Luke 6:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In light of this, the Lord sought to establish a deeper connection with a few of His disciples by momentarily eluding the Pharisees’ hostility. One evening, He retreated to a solitary mountain to engage in prayer. It is intriguing to consider the nature of His supplication at that time. It is likely that as the Divine Intercessor laid the groundwork for the establishment of the New Testament Church, He sought His Father’s blessing upon His mission, requesting fortitude against the forces of evil. He would have cognized the promise that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" and remembered His words to Simon about praying for him amid the trials to come.

The Son of Man may have also appealed to His heavenly Father for strength for the significant ordeal ahead, as He was to closely associate with Judas Iscariot, the instrument of His impending betrayal, by the will and pleasure of the Father. The following morning, He summoned His disciples upon the mountain, selecting twelve of them to remain in His constant company and to bear witness to what they had seen, heard, and touched. These individuals served as the leaders of the anticipated twelve tribes of the new Israel.

These twelve followers of Christ were appointed to be His closest associates during His earthly ministry, tasked with continuing His mission following His ascension into heaven. From that moment on, He drew them into an intimate community, forming a singular family with Himself as their leader. The names of the apostles listed align with those provided by the evangelists, differing only marginally in the order presented. Mark notes that when referencing James and John, Jesus bestowed upon them the nickname “Boanerges,” meaning sons of Thunder. It is plausible that this designation occurred not at this time but during an event that highlighted the impassioned nature of these apostles, perhaps related to Luke 9:54. Similarly, in mentioning Simon, Mark states that Jesus named him Peter, although this occurred earlier (John 1:42). Some of the apostles mentioned by the evangelists were already familiar to us from the accounts of their initial encounters with Christ (John 1:37 ff.) and their calls to discipleship (Matthew 4:18 ff., 9:9 ff., and parallels), including Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Nathanael, or Bartholomew and Matthew the tax collector. The calling of the other apostles remains less documented.

Although he was the first to draw his sword in defense of Christ, he was also the first to withdraw by denying Him. When Christ appeared to His disciples on the Sea of Galilee following the resurrection, John recognized Him first; however, true to his impulsive nature, Peter plunged into the water to reach Christ, hastily falling before Him. Acting impulsively often led to rebuke from his Master, yet beneath his erratic exterior lay a profound and resilient spirit. Even though he denied Christ three times out of fright, a mere reproachful glance from the suffering Savior stirred him to profound repentance; his sorrowful tears were genuine, and tradition holds that he made it a nightly ritual to seek forgiveness at the hour echoing his betrayal. Thus, despite his moments of doubt, Christ found in Peter an apostle wholly devoted to him, the one who boldly proclaimed Him as the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

The other two chosen apostles, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, possessed contrasting temperaments. They compensated for Peter’s shortcomings with a readiness to embrace new teachings, fervently integrating those truths into their lives. Their dedication mirrored Peter's, though they occasionally leaned toward extreme views, even striving for prominence in the Kingdom of their Lord. Their fiery dispositions and intolerance for opposition earned them the title from Christ of ‘the sons of thunder.’ Their zeal sometimes led them to drastic measures, such as desiring to call down fire from heaven upon an inhospitable village or silencing an outsider who spoke in Christ's name. The paths of these two brothers diverged significantly; James became the first apostolic martyr, suffering death for Christ’s sake, while John outlived all the other apostles, concluding the era of the apostles. At the time of his apostolic calling, John was comparatively young, and his pure, believing heart endeared him to his Divine Master, earning him the designation ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ As a result, John most profoundly reflected his Lord’s spirit and was remarkable in living it out. He was contemplative, gentle, and focused less on Christ's deeds and more on the truths that revealed His divine essence. Hence, in his Gospel, he painted a portrait of Christ's divine nature that could only be expressed by one who regarded Christ as everything.

The information we have about the other apostles is sparse and fragmentary. Peter's brother Andrew occupies a modest role in the Gospel narrative; after his initial calling, he is not mentioned again throughout the rest of the accounts. Nevertheless, he holds the esteemed title of being the first to receive the call from Christ and to recognize Him as Israel’s Messiah. Though lesser-known, he proved to be an effective messenger of the Gospel, traversing various lands, even reaching the far North where he is said to have erected the cross of salvation. According to tradition, Philip, a charioteer with a Greek name possibly linked to Herod Philip or his affection for horses, displayed an openness to good, bringing his friend Nathanael to Christ after recognizing Him. His nature was more grounded than enthusiastic, assessing practical needs such as the amount of food required to feed thousands. However, this practical mindset occasionally limited his spiritual insight, as evidenced by his naive inquiry that drew a rebuke from Jesus: ‘Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us’ (John 14:8-9). His interaction with Greeks seeking Jesus implies a familiarity with the Greek language, likely acquired in metropolitan areas such as Tiberias and Capernaum. Nathanael, known as Bartholomew, was characterized by his integrity and pure-heartedness, so much so that he received commendation from Christ as ‘an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit.’

This event represented a significant moment in the Lord’s life, as He prepared these chosen ones for the vital task of proclaiming His kingdom throughout the world, spending the night before this momentous occasion in solitary prayer. For further insights, refer to the notes on Matthew 10:2 and Mark 3:16-19.