Luke 6:13

And when it was day, he called his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom also he named apostles: Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew, and Matthew and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Whom also he named apostles ... Gilmour is obviously in error in the assertion that "It is an anachronism on Luke's part to assert that Jesus conferred it (the title APOSTLES)."[15] It is true, of course, that the word "apostle" is from a Greek term; but Jesus knew at least two languages; and the borrowing of this word from the Greek tongue was exactly what one might have expected of him who clearly envisioned the preaching of the gospel in the whole world (Matthew 14:9). Besides that, if Jesus did not bestow this title, then who did? It would never have been accepted by the primitive church unless Jesus had indeed given it.

Simon, whom he also called Peter ... For extended comment on this apostle, whose name appears first in all New Testament lists of the Twelve, see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 16:18.

Andrew ... James ... John ... Philip ... Bartholomew ... For articles on these individual apostles see index of my Commentary on John.

Matthew and Thomas ... See the introduction to my Commentary on Matthew and comments on Matthew 9:9 with regard to the apostle Matthew, and under John 20:25 for discussion of Thomas.

James the son of Alphaeus ... This Alphaeus was different from the man who was the father of Matthew. "Had that not been the case, this James would have been more clearly identified as `the brother of Matthew'."[16]

Simon who was called the Zealot ... There was a revolutionary group in those days which bore this title; but there is no proof that "Simon the Zealot was a former member of a terrorist group dedicated to the overthrow of Rome."[17] As Ash declared, "(The term) Zealot probably indicated one with a particular zeal for the law ... It is impossible to know if the term was meant in a religious or patriotic sense here."[18] If the word is construed politically, then it must have reference to Simon's former status, not that which he held while an apostle.

Judas Iscariot ... On this apostle, see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 26:21,49; 27:3-10. Also, see under John 13:2 in my Commentary on John.

[15] S. MacLean Gilmour, op. cit., p. 114.

[16] Ray Summers, op. cit., p. 73.

[17] Herschel H. Hobbs, op. cit., p. 115.

[18] Anthony Lee Ash, op. cit., p. 115.