Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 3:13
And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth [unto him] whom he would: and they came unto him.
13 19. The Calling of the Twelve Apostles
13. And he goeth ] We have now reached an important turning-point in the Gospel History, (i) The fame of the Saviour had spread abroad in every direction throughout the land, and the current of popular feeling had set strongly in His favour. But (ii) the animosity of the ruling powers had deepened in intensity alike in Juda and Galilee, and an active correspondence was going on between the Scribes and Pharisees in both districts respecting Him. Meanwhile (iii) He Himself had seemed to stand almost alone. A few indeed had gathered round Him as His disciples, but as yet they did not present the appearance of a regular and organized body, nor had they received a distinct commission to disseminate His doctrines. Such a body was now to be formed. Such a commission was now to be given. Accordingly He retired to the mountain-range west of the Lake, and spent the whole night in prayer to God (Luk 6:12). The scene of His retirement and lonely vigil was in all probability the singular elevation now known as the Karn Hattn, or “Horns of Hattn,” the only conspicuous hill on the western side of the Lake, and “singularly adapted by its conformation both to form a place for short retirement, and a rendezvous for gathering multitudes.” Then at dawn of the following day (Luk 6:13), He
calleth unto him whom he would ] of the disciples, who had gradually gathered around Him, and when they had come to Him He selected for Himself (Luk 6:13), and
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For an account of the appointment of the apostles, see the notes at Mat 10:1-4.
And calleth unto him whom he would – Those whom he chose; whom he was about to appoint to the apostleship. See the notes at Joh 15:16.
Mar 3:14
He ordained twelve – The word rendered ordained here does not express our notion of ordination to the ministry. It means, literally, he made – that is, he appointed twelve to be with him.
Twelve – The reason why twelve were chosen was, probably, that such a number would be deemed competent witnesses of what they saw; that they could not be easily charged with being excited by sympathy, or being deluded, as a multitude might; and that, being destined to go into all the world, a considerable number seemed indispensable. Perhaps, also, there was some reference to the fact that twelve was the number of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mar 3:17
Boanerges – This word is made up of two Hebrew words signifying sons of thunder, meaning that they, on some accounts, resembled thunder. See the notes at Mat 1:1. It is not known why this name was given to James and John. They are nowhere else called by it. Some suppose it was because they wished to call down fire from heaven and consume a certain village of the Samaritans, Luk 9:54. It is, however, more probable that it was on account of something fervid, and glowing, and powerful in their genius and eloquence.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mar 3:13-21
And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him.
This was the third stage in the preparation of the disciples for the apostolate
A certain number had been admitted at the beginning to terms of intimacy and friendship with Jesus. Then they had left their secular calling for a time to attend upon Him. And now the final step must be taken, and a selection made of such as would give themselves wholly to the work, and go no more back to the world. The twelve apostles are divided by the evangelists into three groups.
I. Notice the manifold variety represented among them.
1. In character. Where in the whole world could we find dispositions more diverse than in Peter and John-the one ardent and impulsive, the very embodiment of energy and vehemence; the other quiet and contemplative, fitted for nothing so well as the life of a recluse?
2. In calling. What callings could be more incongruous than those which Simon and Matthew had respectively chosen? The fiery patriot could brook no allegiance to an earthly ruler, but would do and dare anything to resist the Roman claim to impose taxation upon the people of God. But his fellow apostle had degraded himself, of his own free-will, to exact from his own flesh and blood the obnoxious tribute. Yet such was the comprehensive work which lay before the ministry of the Church, that a sphere was found in it for the tax gatherer no less than the tax hater; for the Jew who had sold his birthright as well as for their reconcilable nationalist. Jew and Greek, bond and free, rich and poor, men of every type and people, were destined to be embraced in the Catholic Church; and Jesus Christ foreshadowed the future when He welded together the most discordant elements in that first society of the Twelve Apostles.
II. Another thought of scarcely less importance arises out of the social position from which He made His choice. The Jewish Rabbis estimated the weight of their influence by the rank or wealth or learning of the pupils who sat at their feet. The first Teacher of Christianity aimed, on the contrary, at attracting the poorest of men. It may be urged that He had no alternative; that men in the position of Joseph and Nicodemus wine so reluctant to accept the call that, had He waited for their adherence, the apostolic roll would never have been filled up in His lifetime. But His choice of the poor and despised, the ignorant and unlearned, was based upon a principle which governed the whole of His life on earth; which selected for His birthplace the manger of a wayside khan, for His home a humble cottage, and for His early occupation the trade of an artizan, among a people intellectually of the lowest type in Palestine. It was in perfect consistency with all that had gone before that He should associate with Himself for the work of the ministry men of the humblest rank, who probably knew little more than their letters, and, judged by a human standard, were worthless for that unto which they were called For the first three centuries the progress of Christianity was a gradual triumph of the lowly over the great, till, by the irresistible might of its weakness, it shook the world and compelled the master of legions to cast his crown at the foot of the Cross. Then was the wisdom of His choice demonstrated. (H. M. Luckock, D. D.)
The twelve
1. The sons of Jacob were twelve. The princes of the children of Israel were twelve. The fountains of Elim were twelve. The stones in Aarons breastplate were twelve. The loaves of shewbread were twelve. The spies sent by Moses into Canaan were twelve. The stones of the altar were twelve, The stones taken out of Jordan were twelve. The oxen which supported the brazen Laver in the temple were twelve. The stars on the crown of the woman in the Apocalypse are twelve. The foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem are twelve. The gates of the celestial city are twelve. The twelve tribes of Israel were the beginning of the Old Testament Church: the twelve apostles were the beginning of the New Testament Church, Hence both these numbers joined together describe the four and twenty elders, representing the entire Church in glory.
2. We have four lists of the apostles: in Matthew, in Mark, in Luke, and in the Acts. The order in which the names are given is not the same in all. It has been suggested that in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke they are enrolled chronologically in the order of their calling: whereas in Mark and in Acts the matter of personal influence is made the ground of that order which places Peter always first and Judas always last.
I. What were the characteristics of the twelve as a body.
1. They were men of good health. Mr. Talmage says: Christ did not want twelve invalids hanging about Him, complaining all the time how badly they felt. He leaves the delicate students at Jerusalem and Rome for their mothers and aunts to take care of, and goes down to the seashore, and out of the toughest material makes an apostleship. The ministry need more corporeal vigour than any other class. Fine minds and good intentions are important, but there must be physical force to back them. The intellectual mill wheel may be well built and the grist good, but there must be enough flood in the mill race to turn the one and to grind the other. And, yet, how many invalids in the pulpit have been stars of the first magnitude? Witness Robert Hall, McCheyne, and Robertson of Brighton, England.
2. They were men without power. They had no social or political rank.
3. They were laymen. This also is significant. Men of ecclesiastical or philosophical influence, who are committed to the support of a certain system of truth, are not free from prejudice. In the seventeenth century William Harvey discovered the circulation of the blood-a fact which no sane man disputes. And yet no physician forty years of age in that day accepted Harveys discovery. So great is the power of prejudice! These laymen, chosen by Christ, were unshackled ecclesiastically and philosophically. It appears unfortunate that Martin Luther was an ecclesiastic. His work had been more thorough, but for certain Church shackles which even his great soul was unable to shake off. Witness the Lutheran Creed and the present condition of Germany.
4. They were simple men. Now, Mohammed, for example, was not a simple man. He was a dissembler. Jesus of Nazareth calls no man common or unclean. AEsop was a slave. Protagoras was a porter. Terence was a slave. Horace was the son of a slave. Among the poets, Gay was apprentice to a draper and Prior was a tavern boy. Pope was the son of a draper, Keats of a livery stable keeper, and Chatterton of a sexton. Ben Jonson worked for his bread as a bricklayer.
II. Why did the Lord choose apostles?
1. In order to crowd into a brief public ministry as much work as possible. His public ministry was so brief, that but for the cooperation of the twelve He could not have spoken all the words of wisdom or done all the acts of mercy which crowned and crowded that eventful life. In the great religious movement of the last century in England, John Wesley evinced a sagacity superior to that of either Whitefield or his brother Charles, in securing co-workers and doing in general the work of an organizer. All great teachers have done the same. Witness Socrates, Peter the Hermit, Luther, Loyola, and Savonarola, of Florence.
