Luke 6:12–16: Chosen with Prayer. Sent with Purpose.

July 15, 2026

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY
Creation. Abraham. Moses. David. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come.

During Jesus' earthly ministry, crowds of people followed him. These followers were called disciples, a word that means “learner.” As disciples (mathetes), they listened carefully to Christ's teaching, committed his truths to memory, and obeyed his instruction. Later, in Luke’s Gospel, we will read about the seventy-two disciples Jesus sent out in pairs to prepare the towns for his visits (Luke 10:1–24). 

Although Jesus had many disciples, he chose twelve of them for a special purpose. Today’s account tells the story of how Jesus called these twelve men. 

Luke opens this passage by showing that Jesus was facing a decisive moment: “He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). More than any other Gospel writer, Luke emphasizes both Jesus’ deep devotion to prayer and his teaching on it.^[1] As Luke interviewed eyewitnesses, the image of Jesus praying and instructing his followers in prayer seems to have echoed again and again in their hearts and words. 

Jesus devoted this time to talking with the Father because the next day “he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles” (Luke 6:13). The apostles were disciples, but not all disciples were apostles. The word apostles comes from the Greek word apostolos which means “to send.” An apostle, then, is a disciple who is specifically chosen as “one who is sent.” 

In the time of Jesus, an apostle was someone who represented a king or political ruler. Much like an ambassador today, an apostle carried the authority to speak on behalf of the one who sent them. In the same way, those who received Christ’s apostles were, in essence, welcoming Christ himself (Matt. 10:40). Together, the apostles and the prophets formed the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20). 

After we finish our study of Luke, we will turn to the book of Acts, which records the founding and spread of the church. Its full title is “The Acts of the Apostles.” 

It is important to note that the first apostle was not one of the twelve—the first apostle was Jesus himself. He was sent from God to speak on God’s behalf.^[2] Jesus said, “...Whoever receives me receives him who sent me” (Luke 9:48). 

After spending the night in prayer, Jesus chose his twelve apostles. The New Testament records four lists of these men: Matthew 10:1–4; Mark 3:16–19; Acts 1:13; and Luke 6:14–16. In every list, Simon Peter appears first and Judas Iscariot appears last. According to church tradition, all of the apostles were martyred for their faith except John, who was imprisoned.

With this background in mind, let’s now consider the apostles as they are listed in Luke’s Gospel account.  

Simon, whom Jesus named Peter: Jesus gave Simon the name Peter which means “rock.” Peter became the outspoken leader of the apostles, and we will examine his life more closely when we study through the book of Acts. He was put to death in Rome during the reign of Nero. The early church father, Jerome (AD 347-420), records that Peter was “crucified head down at his own request, saying he was not worthy to be crucified in the same way his Lord was.”^[3]

Andrew: Andrew was Peter’s brother, and together they worked as partners in a fishing business. He was first a disciple of John the Baptist and introduced Peter to Jesus (John 1:29-42). 

James: James was part of the “inner circle” of Jesus’ apostles, along with his brother John and Simon Peter. His death is recorded in Acts 12:1–2: “About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword.”

John: John was part of Jesus’ “inner circle” as was his brother, James, and Simon Peter. He wrote five New Testament books: the Gospel of John; 1, 2, and 3 John; and Revelation. Though he was imprisoned for his faith, John was the only apostle who did not die a martyr’s death. Jesus nicknamed James and John the “sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17), a title that reflected their bold and fiery personalities. 

Philip: Philip’s call is recorded in John 1:43-51. He was from the same hometown as Peter and Andrew. As soon as Jesus called him, he told Nathanael that he had found the Messiah.  

Bartholomew: Bartholomew is also called Nathanael. When Philip told him that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, Nathanael said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”(John 1:46). Evidently Nathanael had been praying under a certain tree and when Jesus said he had seen him there, Nathanael acknowledged him as the Messiah (John 1:43–51). 

Matthew: Before meeting Jesus, this Gospel writer worked as a despised tax collector. He was also known as Levi. We have already considered his calling in Luke 5:27–32. 

Thomas: Thomas was also called Didymus, which means “twin.” He is often referred to as “Doubting Thomas” because he refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw physical proof (John 11:6; 20:24; 21:2). 

James, the son of Alpheus. There were two apostles named James. One was the brother of John and one’s father was named Alpheus.

Simon:  There were two men named Simon among the disciples—Simon Peter and Simon, who was called the Zealot. Simon the Zealot had been part of a movement that sought to overthrow the Roman government.  

Judas: There were also two apostles named Judas. The only thing we know about this Judas is that he was the son of James and he asked Jesus a question recorded John 14:22: “Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”

Judas Iscariot: There is some debate about the meaning of the name “Iscariot.” It may refer to the region Judas came from, or it may mean “dagger man” or “assassin,” suggesting he was a  zealot like Simon. In any case, he is the one who “became a traitor.” 

We will look more closely at the apostles as they appear in Luke’s Gospel. For now, consider the diverse group God sovereignly chose: ordinary fishermen walking alongside a detested tax collector and men who wanted to depose the government. Imagine their heated conversations! Yet they shared one crucial thing in common–Jesus. United around him and focused on his mission, these men would change the world. 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read and reflect on Luke 6:12–16. Jesus spent the night in prayer before choosing the apostles. What important decision in your life needs to be brought before God in prayer rather than handled by your own wisdom? 

Talking to God: Spend time praying to God about what is going on in your life.

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Evangelism and Sovereignty of God
Luke 6:12–16 explains Jesus’ choosing the twelve apostles. Jesus prayed all night before the decision in order to seek God’s sovereign will. And yet…one of those chosen was Judas Iscariot who would betray Jesus. The tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility is real and needs honest discussion. Check the two podcasts linked below as Jill Kowalski, Tom Rojahn, and I deal with the subject. 

Episode 130 Sovereign Grace and Human Choice

Episode 131 Why Doesn't Everyone Believe?