And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease... These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying... Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. The calling of the twelve apostles and the apostles' reception of priesthood power are critical steps to the organization of Jesus' Church, that continue to bless lives today. Calling of the Twelve ApostlesThe word apostle comes from the Hebrew word ἀπόστολος, or apostolos, which means "a messenger, envoy, delegate, one commissioned by another to represent him in some way" (http://biblehub.com/greek/652.htm). Let's explore that definition. Messenger: The twelve apostles are Christ's messengers. Their responsibility is to share the "good news," or Jesus' gospel. After Jesus' death, when Peter went back to fishing with some of the other apostles, Christ appeared at sea. Later, while dining with Peter, Jesus gave powerful instruction where he thrice instructed Peter to "feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17). In a loving way, Jesus reminded Peter of his purpose. It was not to leave the ministry and everything he had learned to return to fishing; rather, he was to share Jesus' gospel with the world, thus providing the Bread of Life. Envoy, Delegate, One Commissioned: According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, an envoy means a "messenger or representative." A delegate means "a person acting for another." Commission means "an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or to perform prescribed acts" or "authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another." Each of these terms refers to the concept of authority. An envoy is given authority by a master to be his messenger or representative. A delegate is given the authority to act for another person or entity (e.g., for a government). A commissioner is given authority to act in a person's place--to be their mouthpiece, as well as their hands. The Apostles Reception of Priesthood PowerWhat do we know about the priesthood power given to Jesus' apostles? The Topics section of LDS.org teaches that there are two meanings to the word "priesthood:" "First, priesthood is the power and authority of God. It has always existed and will continue to exist without end (see Alma 13:7–8; D&C 84:17–18). Through the priesthood, God created and governs the heavens and the earth. Through this power, He exalts His obedient children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” ( Moses 1:39; see also D&C 84:35–38). Second, in mortality, priesthood is the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children. The blessings of the priesthood are available to all who receive the gospel" (https://www.lds.org/topics/priesthood). During the 19th Century, priesthood power was restored to the Earth as part of the restoration of Jesus' church. A timeline of the restoration of Jesus' gospel, church, and priesthood can be found here: https://www.lds.org/topics/restoration-of-the-gospel). Blessings of the PriesthoodHow does having the priesthood on the earth today bless my life? Specific times when I was grateful to have the priesthood power of God on the earth include the following:
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Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Note: Scholars are "practically certain" that Nathanael is the same person as the apostle Bartholomew. For more information, read https://www.lds.org/manual/jesus-the-christ/chapter-16.
Jesus Christ miraculously knew that before Philip came to tell Nathanael about Christ, Nathanael had been under a fig tree. "It was the fig-tree of his own garden,... [see Zechariah 3:10] and not at the corners of the streets, or to be seen of men, [where Nathanael] was in the honesty of his heart praying to God. Unseen as he thought by any eye, he was seen by Him to whose coming every true Israelite looked" (http://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/1-48.htm). From this account, I know that Jesus knows the innermost thoughts and desires of my heart. Only he understands my exact circumstances, and knows how I feel. Nathanael asked, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Nathanael was from Cana of Galilee; the Galileans and Nazarenes generally viewed each other with contempt. "The question is asked by an inhabitant of a neighbouring village who looks upon the familiar town with something of local jealousy and scorn" (http://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/1-46.htm). Yet, Nathanael's bias towards Nazareth did not prevent him from acknowledging, worshiping, and following Christ, the Galilean. Jesus' first words to Nathanael were, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile." Nathanael was a true Christian, a seeker of the consolation of Israel. He was without guile, or "cunning deceit" (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guile). My goal is to be like Nathanael, so that even when Jesus knows the innermost thoughts and intents of my heart, he can call me a member of the House of Israel indeed, in whom there is no guile. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Among John the Baptist's followers were Andrew (Simon Peter's brother) and John (James' brother). When John the Baptist saw and testified of Christ to Andrew and John, they were quick to leave John and follow Christ, the Lamb of God. They understood John the Baptist's words: "I am not the Christ" (John 1:20); "he of whom I bear record cometh, who is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, (or whose place I am not able to fill)" (JST Matthew 3:38). The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Philip came from Bethsaida, the same town as Peter, James, John, and Andrew. These four actively sought Christ, thanks to John the Baptist's preaching. Philip, on the other hand, was sought out and found by Philip.
If I lived in Bethsaida and had not heard about Jesus, how grateful I would be to be sought out by Jesus and asked to follow him. If I had heard about Jesus but had not made it a priority to follow him, how grateful I would be to be sought out by Jesus and given a second chance. And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. (Surely Christ's twelve apostles were among his closest friends. Friendship is an important gospel principle (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/friendship-a-gospel-principle). Christ taught, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you" (John 15:12). Friendship with others is the result of obedience to Christ's commandment to "love one another, as [Christ has] loved you" (John 15:12).
Matthew (also known as Levi) had a very different background than the other apostles. Matthew was a tax collector, or publican, for the Roman government. Publicans were generally considered social outcasts. "He it was who gave a feast, for attending which Jesus and the disciples were severely criticized by the Pharisees, on the charge that it was unseemly for Him to eat with publicans and sinners" (https://www.lds.org/manual/jesus-the-christ/chapter-16). Simon (Peter), was a prosperous fisherman. "In temperament Peter was impulsive and stern, and, until trained by severe experience, was lacking in firmness. He had many human weaknesses, yet in spite of them all he eventually overcame the temptations of Satan and the frailties of the flesh, and served his Lord as the appointed and acknowledged leader of the Twelve" (https://www.lds.org/manual/jesus-the-christ/chapter-16). The brothers James and John were also fishermen. "With Peter these two brothers were witnesses of many of the most important incidents in the life of Jesus; thus, the three were the only apostles admitted to witness the raising of the daughter of Jairus from death to life; they were the only members of the Twelve present at the transfiguration of Christ; they were nearest the Lord during the period of His mortal agony in Gethsemane; and, as heretofore told, they have ministered in these modern days in the restoration of the Holy Apostleship with all its ancient authority and power of blessing" (https://www.lds.org/manual/jesus-the-christ/chapter-16). And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. The apostles "straightway" (right away, immediately) left their nets and followed Jesus. To follow their example, I need to consider (1) what "nets" I need to immediately leave behind, and (2) what new activities and attitudes I should embrace to replace "fishing". The apostles would have led unfulfilled, hungry lives if they had not replaced their fishing careers with their callings as fishers of men. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Just as the scribes and Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus by asking whether the woman taken in adultery should be stoned, Satan attempted to trap Christ. Satan tempted Christ to display his power over nature and authority as God's Son by turning the stones into bread. Yet the act of turning the stones into bread at Satan's request would, in fact, have negated his divinity. "It would have been an act of self-assertion and distrust, and therefore would have involved not the affirmation, but the denial of the Sonship which had so recently been attested." (See http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/4-3.htm.)
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