Paper 140 Overview: The Ordination of the Twelve

Jesus gathered his twelve apostles on a hillside north of Capernaum on Sunday, January 12, A.D. 27, to ordain them as public preachers of the gospel of the kingdom. All twelve apostles were silent and reflective as they realized the importance of this special time with Jesus. This was a solemn ceremony where Jesus officially appointed them as his representatives to the world.

Jesus gave them important instructions about their mission and explained the nature of the kingdom of heaven. He taught them that the kingdom was not about physical power but about spiritual growth in people's hearts. The twelve would face many challenges as they shared this message, but Jesus promised to be with them in spirit as they worked.

Just before noon on Sunday, January 12, A.D. 27, Jesus called his apostles together for their formal ordination as public preachers of the gospel. The apostles had been expecting this call, so they were not fishing far from shore that morning. Some were near the shore fixing their nets and fishing equipment when Jesus arrived.

As Jesus walked along the shore, he called each apostle, gathering them two by two. Then he led all twelve to the highlands north of Capernaum to prepare them for the formal ordination ceremony. For once, all twelve apostles, even Peter, were quiet and thoughtful as they realized the important moment that was about to happen.

Before the formal ordination, Jesus spoke to the twelve as they sat around him about the kingdom that was coming. He told them they were being appointed as ambassadors of the kingdom. Jesus explained that his Father's kingdom would be an everlasting dominion in the hearts of people who wanted to do God's will.

Jesus told the apostles that the kingdom was not about armies or riches but about the divine spirit teaching minds and ruling hearts. The message they would proclaim was the desire of good people of all ages and the hope of all the earth. Faith alone would allow entry into the kingdom, but those who entered would need to show the fruits of God's spirit to continue growing in divine fellowship.

Jesus instructed the twelve men, who had just heard his explanation about the kingdom, to kneel in a circle around him. The Master then placed his hands on each apostle's head, starting with Judas Iscariot and ending with Andrew. After blessing them, Jesus raised his hands and prayed to his Father.

In his prayer, Jesus presented these men as his messengers to represent him just as he had represented the Father. He asked for wisdom for them as he placed the affairs of the coming kingdom in their hands. When Jesus finished praying, the apostles remained bowed in their places for many minutes before even Peter dared to look up at the Master. One by one, they embraced Jesus, but no one spoke a word.

Jesus spoke to the apostles, saying they were now ambassadors of his Father's kingdom and different from all other men on earth. He told them they were now enlightened citizens of a heavenly country among the ignorant people of this dark world. More was expected of them as teachers than of pupils, and more was required from them as citizens of the heavenly kingdom than from those of earthly rule.

Jesus sent them out to proclaim freedom to spiritual captives and joy to those in fear. He taught them the beatitudes, saying happy are the poor in spirit, those who hunger for righteousness, the meek, the pure in heart, those who mourn, the merciful, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for doing right. He called them the salt of the earth and the light of the world, encouraging them to let their light shine so others could see their good works.

The so-called "Sermon on the Mount" was not actually Jesus' gospel but his ordination charge to the twelve apostles. It was his personal commission to those who would represent him in the world, just as he perfectly represented his Father in heaven. Jesus called them the salt of the earth with a saving flavor and warned that if salt loses its taste, it becomes worthless.

Jesus referred to them as the light of the world, saying a city on a hill cannot be hidden and no one lights a candle to put it under a basket. Strong characters come not from avoiding wrong but from actively doing right. Personality is basically unchangeable, but moral character can grow and develop. The major problem with modern religions is negativism, because moral worth cannot come just from restraint and obeying "thou shalt not" commands.

From the Sermon on the Mount to the Last Supper, Jesus taught his followers to show fatherly love rather than just brotherly love. Brotherly love means loving your neighbor as yourself, which fulfills the golden rule. But fatherly love requires loving fellow humans as Jesus loves them, with a deeper and more complete love.

Jesus introduced his teaching by focusing on four faith attitudes: being poor in spirit, hungering for righteousness, showing meekness, and being pure in heart. These qualities help people achieve divine selflessness to practice fatherly affection. Such love can show mercy, promote peace, endure persecutions, and even love unlovely people in trying situations. A father's love goes far beyond what a brother's love can achieve.

On Sunday evening, Jesus and the twelve arrived at Zebedee's home from the highlands north of Capernaum and ate a simple meal. While Jesus walked along the beach, the apostles talked among themselves. After a brief discussion, Andrew found Jesus and said the apostles couldn't understand his teachings about the kingdom. They needed more instruction.

Jesus gathered them in the garden and taught them further, saying they needed to be reborn and start fresh like little children. They needed to trust his teaching and believe in God. Jesus explained that he wasn't asking them to follow the law superficially, but to have a righteousness based on love, mercy, and truth—a sincere desire to do the Father's will in heaven. The apostles asked many questions late into the night, and Jesus patiently answered each one.

After sleeping a few hours, the twelve gathered for a late breakfast with Jesus. He told them to prepare to go to Jerusalem to begin preaching the good news and instructing believers. Thomas spoke up, saying they weren't ready yet and asked for more time. Jesus agreed to stay by the sea for the Sabbath day.

For the next week, small groups of truth seekers came to Bethsaida to see Jesus. Andrew assigned each apostle to teach these visitors about the kingdom. The apostles worked for two days, then Jesus sent them fishing for a day of rest. During this rehearsal week, Jesus repeatedly emphasized two great purposes of his mission: to reveal the Father to people and to lead them to realize they are children of God. After the Sabbath, Peter and James told Jesus they were ready to go forth and take the kingdom, but Jesus replied that their wisdom should equal their enthusiasm.

Jesus knew his apostles weren't fully understanding his teachings. He decided to give special instruction to Peter, James, and John, hoping they could help explain things to the others. On Thursday afternoon, Jesus took these three out in a boat to talk about the kingdom. The conversation lasted four hours, covering many questions and answers.

Simon Peter later shared with his brother Andrew what they had learned about doing the Father's will, their political attitude, their social approach, their economic position, and personal religion. Jesus taught that the Father's kingdom is not of this world, that they should avoid political entanglements, that they should show compassion to all people regardless of social status, that wealth itself isn't evil but the unequal distribution of it is unjust, and that living a perfect life reveals more about God than any sermons.

The next Sabbath day, Jesus took his apostles back to the highland where he had ordained them. There, after giving a touching message of encouragement, he performed the solemn act of consecrating the twelve. This was not a time for new teaching, but for visiting and communion.

Jesus reviewed features of the ordination sermon, then called each apostle before him individually. He commissioned them to go into all the world as his representatives, saying: "Go into all the world and preach the glad tidings of the kingdom. Free spiritual captives, comfort the oppressed, and minister to the afflicted. Freely you have received, freely give." He warned them they would face hardships but promised his spirit would go before them throughout the world.

That evening, while teaching in the house because it had started raining, Jesus talked at length about what his apostles should be, not just what they should do. They were used to a religion that focused on doing certain things to earn righteousness and salvation. But Jesus kept repeating that in the kingdom, they must first be righteous through faith to do the work.

Jesus explained that John had preached a baptism of repentance and sorrow for old ways of living. The apostles were to proclaim the baptism of fellowship with God. They should still teach repentance to those who needed it, but for those already seeking to enter the kingdom, they should open the doors wide to the joyous fellowship of God's children. It was difficult for these Galilean fishermen to understand that in the kingdom, being righteous through faith must come before doing righteous actions in daily life.