From the book "The Desire of Ages"

Chapter 30—“He Ordained Twelve”

This chapter is based on Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16.

“And He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom

He would: and they came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that

they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to

preach.”

It was beneath the sheltering trees of the mountainside, but a

little distance from the Sea of Galilee, that the twelve were called

to the apostolate, and the Sermon on the Mount was given. The

fields and hills were the favorite resorts of Jesus, and much of His

teaching was given under the open sky, rather than in the temple or

the synagogues. No synagogue could have received the throngs that

followed Him; but not for this reason only did He choose to teach in

the fields and groves. Jesus loved the scenes of nature. To Him each

quiet retreat was a sacred temple.

It was under the trees of Eden that the first dwellers on earth

had chosen their sanctuary. There Christ had communed with the

father of mankind. When banished from Paradise, our first parents

still worshiped in the fields and groves, and there Christ met them

with the gospel of His grace. It was Christ who spoke with Abraham

under the oaks at Mamre; with Isaac as he went out to pray in the

fields at the eventide; with Jacob on the hillside at Bethel; with

Moses among the mountains of Midian; and with the boy David as

he watched his flocks. It was at Christ’s direction that for fifteen

centuries the Hebrew people had left their homes for one week every

year, and had dwelt in booths formed from the green branches “of

goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees,

and willows of the brook.” Leviticus 23:40.

In training His disciples, Jesus chose to withdraw from the confusion

of the city to the quiet of the fields and hills, as more in

harmony with the lessons of self-abnegation He desired to teach

them. And during His ministry He loved to gather the people about

Him under the blue heavens, on some grassy hillside, or on the beach

beside the lake. Here, surrounded by the works of His own creation,

He could turn the thoughts of His hearers from the artificial to the

natural. In the growth and development of nature were revealed the

principles of His kingdom. As men should lift up their eyes to the

hills of God, and behold the wonderful works of His hands, they

could learn precious lessons of divine truth. Christ’s teaching would

be repeated to them in the things of nature. So it is with all who go

into the fields with Christ in their hearts. They will feel themselves

surrounded with a holy influence. The things of nature take up the

parables of our Lord, and repeat His counsels. By communion with

God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.

The first step was now to be taken in the organization of the

church that after Christ’s departure was to be His representative on

earth. No costly sanctuary was at their command, but the Saviour

led His disciples to the retreat He loved, and in their minds the

sacred experiences of that day were forever linked with the beauty

of mountain and vale and sea.

Jesus had called His disciples that He might send them forth

as His witnesses, to declare to the world what they had seen and

heard of Him. Their office was the most important to which human

beings had ever been called, and was second only to that of Christ

Himself. They were to be workers together with God for the saving

of the world. As in the Old Testament the twelve patriarchs stand

as representatives of Israel, so the twelve apostles were to stand as

representatives of the gospel church.

The Saviour knew the character of the men whom He had chosen;

all their weaknesses and errors were open before Him; He knew the

perils through which they must pass, the responsibility that would

rest upon them; and His heart yearned over these chosen ones. Alone

upon a mountain near the Sea of Galilee He spent the entire night in

prayer for them, while they were sleeping at the foot of the mountain.

With the first light of dawn He summoned them to meet Him; for

He had something of importance to communicate to them.

These disciples had been for some time associated with Jesus

in active labor. John and James, Andrew and Peter, with Philip,

Nathanael, and Matthew, had been more closely connected with

Him than the others, and had witnessed more of His miracles. Peter,

James, and John stood in still nearer relationship to Him. They were

almost constantly with Him, witnessing His miracles, and hearing

His words. John pressed into still closer intimacy with Jesus, so

that he is distinguished as the one whom Jesus loved. The Saviour

loved them all, but John’s was the most receptive spirit. He was

younger than the others, and with more of the child’s confiding trust

he opened his heart to Jesus. Thus he came more into sympathy with Christ, and through him the Saviour’s deepest spiritual teaching wascommunicated to His people.

At the head of one of the groups into which the apostles are

divided stands the name of Philip. He was the first disciple to whom

Jesus addressed the distinct command, “Follow Me.” Philip was of

Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. He had listened to the

teaching of John the Baptist, and had heard his announcement of

Christ as the Lamb of God. Philip was a sincere seeker for truth,

but he was slow of heart to believe. Although he had joined himself

to Christ, yet his announcement of Him to Nathanael shows that he

was not fully convinced of the divinity of Jesus. Though Christ had

been proclaimed by the voice from heaven as the Son of God, to

Philip He was “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” John 1:45.

