A mere list of names! A good deal may be made of a list of names, but it depends on whose names they are. There is a Book which has in it nothing but names. That Book would interest the universe if it were to be opened up and read "the Lamb's Book of Life." We may look on these men
I. Officially. They are selected, chosen, set apart by Christ as apostles. (1) The first thing suggested here is the marvellous results that flowed out of this selection, and the great fact out of which it arose. (2) The second thing is the little power naturally there would seem to have been in these men to have produced any great results. On the whole they were respectable men, of good common education, but not cultivated; men of no rank; some of them had a natural power, a rude energy, a faculty of speech, so we may conclude, when we find them called "Sons of Consolation" or "Sons of Thunder." (3) Thirdly, there is the list complete; twelve men are selected and ordained, all of them, and yet comparatively few of them stand out large and in full length in history.
II. Personally. We may read it as a list of persons in society and in the Church. Notice (1) how the Gospel embraces persons of different temper and tastes; yet all are looked on by the eye of the loving Father, and all are part of the one Church. Here is Peter, with his boldness and yet cowardice; John, with his sensitiveness; Nathanael, with his habit of retirement. (2) Another thing to be observed here is how the good cause may be advanced by relationship, friendship, brotherhood. There are three pairs of brothers in this list. (3) A catalogue might be made out of a Church book of those whose previous lives had been rather questionable. Observe how we can understand the Christian mellowing with age. The better nature comes to be developed, and the imperfections slough off, and are gone. So is it with the true man; he grows up into Christ.
T. Binney, Christian World Pulpit,vol. ii., p. 8.
References: Matthew 10:2-4. F. W. Farrar, Christian World Pulpitvol. xxii., p. 312.Matthew 10:3. J. Foster, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xi., p. 403; Preacher's Monthly,vol. iv., p. 171; Expositor,3rd series, vol. i., p. 79; H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit,No. 1,964.Matthew 10:4. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. iv., p. 105.