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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Luke 6:12 Commentaries: It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newcom.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../vmenus/luke/6-12.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcom/luke/6-12.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/">Commentaries</a> > Luke 6:12</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../luke/6-11.htm" title="Luke 6:11">◄</a> Luke 6:12 <a href="../luke/6-13.htm" title="Luke 6:13">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/alford/luke/6.htm" title="Henry Alford - Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary">Alford</a> • <a href="/commentaries/barnes/luke/6.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/bengel/luke/6.htm" title="Bengel's Gnomen">Bengel</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/luke/6.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/luke/6.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/luke/6.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/luke/6.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/luke/6.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/luke/6.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/6.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/luke/6.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/luke/6.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/egt/luke/6.htm" title="Expositor's Greek">Exp Grk</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/luke/6.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/luke/6.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/luke/6.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/luke/6.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/luke/6.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/luke/6.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/luke/6-12.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/luke/6.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/icc/luke/6.htm" title="ICC NT Commentary">ICC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/luke/6.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/luke/6.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/luke/6.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/luke/6.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/luke/6.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/luke/6.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/luke/6.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/meyer/luke/6.htm" title="Meyer Commentary">Meyer</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/luke/6.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pnt/luke/6.htm" title="People's New Testament">PNT</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/luke/6.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/6.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/luke/6.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/luke/6.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/luke/6.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/vws/luke/6.htm" title="Vincent's Word Studies">VWS</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/luke/6.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/6.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(12) <span class= "bld">He went out into a mountain to pray.</span>—Better, <span class= "ital">into the mountain,</span> or, <span class= "ital">the hill-country.</span> The stress laid on the prayers of Jesus is again characteristic of St. Luke.<p><span class= "bld">Continued all night in prayer to God.</span>—The original, at least, admits of another rendering. The word translated “prayer” (<span class= "ital">proseuchè</span>) had come to be applied to the place dedicated to prayer—the chapel or oratory by the river-side, or on the mountain-side, where there was a running stream available for ablutions, to which devout Jews could retire for their devotions. Such a <span class= "ital">proseuchè</span> there seems to have been at Philippi (<a href="/acts/16-13.htm" title="And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spoke to the women which resorted thither.">Acts 16:13</a>). Another is named at Halicarnassus. Such, the language of Roman poets (<span class= "ital">in quâ te quœro proseuchâ,</span> Juvenal, <span class= "ital">Sat.</span> iii. 296) shows us, there were at Rome. The fact mentioned by Josephus that there was one near Tiberias (<span class= "ital">Life,</span> c. 54) shows that they were not unknown in Galilee. The precise combination of words—literally, <span class= "ital">in the prayer of God</span>—is not found elsewhere for prayer as offered to God.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/benson/luke/6.htm">Benson Commentary</a></div><span class="bld"><a href="/context/luke/6-12.htm" title="And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God....">Luke 6:12-13</a></span>. <span class="ital">And it came to pass in those days </span>— Namely, of his teaching near the sea of Galilee; <span class="ital">that he went out into a mountain to pray</span> — Jesus, seeing the general notice which was taken of his appearance, and the desire which multitudes manifested of being further informed concerning the design of his coming, and the nature of his doctrine, determined to choose a number of persons who should assist and succeed him in his ministerial work. And as the office which he intended to assign them was of great importance, even to the remotest ages, previous to his choice of them, he retired to a mountain in the neighbourhood, and, notwithstanding all the labours of the preceding day, continued all night in prayer to God; so much was his heart enlarged on this momentous occasion. The original phrase, <span class="greekheb">εν τη προσευχη του θεου</span>, is singular and emphatical, being literally, <span class="ital">in the prayer of God, </span>implying an extraordinary and sublime devotion. Or, if the word <span class="greekheb">προσευχη </span>be taken for the proper name of a