A Special Witness

"The Twelve traveling counselors are called to be the Twelve Apostles, or special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world."

A Night of Prayer.

Probably several months after the events narrated in the previous chapter and a little while before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus went out to a mountain near Capernaum. As was usual, now, in His life, a large crowd followed Him. But He left the crowd, and went to the top of the mountain, so he could be all alone with His Father in Heaven, unto whom He prayed all night.

Twelve Chosen.

Undoubtedly, many of his most ardent followers remained at the mountain also all night, for "When it was day, He called unto Him His disciples, and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles."^[1]

The word Apostle means an "Envoy" or "one who is sent." An apostle is a "Special witness of the name of Christ in all the world."

In all the accounts given of this important event, Peter's name is mentioned first, indicating that he was chosen as the chief apostle, and was undoubtedly appointed and set apart as the President of the Council of Twelve. The names of the Twelve whom Jesus ordained at that time were:

(1) Simon Peter, and his brother (2) Andrew; (3) James and (4) John, the two sons of Zebedee; (5) Philip of Bethsaida, and (6) Nathanael, also called Bartholomew; (7) Thomas, also called "Didymus," a name which means "a twin;" (8) Matthew, the publican, or tax gatherer; (9) James, the son of Alphaeus, called "James the Less;" (10) Lebbeus, who was also called Thaddeus, and also Judas, but not Judas Iscariot; (11) Simon, the "Canaanite," or "Simon the Zelotes," and (12) Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor.

ST. MATTHEW.

ST. MATTHEW.

Who the Twelve Were.

These twelve men were, for the most part, Galilean fishermen who labored at their trade on the shores of Galilee. Matthew, however, was a publican, and therefore despised by the Jews; and Judas was a Judean. Some of the leaders of the Jews thought that they were "unlearned and ignorant men.^[2] Unlearned they were; but not ignorant; for by their wisdom and preaching, they overthrew the whole edifice of human wisdom, and led the world to the light of truth."

As a humble disciple of Jesus, Peter had been a "witness" of many wonderful things pertaining to the Savior's mission; but it was difficult for him to comprehend the significance of the Gospel plan. You will note as we proceed with his biography that his understanding of it unfolded slowly, even though he was almost constantly, for the next year or so, in the presence of his Lord. Here are some of the things which he witnessed immediately after his ordination to the Apostleship.

AT MATTHEW'S FEAST

One day Jesus and the Twelve accepted an invitation to Matthew's house, a circumstance that made the Pharisees much offended because Jesus ate "with publicans and the sinners. While Jesus and the Twelve were still at the feast, and Jesus was answering the charge of the Pharisees,

Jairus

"Behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the Synagogue, Jairus, by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, and besought him greatly saying,

"My little daughter lieth at the point of death; I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed, and she shall live."^[3]

Jesus immediately left the pleasures of the feast and of the entertainment of his friend and brother, Matthew, and followed Jairus to the latter's house.

THE AFFLICTED WOMAN

Faith of an Afflicted Woman.

"And much people followed him, and thronged him."^[4] In this crowd was a woman who had been suffering for twelve years from a sore that could not be healed. The blood had wasted for so long a time that she was weak, and she was very poor, for "she had spent all she had" trying to get cured. She had heard of Jesus and of His power to heal the sick, and she had such faith that she said to herself, "If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be made whole."

As Jesus passed, she stretched forth her hand and touched just the hem of his garment, "and straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague."

"Who Touched My Clothes?"

Jesus, too, immediately feeling that "Virtue" had gone out of him, turned and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" Peter answered, "Master, the multitude throng and press thee and sayest thou. Who touched me?"^[5]

What an insight must Peter have received into Christ's divine powers and susceptibility as he noted the afflicted woman come through the crowd and throw herself at the feet of Jesus, confessing all before him! What satisfaction must have been his, as he heard his Lord say, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."^[6] But Peter was soon to witness even a greater miracle.

