138:2.1 This first missionary tour of the six was eminently
successful. They all discovered the great value of direct and personal contact with men. They returned to Jesus more fully realizing that, after all,
religion is purely and wholly a matter of personal experience. They began to sense
how hungry were the common people to hear words of religious comfort and spiritual good cheer. When they assembled about Jesus, they all wanted to
talk at once, but Andrew assumed charge, and as he called upon them one by one, they made
their formal reports to the Master and presented their nominations for the six new apostles.
138:2.2 Jesus, after each man had
presented his selection for the new apostleships, asked all the others to vote upon the nomination; thus all six of the new apostles were formally accepted by all of the older six. Then Jesus announced that they would
all visit these candidates and give them the call to service.
138:2.3 The newly selected apostles were:
138:2.4 1. Matthew
Levi, the customs collector of Capernaum, who had
his office just to the east of the city, near the borders of Batanea. He was selected by Andrew.
138:2.5 2. Thomas
Didymus, a fisherman of Tarichea and onetime carpenter and stone mason of Gadara. He was selected by Philip.
138:2.6 3. James
Alpheus, a fisherman and farmer of Kheresa, was selected by James Zebedee.
138:2.7 4. Judas
Alpheus, the twin brother of James Alpheus, also a fisherman, was selected by John Zebedee.
138:2.8 5. Simon
Zelotes was a high officer in the patriotic organization of the Zealots, a position which he gave up to join Jesus' apostles.
Before joining the Zealots, Simon had been a merchant. He was selected by Peter.
138:2.9 6. Judas
Iscariot was an only son of wealthy Jewish parents
living in Jericho. He had become attached to John the Baptist,
and his Sadducee parents had disowned him. He was looking
for employment in these regions when Jesus' apostles found him, and chiefly because of his
experience with finances, Nathaniel invited him to join their ranks. Judas Iscariot was the only Judean among the twelve apostles.
138:2.10 Jesus spent a full day with
the six, answering their questions and listening to the details of their reports, for they had many interesting and profitable experiences to relate.
They now saw the wisdom of the Master's plan of sending them out to labor in a quiet and personal manner before the launching of their more
pretentious public efforts.
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