place, the clause may be rendered, <span class="ital">he continued all night in the </span>oratory, or prayer-place, of God; the Jews having many houses on mountains, and by the sides of rivers, &c., set apart for prayer. These houses, it is well known, were open at the top, and planted round with trees. This is the sense in which Drusius, Prideaux, Whitby, Hammond, and many other good critics, understand the expression. This interpretation does not alter the meaning of the passage, for as Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, we cannot avoid supposing that he spent the greatest part of the night in acts of devotion. <span class="ital">And when it was day he called to him his disciples </span>— Mark says, <span class="ital">whom he would. And of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles — </span>A name which well expressed the office for which they were designed. These he now fixed upon, that for some time they might be always with him, in order that from his own mouth they might learn the doctrine which they were, in due time, to preach through the world; “that they might see his glory, <a href="/john/1-14.htm" title="And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.">John 1:14</a>, the transcendent glory of the virtues which adorned his human life; and that they might be witnesses of all the wonderful works which he should perform, and by which his mission from God was to be clearly demonstrated. The twelve were thus to be qualified for supplying the people with that spiritual food which their teachers neglected to give them; and that both before and after their Master’s death. Accordingly, when they had continued with Jesus as long as was necessary for this end, he sent them out by two and two into Judea, on the important work of preparing the people for his reception, who was the true shepherd. Hence he named them <span class="ital">apostles, </span>that is, <span class="ital">persons sent out. </span>But the name was more peculiarly applicable to them, and their office was raised to its perfection, after Christ’s ascension, when he sent them out into all the world with the doctrine of the gospel, which he enabled them to preach by inspiration, giving them power at the same time to confirm it by the most astonishing miracles. That this was the nature of the new dignity which Jesus now conferred on the twelve, is evident from <a href="/john/20-21.htm" title="Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be to you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you.">John 20:21</a>, where we find him confirming them in the apostolical office: <span class="ital">as my Father hath sent me, so send I you; </span>I send you upon the same errand, and with the same authority: I send you to reveal the will of God for the salvation of men. And I bestow on you both the gift of tongues and the power of working miracles, that you may be able to preach the doctrine of salvation in every country, and to confirm it as divine, in opposition to all gainsayers.” — Macknight. Of the probable reason why the number of twelve was fixed upon rather than any other, and for a further elucidation of the passage, see the notes on <a href="/context/mark/3-13.htm" title="And he goes up into a mountain, and calls to him whom he would: and they came to him....">Mark 3:13-17</a>; and <a href="/context/matthew/10-1.htm" title="And when he had called to 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....">Matthew 10:1-4</a>. After their election, the twelve accompanied Jesus constantly, lived with him on one common stock as his family, and never departed from him, unless by his express appointment.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/luke/6.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>6:12-19 We often think one half hour a great deal to spend in meditation and secret prayer, but Christ was whole nights engaged in these duties. In serving God, our great care should be not to lose time, but to make the end of one good duty the beginning of another. The twelve apostles are here named; never were men so privileged, yet one of them had a devil, and proved a traitor. Those who have not faithful preaching near them, had better travel far than be without it. It is indeed worth while to go a great way to hear the word of Christ, and to go out of the way of other business for it. They came to be cured by him, and he healed them. There is a fulness of grace in Christ, and healing virtue in him, ready to go out from him, that is enough for all, enough for each. Men regard the diseases of the body as greater evils than those of their souls; but the Scripture teaches us differently.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/luke/6.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>And it came to pass in those days - The designation of the time here is very general. It means "about" the time when the events occurred which had been just narrated.<p>He went out into a mountain - Jesus was accustomed to resort to such places to hold communion with God, <a href="/mark/6-46.htm">Mark 6:46</a>. He did it because it was retired, free from interruption, and fitted by impressiveness and grandeur to raise the thoughts to the God that had formed the high hills and the deep-shaded groves.<p>And continued all night in prayer to God - There has been a difference of opinion about this passage, whether it means that he spent the night in the act of "praying" to God, or in a "place" of prayer. The Jews had places of prayer, called "oratories," built out of their cities or towns, where they could retire from the bustle of a city and hold communion with God. They were built on the banks of rivers (compare <a href="/acts/16-13.htm">Acts 16:13</a>), in groves, or on hills. They were rude inclosures, made by building a rough wall of stone around a level piece of ground, and capable of accommodating a small number who might resort thither to pray. But the more probable opinion is that he spent the whole night in supplication; for:<p>1. This is the obvious meaning of the passage.<p>2. The object for which he went out was "to pray."