In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all. (Lk 6:12-19)
Jesus had a group of disciples who followed him always. They were with him wherever he went and listened to his teaching and served him. Did they have any special job to do? Whenever Jesus wanted them to go ahead prepare for his coming they went earlier on to prepare for his coming. The seventy two whom he sent probably belonged to this group. There was a sizable number of people who were his disciples.
From among the disciples he chose the twelve apostles. They were for a special purpose. Their choice was preceded by a night-long prayer. Choosing them as apostles was something special. He discerned the will of God and prayed for them as well. When he came down after prayer he named them. This was not so for the disciples. The apostles had a special character.
There was also a large number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. These people came to him to hear him and also to be healed of diseases. These people came with persons who were possessed by demons so that he might relieve them of the demons. The people came specially to be healed and be relieved of evil spirits.