2. In order to provide testimony after His death. The apostles were to bear public witness of all they saw and heard whilst remaining with Him. Christianity then is historic, and is a system of doctrines resting upon facts.
3. In order to establish a body of men who should bear the public seal of the Church, viz,: Miracles.
4. To shield, by miraculous power, feeble Churches. (W. F. Bishop.)
The ministerial office
Bishops and clergy are called to the ministry of Jesus Christ-
1. In order to work with Him, extend, complete, and continue His priesthood ripen earth.
2. To preach His Word, and make known His truth, and the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. All ecclesiastical functions are denoted by preaching, because this is a principal duty of the clergy, and it is by means of the Word and instruction that the Church is established and perpetuated.
3. To be the physicians of souls, and apply themselves to heal their diseases.
4. To wage war with the devil, and destroy his kingdom. Whoever looks upon the ministerial office as a state of ease, and not of continual labour, understands but very little these words of Christ. (Quesnel.)
Christ and His disciples
A superhuman worker will have his own superhuman methods.
I. Christs methods. No man would have begun in such a way.
1. He wrote nothing. Plato has left us the description of his Ideal Republic-so men have always done; but the King of the only enduring kingdom wrote only once-in the sand, and not on parchment. Seneca penned his book on Morals for men to ponder; but the Christ who knew no sin, and whose precepts have been planted in every Christian civilization, simply spoke the precepts which in after years others should write down. The heavenly worker wrought in an unearthly way.
2. He chose unlettered men. When Carlyle speaks and Emerson ponders, the world puts its hand to its ear to catch even the lowest spoken truths; but it may be that some fisherman coasting the shore of Solway Firth, or some sower of seed on the fields of Concord, shall stand higher in Gods view than even the rugged Scotchman and the honoured sage of America. The Saviour of mankind, the Revolutionist of the ages, the Son of the Highest committed Himself, His power, His teachings, to twelve plain and hitherto unhonoured men, all of them common people, and all of them unlearned.
3. The character of the twelve. Judged from a human point of view, they were certainly unpromising men-slow of heart, dull of understanding, weak in action, and one false at heart. But time has shown that Christ made no mistake. By so much as His apostles characters were incomplete, and in so far as the Christian faith has ruled in the earth, even so His mysterious choice is vindicated beyond cavil. Upon them He stamped His own greatness.
II. The plan involved in Christs methods. Nothing Divine is ever done by chance. (G. R. Leavitt.)
The twelve
I. Christ thought fit to employ human agents in the promulgation of His religion.
II. Christ selected His agents by virtue of His own wisdom and authority.
III. Christ chose His trusted apostles from a lowly position of society.
IV. Christ appointed agents with various gifts, qualifications, and character.
V. Christ recognized and employed the special gift of His disciples in His own service.
VI. Christ qualified these agents by keeping them in His own society and beneath His own influence.
VII. Christ Himself commissioned and authorized these agents.
1. To preach the gospel.
2. To cast out devils. (J. R. Thomson, M. A.)
Christs choice of His helpers
The whole instruction of this story for our use now turns upon the word chose; for it reveals the fact that the sovereignty of God as well as His wisdom was in the procedure. So our several lessons need only to be stated in their order.
I. The earliest matter of notice is this: Our Lords policy was one of continuous reconstruction for our entire fallen humanity, and not merely an expedient for His own convenience.
1. For a purpose, He might have chosen death, instead of which He chose life. He could have taken the best of the race up into the air higher than Ararat, and held them safely, as it were, outside of the world, while He washed the wicked earth beneath them, and then put them back. He did that once; but, with a rainbow for a sign, He said He would never do it again. He evidently planned now to redeem sinners, not to destroy them.
2. For a method, He might have chosen a permanent incarnation; instead of which He chose a book. He was now finding men just to make and perpetuate the New Testament. Ours is a book religion, as cavillers call it. Christianity is the Bible, and the Bible is Christianity. In this form of procedure our Lord indicated that the chief of all approaches to the human conscience is through the reason, and this He intended to use for His end.
3. For the instruments, He might have chosen angels, instead of which He chose men. We see that He selected ordinary, poor, humble individuals from the lowliest callings. Hence, we admit they are subject to the same laws of estimate and criticism as other men. Not even inspiration changed their peculiar characteristics or their natural temperaments.
4. For a plan, He might have chosen unofficial representatives; instead of which He chose ordained officers, and organized a Church. Here, then, is the inalienable warrant for a fixed ministry in the Christian Church through all time.
II. The second matter of notice for us now is, that our Lords selection of His helpers implied great varieties of service in evangelizing the world, requiring diversities of gifts.
1. Observe the significant number of these men. It was large, to begin with, and exceedingly wide in its representative range.
2. Observe, likewise, the special histories of these men.
3. Observe that one of these men was a treacherous hypocrite, known from the beginning of his career.
III. The next matter of notice in this choice is that Jesus Christ fixed the wise order in arrangement that discipleship should in all cases come before apostleship.
1. These twelve men needed knowledge of the Divine purposes. That must be the reason why for so many months they mere kept patiently wandering alongside of our Lord, as He advanced in His public work.
2. They needed acquaintance also with human nature. They were to deal with men, women, and children.
3. These men needed the practical exercise of their teaching gifts under their Masters eye. So we learn that Jesus arranged that they should be with Him, before He might send them forth to preach (Mar 3:14).
4. They needed experience in actual dealing with masses of unorganized people.
IV. Once more, it is a matter of notice in this choice of helpers, that Jesus showed how previous gifts and education in other work can all be utilized under the gospel plan.
1. Recall the former occupations of these men.
2. Bear in mind with what painstaking Christ impressed on them the one principle that all success in evangelical work demands immediate and entire consecration (Luk 5:11; Luk 5:28).
3. Then see that instantly, and ever afterwards, their training told.
V. Finally, it is a matter of notice that in His choice of such helpers our Lord give the best of all counsel and example for every man who seeks to be useful in the Church of God.
1. Let Christian people remember that the Divine purpose, the plan of procedure, the end to be secured, the selection of instruments-all these, so finely illustrated that memorable morning beside the Sea of Galilee, remain exactly the same, unchanged through the ages. The conditions of effective working are quite unaltered. Hence this primitive wisdom is priceless.
2. Let the churches have confidence in their own machinery, and be content with New Testament methods of evangelization. There is no necessity for fresh excitements, and there is no advantage in looking for them.
3. Let those who desire to take up Christian endeavour for a life work bear in mind that training time is by no means for any one lost time.
4. Let the whole world know that what is wanted first and last and always is a thorough consecration of what one has to the Lord Jesus Christ. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
Christs workers varied
Note the variety of character among the twelve chosen. Every stone in a building is not alike, yet room is found for all-each in its own place. A painting is made up of many colours. Christ will find room in His temple for all who come to Him. (Anon.)
God employs little and lowly apostles
Look at yonder sun. God made it, and hung it up there in the sky that it might give light to our world. But the light which this sun gives comes to us in tiny little bits, smaller than the point of the finest needle that ever was made. They are so small that hundreds of them can rush right into our eyes, as they are doing all the time, and not hurt them the least. Here we see how God makes use of little things, and does a great work with them. And then look at yonder ocean. The waves of that ocean are so powerful that they can break in pieces the strongest ships that men have ever built. And yet, when God wishes to keep that mighty ocean in its place, He makes use of little grains of sand for this purpose. Here again we see how God employs little things, and does a great work with them. And we find God working in this way continually. Let us look at one or two illustrations. What a plant did:-A little plant was given to a sick girl. In trying to take care of it the family made changes in their way of living which added greatly to their comfort and happiness. First they cleaned the window, that more light might come in to the leaves of the plant. Then, when not too cold, they opened the window, that fresh air might help the plant to grow; and this did the family good as well as the plant. Next, the clean window made the rest of the room look so untidy, that they washed the floor, and cleaned the walls, and arranged the furniture more neatly. This led the father of the family to mend a broken chair or two, which kept him at home several evenings. After this he took to staying at home with his family in the evenings instead of spending his time at the tavern; and the money thus saved went to buy comforts for them all. And then, as their home grew more pleasant, the whole family loved it better than ever before, and they grew healthier and happier with their flowers. What a little thing that plant was, and yet it was Gods apostle to that family! It did a great work for them in blessing them, and making them happy. And that was work that an angel would have been glad to do. (Dr. Newton.)