<p>3. It was an occasion of great importance. He was about to send out his apostles - to lay the foundation of his religion - and he therefore set apart this time especially to seek the divine blessing.<p>4. It was no unusual thing for Jesus to spend much time in prayer, and we are not to wonder that he passed an entire night in supplication. If it be asked why Jesus should pray "at all" if he was divine, it may be replied that he was also a "man" - a man subject to the same sufferings as others, and, "as a man," needing the divine blessing. There was no more inconsistency in his "praying" than there was in his "eating." Both were "means" employed for an end, and both were equally consistent with his being divine. But Jesus was also "Mediator," and as such it was proper to seek the divine direction and blessing. In "this" case he has set us an example that we should follow. In great emergencies, when we have important duties, or are about to encounter special difficulties, we should seek the divine blessing and direction by "prayer." We should set apart an unusual portion of time for supplication. Nay, if we pass the "whole night" in prayer, it should not be charged as enthusiasm. Our Saviour did it. Men of the world often pass whole nights in plans of gain or in dissipation, and shall it be esteemed strange that Christians should spend an equal portion of time in the far more important business of religion? <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/luke/6.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>Lu 6:12-49. The Twelve Apostles Chosen—Gathering Multitudes—Glorious Healing.<p>12, 13. went out—probably from Capernaum.<p>all night in prayer … and when … day, he called, &c.—The work with which the next day began shows what had been the burden of this night's devotions. As He directed His disciples to pray for "laborers" just before sending themselves forth (see on [1581]Mt 9:37; [1582]Mt 10:1), so here we find the Lord Himself in prolonged communion with His Father in preparation for the solemn appointment of those men who were to give birth to His Church, and from whom the world in all time was to take a new mould. How instructive is this!<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/luke/6.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> Those who straining this text would interpret the words, en th proseuch, for, the place of prayer, will be concerned to find us out that house of prayer which stood in this mountain, or to tell us where we shall find in holy writ any place but the temple so called, and why it should be said that <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">he went out into a mountain to pray, </span> if it were not to signify unto us, that he sought a privacy and retiredness, which he could not have had in the temple, nor in any other common place for prayer. Those interpreters certainly judge righter that say, that our Saviour, being about to send put his twelve apostles, thought so great a work should not be done without solemn prayers; he therefore seeketh a place of privacy, and goeth thither to spend some more time than ordinary in the duty of prayer, and the evangelist saith that he <span class="ital">continued all night; </span> so setting us an example what to do in great affairs, especially such as are the sending out of persons to so great an employment as that of the ministry, and by his own example commending to us what Paul afterwards commanded, <span class="bld"><a href="/ephesians/6-18.htm" title="Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;">Ephesians 6:18</a> <a href="/colossians/4-2.htm" title=" Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;">Colossians 4:2</a></span>, <span class="ital">Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.</span> <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/luke/6.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>And it came to pass in those days,.... When Christ was teaching by the lake of Gennesaret, or in one or other of the cities of Galilee near that place: <p>that he went out; of the synagogue and city where he had been: <p>into a mountain to pray; for the sake of solitude, and which lay near the sea of Tiberias; See Gill on <a href="/matthew/14-23.htm">Matthew 14:23</a>. <p>and continued all night in prayer to God; or "with" God, as the Ethiopic version renders it; or "in the prayer of God" as the phrase may be literally rendered; not in a prayer of God's making; though the Jews (m) sometimes speak of the prayer of God, and give us a form of it: but either this respects the object of his prayer; it was made to God, as our translation suggests; or the nature, matter, and manner of it: it was a divine prayer, it regarded divine things, and was put up in a very fervent manner, and with great vehemence; so the coals of love or jealousy are said to be "coals of fire, which hath , the flame of Jehovah"; that is as we render it, "a most vehement flame", Sol 8:6 In like manner, "prayer of God" is a most vehement prayer; strong cries sent up to God with great eagerness and importunity, fervency, and devotion; and such was Christ's prayer, and in which he continued all night: unless by the prayer of God should be meant, as is thought by many, an house of prayer to God, in which Christ lodged all night, and spent it in prayer to God in it. Certain it is, the Jews had their "proseuchre", or prayer houses. Philo the Jew (n) often speaks of them, and so does Josephus (o); and there seems to be mention made of them in the Talmudic writings: when R. Jochanan ben Zaccai came to Vespasian, in his camp before Jerusalem, Vespasian asked him, what he should give him? he replied (p), <p>"I desire nothing of thee but this "Jabneh", (a famous university,) that I may teach in it the disciples, and fix in it "an oratory", or "prayer house", and do in it, all the commandments said in the law.'' <p>And in another place (q), <p>"R. Judah says, that Samuel said it is free for a man to make water within four cubits, , which I should choose to render, "of the proseucha", or "prayer house":'' <p>though the Gemarists afterwards, and so the gloss seem to explain it of the time after prayer, in which a man should wait before he evacuates, even as long as he might go the length of four cubits. Juvenal (r) has reference to one of these oratories, when he says, "in qua te qucero proseucha?" and in one of these, it is very likely, Christ was in prayer all night long; for by the sea side, and by the side of rivers, these oratories were used to be; <a href="/acts/16-13.htm">Acts 16:13</a>. <p>(m) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 7. 1. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 56, fol. 50. 2.((n) De Vita Mosis, l. 3. p. 685. in Flaccum, p. 971, 972, 982. leg. ad Caium. p. 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1016, 1040, 1043. (o) In Vita. (p) Abot R. Nathan, c. 4. fol. 2. 4. (q) T. Bab. Megilia, fol. 27. 2.((r) Satyr. 3. l. 295. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/luke/6.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2"><span class="cverse3">{3}</span> And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.</span><p>(3) In using earnest and long prayer in choosing twelve of his own company to the office of the apostleship, Christ shows how religiously we ought to behave ourselves in the choice of ecclesiastical persons.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/meyer/luke/6.htm">Meyer's NT Commentary</a></div><a href="/context/luke/6-12.htm" title="And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God....">Luke 6:12-13</a>. Comp. <a href="/context/mark/3-13.htm" title="And he goes up into a mountain, and calls to him whom he would: and they came to him....">Mark 3:13-15</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">τὸ ὄρος</span>] as <a href="/matthew/5-1.htm" title="And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came to him:">Matthew 5:1</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">προσεύξασθαι κ</span>.<span class="greekheb">τ</span>.<span class="greekheb">λ</span>.] comp. on <a href="/luke/5-16.htm" title="And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.">Luke 5:16</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">ἐν τῇ προσεὐχῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ</span>] <span class="ital">in prayer to God</span>. Genitive of the object (see Winer, p. 167 [E. T. 231 f.]).<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ</span>] in the wider sense. Comp. <a href="/luke/6-17.htm" title="And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;">Luke 6:17</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">καὶ ἐκλεξάμ</span>, <span class="greekheb">κ</span>.<span class="greekheb">τ</span>.<span class="greekheb">λ</span>.] The connection is: “And after He had chosen for Himself from them twelve … and (<a href="/luke/6-17.htm" title="And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;">Luke 6:17</a>) had come down with them, He took up His position on a plain, and (<span class="ital">scil</span>. <span class="greekheb">ἔστη</span>, there stood there) a crowd of His disciples, and a great multitude of people … who had come to hear Him and to be healed; and they that were tormented were healed of unclean spirits: and all the people sought,” etc. The discovery of Schleiermacher, that <span class="greekheb">ἐκλεξάμ</span>. denotes not the actual choice, but only a <span class="ital">bringing them together</span>, was a mistaken idea which the word itself ought to have guarded against. Comp. <a href="/acts/1-2.htm" title="Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen:">Acts 1:2</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">οὓς καὶ ἀπ</span>. <span class="greekheb">ὠνόμ</span>.] An action <span class="ital">concurring</span> towards the choice, and therefore, according to Luke, contemporaneous (in opposition to Schleiermacher). Comp. <a href="/mark/3-14.htm" title="And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,">Mark 3:14</a>, which is the source of this certainly anticipatory statement.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/context/luke/6-12.htm" title="And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God....">Luke 6:12-49</a>. Luke inserts at this point the choice of the Twelve, and then a shorter and less original (see also Weiss in the <span class="ital">Jahrb. f. d. Th</span>. 1864, p. 52 ff.) edition of the <span class="ital">Sermon on the Mount</span>.[101] According to Matthew, the choice of the Twelve had not yet occurred before the Sermon on the Mount; nevertheless it is implied in Matthew, not, indeed, sooner than at <a href="/luke/10-1.htm" title="After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, where he himself would come.">Luke 10:1</a>, but after the call of Matthew himself. Luke in substance follows Mark in what concerns the choice of the apostles. But he here assigns to the Sermon on the Mount—which Mark has not got at all—a position different from that in Matthew, following a tradition which attached itself to the locality of the choice of the apostles (<span class="greekheb">τὸ ὄρος</span>) as readily as to the description and the contents of the sermon. See, moreover, Commentary on Matthew. According to Baur, indeed, Luke purposely took from the discourse its place of distinction, and sought in the Pauline interest to weaken it as much as possible.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>[101] That Matthew and Luke gave two <span class="ital">distinct</span> discourses, delivered in immediate succession (which Augustine supposed), that were related to one another as <span class="ital">esoteric</span> (given to the disciples exclusively) and <span class="ital">exoteric</span> (in the ears of the people), is neither to be established exegetically, nor is it reconcilable with the creative power of discourse manifested by Jesus at other times, in accordance with which He was certainly capable, at least, of extracting from the original discourse what would be suitable for the people (in opposition to Lange, <span class="ital">L. J</span>. II. 2, p. 566 ff.). And how much does the discourse in Matthew contain which there was no reason for Jesus keeping back from the people in Luke’s supposed exoteric discourse! Comp. also <a href="/matthew/7-28.htm" title="And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:">Matthew 7:28</a>, from which passage it is clear that Matthew neither regarded the discourse as esoteric, nor knew anything of <span class="ital">two</span> discourses.