(Mark 3: 13-15; 6: 7) and informs us that they were directed to go in pairs (6: 7).

Matthew does not mention this, but nevertheless lists them in pairs. It is noteworthy that

there were 12 of them and this number has been connected with Israel since their

beginning (12 sons of Jacob and the 12 tribes). Yet we know little about most of them as

to where they worked, and where they lived and died. The traditions about them are not

reliable. In spite of this we are quite sure that the Lord knew what He was doing when

He chose them, and the message of the earthly kingdom must have received an added

impetus from their witness. We should remember that in the heavenly Jerusalem, the

wall has "twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb"

(Rev. 21: 14). This must refer to the Twelve as re-constituted in the Acts, Matthias

taking the place of the traitor Judas Iscariot.

The Twelve were obviously chosen before their commission by the Lord, although

Matthew does not record this. It was essential, if their ministry was to be successful, that

barriers to its progress must be removed. We have seen that Satan and his hosts made a

deliberate attempt, in more than one way, to nullify the Lord's witness and prevent the

kingdom being realized.  Demon possession was an evidence of this and the Lord

continually countered it by casting out and conquering demons who were holding people

in their grip.

This power He now gives the Twelve (Matt. 10: 1) and also the capability of healing all

diseases, showing that good health was to be an important feature of the Kingdom when

it is realized. This transference of power was certainly without precedent in Israel's

history. No Jewish leader, not even Moses, was able to hand over their miraculous

powers to others. Elijah was allowed to transmit his powers to Elisha, but only when he

himself was removed from the earth.

Matthew and Mark do not give the apostles' names in the same order, but Peter comes

first in the four lists given in the Gospels and Acts 1: 13. Judas comes last. "Iscariot"

may mean "man of Kerioth" which is situated near Edom (Josh. 15: 21-25).

Bartholomew is the name for Nathaniel. Thaddeus is Judas, the brother of James, and is

differentiated from the traitor by the words "not Iscariot" in John 14: 22.

These twelve were "sent forth" by the Lord. The word "sent forth" is cognate with

"apostles" which means "sent ones". The Lord restricted their ministry to Israel and

forbad them to go to the Gentiles. Just as, later on, He restricted His own ministry to

Israel (15: 24). It is astonishing how expositors miss the Scriptural reason for this. Some

actually say that this restriction was kept to the first tour only. This is obviously wrong

because it obtained right throughout the Lord's life and the Acts of the Apostles (see

28: 17-20). Paul on his missionary journeys always went to the Jew first. Both Peter

and he stressed that this was necessary (Acts 3: 25, 26; 13: 45-47).

One of the chief reasons for missing the Scriptural reasons for Israel's priority in the

purpose of God, is the wrong conceptions of the kingdom of heaven and the failure to

link it with the Messianic kingdom of the O.T. If this is avoided, then the prior place of

Israel is obvious. We have shown the Scriptural reasons for this in previous chapters. It