highest. His will was in accordance with the will of the Father [among these partly the Twelve, just mentioned, icere included ; partly others, for instance, Joseph and Matthias, Acts i. 23. — V. g.] — a'7rr,'kdov) they came away) leaving all things.
14. Awcifxa, twelve) The characteristic notes of an apostle were, an immediate and direct call, a continuous intercourse with Christ, the being an eye-witness, the right of preaching univer sally [and not merely restricted to one locality], the gift of miracles.
16. 'ET20r,/c£, He put upon) It is a mark of Lordship to give a surname ; this He gave also to James and John jointly, ver. 17 ; but to Peter first of all before them. So in the catalogue of the twelve spies of the land of Canaan, mention is made of Joshua receiving that name instead of Hosea ; Numb. xiii. 4-16.
17. 'laxu(3ov, James) He calls to Him. — ovopara, names) The plural intimates that this name applied even to each of the two separately [Vers. Germ, maintains, on the contrary, that it was only conjointly they seem to have been honoured with this sur name. This is the only passage in which the surname of James and John is mentioned, whereas that of Peter occurs frequently]. — ftoavipytg, Boanerges) " Without doubt Christ by this name alludes (XSWH 'OS) to the two Scribes, who, in the Sanhedrim, were wont to sit, one on the right hand, the other on the left of the high priest, of whom the former used to collect the votes of acquittal, the latter those of condemnation, and Christ applies this judicial custom of the Sanhedrim to His spiritual kingdom ;" Mellant, Sac., p. 36, 37. The etymology of the surname is somewhat differently traced out by Hiller; Onom., p. 117, 699. — vioi Ppovrrig, sons of thunder) A magnificent appellation. Thunder in Scripture is something both terrible and joyous. So also the Gospel strikes terror into the world, and brings joy and gain to the godly. John in his mildness has, notwithstand ing the hidden force of thunder, especially in his testimony as to the Godhead of Jesus Christ; comp. John xii. 29, 28 ; and in the Revelation he has written out the account of very many thunders ; and he himself heard utterances of thunders, which he was forbidden to write out ; Rev. x. 3, 4. Hiller, in the passage quoted from him, says, " The thunder-bolt (lightning)