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Mat 10:2. Τὰ ὀνόματά, the names) Scripture, in enumerations of this kind, preserves an accurate order. See Gen 48:20; Num 12:1; and, “Noah, Daniel, and Job,” in Eze 14:14; Eze 14:20. Therefore the plan which is observed in the list of the apostles, princes of the kingdom of Christ, is of far graver import than any precedence of the kings of the world (as, for example, Peter is named first, not without an indication of rank):[444] nor is there anything fortuitous in it. It is not said, “Bartholomew, Peter, Jude, John, Andrew, Matthew,” etc.: and the four, as it were, locations of them, are deserving of observation:-
[444] In the original, “non sine indicio ordinis.” In the notes to his German Version he says, on the words “Der erste,” “the first,” In der That war SIMON den andern überlegen: wiewol das der Stuhl zu ROM nichts angehet.” “SIMON was in reality superior to the other [apostles], though that [fact] does not in any way concern the See of ROME”-See Gnomon below on πρῶτος.-(I. B.)
(I.) Mat 10:2.
(II.) Mar 3:16.
(III.) Luk 6:14.
(IV.) Act 1:13; Act 1:26.
1. Simon, 1. Simon, 1. Simon, 1. Peter,
2. And Andrew, 2. And James, 2. And Andrew, 2. And James,
3. James, 3. And John, 3. James, 3. And John,
4. And John, 4. And Andrew, 4. And John, 4. And Andrew,
(See also Ib. Mat 13:3.)
5. Philip, 5. And Philip, 5. Philip, 5. Philip,
6. And Bartholomew, 6. And Bartholomew, 6. And Bartholomew, 6. And Thomas,
7. Thomas, 7. And Matthew, 7. Matthew, 7. Bartholomew,
8. And Matthew, 8. And Thomas, 8. And Thomas, 8. And Matthew
9. James the son of Alphaeus, 9. And James the son of Alphaeus, 9. James the son of Alphaeus, 9. James the son of Alphaeus,
10. And Lebbaeus, 10. And Thaddaeus, 10. And Simon Zelotes 10. And Simon Zelotes,
11. Simon the Canaanite, 11. And Simon the Canaanite, 11. Judas the brother of James, 11. And Judas the brother of James:
12. And Judas Iscariot. 12. And Judas Iscariot. 12. And Judas Iscariot. 12. Matthias.
The first and the third arrangements enumerate them by pairs, the second singly, the fourth mixedly. The first and third arrangements correspond generally to the time of their vocation, and the conjunction of the apostles in twos; the second, to their dignity before our Lord’s passion; the fourth, to their dignity after His ascension. All the arrangements may be divided into three quaternions, none of which interchanges any name with either of the others.[445] Again, Peter stands always first in the first quaternion, Philip in the second (cf. Joh 1:42; Joh 1:44; Joh 12:22), James the son of Alphaeus in the third; though, within their several quaternions, the other apostles exchange their relative position [in the different lists]. The traitor stands always last. The plan of the first and third quaternions is contained in what I have just said: in the second, Matthew places himself modestly after his[446] Thomas, thus proving himself to be the writer of the book; for both Mark and Luke put Thomas after Matthew, although St Luke, after the confirmation of Thomas’s faith (Joh 20:27-28), puts him, in the Acts, even above Bartholomew, and associates him with Philip. From the first quaternion we have the writings of Peter and John; from the second, that of Matthew; from the third, those of James and Jude, or Thaddeus. St John has not enumerated the apostles in his Gospel, but he has done so by implication in the Apocalypse; see Rev 21:19-20, and my German, Exposition of it.-πρῶτος, first) on the primacy of Peter, see Luk 8:45; Luk 9:32; Joh 1:42; Mat 16:16; Joh 21:15; Act 1:15; Act 2:14; Act 8:14; Act 10:5; Act 15:7. He was, however, first among the apostles, not placed over the apostles: in the apostolate, not above it. What is this to the Pope of Rome? Not more than to any other bishop; nay, even less.-ὁ λεγόμενος Πέτρος, who is called Peter) A surname which became afterwards better known.[447]
[445] i.e. No one of the three quaternions allows a name found in it to be exchanged for a name found in one of the other two quaternions; though the names are varied as to their order in the same quaternion by the different writers.-ED.
[446] “Thomam suum,” his Thomas, i.e. his associate in the lists; Matthew and Thomas being placed together in all of them.-(I. B.)
[447] i.e. better known than the name “SIMON,” which he had received at his circumcision.-(I. B.)