MONDAY.
First Call of the Apostles.— I.
(John i. 36.)
I. When Christ had determined to choose His Apostles, as agents to spread His gospel over the whole world, He did not go to Jerusalem, to Rome, nor Athens, in order to select the wise, the rich and the noble, whom He might have as easily drawn to Himself, as He did the Magi at His birth; but He chose such as were poor, simple and contemptible in this world. "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom, and of the knowledge of God." (Rom. xi. 33.) Who, in our days, would have made such a selection? Jesus Christ made this choice for two reasons. 1. In order to show His esteem of, and consequently, the value of humility; a virtue essentially necessary for His Apostles and their successors. 2. He chose these men, in order to display more effectually the power of God, in producing great effects by the means of weak instruments. " The foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that He may confound the wise." (1 Cor. i. 27.)
II. These men were not chosen from among the assembled people, which would seem to be necessary to give authority to their preaching; but they were selected as it were by chance, and without any notoriety. Thus, when two of John the Baptist's disciples heard their master say in commendation of Christ, " Behold the Lamb of God " (John i. 36), they followed Him. Christ turning around, courteously asked them, "What seek you?" and having conducted them home, invited them to
