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.
that.
Psalm 55:15-17 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them…
Psalm 109:3,4 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause…
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
continued.
Genesis 32:24-26 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day…
Psalm 22:2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
Matthew 14:23-25 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone…
Jesus went out to the mountain
Mountains in biblical narratives often serve as places of divine revelation and communion with God. Examples include Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai and Elijah encountering God on Mount Horeb. Jesus' choice to go to a mountain underscores the significance of the moment and His desire for solitude and communion with the Father.
to pray
Prayer is a central aspect of Jesus' life and ministry, demonstrating His dependence on and relationship with the Father. This act of prayer before significant events, such as choosing the twelve apostles, emphasizes the importance of seeking God's guidance. It also serves as a model for believers to prioritize prayer in decision-making.
and He spent the night in prayer to God
Spending the entire night in prayer indicates the intensity and earnestness of Jesus' communion with the Father. It reflects His dedication and the weight of the decisions He was about to make. This all-night prayer session is unique in the Gospels, highlighting the critical nature of the upcoming selection of the apostles. It also connects to other instances where Jesus prays intensely, such as in the Garden of Gethsemane, showing His consistent reliance on the Father throughout His ministry.
- Luke places this event right after escalating controversy with the Pharisees (Luke 6:1-11) and just before Jesus chooses the Twelve (Luke 6:13-16).
- The phrase signals a real historical moment when opposition was mounting and decisions of lasting importance were unfolding—reminding us that Scripture’s timeline is trustworthy and anchored in actual events.
- Similar time-markers appear elsewhere (e.g., John 2:23; Acts 1:15) to root God’s work in verifiable history, underscoring that faith rests on fact, not fiction.
- His deliberate departure from the crowds shows intentional pursuit of communion with the Father.
- Mark 1:35 mirrors this pattern: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went out to a solitary place, where He prayed”.
- Luke frequently notes Jesus’ withdrawals (Luke 5:16), teaching that public ministry must flow from private fellowship.
- For believers, this models choice over convenience—carving out time with God instead of waiting for spare moments to appear.
- Mountains in Scripture often serve as meeting places with God—Moses on Sinai (Exodus 19), Elijah on Horeb (1 Kings 19:8-13), and later Jesus at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28).
- The elevation offers practical solitude and symbolic nearness to heaven, illustrating the value of intentional, distraction-free settings for prayer.
- Mark 3:13 recounts that Jesus also “went up on the mountain and called those He wanted,” linking the location of prayer with the calling of His apostles.
- The entire night—hours of focused intercession—highlights the Son’s perfect dependence on the Father before selecting the Twelve who would carry the gospel to the world (cf. Acts 1:2).
- Persistent prayer surfaces again in Luke 22:44, where Jesus prays earnestly before the cross, and Luke 18:1, where He teaches that “they should always pray and not lose heart.”
- Hebrews 5:7 affirms this lifestyle: “During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears…”.
- For us, the scene urges:
• Seek God’s will before major decisions.
• Recognize that extended prayer is not excess but essential.
• Embrace the truth of 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing”, as a practical rhythm, not a poetic ideal.
Luke 6:12 portrays Jesus stepping away from rising conflict, ascending a mountain, and devoting the whole night to communion with the Father. The verse affirms His humanity, His dependence, and His deliberate preparation for choosing the apostles. It calls believers to prioritize unhurried, undistracted prayer, trusting that God still guides and empowers all who seek Him first.
(12) He went out into a mountain to pray.--Better, into the mountain, or, the hill-country. The stress laid on the prayers of Jesus is again characteristic of St. Luke.Continued all night in prayer to God.--The original, at least, admits of another rendering. The word translated "prayer" (proseuche) had come to be applied to the place dedicated to prayer--the chapel or oratory by the river-side, or on the mountain-side, where there was a running stream available for ablutions, to which devout Jews could retire for their devotions. Such a proseuche there seems to have been at Philippi (Acts 16:13). Another is named at Halicarnassus. Such, the language of Roman poets (in qua te qu?ro proseucha, Juvenal, Sat. iii. 296) shows us, there were at Rome. The fact mentioned by Josephus that there was one near Tiberias (Life, c. 54) shows that they were not unknown in Galilee. The precise combination of words--literally, in the prayer of God--is not found elsewhere for prayer as offered to God.
Verses 12-19. - The choice of the twelve. Verse 12. And it came to pass in those days. That is to say, in the course of his ministry in Galilee, especially in the thickly populated district lying round the Lake of Genessaret, and after the events related in ch. 5. and the first eleven verses of ch. 6, Jesus proceeded to choose, out of the company of those who had especially attached themselves to him, twelve who should henceforth be always with him. These he purposed to train up as the authorized exponents of his doctrine, and as the future leaders of his Church. Things had assumed a new aspect during the last few months. Jerusalem and the hierarchy, supported by the great teachers of that form of Judaism which for so long a period had swayed the hearts of the people, had, although not yet openly, declared against the views and teaching of Jesus. His acts - but far more his words - had gathered round him, especially in Galilee, in the north and central districts of Palestine, a large and rapidly increasing following. It was necessary that some steps should be taken at once to introduce among the people who had received his words gladly, some kind of organization; hence the formal choice of the twelve, who from henceforth stood nearest to him. We possess the following four lists of these twelve men: - Matthew 10:2-4....Simon
Andrew
James . . .
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