Today's Gospel in Art - Jesus picks the Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles, by Jacopo Bellini 1400-1470 © British Museum

Gospel of 28th October 2019 - Luke 6: 12-16

Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them 'apostles': Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.

Reflection on the Drawing

Jesus, soon after starting His ministry, realised that His own human voice could not physically reach everyone. His voice would not reach all the villages, all the towns, all the regions. So he knew he had to appoint and train some people to actively help Him and involve them very closely during His three year ministry. So our Gospel reading of today is the start of a new organisation which would serve the Kingdom of God under Jesus and for Jesus. This is the beginning of the Christian Church in its simplest and purest form.

The twelve men Jesus chose were going to be his 'support' team; they were going to be apprentices, travel companions, witnesses, healers, baptisers, preachers, teachers, some writers, martyrs, etc…
To read on see: www.christianart.today/daily-gospel-reading/217