Power to cast out devils
In China, both heathen and Christian agree in marking off certain cases, which occur not infrequently, as distinctly cases of spiritual possession. The Chinese have names for insanity, and for the various forms of nervous and mental disease, and they distinguish sharply between all these and another very different condition in which the patient is said to be possessed of devils. Miss Cumming tells us the symptoms are so precisely those which were thus described in Biblical times, that foreigners, after vainly seeking for some medical term to express the condition of the victim, are fain to accept the Chinese solution. They find a being apparently mad, foaming at the mouth, tearing off every shred of raiment, and wildly appealing to God to let her (or him) alone. These poor afflicted ones are brought to the Taoist and Buddhist priests, who perform tedious and expensive exorcisms, which are continued indeed until the paroxysm abates, and are renewed after the same fashion when it returns. Miss Cumming says, In a considerable number of cases such as these, the native Christians have been appealed to by their heathen neighbours to see whether they could do anything to help them; and these, remembering how of old those who had faith in the Master were enabled to cast out the spirits by His word, have sought to follow in their wake, and, taking up their position beside him that was grievously tormented with a devil, have thus wrestled in prayer with passionate earnestness, pleading that the true God would reveal His power in the presence of the heathen, and concluding with the apostolic words, In the name of Jesus Christ! command thee to come out. Again and again their prayer has been granted, the wild tempest has been allayed, and the sufferer lulled to a condition of deep peace, whence, after a while, he has arisen to go forth clothed and in his right mind to tell his heathen brethren of the marvellous way in which he has beta cured, and, in short, to become from that hour a faithful worker in the Masters cause. (See Wanderings in China, by C. F. Gordon Cumming.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
We have this piece of history, or rather something to which it relates, both in Matthew and in Luke, only Mark hath this peculiar to himself, that our Saviour did this upon a mountain. It is the opinion of Bucer, that this was the mountain at the foot of which he preached the sermon largely recorded, Mat 5:1-7:29, and (as some judge) more shortly by Luk 6:17-45; he thinketh the multitude here mentioned is the same with that mentioned Mat 4:25, and Luk 3:7, and that our Saviour did not go up into this mountain to preach, or ordain his disciples, but only to pray, and to discourse with some of his disciples more privately about spiritual mysteries. That it was at this time that he continued all night in prayer to God, Luk 6:12; and in the morning called unto him such of his disciples as he thought fit, and discoursed with them his intentions concerning them, telling them,
1. That he had chosen them to be with him, ordinarily, to be eye and ear witnesses of what he spake and did.
2. That he designed soon after to send them out to preach; which we read he did, Mar 6:7; Mat 10:1; to give them a power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: so that this chapter only mentions Christs election of them, not his actual sending them, which is discoursed Mar 6:7-13, as also Mat 10:1-42.
These things being privately transacted on the mountain, Bucer thinks he came down into the plain at the foot of the mountain, according to Luk 6:17, and there preached that sermon mentioned Mat 5:1-7:29, as we before said. The evangelist telling us that he called to him which of his disciples he would, lets us know, that he chose them, and not they him; that the choice of them was of his free grace and mercy; and his continuing all night in prayer before this choice, lets us know the gravity of the work of choosing persons fit to be sent out to preach the gospel.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he goeth up into a mountain,…. Near Capernaum, being solitary, and a place of recess and retirement, “to pray”, as Luke says, Lu 6:12, who adds, “and continued all night in prayer to God”, notwithstanding the great fatigue of the day past. His prayer, as is very probable, was chiefly concerning the great and important work, which was upon his mind, and he was about to do; the making and constituting twelve of his disciples, as his apostles, to preach in his name, and work miracles:
and calleth unto him whom he would; that is, “when it was day”, as the above evangelist observes; when he called his disciples, such as had been for some time followers of him, as many of them as he thought fit: for it seems by the same evangelist, that others were called to him besides the twelve; and out of them he chose them: the phrase “whom he would”, is in the Arabic version rendered, “whom he loved”; and it is a common observation of expositors, that the choice and call of the apostles to office, were not according to their will, works and merits, but according to the sovereign will and grace of Christ, who chose them, and not they him: but to me there seems no foundation for such a remark here, though it is a truth; because this regards not the call of the twelve only, and much less of them to office, but a call of many of the followers of Christ to come to him on the mountain:
and they came unto him; as many as he called out of the multitude; and from among these he made the following choice.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Calling of the Apostles. |
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13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: 16 And Simon he surnamed Peter; 17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphus, and Thaddus, and Simon the Canaanite, 19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into a house. 20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
In these verses, we have,
I. The choice Christ made of the twelve apostles to be his constant followers and attendants, and to be sent abroad as there was occasion, to preach the gospel. Observe,
1. The introduction to this call or promotion of disciples; He goes up into a mountain, and his errand thither was to pray. Ministers must be set apart with solemn prayer for the pouring out of the Spirit upon them; though Christ had authority to confer the gifts of the Holy Ghost, yet, to set us an example, he prayed for them.
2. The rule he went by in his choice, and that was his own good pleasure; He called unto him whom he would. Not such as we should have thought fittest to be called, looking upon the countenance, and the height of the stature; but such as he thought fit to call, and determined to make fit for the service to which he called them: even so, blessed Jesus, because it seemed good in thine eyes. Christ calls whom he will; for he is a free Agent, and his grace is his own.
3. The efficacy of the call; He called them to separate themselves from the crowd, and stand by him, and they came unto him. Christ calls those who were given him (John xvii. 6); and all that the Father gave him, shall come to him, John vi. 37. Those whom it was his will to call, he made willing to come; his people shall be willing in the day of his power. Perhaps they came to him readily enough, because they were in expectation of reigning with him in temporal pomp and power; but when afterward they were undeceived in that matter, yet they had such a prospect given them of better things, that they would not say they were deceived in their Master, nor repented their leaving all to be with him.
4. The end and intention of this call; He ordained them (probably by the imposition of hands, which was a ceremony used among the Jews), that they should be with him constantly, to be witnesses of his doctrine, manner of life, and patience, that they might fully know it, and be able to give an account of it; and especially that they might attest the truth of his miracles; they must be with him to receive instructions from him, that they might be qualified to give instructions to others. It would require time to fit them for that which he designed them for; for they must be sent forth to preach; not to preach till they were sent, and not to be sent till by a long and intimate acquaintance with Christ they were fitted. Note, Christ’s ministers must be much with him.
5. The power he gave them to work miracles; and hereby he put a very great honour upon them, beyond that of the great men of the earth. He ordained them to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils. This showed that the power which Christ had to work these miracles was an original power; that he had it not as a Servant, but as a Son in his own house, in that he could confer it upon others, and invest them with it: they have a rule in the law, Deputatus non potest deputare–He that is only deputed himself, cannot depute another; but our Lord Jesus had life in himself, and the Spirit without measure; for he could give this power even to the weak and foolish things of the world.
6. Their number and names; He ordained twelve, according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel. They are here named not just in the same order as they were in Matthew, nor by couples, as they were there; but as there, so here, Peter is put first and Judas last. Here Matthew is put before Thomas, probably being called in that order; but in that catalogue which Matthew himself drew up, he puts himself after Thomas; so far was he from insisting upon the precedency of his consecration. But that which Mark only takes notice of in this list of the apostles, is, that Christ called James and John Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder; perhaps they were remarkable for a loud commanding voice, they were thundering preachers; or, rather, it denotes the zeal and fervency of their spirits, which would make them active for God above their brethren. These two (saith Dr. Hammond) were to be special eminent ministers of the gospel, which is called a voice shaking the earth, Heb. xii. 26. Yet John, one of those sons of thunder, was full of love and tenderness, as appears by his epistles, and was the beloved disciple.
7. Their retirement with their Master, and close adherence to him; They went into a house. Now that this jury was impanelled, they stood together, to hearken to their evidence. They went together into the house, to settle the orders of their infant college; and now, it is likely, the bag was given to Judas, which pleased him, and made him easy.