JAIRUS' LITTLE DAUGHTER

Jairus' Daughter Dead.

While Jesus was yet speaking to the now blessed and happy woman, and while Peter and his fellow councilmen and the multitude gazed in wonder, "there cometh one from the ruler of the Synagogue's house, saying to him, 'Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.'"

Poor Jairus! He had hurried from the bedside of his little girl only a half hour or so ago to plead with Jesus of Nazareth to come and save his little daughter. The Divine Physician had started immediately, but it was too late. The great destroyer, Death, had claimed the little girl. Peter's heart must have ached in sympathy for the sorrowing father. But, listen! Following the gloomy announcement of death, they hear the comforting voice of Jesus: "Fear not; believe only, and she shall be made whole."

Jairus' Daughter Restored.

As they neared the house, they heard the weeping of friends and the moans of the broken-hearted mother. But Peter, and others, too, heard the Master say, "Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead."^[7] The Savior then told everybody to leave the room excepting Peter, James, and John, the father and the mother. He then walked up to the bed, took the little cold white hand in his, and said,

"Maid, arise.

"And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat."

These incidents in the life of Peter are only a few of the glorious experiences he witnessed even before he went out as "a special witness of the name of Christ." Jesus knew that neither Peter nor anybody else could convert others to the truth until he himself first knew that truth. No one can teach others what he himself does not know. Undoubtedly by this time Peter believed, with all his heart, that Jesus the Worker of Wonders, was indeed the Messiah who should come; but his testimony was not yet firm as a rock.

PETER'S FIRST MISSION

However, the time had come when he was sufficiently instructed to be able to go on a mission, "And Jesus called unto Him the Twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two;"^[8]

Peter's Commission.

"And commanded them saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and as ye go preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give."^[9]

He told them to travel without money and without extra coats, and to carry blessings and peace to all who would receive them. He told them they would be persecuted, arrested and tried before governors and kings; but He assured them that the Lord would deliver them.

He further said that, "Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorra in the day of judgment than for that city."

"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

We do not know who Peter's companion was on this mission; but we are told that they went and preached that men should repent; that they cast out many devils, anointed with oil, and healed the sick, and did many other wonderful things in the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

John the Baptist Beheaded.

While they were on this mission, John Baptist the Baptist was beheaded by order of the wicked king Herod.

In a Desert Place Opposite Capernaum.

Upon their return unto Jesus, "The Apostles gathered themselves together (probably at Capernaum) and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught." But there were so many people "coming and going" that "they had no leisure so much as to eat;" so Jesus desiring to be alone with the Twelve said, "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile." So they entered a ship privately and sailed from the Capernaum side to the northwest coast. But some of the people saw them departing and ran on foot around the northern coast of the lake. Other people saw these running, and joined them so that when Jesus and the Twelve landed, there were hundreds if not thousands of people there to greet them.

As evening approached, the disciples asked Jesus to send the multitude away, so they could go to their cities and buy something to eat.

Another Manifestation.

It was on this occasion that Peter witnessed another manifestation of the power of God, and had repeated the valuable lesson he learned over a year before, when he made a miraculous draught of fishes; viz., That obedience to Christ's words always brings comfort and happiness. Instead of sending the multitude away hungry, Jesus said, "Whence shall we buy bread that these might eat?"

The Multitude Fed.

Philip answered, "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little." But from five barley loaves and two small fishes, Jesus, by some process natural to Him but miraculous to us, fed that vast crowd of people, numbering about five thousand.

Peter assisted not only in distributing the bread and fish among the companies, but also in gathering the twelve baskets full left. No doubt he was one of those who said, "This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world." Let us hope, however, that he was not one of those who would have taken Jesus by force to make Him king.

Footnotes:

1. Luke 6:13.2. Acts 4:13.3. Mark 5:22-23.4. Mark 5:24.5. Luke 8:45.6. Mark 5:34.7. Luke 8:52, 53.8. Mark 6.9. Matt. 10:5-42.