22. Judas sat on the ground and watched as his Master withdrew a short distance.
23. Jesus fell on his knees and began to pray.
24. As the sun disappeared behind the mountain, Judas also slept.
25. When Judas eventually woke, he looked up to find his Master still deep in prayer. It appeared as if his whole mind and body were committed to solitary worship.
26. As dawn broke, Jesus rose from his knees. He once again joined his followers, and began to walk among them.
27. Jesus stood on the side of the mountain and addressed those who had waited all through the night to hear his words.
28. He warned them not to gather simply in the hope of witnessing another miracle, and after leading them in prayer, advised them to return home to their families.
29. Jesus waited for the crowd to disperse before he gathered around him a small group whom he charged to remain with him while he continued his ministry.
30. Jesus selected twelve men to be by his side. They were: Simon, whose name he changed to Peter, Andrew his brother, and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John; Philip and Nathanael as well as Thomas, who like Judas had been a follower of John the Baptist. Also added to the number were Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon of Canaan, and finally Judas Iscariot.
see
Matt 10:1–4;
Mark 3:13–19;
Luke 6:12–16
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31. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter, to emphasize to all his followers that he had been chosen to lead the other disciples.
32. The name Peter comes from the Greek petros, which translated means ‘rock’.
33. Judas often recalled his Master praising Peter for his wisdom and insight, and on one occasion describing him as the rock upon which he would build his church.
Matt 16:18
34. Judas was also one of the favoured disciples, and on several occasions it was he who pressed Jesus for a fuller explanation of his teaching and, when it proved necessary, was willing to take bold actions on behalf of his master.
35. Having selected his disciples, Jesus told them that from that moment, they would be invested with powers that would allow them to preach in his name, cure the sick and cast out demons.
see Mark 3:13–15;
Matt 10:1;
Luke 9:1–2
36. As well as these twelve men, Jesus also gathered around him a group of women who had been loyal to him from the beginning of his ministry.
37. They had also sacrificed everything to follow him.
38. Among these women were Mary, from the village of Magdala, who came to be known as Mary Magdalene; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward whom she left to serve Jesus, and several others who were willing to support the purpose they all believed in.
see
Luke 8:1–3
39. They gave both of their time and money.
40. From that moment, until the tragic end of Jesus’ life, the twelve disciples and the faithful women accompanied him everywhere as he went about his wandering ministry among the people.