II. The continual crowds that attended Christ’s motions (v. 20); The multitude cometh together again, unsent for, and unseasonably pressing upon him, some with one errand and some with another; so that he and his disciples could not get time so much as to eat bread, much less for a set and full meal. Yet he did not shut his doors against the petitioners, but bade them welcome, and gave to each of them an answer of peace. Note, They whose hearts are enlarged in the work of God, can easily bear with great inconveniences to themselves, in the prosecution of it, and will rather lose a meal’s meat at any time than slip an opportunity of doing good. It is happy when zealous hearers and zealous preachers thus meet, and encourage one another. Now the kingdom of God was preached, and men pressed into it, Luke xvi. 16. This was a gale of opportunity worth improving; and the disciples might well afford to adjourn their meals, to lay hold on it. It is good striking while the iron is hot.
III. The care of his relations concerning him (v. 21); When his friends in Capernaum heard how he was followed, and what pains he took, they went out, to lay hold on him, and fetch him home, for they said, He is beside himself. 1. Some understand it of an absurd preposterous care, which had more in it of reproach to him than of respect; and so we must take it as we read it, He is beside himself; either they suspected it themselves, or it was suggested to them, and they gave credit to the suggestion, that he was gone distracted, and therefore his friends ought to bind him, and put him in a dark room, to bring him to his right mind again. His kindred, many of them, had mean thoughts of him (John vii. 5), and were willing to hearken to this ill construction which some put upon his great zeal, and to conclude him crazed in his intellects, and under that pretence to take him off from his work. The prophets were called mad fellows, 2 Kings ix. 11. 2. Others understand it of a well-meaning care; and then they read exeste–“He fainteth, he has no time to eat bread, and therefore his strength will fail him; he will be stifled with the crowd of people, and will have his spirits quite exhausted with constant speaking, and the virtue that goes out of him in his miracles; and therefore let us use a friendly violence with him, and get him a little breathing-time.” In his preaching-work, as well as his suffering-work, he was attacked with, Master, spare thyself. Note, They who go on with vigour and zeal in the work of God, must expect to meet with hindrances, both from the groundless disaffection of their enemies, and the mistaken affections of their friends, and they have need to stand upon their guard against both.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
He goeth up into the mountain ( ). So Matthew (Mt 5:1) and Luke (Lu 6:12), “to pray” Luke adds. Historical present so common in Mark’s vivid narrative. Neither Gospel gives the name of the mountain, assuming it as well known, probably not far from the lake.
Whom he himself would ( ). Emphatic use of (himself) at end of sentence. Whether by personal imitation or through the disciples Jesus invites or calls to himself (, historical middle present indicative) a select number out of the vast crowds by the sea, those whom he really wished to be with him.
They went off to him ( ). Luke states that Jesus “continued all night in prayer, to God.” It was a crisis in the ministry of Christ. This select group up in the hills probably respected the long agony of Jesus though they did not comprehend his motive. They formed a sort of spiritual body-guard around the Master during his night vigil in the mountain.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Whom he would [ ] . Rev., more strictly, “whom he himself would;” not allowing any to offer themselves for special work. Out of the larger number thus called he selected twelve. See verse 14.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
CALL (TO) AND ORDINATION OF THE TWELVE, V. 13-21
1) “And He goeth up into a mountain,” (kai anabainei eis to oros) “And He goes up (ascends) into the mountain,” the nearby mountain area, or an hill, up from the seashore of Galilee, for purposes of prayer, Luke 6-12.
2) “And calleth unto Him whom He would (kai proskaleitai hous elethen autos) “And He calls those He wished, of His own choice,” as recounted, Mat 10:1-4; Luk 6:13-16. The chosen ones, the church, was called to Him at this time, from among whom He called twelve apostles.
3) “And they came unto Him.” (kai apelthon pros auton) “And they voluntarily went to Him,” to give heed to the call of His will, Joh 15:16; Joh 15:27. These are those disciples who had been with Him “from the beginning,” of His ministry, which began there in Galilee, Act 10:37.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mar 3:13
. And he went up into a mountain. By this election he does not yet ordain them to be Apostles, to enter immediately into the discharge of their office, but merely admits them to enjoy his private instructions (348) with a view to the apostleship. Commentators have fallen into a mistake here, by confounding those passages with the tenth chapter of the Gospel by Matthew. For the plain meaning of the words is, that they are only destined to a future commission, the bestowal of which is recorded by Matthew; and Mark and Luke will be found afterwards relating, in its proper place, the mission which Matthew there describes. And we need not wonder, if their heavenly Master chose to train and accustom them gradually to so arduous an employment: for, even by a long course of instruction, their ignorance could not be corrected.
Both the Evangelists say, that Christ went up into a mountain. Luke explains the cause to have been, that he might pray with greater freedom in his retirement, which he was accustomed to do frequently, as is evident from other passages. Now, this example ought to be regarded by us as a perpetual rule, to begin with prayer, when we are about to choose pastors to churches: otherwise, what we attempt will not succeed well. And certainly our Lord prayed, not so much on his own account, as to lay down a rule for us. We are deficient in prudence and skill; and though our sagacity were of the highest order, nothing is more easy than to be deceived in this matter. Granting that we were in no danger of mistake, if the Lord does not regulate our affections, with what force, or rather violence, shall we be carried away (349) by favor and prepossession, or hatred or ambition? Besides, though the election were conducted in the very best manner, all will be unsuccessful, unless the Lord take under his guidance those who are elected, and furnish them with the necessary gifts. “What then?” it will be said, “did not Christ earnestly implore the Father to preside in the election?” This I readily acknowledge, and I have also to state, that this was a declaration and acknowledgment of his care for his Church. Accordingly, he did not pray to the Father in the ordinary manner, but spent the whole night in prayer. But if he, who was full of the Holy Spirit, (Joh 3:34,) implored the Father, with such ardor and earnestness, to preside in the election, how much greater need have we to do so?
He called to him whom he would. By this expression, I have no doubt, Mark conveys to us the instruction, that it was to the unmixed grace of Christ, and not to any excellence of their own, that they were indebted for receiving so honorable an office: for, if you understand him to say, that those were chosen, who were more excellent than others, this will not apply to Judas. The meaning, therefore, is the apostle-ship was not bestowed on account of any human merits; but, by the free mercy of God, persons, who were altogether unworthy of it, were raised to that high rank; and thus was fulfilled what Christ says on another occasion, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” (Joh 15:16.) To the same effect Paul frequently speaks, extolling the purpose of God in bestowing on him the apostleship, (Eph 3:7; Col 1:25.)
But here many questions arise. First, why did our Lord deliberately choose Judas, who, he perfectly knew, was unworthy of the honor, and would be his betrayer? Secondly, why did God, after being so earnestly supplicated by his Son, and as if he had given a refusal to Christ, permit a base and wicked man to find his way to the highest rank in his Church? (350) Thirdly, why did he resolve that the first-fruits (351) of his Church should be stained by so foul a disgrace? Fourthly, how came it, that Jesus Christ, knowingly and willingly, preferred Judas to honest and faithful ministers?
The first objection is met by the following reply. Our Lord expressly intended to prevent future offenses, that we may not feel excessive uneasiness, when unprincipled men occupy the situation of teachers in the Church, or when professors of the Gospel become apostates. He gave, at the same time, in the person of one man, an instance of fearful defection, (352) that those who occupy a higher rank may not indulge in self-complacency. At the same time, with regard to the second question, we do not admit that our Lord suffered a refusal. (353) This answer will serve also for the third question. At the very beginning, it was judged proper to give an early demonstration of the future state of the Church, that weak persons might not stumble on account of the fall of a reprobate; for it is not proper, that the stability of the Church should depend on men. With regard to the last objection, Christ did not prefer Judas to devout and holy disciples, but raised him to an eminence from which he was afterwards to fall, and thus intended to make him an example and instruction to men of every condition and of every age, that no one may abuse the honor which God has conferred upon him, and likewise that, when even the pillars fall, those who appear to be the weakest of believers may remain steady.
(348) “ Pour ses disciples et escoliers domestiques;” — “for his disciples and private scholars.”
(349) “ Destournez et transportez hors du droit chemin;” — “turned and carried away out of the right road.”
(350) “ Pourquoy Dieu estant prie et requis si ardemment par son Fils, asouffert qu’un mechant et mal-heureux traitre fust eleve au rang le plus honorable de son Eglise, comme si Jesus Christ n’eust point este exauce ?” — “Why did God, when entreated and requested so earnestly by his Son, permit a wicked and unhappy traitor to be elevated to the most honorable rank in his Church, as if Jesus Christ had not been listened to?”
