Mark 3:14

οὓς καὶ� ([486][487][488][489][490], Memph.) is omitted by [491][492]2[493][494][495] Latt. Syrr. Goth. Arm., and may come from Luke 6:13.

[486] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mark 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[487] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mark 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[488] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mark 1:17 to Mark 6:31; Mark 8:5 to Mark 12:29; Mark 13:19 to Mark 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[489] An asterisk denotes that the word is not found elsewhere in N.T., and such words are included in the index, even if there is no note on them in the commentary.
[490] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.
[491] Codex Alexandrinus. 5th cent. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to King Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. The whole Gospel. Photographic facsimile, 1879.
[492] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mark 1:17 to Mark 6:31; Mark 8:5 to Mark 12:29; Mark 13:19 to Mark 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[493] Codex Bezae. 6th cent. Has a Latin translation (d) side by side with the Greek text, and the two do not quite always agree. Presented by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge in 1581. Remarkable for its frequent divergences from other texts. Contains Mark, except Mark 16:15-20, which has been added by a later hand. Photographic facsimile, 1899.

[494] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mark 1:1 to Mark 10:15; Mark 10:30 to Mark 15:1; Mark 15:20 to Mark 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mark 16:8 and Mark 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[495] Codex Guelpherbytanus. 6th cent. Contains Mark 1:2-11; Mark 3:5-17; Mark 14:13-24; Mark 14:48-61; Mark 15:12-37.

14. ἐποίησεν δώδεκα. He appointed (Acts 2:36; Hebrews 3:2; Revelation 5:10) twelve. That “the Twelve” quickly became an official designation, is clear from all the Gospels. Mk mentions “the Twelve” nine times, Mt. and Jn each four times, Lk. six times. Mt. alone speaks of “the twelve disciples” (Matthew 10:1; Matthew 11:1; Matthew 20:17, Matthew 26:20). Still earlier, St Paul uses “the Twelve” of the Apostolic body even when not all the Twelve were present (1 Corinthians 15:5). Their correspondence with the Twelve Tribes is also soon recognized (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; Revelation 21:14; Ep. of Barnabas viii. 3); they are the Twelve Patriachs of the new Israel. The modern attempt to connect them with the twelve signs of the Zodiac is a curiosity of criticism; and it is hardly worth mentioning, even as a coincidence, that on one occasion Buddha is said to have had just twelve disciples.

οὓς καὶ�. See crit. note. It is difficult to decide whether these strongly attested words are an early interpolation from Luke 6:13. We cannot say that Mark 6:30 implies a previous mention of this title, for in John 6:67; John 6:70, “the Twelve” are spoken of without previous mention of appointment or number. We need not suppose that Christ named them “Apostles” at the time when He appointed them; but it was He who sent them out to do His work who gave them a title which implies a special mission. DCG. art. “Apostles”; Lightfoot, Galatians, pp. 92–101.

ἵνα … καὶ ἵνα. Two separate purposes of the appointment, one relating to the present and one to the future, are clearly marked; (1) they are to remain with Him to be trained, and (2) He is to send them out to proclaim the good tidings and to have authority to cast out the demons. This is exactly His own work as defined Mark 1:39. Everything is kept in His own hands. He selects the larger circle of disciples; out of these He selects the Twelve; He trains them; He sends them to do work chosen by Himself, and their power over evil spirits is conferred by Him. They originate nothing, and they have nothing but what He bestows.

ἀποστέλλῃ. The verb which corresponds with ἀπόστολος is deliberately used; it implies, what πέμπω does not, a definite mission. As in Mark 1:39, κηρύσσειν is used absolutely. Bede remarks that He who had forbidden unclean spirits to proclaim Him, now sends men of pure minds to proclaim the Gospel.