Again, when the five thousand were fed, Philip’s lack of faith was

shown. It was to test him that Jesus questioned, “Whence shall we

buy bread, that these may eat?” Philip’s answer was on the side of

unbelief: “Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for

them, that every one of them may take a little.” John 6:5, 7. Jesus

was grieved. Although Philip had seen His works and felt His power,

yet he had not faith. When the Greeks inquired of Philip concerning

Jesus, he did not seize upon the opportunity of introducing them

to the Saviour, but he went to tell Andrew. Again, in those last

hours before the crucifixion, the words of Philip were such as to

discourage faith. When Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we know not

whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?” the Saviour

answered, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…. If ye had known

Me, ye should have known My Father also.” From Philip came the

response of unbelief: “Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.”

John 14:5-8. So slow of heart, so weak in faith, was that disciple

who for three years had been with Jesus.

In happy contrast to Philip’s unbelief was the childlike trust of

Nathanael. He was a man of intensely earnest nature, one whose

faith took hold upon unseen realities. Yet Philip was a student in

the school of Christ, and the divine Teacher bore patiently with his

unbelief and dullness. When the Holy Spirit was poured out upon

the disciples, Philip became a teacher after the divine order. He

knew whereof he spoke, and he taught with an assurance that carried

conviction to the hearers.

While Jesus was preparing the disciples for their ordination, one

who had not been summoned urged his presence among them. It was

Judas Iscariot, a man who professed to be a follower of Christ. He

now came forward, soliciting a place in this inner circle of disciples.

With great earnestness and apparent sincerity he declared, “Master, I

will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.” Jesus neither repulsed

nor welcomed him, but uttered only the mournful words: “The foxes

have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man

[294] hath not where to lay His head.” Matthew 8:19, 20. Judas believed

Jesus to be the Messiah; and by joining the apostles, he hoped to

secure a high position in the new kingdom. This hope Jesus designed

to cut off by the statement of His poverty.

The disciples were anxious that Judas should become one of

their number. He was of commanding appearance, a man of keen

discernment and executive ability, and they commended him to

Jesus as one who would greatly assist Him in His work. They were

surprised that Jesus received him so coolly.

The disciples had been much disappointed that Jesus had not

tried to secure the co-operation of the leaders in Israel. They felt that

it was a mistake not to strengthen His cause by securing the support

of these influential men. If He had repulsed Judas, they would, in

their own minds, have questioned the wisdom of their Master. The

after history of Judas would show them the danger of allowing any

worldly consideration to have weight in deciding the fitness of men

for the work of God. The co-operation of such men as the disciples

were anxious to secure would have betrayed the work into the hands

of its worst enemies.

Yet when Judas joined the disciples, he was not insensible to

the beauty of the character of Christ. He felt the influence of that

divine power which was drawing souls to the Saviour. He who came

not to break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax would

not repulse this soul while even one desire was reaching toward the

light. The Saviour read the heart of Judas; He knew the depths of

iniquity to which, unless delivered by the grace of God, Judas would

sink. In connecting this man with Himself, He placed him where

he might, day by day, be brought in contact with the outflowing of

His own unselfish love. If he would open his heart to Christ, divine

grace would banish the demon of selfishness, and even Judas might

become a subject of the kingdom of God.

God takes men as they are, with the human elements in their

character, and trains them for His service, if they will be disciplined

and learn of Him. They are not chosen because they are perfect, but

notwithstanding their imperfections, that through the knowledge and

practice of the truth, through the grace of Christ, they may become

transformed into His image.

Judas had the same opportunities as had the other disciples. He

listened to the same precious lessons. But the practice of the truth,

which Christ required, was at variance with the desires and purposes

of Judas, and he would not yield his ideas in order to receive wisdom

from Heaven.

How tenderly the Saviour dealt with him who was to be His betrayer!

In His teaching, Jesus dwelt upon principles of benevolence

that struck at the very root of covetousness. He presented before

Judas the heinous character of greed, and many a time the disciple

realized that his character had been portrayed, and his sin pointed

out; but he would not confess and forsake his unrighteousness. He

was self-sufficient, and instead of resisting temptation, he continued

to follow his fraudulent practices. Christ was before him, a living

example of what he must become if he reaped the benefit of the

divine mediation and ministry; but lesson after lesson fell unheeded

on the ears of Judas.

Jesus dealt him no sharp rebuke for his covetousness, but with

divine patience bore with this erring man, even while giving him

evidence that He read his heart as an open book. He presented before

him the highest incentives for right doing; and in rejecting the light

of Heaven, Judas would be without excuse.

Instead of walking in the light, Judas chose to retain his defects.

