Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
When it was day (ote egeneto hmera). When day came, after the long night of prayer.
He chose from them twelve (eklecamenov ap autwn dwdeka). The same root (leg) was used for picking out, selecting and then for saying. There was a large group of "disciples" or "learners" whom he "called" to him (prosefwnhsen), and from among whom he chose (of himself, and for himself, indirect middle voice (eklecamenov). It was a crisis in the work of Christ. Jesus assumed full responsibility even for the choice of Judas who was not forced upon Jesus by the rest of the Twelve. "You did not choose me, but I chose you," (John 15:16) where Jesus uses ecelecasqe and ecelecamhn as here by Luke.
Whom also he named apostles (ouv kai apostolouv wnomasen). So then Jesus gave the twelve chosen disciples this appellation. Aleph and B have these same words in Mark 3:14 besides the support of a few of the best cursives, the Bohairic Coptic Version and the Greek margin of the Harclean Syriac. Westcott and Hort print them in their text in Mark 3:14, but it remains doubtful whether they were not brought into Mark from Luke 6:13 where they are undoubtedly genuine. See Matthew 10:2 where the connection with sending them out by twos in the third tour of Galilee. The word is derived from apostellw, to send (Latin, mitto) and apostle is missionary, one sent. Jesus applies the term to himself (apesteilav, John 17:3) as does Hebrews 3:1. The word is applied to others, like Barnabas, besides these twelve including the Apostle Paul who is on a par with them in rank and authority, and even to mere messengers of the churches (II Corinthians 8:23). But these twelve apostles stand apart from all others in that they were all chosen at once by Jesus himself "that they might be with him" (Mark 3:14), to be trained by Jesus himself and to interpret him and his message to the world. In the nature of the case they could have no successors as they had to be personal witnesses to the life and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 1:22). The selection of Matthias to succeed Judas cannot be called a mistake, but it automatically ceased. For discussion of the names and groups in the list see discussion on Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:14-19.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Luke 6:13:
Matthew 10:2
Mark 3:14
Mark 3:14
Luke 6:13
John 13:18
John 15:16
Acts 1:2
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