Mark 3:13-19

B. THE SECOND PERIOD 3:13 to 7:23

1. Friends and Foes 3:13-35
a. The appointment of the twelve 3:13-19

TEXT 3:13-19

And he goeth up into the mountain, and calleth unto him whom he himself would: and they went unto him. And he appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have authority to cast out devils: and Simon he surnamed Peter; and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and them he surnamed Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder: and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 3:13-19

123.

Please read Matthew 10:1-4 and Luke 2:12-16 as parallel accounts of this important event.

124.

What did Jesus do before He went into the mountain to choose the twelve?

125.

What mountain?; is it the mount of the sermon on the mount?

126.

Why were the disciples so willing to go after Him?

127.

What was the two-fold purpose of appointing the twelve?

128.

Why the authority to cast out demons?

129.

Why the surname for Peter and the two sons of Zebedee?

130.

Read the list in Matthew and Luke and explain the use of the name Thaddaeus.

131.

Is the term Cananaean the same as Zealotcompare accounts. (Acts 1:13)

COMMENT 3:13-19

TIMEMidsummer, A.D, 28.
PLACEOn a mount at no great distance from Capernaum.

PARALLEL ACCOUNTSMatthew 10:1-4; Luke 6:12-16.

OUTLINE1. The place where He called the twelve, Mark 3:13 a. Mark 3:2. The actual call of the twelve, Mark 3:13 b. Mark 3:3. Their appointment, Mark 3:14. Mark 3:4. Sent with authority, Mark 3:15. Mark 3:5. The names, Mark 3:16-19.

ANALYSIS

I.

THE PLACE WHERE HE CALLED THE TWELVE, Mark 3:13 a.

1.

Near Capernaum and the sea of Galilee.

2.

A place of prayerprobably the mount from which we have the sermon on the mount. Cf. Matthew 10:1-4; Luke 6:12-16.

II.

THE ACTUAL CALL OF THE TWELVE. Mark 3:13 b.

1.

From among the multitude.

2.

Made by the power of Jesus-' will.

3.

They left all to follow Him.

III.

THEIR APPOINTMENT, Mark 3:14.

1.

The word appoint sometimes translated ordained.

2.

That they might be with Him.

3.

That He might send them out to preach.

IV.

SENT WITH AUTHORITY, Mark 3:15.

1.

Over demons.

2.

With His message.

V.

THE NAMES, Mark 3:16-19.

1.

The first fourPeter, James, John and Andrew.

2.

The second fourPhilip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas.

3.

The third fourJames, Thaddaeus, Simon, Judas.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

I.

THE PLACE WHERE HE CALLED THE TWELVE, Mark 3:13 a.

The Chosen Twelve (Mark 3:13-19 a).It is evident that the bitter opposition and plots of the rulers must, in no long time, put an end to Jesus-' earthly work. He can not hope to do more than start the work, to break the ground and commence scattering the seed. Jesus had summoned to his side a few of the Baptist's disciples (John 1:35-51). Later, by the seaside, he had attached four of these more distinctly to him, to travel with him. But there was yet to be formed a compact, organized body of disciples commissioned to teach his doctrines.

But ere he did it, he withdrew into the mountain, doubtless the Horns of Hattin, and there spent an entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12).

II.

THE ACTUAL CALLING OF THE TWELVE. Mark 3:13 b

When dawn came, he called out of the disciples about him twelve whom he ordained (1) to be with himthat is, especially and continuously with him; (2) to be sent forth to preach as his special apostles, and (3) to have power to exercise his authority over demons. These, Luke informs us, he named apostles. Apostle means one sent, and is very close in meaning to our words ambassador and missionary.-' It was a necessary condition of this apostleship that the apostles should have been with Jesus, and so be qualified to tell of his words and actions, particularly of the resurrection (Acts 1:8; Acts 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1; Acts 22:14-15). The apostles can therefore have no successors.

III.

THEIR APPOINTMENT, Mark 3:14

The number twelve was evidently with purpose, for they were to be tribal judges of the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:30), and were, according to Paul, ministers to the twelve tribes, or to the circumcision, rather than to Gentiles (Galatians 2:7-9).

The lists in the four gospels are different, but the first four names, the second four and the last four in each are the same in all groups. The first name in each four is the same, and the traitor, Judas Iscariot, is always last. This seems to signify that the apostles were so banded as groups of four, each with a leader.

V.

THE NAMES, Mark 3:16-19.

