Luke 6:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In light of this, and seeking to temporarily avoid the hostility of the Pharisees, the Lord aimed to forge a deeper bond with a select few disciples. To accomplish this, He intentionally withdrew one evening to a solitary mountain to engage in prayer. The contents of the Lord’s prayer during this moment are not explicitly known, but it is reasonable to surmise that as the Divine Advocate was laying the groundwork for the New Testament Church, He sought His Father’s blessing upon His mission, requesting fortitude against the forces of darkness (and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; I have seen Satan fall like lightning from heaven; this Satan desires to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you, Simon).

Furthermore, the Son of Man likely asked His heavenly Father for strength for the momentous task ahead, for come morning, by the Father’s will and delight, He would confront the one who would later betray Him—Judas Iscariot. The next day, summoning His disciples to the mountain, He selected twelve of them to be with Him always, so they could bear witness to what they had seen, heard, and touched (Mk. 3:14). In essence, these twelve would serve as the foundational leaders of the new tribes of the future Israel (Rev. 21:14).

These twelve disciples were called to be the most intimate companions of Christ during His time on Earth and to carry on His mission following His ascension. Henceforth, He drew them close, forming a singular community, a family, with Him as the leader. The list of apostles provided aligns with the names given by the evangelists but may differ slightly in their arrangement. Mark notes that when referring to James and John, Jesus bestowed upon them the name Boanerges, meaning sons of Thunder. It is possible that this renaming occurred not at this moment but in response to an event that showcased the zealous nature of these apostles, perhaps related to Luke 9:54. Likewise, Mark indicates that Jesus assigned Simon the name Peter, although this occurred at a different time (John 1:42). Some of the apostles mentioned by the evangelists are already familiar to us through 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 details surrounding the calling of the other apostles remain unknown.

Next in the apostolic list is Thomas, often called the Twin, as denoted by his Aramaic name. His character is vividly illustrated through three particular moments recorded in the Gospel narrative. Noted for his seriousness and almost resonant nature, Thomas also exhibited a tendency toward caution. He consistently assessed situations by contemplating the difficulties they presented, often leading him toward despondency. However, when convinced of a truth, he transformed into a figure of courageous, clear, and fervent faith. His love and loyalty to his Master could inspire acts of the most heroic self-sacrifice.

Following Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, is referred to as the Less, potentially due to his stature or youth compared to James, the son of Zebedee. In Mark 15:40, he is described as ό μικρός, a term commonly used to denote shorter individuals, although it could also refer to younger persons, as seen in Judges 6:15 where Gideon claims he is the youngest in his family. Among the chosen apostles, Simon stands out, designated the Zealot in Luke’s account, while Matthew and Mark refer to him as the Cananean. His designation indicates he belonged to the Zealots, a faction that opposed foreign dominion, viewing it as incompatible with the ultimate purpose of God's chosen people, actively engaging in armed resistance, seeing their battle as sacred.

Through Christ’s call, the apostles comprised an astonishingly diverse group, uniting seemingly incompatible characters: a member of the Zealot party alongside a tax collector, a fervent advocate for national freedom with someone who had aligned with an occupying authority. Nevertheless, through the transformative power of divine truth, both discarded their old selves, adopting a new identity of gracious righteousness, thereby fostering a genuine brotherhood.

This moment was pivotal in the Lord's ministry, as He prepared to appoint His disciples for the global mission of proclaiming His kingdom, dedicating the night prior to this significant event in fervent prayer on the mountain. The term "named apostles" can be examined in the context of Matthew 10:2. For further details on the names "Simon" and others, refer to the notes on Matthew 10:2-4 and Mark 3:16-19.