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/egt/luke/6.htm">Expositor's Greek Testament</a></div><a href="/context/luke/6-12.htm" title="And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God....">Luke 6:12-19</a>. <span class="ital">On the hill</span> (<a href="/context/matthew/4-24.htm" title="And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them....">Matthew 4:24-25</a>; <a href="/context/matthew/10-2.htm" title="Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;...">Matthew 10:2-4</a>; <a href="/context/mark/3-7.htm" title="But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,...">Mark 3:7-19</a>).<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/luke/6.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">12-19.</span> The Selection of the Twelve Apostles.<span class="bld"><span class="p"><br /><br /></span>12</span>. <span class="ital">in those days</span>] wearied with their incessant espionage and opposition. Probably these two last incidents belong to a later period in the ministry, <span class="ital">following</span> the Sermon on the Mount (as in St Matthew) and the bright acceptable Galilaean year of our Lord’s work. In any case we have here, from <a href="/luke/6-12.htm" title="And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.">Luke 6:12</a>—viii. 56, a splendid cycle of Messianic work in Galilee in the gladdest epoch of Christ’s ministry.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">into a mountain</span>] Rather, “into the mountain,” with special reference to the Kurn Hattin, or Horns of Hattin, the traditional and almost certainly the actual scene of the Sermon on the Mount.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">in prayer to God</span>] The expression used is peculiar. It is literally “in the prayer of God.” Hence some have supposed that it should be rendered “in the Prayer-House of God.” The word <span class="ital">proseuche</span> meant in Greek not only ‘prayer,’ but also ‘<span class="ital">prayer-house</span>,’ as in the question to a poor person in Juvenal, “In what <span class="ital">proseucha</span> am I to look for you?” ■*- The <span class="ital">proseuchae</span> were merely walled spaces without roof, set apart for purposes of worship where there was no synagogue, as at Philippi (<a href="/acts/16-13.htm" title="And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spoke to the women which resorted thither.">Acts 16:13</a>). There is however here an insuperable difficulty in thus understanding the words; for <span class="ital">proseuchae</span> were generally, if not in-variably, in close vicinity to running water (Jos. <span class="ital">Antt.</span> xiv. 10, § 23), for purposes of ritual ablution, nor do we ever hear of their being built ^ on hills. On the other hand, if <span class="greekheb">τὸ ὄρος</span> mean only ‘the mountainous district,’ this objection is not fatal. For another instance of a night spent on a mountain in prayer, see <a href="/matthew/14-23.htm" title="And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.">Matthew 14:23</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">12-19</span>. <span class="ital">The Selection of the Twelve Apostles.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span></span>And it came to pass in those days, <span class="ital">that</span> he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to <span class="ital">to do good, or to do evil</span>]<span class="ital"> He</span> was intending to work a miracle for good; <span class="ital">they</span> were secretly plotting to do harm,—their object being, if possible, to put Him to death. They received this question in stolid silence. <a href="/mark/3-4.htm" title="And he said to them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.">Mark 3:4</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">to save life</span>] Rather, a life.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/bengel/luke/6.htm">Bengel's Gnomen</a></div><a href="/luke/6-12.htm" title="And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.">Luke 6:12</a>. <span class="greekheb">Προσευχῇ</span>, <span class="ital">prayer</span>) It is even because of these His prayers that the Twelve disciples are said to have been given to Jesus Christ: <a href="/john/17-6.htm" title="I have manifested your name to the men which you gave me out of the world: your they were, and you gave them me; and they have kept your word.">John 17:6</a> [comp. <a href="/luke/6-13.htm" title="And when it was day, he called to him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;">Luke 6:13</a> here in Luke 6]. A great business was transacted on this <span class="ital">night</span> between God and the Mediator! [Even elsewhere also Luke frequently mentions the prayers of Jesus: for instance, after His baptism, ch. <a href="/luke/3-21.htm" title="Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,">Luke 3:21</a>; before the questioning of His disciples to test them, recorded ch. <a href="/luke/9-18.htm" title="And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?">Luke 9:18</a>; before the transfiguration, ch. <a href="/luke/9-29.htm" title="And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.">Luke 9:29</a>; and when He taught His disciples to pray, ch. <a href="/luke/11-1.htm" title="And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.">Luke 11:1</a>. Comp. <a href="/mark/1-35.htm" title="And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.">Mark 1:35</a>; <a href="/luke/5-16.htm" title="And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.">Luke 5:16</a>; <a href="/matthew/14-23.htm" title="And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.">Matthew 14:23</a>. No evangelist however but John, excepting in the instance of the history of His passion, has detailed the very words of Jesus when praying.