(351) “ Les premices et premier commencement de son Eglise;” — “the first-fruits and first beginning of his Church.”
(352) “ Un revoltement et cheute horrible;” — “a dreadful rebellion and fall.”
(353) “ Cependant nous ne dirons pas que Christ a este esconduit, veu que le pere par un conseil admirable, mettant un diable en la compagnie d’onze Anges, a toutesfois tellement modere l’issue, que la cheute de cestuy-la a plustost conferme que non pas esbranle la foyde son Eglise.” — “Yet we will not say that Christ was refused, since the Father, by a wonderful purpose, putting a devil into the company of eleven angels, has, at the same time, so guided the result, that the fall of this man, instead of shaking, has rather confirmed, the faith of his Church.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES
Mar. 3:14. Ordained.Made, or set apart. The twelve were now singled out for closer attendance upon Him, and special instruction in His method of work. Their solemn ordination came afterwards (Joh. 20:21-22). Twelve.The number twelve symbolises perfection and universality. Three indicates what is Divine; four, created things. Three multiplied by four gives twelve, the number of those who were to go forth as apostles into the four quarters of the worldcalled to the faith of the Holy Trinity.
Mar. 3:17 Boanerger.It is uncertain whether each of them bore the name Son of thunder, or whether Boanerges was a dual name given to the pair, as the name Dioscuri was given to Castor and Pollux. It is also uncertain why the brothers were thus named; but we may bq sure it was not in any case intended as a term of reproach. Perhap it was suggested by some peculiarity in voice or manner of delivery which arrested attention and lent conviction to their preaching.
Mar. 3:18. Simon the Canaanite.Cananite, or Cananan. An Aramaic word, signifying zealot. See Mat. 10:4; Luk. 6:15; Act. 1:13. Jerome says that his name preserves a reference to the place of his birth (Cana) as well as to his zeal. No name is more striking in the list than that of Simon the Zealot, for to none of the twelve could the contrast be so vivid between their former and their new position. What revolution of thought and heart could be greater than that which had thus changed into a follower of Jesus one of the fierce war-party of the day, which looked on the presence of Rome in the Holy Land as treason against the majesty of Jehovah, a party fanatical in their Jewish strictures and exclusiveness?
Mar. 3:19. Betrayed.Delivered, or surrendered. Same word used in Rom. 8:32 of the Fathers surrender of the Son, whom He delivered into the power of men, in order that He might deliver mankind from the power of Satan.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Mar. 3:13-19
(PARALLELS: Mat. 10:1-8; Luk. 6:12-16.)
Choice and commission of the twelve.It is recorded of Israels first king, while still in the zenith of his royal estate, that when he saw any strong man or any valiant man he took him unto himself, and thus recruited the ranks of the Lords host (1Sa. 14:52). So here does the true King of Israel and of all men call to Himself twelve choice spiritsthe best material to be found in His band of followersin order that they may be trained under His personal supervision in the true principles of spiritual warfare, and form the nucleus of the heavenly kingdom which He has come to set up on earth. The appointment of the twelve apostles was in an especial sense an act which marked the inauguration of that kingdom, an act by which our Lord represented the assumption of the powers which belonged to Him as the true Sovereign of the theocracy, for which all the institutions of Judaism were understood by the people of Israel themselves to have been but preparatory. As at other critical times in His ministry, so now, the Pattern Man consecrates Himself to this great work by prayer (Luk. 5:12). He also directs the whole body of the disciples to pray the Lord of the Harvest that He would send forth labourers into His harvest (Mat. 9:38); and ever since, from the ordination of Matthias to the present time, the Church has sought the special guidance of the Holy Spirit, by prayer and fasting, before proceeding to the laying on of hands.
I. The choice of the twelve.The ministry in the apostles derived its origin and commission, not from the. Church or from the people, but from Christ. It was in the power of Christ to have called all His people together, and bid them choose their future rulers from amongst themselves; but He did not do sothey were chosen by Christ alone, who Himself designated them, and afterwards breathed upon them when He ordained them with full apostolic power. And when it pleased Christ to raise up two other apostles, it was by the Holy Ghost saying, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them; and the latter expressly disclaims any commission from the people (Gal. 1:1).
II. The men chosen.
1. The most noticeable thing is the disproportion between their natural abilities and the work they were set to do. All other great leaders of thought have striven first to secure the adherence of men whose vigorous character or commanding position would give them a certain influence over the men of their time. It was not so with Christ. The channels through which His influence was to be conveyed were such as could contribute nought to its fulness; the fibres along which the electric current of His own impulsive energy was to run were to be simply passive in the transmission. Passing by the courtier and the soldier, the noble and the sage, He selected His first ministers from classes not indeed oppressed by want, but lowly and unsophisticated and of little account in the worlds eyes.
2. Yet among the twelve, all drawn from the lower ranks of society, there was evidently great diversity of character. Each was a man of marked individuality. Notes on their personal characteristics will be found in the Outlines and Comments on the Verses
III. Their commission.
1. That they should be with Himobserving His demeanour, and His manner of conveying instruction both by word and act; treasuring up in their minds the heavenly principles by which He was ever actuated; drinking in, little by little, some portion of the Divine Spirit which was given to Him without measure.
2. That He might send them forth to preachto proclaim to all, high and low, rich and poor, the glad tidings of salvation through faith in Him.
3. To have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demonsthus carrying on the war begun by Him against the devil and all his works, a war in which there is no discharge until the kingdom of darkness is utterly destroyed, and the kingdom of God and of His Christ is universally established in its place.
Mar. 3:14. Unrecorded workers and heroes.Half of these twelve are never heard of again as doing any work for Christ.
I. This peculiar and unexpected silence suggests the true worker in the Churchs progressnot man, but Christ.Men are nothing except as instruments and organs of God. He is all.
1. How this should deliver us from all over-estimate of men, to which our human affections and our feeble faith tempt us so sorely!
2. What confidence it ought to give us as we think of the tasks and fortunes of the Church! One man with Christ to back him is always in the majority.
II. This silence of Scripture as to so many of the apostles may be taken as suggesting what the real work of these delegated workers was.The one thing that must be found in an apostle was that he should have been in familiar intercourse with Christ during His earthly life, both before and after His resurrection, in order that he might be able to say, I knew Him well; I know that He died; I know that He rose again; I saw Him go up to heaven. For such a work there was no need for men of commanding power. Plain, simple, honest men who had the requisite eyewitness were sufficient. The sharpest weapon which any can wield for Christ is the simple adducing of his own personal experience. Christ is the true worker, and all our work is but to proclaim Him, and what He has done and is doing for ourselves and for all men.
III. We may gather the lesson of how often faithful work is unrecorded and forgotten.
1. For most of us, our service has to be unnoticed and unknown. The earnestness and the accuracy with which we strike our blow are all important; but it matters nothing how far it echoes.
2. The magnitude of our work in mens eyes is as little important as the noise of it. Were the Peters and the Johns more highly favoured than the others? Was their work greater in His sight? Not so. To Him all service done from the same motive is the same, and His measure of excellence is quantity of love and spiritual force in our deeds, not the width of the area over which they spread.
3. All service done for the same motive in the same force is of the same worth in His eyes. Small service is true service while it lasts.
IV. Forgotten work is remembered, and unrecorded names are recorded above.
1. The forgotten work and workers are remembered by Christ.
2. The forgotten and unrecorded work lives, too, in the great whole. The fruit of our labour may perhaps not be separable from that of others, any more than the sowers can go into the reaped harvest-field and identify the gathered ears which have sprung from the seed that they sowed, but it is there all the same; and whosoever may be unable to pick out each mans share in the blessed total outcome, the Lord of the Harvest knows, and His accurate proportionment of individual reward to individual service will not mar the companionship in the general gladness, when he that soweth and he that reapeth shall rejoice together.
3. The forgotten work will live, too, in the blessed results to the doers. Habits are formed, emotions deepened, principles confirmed, capacities enlarged, by every deed done for Christ, which make an over-measure of reward here, and in their perfect form hereafter are heaven. Nothing done for Him is ever wasted. Thou shalt find it after many days.A. Maclaren, D.D.
OUTLINES AND COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Mar. 3:13-14. Christs call and mans response.
I. Christs call here is
1. Addressed to those whom He has already tested.
2. A call to higher service and heavier responsibility. Hitherto they have been learners; henceforth they are to be teachers and healers as well.
