The Lord Manifests His Glory through His Office of the Holy Ministry

By His coming in the flesh and by His preaching and miracles, the Lord Jesus shines the light of His Gospel upon the people who walked in darkness and who dwelt in a land of deep darkness (Is. 9:2). He has also multiplied the nation and increased its joy (Is. 9:3) by calling disciples to Himself from the ends of the earth. For this purpose, He calls Peter and Andrew, with James and John, to follow Him and be fishers of men (Matt. 4:19).  As Jesus did, they also go forth proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people (Matt. 4:23). They preach the foolishness of the Cross of Christ as the very power and wisdom of God. This word and preaching of the Cross divides those who are perishing from us who are being saved (1 Cor. 1:18), but it unites the Church, the one Body of Christ, in the same mind and the same judgment (1 Cor. 1:10).