The designation of the twelve.
Our Lord appears to have formally designated the twelve, on this occasion, to be his apostles. He had called them singly before; now he appoints them to their post in a more formal manner. This act of his suggests to us some thoughts upon??
I. THEIR LIKENESS TO ONE ANOTHER, and the consequent bond of union between one another. This consisted in:
1. A common nationality, with all that meant to an intensely patriotic people.
2. A common faith, including a common hope that a new prophet would arise and accomplish all that was looked for from the expected Messiah.
3. Similar circumstances, education and social position; not the same, indeed, but of the same class.
4. A common attachment to Jesus Christ; in the case of most of them a trust and an affection that were to deepen every day, in the case of one of them a faith that was to slacken and to depart.
II. THEIR DIVERGENCES FROM ONE ANOTHER.
1. In the habits of mind and life formed by different occupations.
2. In mental constitution and moral disposition. How different Peter from John, and both from Thomas, and all three from James, etc.!
3. In reputation. Of some of them we know nothing but their names; we do not know where they laboured or what was the kind or measure of their service. Tradition has been busy with their names, but history tells us nothing. Of others we have a considerable knowledge, and their reputation is great indeed and will be ever growing.
4. In their career: one ending in shame and gloom; the others in honour and in glory.
III. THEIR FUNCTIONS. These, according to Mark, were threefold.
1. Being with Christ, and witnessing his life; thus qualifying themselves to attest his purity, his power, his love.
2. Preaching the gospel; making known to their countrymen that the Promised One for whom they had so long been looking had come at last, and had come with the most gracious words on his lips that man had ever spoken.
3. Verifying the truth by acts of beneficent power?봳hey were to exercise "power to heal." And it is in no small or mean sense that our Lord summons us all to do these same things.