'Authoritatively commissioned,' apostles represented the Savior
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Writing concerning the subject of Jesus calling His apostles, President David O. McKay called attention to Luke 6:12-16. According to this passage, Jesus went "out into a mountain to pray" and "continued all night in prayer to God. . . . And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles."
President McKay wrote: "Some have asked whether the number twelve had any significance. Well, it has. The people to whom Jesus first came were the descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were looking forward to an earthly king, as well as one who would stand at the head of these twelve tribes. Now it is not clearly stated anywhere in the scriptures whether Jesus chose the Twelve because there were twelve tribes of Israel, but the implication is that He did. . . ."If you will turn to the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 29, verse 12, you will find the following:
" `And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, it hath gone forth in a firm decree, by the will of the Father, that mine apostles, the Twelve which were with me in my ministry at Jerusalem, shall stand at my right hand at the day of my coming in a pillar of fire, being clothed with robes of righteousness, with crowns upon their heads, in glory even as I am, to judge the whole house of Israel, even as many as have loved me and kept my commandments, and none else.' "
Of the ministry of the apostles, President McKay wrote: "We are told that they were ordained and set apart. The inference in Matthew
chapter 10T is that the Savior not only ordained them, or authorized them, but He also qualified them - note that - He qualified them to have power over unclean spirits, over diseases, over those spirits which were troubling the people, and sent them forth authoritatively commissioned to represent Him, the Author of life." ( Gospel Ideals, pp. 248-249.)
