Attracted by His miracles of healing, crowds gathered about Him not only from Judæa, Jerusalem and Galilee, but even from Peræa, Idumæa, and the country around Tyre and Sidon (Mk. iii. 7, 8; Lk. vi. 17), bringing such as were afflicted with any diseases, and beseeching his aid. While, therefore, He did not withhold that Divine assistance which they so eagerly craved (Lk. vi. 9), but graciously healed them, He now retired from the constant interruption, to which their coming exposed Him, and sought a retreat in the lonely mountain-range west of the sea of Tiberias. There he spent a night in solemn meditation and prayer (Lk. vi. 12), and on the following morning called to Him His disciples, and made selection amongst them of Twelve, who should be in continual personal attendance upon Him (Mk. iii. 14), and whom He might send forth to preach in His name, and to exercise power over evil spirits (Mk. iii. 15). The Twelve thus selected and denominated Apostles were:―― 1. Symeon or Simon, the son of Jonas (Jn. i. 42; xxi. 16), called also Cephas[295] or Peter (a _stone_ or _rock_). 2. Andrew, his brother (Mtt. iv. 18), a native of Bethsaida, and a former disciple of the Baptist[296]. 3. James, the son of Zebedee (Mtt. iv. 21) and Salome (Mk. xv. 40), also of Bethsaida, and 4. John, his brother, afterwards known as “the friend of Jesus,” the “♦disciple whom Jesus loved” (Jn. xiii. 23), and in the ancient Church as ὁ ἐπιστήθιος, he who “leaned on His breast[297].” 5. Philip, a native of Bethsaida, and one of the earliest disciples (Jn. i. 43)[298]. 6. Bartholomew = Bar-Tolmai, “the son of Tolmai,” most probably identical with Nathanael[299]. 7. Matthew or Levi, a collector of customs at Capernaum[300]. 8. Thomas or Didymus (_a twin_), (Jn. xi. 16; xx. 24). 9. James, the son of Alphæus, or “James the Less.” 10. Judas, a brother or, possibly, a son of James (Acts i. 13), and surnamed Thaddæus and Lebbæus (Mtt. x. 3; Mk. iii. 18). 11. Simon the _♦Canaanite_ (Mk. iii. 18) or _Cananæan_ (Mtt. x. 24), in Greek _Zelotes_ (Lk. vi. 15; Acts i. 13), one, probably, who before his call had belonged to the sect of the zealots[301]. 12. Judas, sometimes called the _son of Simon_ (Jn. vi. 71; xiii. 2, 26), more generally _Iscariot_, _i.e._ probably a native of Kerioth (Josh. xv. 25), a little village in the tribe of Judah. After this formal selection and ordination of the Twelve Apostles, the Saviour descended from the mountain-peak[302], where He had spent the night, to a more level spot (Lk. vi. 17), and sitting down in the formal attitude of a Teacher in the presence of His disciples and the multitude, which had gathered around Him, proceeded to deliver that wondrous summary of Christian doctrine and practice known as the “Sermon on the Mount”[303] (Mtt. v.‒vii.; Lk. vi. 20–49).