II. Those called responded
1. Of their own free will. The only constraint Christ ever uses is that of love.
2. Promptly. They answer to their names like soldiers at roll-callonly waiting for ordersready to do or die.
3. Openly. Secret discipleship, besides being cowardly and mean, thwarts the very object Christ has in viewwhich is, the transformation of mere followers into apostles, the conversion of the world by the instrumentality of men.
Apostleship from discipleship.Out of the heart of the discipleship came the apostleship.
1. Disciple means learner. The idea rests entirely between two persons, the teacher and the scholar. It involves nothing but the receiving of knowledge by some one docile mind. But apostle means missionary. Its idea is utterance or sending forth. What the disciple has drunk into his own satisfied soul, the apostle is to carry abroad, wherever there are men to hear it. When, then, Jesus turned His disciples into apostles, you see what an event it was. It was really the flowering of that gospel which He had been pouring into them through all their discipleship. The plant fills itself with the richness of the earth. No noise is made. The whole transaction lies between the plant and the rich earth that feeds it through its open roots. All is silent, private, restricted. But some day the world looks, and, lo! the process has burst open. Upon the long-fed plant is burning a gorgeous flower for the world to see. The earth has sent its richness through the plant to enlighten and to bless the world. The disciple has turned to an apostle.
2. Notice, when Jesus took this great step forward, He did not leave behind His old life with His disciples. He chose out of the number of His disciples twelve, whom also He named apostles. They were to be disciples still. They did not cease to be learners when He made them missionaries. The plant does not cease to feed itself out of the ground when it opens its glorious flowers for the world to see. All the more it needs supply, now that it has fulfilled its life. And so this great epoch in the Christian Church was an addition, not a substitution.
3. It is out of the very heart of the discipleship that the apostleship proceeds. It is the very best, the choicest, as we say, of the disciples that are chosen to be apostles. Always it is the best of the inward life of anything, that which lies the closest to its heart and is the fullest of its spirit, which flowers into the outward impulse which comes to complete its life. It is the most truly thorough learning which by-and-by begins to be dissatisfied with its own learned luxury, and to desire that all men should have the chance of knowledge. It is the most true refinement that believes in the possible refinement even of the coarsest man. The heart of any good thing is catholic and expansive. It longs to give itself away, and believes in the capacity of all men to receive it.Bishop Phillips Brooks.
Mar. 3:14-15. Christian privilege and power.
I. The Christians privilege
1. To preach, filling Christs place, doing Christs work, obeying Christs word.
2. The subject of this preaching. Proclaiming the advent of Gods kingdom on earth.
II. The Christians power
1. In the manifestation of Christian sympathy for the afflicted.
2. In the uplifting of earnest prayer and supplication for the souls of men.
3. In the possession and disposal of his substance to compass both these objects, and exhibit by his works his faith.
The best endowment.We need not regret that we have not the power to work miracles: we have something better. We have the living, life-giving Word of God. We have the promise of the Spirit; and by the Word and the Spirit moral miracles are being wrought every day. Preach and pray; plant and water: God will give the increase.
Sufficient equipment for every emergency.At first the apostles had a smaller gospel (they had not got the Cross to preach) and a larger power of miracles; afterwards less miracles, but more gospel; but always a sufficient equipment. You have not to make bricks without straw; Christ gives you power for every duty.R. Glover.
Mar. 3:15. From temporal to spiritual.How is it that the common-sense view of Christian Missions, on the principle of acting first on mens secondary motives by relieving their temporal distresses, and as that principle is sanctioned by the practice of Christ and His apostles, has so much been lost sight of in the foreign operations of our Church? Of all human qualifications for a missionarys Divine work, I should say that the knowledge of medicine was the most likely, under Gods blessing, to prove useful to the furtherance of that gospel which is the healing of mens souls (Col. 4:14; 2Co. 8:18).J. Ford.
Mar. 3:16-19. The apostles.
1. Points in which the apostles were alike.
(1) Social position: neither very poor nor very rich. Wealth, rank, high worldly position, are not necessary in order to employment and usefulness in the cause of God; and vice vers.
(2) Mental attainments: neither very learned nor very ignorant. Scholarship, the very highest, may be consecrated to the service of Christ; but is not indispensable to Christian usefulness.
(3) Religious characters: in the main, sincere, yet defective.
(4) Business aptitudes. So far as we know, they were all called from real business life.
2. Points in which they were manifestly different. There was no one distinct mental type, and no one special mental characteristic is of exclusive or predominant importance for Christian service. All ministers are not of the same order of mind. Some are noted for the predominance of the imaginative; some of the logical; some of the metaphysical; some of the emotional; some, we might almost say, of the intuitional propensity or power. Souls are saved, instrumentally, by men as men, and not by men just as reasoners, scholars, poets, orators, etc.G. J. Adeney.
The apostles were plain men who had not been perverted by the false philosophies, traditions, and morals of the day. They were mostly working men, business men, practical men, but of great variety of early training, and of business life. Some were poor; some were comparatively well off; some belonged to country villages, some to the city; several were fishermen; one was a publican, one a zealot. They were men of ability; there were great possibilities in them. Christ transformed common men into apostles, the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem, the leaders of the kingdom that was to transform the world. The charcoal was changed into diamonds. They were far from faultless, but the faults were flaws in a jewel, not the crudeness of the charcoal.F. N. Peloubet, D.D.
Relationships among the apostles.The difficulties connected with tracing the family descent or possible relationship between the apostles are so great that we must forego all hope of arriving at any certain conclusion. But these points seem clear. First, it appears that only the calling of those to the apostolate is related, which in some sense is typical, viz. that of Peter and Andrew, of James and John, of Philip and Bartholomew (Nathanael), and of Matthew the publican. Yet, secondly, there is something which attaches to each of the others. Thomas, called Didymus (twin), is closely connected with Matthew. James is expressly named as the son of Alphus or Clopas. This we know to have been also the name of Matthew-Levis father. But, as the name was a common one, no inference can be drawn from it, and it does not seem likely that the father of Matthew was also that of James, Judas, and Simon, for these three seem to have been brothers. James is designated by St. Matthew as Lebbus, from Lebh, a heart, and is also named Thaddus, a term which we would derive from Thodah, praise. In that case both Lebbus and Thaddus would point to the heartiness and the thanksgiving of the apostle, and hence to his character. St. Luke simply designates him Judas of James, i.e. the brother (less probably, son) of James. Thus his real name would have been Judas Lebbus, and his surname Thaddus. Closely connected with these two is Simon, surnamed Zelotes or Cananan, both terms indicating his original connection with the Galilean Zealot party. His position in the Apostolic Catalogue, and the testimony of Hegesippus (Euseb., H. E., iii. 11; iv. 22), seem to point him out as the son of Clopas, and brother of James, and of Judas Lebbus. These three were, in a sense, cousins of Christ, since, according to Hegesippus, Clopas was the brother of Joseph, while the sons of Zebedee were real cousins, their mother Salome being a sister of the Virgin. Lastly, we have Judas Iscariot, or Ish Kerioth, a man of Kerioth, a town in Judah (Jos. 15:25). Thus the betrayer alone would be of Judean origin, the others all of Galilean; and this may throw light on not a little in his after-history.A. Edersheim, D.D.
Three groups of apostles.It can hardly be without significance that in all the apostolic lists they are divided into the same three groups.
1. In the first group we should naturally expect to find the men of the largest and strongest makethose whose capacity and force of character would fit them to lead the rest. And this expectation is justified. Peter and Andrew, James and John, are the natural leaders of the apostolic company. We might almost call them the Boanergic group, so marked and emphatic is the strain of passion in their service.
2. In the second group are the reflective men. Philip is the leader, and he was a man who would rather see than believe. They are excellent and thoughtful men, but they will not do much for the world apart from men of a more forward and adventurous spirit than their own.
3. The third we may call the Hebraistic or practical group.
(1) They held stoutly to the old Hebrew forms of truth and righteousness, and were at least as much Hebrew as Christian to the end.
(2) They were also men of practical gifts. This is especially seen in Judasa man chosen to carry the bag because he was careful, prudent, busy, good at buying and selling, conversant with the world.T. T. Lynch.
