Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/344



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