—<span class="ital">Harm</span>., p. 239.]—<span class="greekheb">τοῦ Θεου</span>, <span class="ital">of God</span>) Comp. <a href="/mark/11-22.htm" title="And Jesus answering said to them, Have faith in God.">Mark 11:22</a>, note.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/6.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verses 12-19.</span> - <span class="accented">The</span> <span class="accented">choice of the twelve.</span> <span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 12.</span> <span class="cmt_word">And it came to pass in those days.</span> That is to say, in the course of his ministry in Galilee, especially in the thickly populated district lying round the Lake of Genessaret, and after the events related in ch. 5. and the first eleven verses of ch. 6, Jesus proceeded to choose, out of the company of those who had especially attached themselves to him, twelve who should henceforth be always with him. These he purposed to train up as the authorized exponents of his doctrine, and as the future leaders of his Church. Things had assumed a new aspect during the last few months. Jerusalem and the hierarchy, supported by the great teachers of that form of Judaism which for so long a period had swayed the hearts of the people, had, although not yet openly, declared against the views and teaching of Jesus. His acts - but far more his words - had gathered round him, especially in Galilee, in the north and central districts of Palestine, a large and rapidly increasing following. It was necessary that some steps should be taken at once to introduce among the people who had received his words gladly, some kind of organization; hence the formal choice of the twelve, who from henceforth stood nearest to him. We possess the following four lists of these twelve men: - <a href="/matthew/10-2.htm">Matthew 10:2-4</a>.... <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Simon <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Andrew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>James <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>John <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Philip <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Bartholomew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Thomas <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Matthew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>James of Alphaeus <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Lebbaeus <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Simon the Kananite <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Judas Iscariot <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/mark/3-16.htm">Mark 3:16-19</a>.... <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Simon <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>James <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>John <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Andrew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Philip <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Bartholomew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Matthew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Thomas <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>James of Alphaeus <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Thaddaeus <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Simon the Kananite <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Judas Iscariot <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/luke/6-14.htm">Luke 6:14-16</a>.... <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Simon <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Andrew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>James <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>John <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Philip <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Bartholomew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Matthew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Thomas <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>James of Alphaeus <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Simon Zelotes <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Judas of James <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Judas Iscariot <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/acts/1-13.htm">Acts 1:13</a>.... <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Peter <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>James <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>John <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Andrew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Philip <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Thomas <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Bartholomew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Matthew <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>James of Alphaeus <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Simon Zelotes <span class="p"><br /><br /></span>Judas of James <span class="cmt_word">He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.</span> Luke 6:12<a name="vws" id="vws"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/vws/luke/6.htm">Vincent's Word Studies</a></div>A mountain (τὸ ὄρος)<p>The article denotes a familiar place. Rev., rightly, the mountain.<p>Continued all night (ἦν διανυκτερεύων)<p>Only here in New Testament. Used in medical language. The all-night prayer is peculiar to Luke's narrative. <div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/luke/6-12.htm">Luke 6:12 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../luke/6-11.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Luke 6:11"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Luke 6:11" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../luke/6-13.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Luke 6:13"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Luke 6:13" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>