Mar. 3:16. Simon, son of Jonas (Mat. 16:17; Joh. 21:15-17), was surnamed Peter = a rock, by our Lord (Luk. 6:14; Joh. 1:42; Mat. 16:18 f.), was a fisherman by occupation (Mat. 4:18-19; Luk. 5:3-12; Mat. 17:27; Joh. 21:3); originally of Bethsaida (Joh. 1:44; Joh. 12:21), afterwards of Capernaum (Mar. 1:21; Mar. 1:29); a married man (Mar. 1:30; 1Co. 9:5); eager and impetuous, and with feelings easily roused (Luk. 5:8; Mat. 14:28; Mat. 16:16; Mat. 26:33; Luk. 22:61-62; Joh. 13:6; Joh. 13:9; Joh. 13:37; Joh. 21:7); one of the three with our Lord at the raising of Jairus daughter (Mar. 5:37), at the Transfiguration (Mat. 17:1; 2Pe. 1:16-19), and in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mat. 26:37). He denied our Lord with oaths and curses (Mat. 26:69-75), but was pardoned and restored (Mar. 16:7; Luk. 22:31-32; Joh. 21:15-18); preached on the day of Pentecost (Act. 2:14; Act. 2:38); healed the lame man (Act. 3:4; Act. 3:6-7); spoke before the Sanhedrin (Act. 4:8; Act. 4:19; Act. 5:29); reproved Ananias and Sapphira (Act. 5:3-4; Act. 5:8-9); was followed by multitudes (Act. 5:15-16); confirmed in Samaria (Act. 8:14; Act. 8:17); healed a man long sick (Act. 9:33-34); raised a dead woman to life (Act. 9:40-41); had a vision, declaring Gods will concerning the admission of the Gentiles (Act. 10:9; Act. 10:17); admitted Cornelius and his company into the Church (Act. 10:46-48); was reproved by St. Paul (Gal. 2:11-15). His death was foretold by our Lord (Joh. 21:18-19), and he is said to have been crucified at Rome with his head downwards. He is known in Christian Art by the key or keys (Mat. 16:19).W. F. Shaw.
Simon Peter.In a Continental picture-gallery there are to be seen, side by side, the first and the last works of a great artist. The first is very crude and faulty; the last is a masterpiece. The contrast shows the result of long culture and practice. So in this verse we have two pictures. Simon shows us the rough fisherman of Galileeignorant, rash, blundering. Peter shows us the apostle in his Pentecostal strengththe courageous leader, powerful speaker, brave martyr. It is not hard, remarks an American writer, to take roses, lilies, fuchsias, and all the rarest flowers, and with them make forms of exquisite beauty; but to take weeds, dead grasses, dried leaves, trampled and torn, and faded flowers, and make lovely things out of such materials, is the severest test of skill. Yet that is what Christ is always doing. He takes the poorest stuffdespised and worthless, outcast of men ofttimes; and when He has finished His gracious work we behold a saint whiter than snow.
Mar. 3:17. James and John, like Simon, were fishermen (Mat. 4:21-22; Joh. 21:2-3), in somewhat better circumstances, possibly, than some of the apostles (Mar. 1:20); surnamed Boanerges, or sons of thunder (Mar. 3:17), on account of their fiery zeal (Luk. 9:52-55); were with our Blessed Lord at the house of Jairus, on the Mount of Transfiguration, in the Garden; were ambitious (Mat. 20:20-24), but did drink of Christs cup of suffering, and were baptised with His baptism of blood, James being a martyr in deed, John a martyr in will, James being the first of the apostles who was put to death for Christs sake and the gospels (Act. 12:2), John dying in extreme old age, the last of all the apostles, after having suffered persecution and exile to Patmos (Rev. 1:9), after having been cast into a cauldron of boiling oil and escaping unhurt, and after having drunk of a poisoned cup and felt no harm (cf. Mar. 16:18). John lived on at Ephesus unto extreme old age, until men even began to say that he should not die (Joh. 21:23), and until he was so feeble that he was obliged to be carried through the streets in a litter, when, as the Christians crowded round him to receive his blessing, his one constant word of exhortation to them was, Little children, love one another.W. F. Shaw.
Mar. 3:18. Andrew, one of the first two to follow Christ (the other was probably John), has been called the usher of the Apostolic College. It seems as if his strong point was a certain tact for bringing people together (Joh. 1:42; Joh. 6:8; Joh. 12:22). Probably he was of an unobtrusive and a practical turn of mind, ready at all times to perform those little offices of kindness and love on which the happiness of life so much depends. He is said to have preached in Scythia and Sarmatia (i.e. Poland and Southern Russia), and to have suffered martyrdom by crucifixion at Patr, in the north of the Peloponnese of Greece.
Philip was a sincere but timid seeker of the truth: one of those who can hardly walk alone in the world, and need the support and sympathy of a friend, in good report and evil report. The moment he has been found by Jesus, he goes and confers with a friend, and brings him to judge whether or no He be the Christ (Joh. 1:45-46). He can hardly dare approach our Lord in behalf of some strangers without getting one of his brethren to go with him (Joh. 12:22). It is said that he preached the gospel in Asia Minor more particularly, and suffered martyrdom at Hierapolis in Phrygia.
Bartholomew is generally supposed to have been the same person as Nathanael, who was a friend of Philip before they both became followers of Christ (Joh. 1:45-46). St. John always couples Nathanael, as the other Evangelists do Bartholomew, with Philip; and while they never mention Nathanael, he never mentions Bartholomew, but speaks of Nathanael instead. He belonged to Cana of Galilee (Joh. 21:2); was highly commended by Christ (Joh. 1:47); and was one of the seven who saw the Lord by the Sea of Tiberias (Joh. 21:1-2). He is said to have preached the gospel in Armenia, converted the Lycaonians, afterwards visited the extreme confines of India, and finally to have been flayed alive by order of Astyages, King of Armenia; for this reason he is represented in Christian Art with a flaying-knife, and often also as holding the gospel in his hands.
Obscure Christians.Bartholomew was one of the obscure, unknown Christians. Yet these men make up the army of God. It is the aggregate of small things that makes life. It is the stream of pennies that fills the treasury of God. The numberless leaves make the forest; the innumerable sands bound the sea. Not brilliant efforts, but repeated efforts, carry on the worlds progress. Thread by thread the cloth is woven; rail by rail the bands of steel encircle the earth; brick by brick the city is built. The one-talented men, like Bartholomew, make the world and the Church. The important people are the privates rather than the generals, the machinists rather than the mechanics, the ploughmen rather than the agriculturists, the pioneers rather than the emigrant agents, the loomsmen rather than the overseers, the faithful men of mediocrity rather than the brilliant men of genius.
Matthew.The choice of Matthew, the man of business, is chiefly explained by the nature of his Gospel, so explicit, orderly, and methodical, and, until it approaches the Crucifixion, so devoid of fire.Dean Chadwick.
Thomas is mentioned four times in the Gospels, apart from the record in the lists of apostles. These notices show us
1. His great love for Christ (Joh. 11:16).
2. His inquiring spirit (Joh. 14:5).
3. That he, like the rest, would not believe in the resurrection of Christ until he had actually seen Him (Joh. 20:24-25).
4. That the sight of the Risen Lord not only restored his faith, but brought absolute conviction of Christs Godhead (Joh. 20:28).
James the son of Alphus or Clopas (Joh. 19:25), and Mary the sister of the blessed Virgin Mary, hence called the brother, i.e. cousin of the Lord (Mat. 13:55; Mar. 6:3; Gal. 1:19), called also the little (Mar. 15:40). We know little of him till after the Resurrection, when our Lord vouchsafed to appear specially to him (1Co. 15:7), doubtless to instruct him in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and to the office of Bishop of Jerusalem, to which he was about to be chosen. For we find him occupying this position (cp. Act. 9:27, with Gal. 1:18-19; Act. 12:17; Act. 15:13; Act. 15:19; Gal. 2:9; Gal. 2:12; Act. 21:18), and indeed held in such esteem by the people of Jerusalem that he was called James the Just. He is the author of the Epistle which bears his namewas martyred by being cast down from the battlement of the Temple, stoned, and finally despatched with a fullers club, as he was praying for his murderers.W. F. Shaw.