Because he was first to publicly confess Christ, and because the Lord saw in him peculiar gifts of bold, aggressive leadership, Peter was given the right to open the doors of the kingdom of heaven. But after he had done this in the two sermons to Jews and Gentiles (Acts 2:14-41; Acts 10:34-48), there is no evidence of Peter's having any authority above that of the other apostles. Christ never so stated; Peter never so claimed; the Apostles never so owned. Jesus, on the other hand, specifically placed them on a level, with himself as their only Master (Matthew 23:8-11). Peter claims only equal position with other officers in the church (1 Peter 5:1; 1 Peter 5:4). Paul names James first (Galatians 2:9; Galatians 2:11-14). See Matthew 18:18; Matthew 19:27-28; Matthew 20:25-27; John 20:21; Acts 1:8. Peter was but one of the apostles, one of the pillars of the church (Galatians 2:9).

Jesus had prophesied that Simon should be called Peter when Simon was first brought to him by Andrew (John 1:41-42). The name signifies a piece of stone broken from mother-rock, and indicates Jesus-' prophetic insight into his character. Probably because of their vigor and zealous, stormy dispositions (Luke 9:51-56; Mark 9:38), James and John were surnamed Sons of thunder, James-' vigorous character probably led to Herod's slaying him, and John's vigor sustained him to a ripe old agebetween ninety and one-hundred. John's writings, too, reveal this vigor; he denounces sin in strong terms, such as liar, antichrist, deceiver, children of the devil and murderer (1 John 1:6; 1 John 2:4; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 3:15; 2 John 1:3-11). James and John were sons of Zebedee and Salome (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40) and perhaps cousins of Jesus (cf. John 19:25).

Philip, like the four preceding disciples, was a native of Bethsaida, and became allied to Jesus on the latter's return from temptation to Galilee (John 1:43-44). He brought to Jesus Nathanael, who is generally identified with the Bartholomew here named, because John always names Philip and Nathanael together, while the Synoptists name Philip and Bartholomew. Philip seems to have been of practical turn of mind (John 6:5-9). Nathanael was the Israelite in whom is no guile (John 1:47).

Matthew is Levi, and alone of all the Synoptists, describes himself in the list of apostles as the publican, as if recalling the depth from which grace had raised him (Mark 2:14).

Thomas is also called Didymus (John 11:16). Both words mean twin, the first being Aramaic and the second Greek. His attachment to Jesus was deep (John 11:16), but a tendency to misgiving and despondency probably accounts for his doubting the news of Christ's resurrection, until the sight of his beloved Master brought that explosion of affection, My Lord and my God!

James called son of Alphaeus and James the Less (Mark 15:40), to distinguish him from James the son of Zebedee, must not be confused with James the Lord's brother, who became a leader in the Jerusalem church (Galatians 1:19; Galatians 2:9-12: 1 Corinthians 15:5-7; Acts 15:6-9; Acts 21:18), and wrote the Epistle of James.

Thaddaeus is called Judas, son of James, in the two later Gospels-Luke and John. He may have been known as Thaddaeus in the early days to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. He is not the author of the epistle of Jude, written by the Lord's brother.
The cognomen Cananaean means the Zealot (used by Luke and John).
Judas, famed for his infamy, is called Iscariot, from his native city Kerioth, in Judea; he was the only one of the twelve not from Galilee. He was treasurer of the group. Much speculation has been wasted upon the reason for his choice as an apostle; suffice it to note that Jesus called whom he himself would.
It is a strikingly human group, possessed in varying degrees of fear, ambition, rivalry, impetuosity, vows, weakening faith, yet real loyaltya group of men, and not supermen, with common virtues and common faults, to do an uncommon work with divine power and under divine guidance. (Standard Bible Lesson Quarterly, Jan., Feb., March 1918.)

FACT QUESTIONS 3:13-19

153.

What was the purpose in the appointment of the twelve?

154.

Who were the first disciples to follow Jesus? (Cf. John 1:35-51).

155.

Why spend the whole night in prayer?please think on this question.

156.

In what sense were the twelve to be with Himin what special sense were they to represent Him?

157.

What is the meaning of the word apostle?

158.

What were the necessary conditions of apostleship? Why twelve apostles?

159.

Why in three groups of four?

160.

What right did Jesus give Peter?

161.

Give three lines of evidence to indicate Peter was on a level with the other apostles. Give the meaning of the name Peter.

162.

State indications that James and John had stormy dispositions.

163.

Give two historical facts about each of the following: (1) Philip (2) Matthew (3) Thomas (4) James, son of Alphaeus (5) Thaddaeus (6 Judas)