 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; |
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