The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 422

HOMILETICS. Vers. 1---4.-The mission of the twelve. I. TnE CALL. 1. The number. He callco. unto him his twelve disciples. He had many more, He called these twelve. 'fhere seems to be a symbolical meaning in the number. We see plainly in the Book of the Revelation that twelve is the number of the Church. Three is the signature of God; four of the world; twelve, the product of three and four, points to God as enter- iog into relations with the world, making a covenant with the Church which he hath called to himself out of the world, Twelve was the number of the Jewish Church the Church of the twelve patriarchs; it is the number of the Christian Church, th; Church of the twelve apostles. Then there is a meaning in the number; it seems to imply that God was entering into a new covenant with mankind-a covenant which was to find its consummation in the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God, which bath twelve gates, twelve angel-guardians, twel-ve foundations ; the length and breadth and height of which are each twelve thousand furlongs. Twelve implies a covenant; the chosen disciples were the ministers of that covenant, "able ministers of the New Testament." Thus the very number of the apostles reminds us that we are brought by the grace of Christ into very close relations with God, into a new covenant with God. 2. The name. They had been disciples, now they became apostles. It is the first occurrence of that higher title in St. Matthew's Gospel. The Lord sent them forth; they became his ambassadors, his messengers, his missionaries. They had been disciples for some time; they had been called on various occasions ; the calling of five out of the number has been already related by St. Matthew. They did not cease to be his disciples, his pupils. We learn of him all our life long; he bath the words of eternal life; we can never learn enough. But now they were to go forth to preach in his Name. It was a solemn mission. Before sending them (Luke tells us)" he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." We should learn from his example to pray long and earnestly for those who are to be ordained to any holy function in his Church. But as yet this mission was preliminary only, and confined within narrow limits. The apostles did not receive their full commission till the Lord had risen from the dead; it v;as sealed by the descent of the Holy Ghost on the great Day of Pentecost. But from this time they were apostles, the messengers, the angels of Christ upon earth; as the holy angels are the messengers of our Father ·which is in heaven. His ministers must have the like credentials now. "How shall th<:y preach, except they are sent? n It is from him that the mission comes; he gives the zeal. the energy, the love. His ministers must stir up the gift of God that is in them, remembering always the solemn responsibilities of the;r high and holy calling. 3. The gift of power. The Lord gave his apostles power over evil spirits, and power to cure diseases. The age of miracles has passed away, but ~till he giveth power. ChriBtiaoity is not a mere republication of the moral law; it is a 1·eligion of power, because its living centre is not a theology, but a Person, the Lord JesUB, the Son of God. who gives the sacred gift of the Holy Ghost to his chosen, The gift of the Holy Ghost is a gift of power-power to overcome the wicked one in our own hearts, power to preach with energy and burning zeal, power to cast out evil spirits by word, by holy example, by earnest preaching, by the ministration of the holy sacraments. II. THE LIST OF THE TWELVE .APOSTLES. 1. They were sent out two and two. Christ would have his servants work together; it is not good to be alone. Christian sympathy, communion with like-minded friends, help the Christian warrior in hie daily strife against sin. Christians need that mutual help. Even St. Paul, who lived so very near to Christ, who could say, " To me to live is Christ," longed always for sympathy, and felt loneliness a great and bitter trial. 2. The order of the twelve. They were equal, though we notice a certain gradation of order. St. Peter is first in all the lists; yet when St. Paul was admitted into the apostolic college, though he spoke of himself as the least of the apostles, one born out of due time, he claimed equality with the first chosen twelve; he was not, he said, a whit behind the very chiefest of them; he withstood even Peter to the face. 'J'hrec of the twelve were very Liglily favoured-Peter, James, and John; they only witnessed the firnt miracle of railiillg the dead and the glory of the Transfiguration; they only attended Christ in tho oH. x. 1-42.] THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 419