F. The Appointment of the Twelve (6:12-16)

Once again Luke depicts Jesus as a man of prayer. He shows him in communion with God on the mountain top. It was there, when day broke, that he chose the twelve apostles, giving Simon the name Peter, which means “rock” or “stone.” Luke’s list of disciples includes another Simon, described as the Zealot. The Zealots were members of a revolutionary movement that sought to expel the Romans by force. Whether or not Simon the Zealot remained in the movement is not known. But Jesus himself refused to support their violent methods.