Commentaries:
Jesus called His twelve disciples before He started the New Testament church. A disciple is a student or learner. Christ chose them—they did not choose Him. He told Simon (Peter) and Andrew his brother: "Come ye after me, and I will make you . . . fishers of men."
Jesus taught and trained the twelve disciples so they could become teachers—so He could start the church around them. The apostles would form part of the foundation of the church. They would be the teachers of those whom God would call into His church later.
But none became members of the church until after Jesus had ascended into heaven. Rather, He first called the disciples. Jesus Himself taught them so they could become teachers and members, upon their spiritual conversion. When Jesus did start the church, He already had trained teachers.
What and Why the Church?
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