The Hero

Christ Ordains Twelve Apostles

Picture: Christ Ordains Twelve Apostles 3TC 183.1

This chapter is based on Mark 3:13-35; Luke 6:12-16.

“And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.” 3TC 183.2

Beneath the sheltering trees of the mountainside, a little distance from the Sea of Galilee, Jesus called the Twelve to be His apostles, and He gave the Sermon on the Mount. In training His disciples, Jesus chose to leave the confusion of the city for the quiet of the fields and hills, which was more in harmony with the lessons of self-denial He wanted to teach. And during His ministry, He loved to gather the people around Him under the blue heavens, on some grassy hillside, or on the beach beside the lake. Here He could turn His hearers from the artificial things to the natural. In the growth and development of nature, they could learn precious lessons of divine truth. 3TC 183.3

Jesus was about to take the first step in organizing the church that was to be His representative on earth after His departure. They had no costly sanctuary, but the Savior led His disciples to the secluded place He loved, and in their minds the sacred experiences of that day were linked forever with the beauty of mountain, valley, and sea. 3TC 184.1

Jesus had called His disciples so that He could send them out to tell the world what they had seen and heard from Him. Their task, the most important to which human beings had ever been called, was second only to that of Christ Himself. They were to work with God for the saving of the world. 3TC 184.2

The Savior knew the character of the men He had chosen. Their weaknesses and errors were open before Him. He knew the dangers that they must pass through, and His heart went out to these chosen ones. Alone on a mountain, He spent the entire night in prayer for them, while they were sleeping at the foot of the mountain. With the first light of dawn, He called them to meet Him. 3TC 184.3

John and James, Andrew and Peter, with Philip, Nathanael, and Matthew, had been more closely connected with Jesus in active labor than the others. Peter, James, and John had an even closer relationship with Him, witnessing His miracles and hearing His words. The Savior loved them all, but John’s spirit was the most receptive. Younger than the others, with more of a child’s simple trust, he opened his heart to Jesus. In this way, he came more into harmony with Christ, and through him the Savior communicated His deepest spiritual teaching to His people. 3TC 184.4

Slow to Believe

Philip was the first to whom Jesus spoke the distinct command, “Follow Me.” He had heard John the Baptist announce Christ as the Lamb of God. He was a sincere seeker for truth but was slow to believe, as his announcement of Jesus to Nathanael shows. Though the Voice from heaven had proclaimed Christ as the Son of God, to Philip He was “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” John 1:45. Again, when Jesus fed the five thousand, Philip showed his lack of faith. To test him, Jesus questioned, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” Philip’s answer, on the side of unbelief, made Jesus sad: “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” John 6:5, 7. Philip had seen Jesus’ works and felt His power, yet he did not have faith. 3TC 184.5

When the Greeks asked Philip concerning Jesus, he did not take the opportunity to introduce them to the Savior, but went to tell Andrew. Again, in those last hours before the Crucifixion, the words of Philip were the kind that discourage faith. When Thomas said, “Lord, ... how can we know the way?” the Savior answered, “I am the way. ... If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” From Philip came the response of unbelief: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” John 14:5-8. 3TC 185.1

In happy contrast to Philip’s unbelief was the childlike trust of Nathanael, whose faith took hold of unseen realities. Yet Philip was a student in the school of Christ, and the divine Teacher bore patiently with his unbelief and dullness. When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples, Philip became a godly teacher who taught with an assurance that carried conviction to the hearers. 3TC 185.2

While Jesus was preparing the disciples for ordination, one whom He had not called pressed in among them. Judas Iscariot, a professed follower of Christ, came forward, asking for a place in this inner circle. By joining the apostles, he hoped to gain a high place in the new kingdom. He looked like someone important, he had a keen mind and executive ability, and the disciples recommended him to Jesus as one who would help Him greatly in His work. If Jesus had turned Judas away, they would have questioned their Master’s wisdom. However, the later history of Judas would show the danger of allowing worldly consideration to have weight in deciding someone’s fitness for the work of God. 3TC 185.3

