Please read the passage before the commentary.
Who are the Apostles, those who are sent? First is Simon Peter, and last is Judas. Peter holds primacy of position. Judas Iscariot is last. Judas has an interesting name. He is Iscariot because he is from the town of Kerioth, or because by occupation he is a daggerman (from the Latin sicarius), or he is a redhead.
Scholars speak of Jesus as reconstituting the twelve tribes of Israel in the Twelve Apostles. Reconstituting reminds me of condensed orange juice we used to have. We had to empty the contents into a pitcher and add one or more equal amounts of water to reconstitute the orange juice.
So, Jesus started out with a condensed version of his church in the Twelve Apostles. To reconstitute the church or the kingdom, Jesus stirs in new members. What are their names? What are your names: they are the new members.
As you go, yhefrefore, make this proclamation, “The Kingdom of Heaven is ay hand.”
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