Evil desires, revengeful passions, dark and sullen thoughts, were

cherished, until Satan had full control of the man. Judas became a

representative of the enemy of Christ.

When he came into association with Jesus, he had some precious

traits of character that might have been made a blessing to the church.

If he had been willing to wear the yoke of Christ, he might have

been among the chief of the apostles; but he hardened his heart when

his defects were pointed out, and in pride and rebellion chose his

own selfish ambitions, and thus unfitted himself for the work that

God would have given him to do.

All the disciples had serious faults when Jesus called them to His

service. Even John, who came into closest association with the meek

and lowly One, was not himself naturally meek and yielding. He

and his brother were called “the sons of thunder.” While they were

with Jesus, any slight shown to Him aroused their indignation and

combativeness. Evil temper, revenge, the spirit of criticism, were

all in the beloved disciple. He was proud, and ambitious to be first

in the kingdom of God. But day by day, in contrast with his own

violent spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and

heard His lessons of humility and patience. He opened his heart to

[296] the divine influence, and became not only a hearer but a doer of the

Saviour’s words. Self was hid in Christ. He learned to wear the yoke

of Christ and to bear His burden.

Jesus reproved His disciples, He warned and cautioned them;

but John and his brethren did not leave Him; they chose Jesus,

notwithstanding the reproofs. The Saviour did not withdraw from

them because of their weakness and errors. They continued to the

end to share His trials and to learn the lessons of His life. By

beholding Christ, they became transformed in character.

The apostles differed widely in habits and disposition. There

were the publican, Levi-Matthew, and the fiery zealot Simon, the

uncompromising hater of the authority of Rome; the generous, impulsive

Peter, and the mean-spirited Judas; Thomas, truehearted, yet

timid and fearful, Philip, slow of heart, and inclined to doubt, and the

ambitious, outspoken sons of Zebedee, with their brethren. These

were brought together, with their different faults, all with inherited

and cultivated tendencies to evil; but in and through Christ they were

to dwell in the family of God, learning to become one in faith, in

doctrine, in spirit. They would have their tests, their grievances, their

differences of opinion; but while Christ was abiding in the heart,

there could be no dissension. His love would lead to love for one

another; the lessons of the Master would lead to the harmonizing of

all differences, bringing the disciples into unity, till they would be

of one mind and one judgment. Christ is the great center, and they

would approach one another just in proportion as they approached

the center.

When Jesus had ended His instruction to the disciples, He gathered

the little band close about Him, and kneeling in the midst of

them, and laying His hands upon their heads, He offered a prayer

dedicating them to His sacred work. Thus the Lord’s disciples were

ordained to the gospel ministry.

As His representatives among men, Christ does not choose angels

who have never fallen, but human beings, men of like passions

with those they seek to save. Christ took upon Himself humanity,

that He might reach humanity. Divinity needed humanity; for it

required both the divine and the human to bring salvation to the

world. Divinity needed humanity, that humanity might afford a

channel of communication between God and man. So with the

servants and messengers of Christ. Man needs a power outside of

and beyond himself, to restore him to the likeness of God, and enable

him to do the work of God; but this does not make the human agency

unessential. Humanity lays hold upon divine power, Christ dwells

in the heart by faith; and through co-operation with the divine, the

power of man becomes efficient for good.

He who called the fishermen of Galilee is still calling men to His

service. And He is just as willing to manifest His power through us

as through the first disciples. However imperfect and sinful we may

be, the Lord holds out to us the offer of partnership with Himself,

of apprenticeship to Christ. He invites us to come under the divine

instruction, that, uniting with Christ, we may work the works of

God.

“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding

greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.” 2

Corinthians 4:7, R. V. This is why the preaching of the gospel was

committed to erring men rather than to the angels. It is manifest

that the power which works through the weakness of humanity is

the power of God; and thus we are encouraged to believe that the

power which can help others as weak as ourselves can help us. And

those who are themselves “compassed with infirmity” should be

able to “have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out

of the way.” Hebrews 5:2. Having been in peril themselves, they are

acquainted with the dangers and difficulties of the way, and for this

reason are called to reach out for others in like peril. There are souls

perplexed with doubt, burdened with infirmities, weak in faith, and

unable to grasp the Unseen; but a friend whom they can see, coming

to them in Christ’s stead, can be a connecting link to fasten their

trembling faith upon Christ.

We are to be laborers together with the heavenly angels in presenting

Jesus to the world. With almost impatient eagerness the

angels wait for our co-operation; for man must be the channel to

communicate with man. And when we give ourselves to Christ in

wholehearted devotion, angels rejoice that they may speak through

our voices to reveal God’s love.