Luke 6:13-16 “We Few…”

(Transcribed from my daily notes)

From among the population, Jesus called his disciples to Him.  From among the disciples, Jesus chose the twelve and named them “apostles.”  The general call for the disciples is the Greek word prosphoneo, προσφωνέω – to call, summons.  The word that Luke uses for “chose” is eklegomai, ἐκλέγομαι – to pick, to choose.

Note: Matthew states that “many are called, but few chosen” (Matthew 20:16) but his vocabulary is completely different from Luke’s, so I do not believe that I can make a connection between these two events and saying of Jesus.

In the verses I examined today, verses 14-16, Luke names the twelve who were chosen as apostles.  Of that twelve, one died a suicide rejecting Jesus, ten died martyrs, and one passed his last days in exile.  Yet except for Judas Iscariot, would not these eleven say with Henry V, “we few, we happy few, we band of brothers.”

That being said, what better destiny than to be chosen by Jesus to serve Him in whatever way and cause at His will!  So I would determine to be and to serve in any capacity, humble or unknown, grand or dangerous that I may be where Jesus chooses for me to be.

coram deo

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