Luke 6:12-16
6:12 a he prayed to God all night: See study note on 3:21. Jesus prayed before important events and decisions such as choosing the Twelve, who would carry on his ministry after him.6:13 b Disciples were students and followers; apostles were specially commissioned representatives.
• The number twelve symbolically represents the twelve tribes of Israel. The apostles represented the restored people of God.
6:14 c Simon (whom he named Peter): Peter means “rock” or “stone” (see Matt 16:18 d).
6:15 e The diversity of Jesus’ apostles is striking.
• Matthew, also called Levi, was the tax collector for the Romans (see 5:27 f; Matt 9:9 g; 10:3 h).
• Simon (who was called the zealot): Zealot probably meant that he had joined the Zealot movement, a group of Jews actively seeking to overthrow the Roman government.
6:16 i Judas (son of James) was probably also called Thaddaeus (Matt 10:3 j; Mark 3:18 k). He was a different man than Judas Iscariot or Jude the half brother of Jesus (who wrote the New Testament book of Jude).
• Judas Iscariot: Iscariot probably means “from Kerioth,” a village twelve miles south of Hebron.
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