Yet Judas felt the influence of the divine power that was drawing people to the Savior. Jesus would not reject this man while even one desire was reaching toward the light. The Savior read Judas’s heart. He knew the depths of sin to which he would sink, unless he was delivered by the grace of God. In connecting this man with Himself, He placed him where day by day he could come into contact with His own unselfish love. If he would open his heart to Christ, even Judas might become a citizen of the kingdom of God. 3TC 186.1

God takes people as they are and trains them for His service, if they will be disciplined and learn from Him. Through knowing and practicing the truth, through the grace of Christ, they may be transformed into His image. 3TC 186.2

Judas had the same opportunities as the other disciples had. But to follow the truth was not what he wanted or intended, and he would not yield his ideas in order to receive wisdom from Heaven. 3TC 186.3

Tenderly the Savior dealt with the one who was to be His betrayer! Jesus showed Judas the hateful character of greed. Many times the disciple realized that Jesus had portrayed his character and pointed out his sin, but he would not confess and forsake his unrighteousness. He continued to follow his dishonest practices. Lesson after lesson fell in vain on the ears of Judas. 3TC 186.4

Judas Without Excuse

With divine patience, Jesus allowed this erring man to continue with Him, even while giving him evidence that He read his heart like an open book. He presented before him the highest incentives for doing right. But Judas cherished evil desires, revengeful passions, and dark and sullen thoughts until Satan had full control. 3TC 186.5

If Judas had been willing to serve like Christ, he could have been among the greatest of the apostles. But he chose his own selfish ambitions, unfitting himself for the work God would have given him to do. 3TC 186.6

All the disciples had serious faults when Jesus called them. John and his brother were called the “Sons of Thunder.” Any disrespect or contempt shown to Jesus made them angry. Evil temper, revenge, criticism, were all in John, the beloved disciple. But day by day he saw the tenderness and self-restraint of Jesus and heard His lessons of humility and patience. He opened his heart to the divine influence and learned to wear the yoke of Christ. 3TC 187.1

Jesus corrected and cautioned His disciples, but John and the others did not leave Him. They continued to the end to share His trials and to learn the lessons of His life. By beholding Christ, they became transformed in character. 3TC 187.2

The apostles differed widely in habits and character. There was the tax collector, Levi-Matthew; the fiery zealot Simon; generous, impulsive Peter; mean-spirited Judas; Thomas, truehearted, but timid and fearful; Philip, inclined to doubt; the ambitious, outspoken sons of Zebedee, with their fellow apostles. Jesus brought them together, all with inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil. But in Christ, they would learn to become one in faith, in doctrine, in spirit. They would have their differences of opinion, but while Christ was abiding in the heart, there could be no discord. The Master’s lessons would lead them to harmonize all differences, till the disciples would be of one mind and one judgment. Christ is the great Center, and they would approach one another more and more as they approached the center. 3TC 187.3

Ordained for Sacred Work

Jesus gathered the little group close around Him. Kneeling in the midst of them and laying His hands on their heads, He offered a prayer dedicating them to His sacred work. 3TC 187.4

To represent Him among us, Christ does not choose angels who have never fallen, but human beings who have the same nature as those they seek to save. Christ took humanity on Himself. It required both the Divine and the human to bring salvation to the world. The situation is similar with the servants and messengers of Christ. Humanity lays hold on divine power, Christ dwells in the heart by faith, and through cooperating with the Divine, human power becomes efficient for good. 3TC 187.5

He who called the fishermen of Galilee is still calling men and women to His service. However imperfect and sinful we may be, the Lord offers to make us apprentices of Christ. Uniting with Him, we may work the works of God. 3TC 188.1

“We have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7, NRSV. It becomes clear to everyone that the power that works through the weakness of humanity is the power of God. This enables us to believe that the power that can help others as weak as ourselves can help us. 3TC 188.2

Those who are “subject to weakness” (NRSV) themselves should be able to “have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray.” Hebrews 5:2. There are people who are perplexed with doubt, weak in faith, and unable to grasp the Unseen. But a friend, someone they can see, coming in Christ’s place, can be a connecting link to fasten their trembling faith on Christ. 3TC 188.3

We must be the channel to communicate with other people. And when we give ourselves to Christ, angels rejoice that they may speak through our voices to reveal God’s love. 3TC 188.4