In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:
English Standard Version (ESV)
While it's easy to focus on Jesus spending the entire night praying, the more significant insight is why He did it. This wasn't just a pious habit; it was an intense, deliberate preparation for an immense task—selecting the apostles and laying the foundation for His Church.
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just before this moment, Jesus had been teaching and healing, drawing large crowds. Now, facing the monumental task of choosing his twelve closest disciples and entrusting them with his mission, he withdraws to a mountain. He spends the entire night in intense prayer, seeking divine guidance before he makes this crucial selection and then delivers the foundational teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus was facing a monumental decision: choosing His core team. Where did He go, and why?
Jesus didn't just wing it when it came to selecting His twelve apostles. He sought out a specific environment for this critical task.
A Mountain Retreat
He went 'out into a mountain.' This wasn't just any random spot. Mountains, in the ancient world, were often seen as places close to God – places of revelation and communion. They offered a profound sense of solitude and grandeur, lifting one's thoughts beyond the everyday.
Uninterrupted Connection
This setting provided the privacy Jesus needed. The commentaries highlight that places like this were 'retired, free from interruption.' For such a weighty decision, Jesus needed a space where He could focus entirely on seeking God's wisdom, away from the demands and distractions of the crowds.
Jesus didn't just pray briefly; He committed an entire night to it. What does this tell us about the significance of His decision?
The fact that Jesus 'continued all night in prayer' isn't just a detail; it speaks volumes about the seriousness and importance of the moment.
Deep Devotion for Critical Moments
This wasn't a casual prayer session. The commentaries suggest this extended time was directly linked to the immense task ahead: appointing the apostles, who would form the foundation of His Church. It was a 'great business' that required His full, focused devotion.
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An Example for Us
While Jesus was divine, He also lived as a man, and His prayer life offers a powerful example. If the Son of God saw fit to dedicate an entire night to prayer before such a pivotal moment, it underscores the need for us to set aside dedicated, extended time for prayer when facing significant responsibilities or crucial decisions.
Understand the original words
proseuchē · Greek Noun
The act of communicating with the Creator. In Scripture, it is a posture of dependence, submission, and fellowship, modeled perfectly by Jesus throughout His ministry.
mathētēs · Greek Noun
Literally 'learner' or 'pupil.' It refers to those who follow Jesus, listen to His teaching, and are committed to His way of life.
apostolos · Greek Noun
Literally 'one who is sent.' It refers to a specific group appointed by Jesus as His official representatives, endowed with authority to preach and perform signs.
Jesus's night of prayer before choosing the twelve apostles highlights the profound spiritual preparation required for such a crucial leadership decision, demonstrating that even divine missions are rooted in deep communion with God.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus begins public ministry
Jesus's public ministry is gaining momentum, with crowds gathering and His teachings spreading. He is beginning to gather followers and disciples.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Selection of the Twelve Apostles
Jesus is preparing to select and commission the twelve apostles, a pivotal moment for the future of His movement and the Church.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus's disciples begin their ministry
Following their selection and commissioning, the apostles will soon begin their own ministries, empowered by Jesus.
This passage shows Jesus seeking solitude in prayer on a mountain, mirroring the practice described in Luke 6:12 before important decisions or events.
Mark 1:35This verse highlights Jesus' early morning habit of withdrawing to a desolate place to pray, emphasizing the consistent and dedicated nature of His prayer life, even amidst His ministry.
Luke 9:18Here, Jesus prays alone before asking His disciples who they believe Him to be, demonstrating prayer as a prelude to significant interactions and revelations about His identity.
Luke 9:28-29This account shows Jesus going up on a mountain to pray, and during His prayer, His appearance is transformed, suggesting that intense prayer can lead to divine encounters and revelations.
John 17:1This is Jesus' famous high priestly prayer, spoken just before His arrest, showing Him engaging in deep, focused prayer for Himself and His followers before a critical moment, much like the all-night prayer in Luke 6:12 before appointing the apostles.
barnesLuke 6:12: "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."
And it came to pass in those days - The designation of the time here is very general. It means "about" the time when the events occurred which had been just narrated. He went out into a mountain - Jesus was accustomed to resort to such places to hold communion with God, Mark 6:46. He did it because it was retired, free from interruption, and fitted by impressivenes…
clarkeLuke 6:12: "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."
In prayer to God - Or, in the prayer of God: or, in the oratory of God, εν τῃ προσευχῃ του Θεου. So this passage is translated by many critics; for which Dr. Whitby gives the following reasons: As the mountain of God, Exodus 3:1 ; Exodus 4:27 ; the bread of God, Leviticus 21:17 ; the lamp of God, 1 Samuel 3:3 ; the vessels of God, 1 Chronicles 22:19 ; the altar o…
While it's easy to focus on Jesus spending the entire night praying, the more significant insight is why He did it. This wasn't just a pious habit; it was an intense, deliberate preparation for an immense task—selecting the apostles and laying the foundation for His Church.
Just before this moment, Jesus had been teaching and healing, drawing large crowds. Now, facing the monumental task of choosing his twelve closest disciples and entrusting them with his mission, he withdraws to a mountain. He spends the entire night in intense prayer, seeking divine guidance before he makes this crucial selection and then delivers the foundational teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.
Just before this moment, Jesus had been teaching and healing, drawing large crowds. Now, facing the monumental task of choosing his twelve closest disciples and entrusting them with his mission, he withdraws to a mountain. He spends the entire night in intense prayer, seeking divine guidance before he makes this crucial selection and then delivers the foundational teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.
"In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:" — While it's easy to focus on Jesus spending the entire night praying, the more significant insight is why He did it. This wasn't just a pious habit; it was an intense, deliberate preparation for a…
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Last reviewed October 2026