While on earth, God sent Christ to accomplish a specific part of His redemptive will. That will was not to be a great evangelist and win thousands to faith, like Peter at Pentecost. Rather, God’s will was for Jesus to come “down from heaven” and train a preselected group of Israelites (those given to Him to be apostles) to carry the gospel to the world and establish His church after He is raised from the dead (John 12:32;