Mar. 3:19. Judas.In the life of Judas there was a mysterious impersonation of all the tendencies of godless Judaism, and his dreadful personality seems to express the whole movement of the nation which rejected Christ. We see this in the powerful attraction felt toward Messiah before His aims were understood, in the deadly estrangement and hostility which were kindled by the gentle and self-effacing ways of Jesus, in the treachery of Judas in the garden and the unscrupulous wiliness of the priests accusing Christ before the governor, in the fierce intensity of rage which turned his hands against himself and which destroyed the nation under Titus. Nay, the very sordidness which made a bargain for thirty pieces of silver has ever since been a part of the popular conception of the race. We are apt to think of a gross love of money as inconsistent with intense passion; but in Shylock, the compatriot of Judas, Shakespeare combines the two.Dean Chadwick.
Judas among the twelve a sign of
1. The all-endeavouring love of Christ.
2. The greatness of human depravity.
3. The dangers of the spiritual office (or of a mere external connexion with the Lord) without perfect fidelity in the spiritual life (an internal union with Him).
4. The aim and end of the Churchnot a community of perfect saints, but of redeemed men.J. P. Lange, D.D.
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 3
Mar. 3:14. Preaching.The more lax, the less laboured the style, the nearer it comes to colloquial language, the better. I am convinced that one of the things which make my ordinary sermons tell from the pulpit is this very circumstancethat I write precisely as I would talk, and that my sermons are as nearly as possible extemporaneous effusions. When the Archdeacon and Mr. Watson say the sermon will (D.G.) do good, though not add to my character as an author, I hesitate not for one moment to publish: for what does my character signify? and how gladly would I sacrifice all its respectability as a writer, to do good to a single soul!From a letter of Dean Hook.
Solemnity of preaching.Dr. John Brown, speaking of a ministers leaving his people for another pastorate, says that he mentally exclaims, There they go! when next we meet it will be at the Judgment!
Qualifications of a good preacher.Ten qualifications are given of a good preacher by Luther. He should be able to preach plainly and in order. He should have a good head. Good power of speech; a good voice; and a good memory. He should be sure of what he means to say, and be ready to stake body and life, goods and glory, on its truth. He should know when to stop. He should study diligently, and suffer himself to be vexed and criticised by every one.
Mar. 3:18. St. Matthews example led to one of the holiest lives recorded in the annals of the early Church. One of the most able and useful men in the North African Church was the Bishop Nulgertius. He had been a receiver of taxes, but one day it occurred to him, May not I, like Matthew, become from a tax-gatherer a preacher of the gospel? Accordingly he renounced his worldly employment, sought Holy Orders, and was ultimately a most useful bishop.
Mar. 3:19. Judas an evidence to the worth of Christianity.That which is most valuable and excellent in itself is most liable to be counterfeited. And it is no disparagement to a real diamond, a pure piece of gold, or a genuine bank-note, that they are liable to be imitated. We should act in the one case as we do in the otherbe upon our guard against deception, learn to distinguish between the precious and the vile, and set a greater value upon that which we find pure and genuine.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
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 Mat. 10:1-4 and Luk. 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. (Act. 1:13)
COMMENT 3:13-19
TIMEMidsummer, A.D, 28.
PLACEOn a mount at no great distance from Capernaum.
PARALLEL ACCOUNTSMat. 10:1-4; Luk. 6:12-16.
OUTLINE1. The place where He called the twelve, Mar. 3:13 a. 2. The actual call of the twelve, Mar. 3:13 b. 3. Their appointment, Mar. 3:14. 4. Sent with authority, Mar. 3:15. 5. The names, Mar. 3:16-19.
ANALYSIS
I.
THE PLACE WHERE HE CALLED THE TWELVE, Mar. 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. Mat. 10:1-4; Luk. 6:12-16.
II.
THE ACTUAL CALL OF THE TWELVE. Mar. 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, Mar. 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, Mar. 3:15.
1.
Over demons.
2.
With His message.
V.
THE NAMES, Mar. 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, Mar. 3:13 a.
The Chosen Twelve (Mar. 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 Baptists disciples (Joh. 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 (Luk. 6:12).
II.
THE ACTUAL CALLING OF THE TWELVE. Mar. 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 (Act. 1:8; Act. 1:21-22; 1Co. 9:1; Act. 22:14-15). The apostles can therefore have no successors.
III.
THEIR APPOINTMENT, Mar. 3:14
The number twelve was evidently with purpose, for they were to be tribal judges of the twelve tribes of Israel (Luk. 22:30), and were, according to Paul, ministers to the twelve tribes, or to the circumcision, rather than to Gentiles (Gal. 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, Mar. 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 (Act. 2:14-41; Act. 10:34-48), there is no evidence of Peters 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 (Mat. 23:8-11). Peter claims only equal position with other officers in the church (1Pe. 5:1; 1Pe. 5:4). Paul names James first (Gal. 2:9; Gal. 2:11-14). See Mat. 18:18; Mat. 19:27-28; Mat. 20:25-27; Joh. 20:21; Act. 1:8. Peter was but one of the apostles, one of the pillars of the church (Gal. 2:9).
Jesus had prophesied that Simon should be called Peter when Simon was first brought to him by Andrew (Joh. 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 (Luk. 9:51-56; Mar. 9:38), James and John were surnamed Sons of thunder, James vigorous character probably led to Herods slaying him, and Johns vigor sustained him to a ripe old agebetween ninety and one-hundred. Johns writings, too, reveal this vigor; he denounces sin in strong terms, such as liar, antichrist, deceiver, children of the devil and murderer (1Jn. 1:6; 1Jn. 2:4; 1Jn. 2:22; 1Jn. 3:15; 2Jn. 1:3-11). James and John were sons of Zebedee and Salome (Mat. 27:56; Mar. 15:40) and perhaps cousins of Jesus (cf. Joh. 19:25).
Philip, like the four preceding disciples, was a native of Bethsaida, and became allied to Jesus on the latters return from temptation to Galilee (Joh. 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 (Joh. 6:5-9). Nathanael was the Israelite in whom is no guile (Joh. 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 (Mar. 2:14).
Thomas is also called Didymus (Joh. 11:16). Both words mean twin, the first being Aramaic and the second Greek. His attachment to Jesus was deep (Joh. 11:16), but a tendency to misgiving and despondency probably accounts for his doubting the news of Christs 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 (Mar. 15:40), to distinguish him from James the son of Zebedee, must not be confused with James the Lords brother, who became a leader in the Jerusalem church (Gal. 1:19; Gal. 2:9-12 : 1Co. 15:5-7; Act. 15:6-9; Act. 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 Lords 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. Joh. 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)
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(13) And he goeth up into a mountain.The sequence of events in St. Mark varies much, it will be seen, from St. Matthew, and comes nearer to that in St. Luke. What follows is, like the parallel narrative of Luk. 6:12-13, the selection rather than the mission of the Twelve, the latter appearing in Matthew 10. In St. Luke we find the noticeable fact that the night had been spent in prayer, apparently, as usual, alone, and that when it was day He called the company of the disciples, who had waited below, and made choice of the Twelve.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
35. JESUS WITHDRAWS TO A MOUNTAIN; THE TWELVE CHOSEN, Mar 3:13-19 .
(See notes on Mat 10:2-4.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13. Calleth whom he would From the multitude before him at the mount he names and selects which he pleases. He chose them, not they him. Yet he chose with discerning power, knowing their character and state of heart. They came unto him He named those who became his twelve, and from the crowd each one stepped forth.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he goes up into the mountain and calls to him those whom he himself would, and they went to him. And he appointed twelve that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to cast out devils.’
The going into the mountain was probably in order to escape the crowds. The mountain was clearly well known to the source of the material. He thinks of it as ‘the mountain’. And normally when Jesus goes into a mountain it is either in order to teach those closest to Him, or in order for something special to happen. And what was to happen here was certainly very special. For Jesus then called to Him a wider group of His followers, selected by careful choice (‘whom He would’), and from among this group He appointed the Twelve. The twelve were initially chosen with a view to a preaching ministry and in order to cast out evil spirits. Note the regular twofold ‘preach and cast out devils’. This was His present purpose, to proclaim the truth and to defeat the Enemy. They were to be heralds of the Kingly Rule of God (fishers of men – Mar 1:17) and victors over the forces of the one who had sinned from the beginning and had been sentenced in the Plain of Eden (Gen 3:15). For to Jesus His healing ministry was merely incidental, although having its own importance because of His compassion for men. Attempts to make Him simply a healer ignore the evidence. His prime purpose in coming forth was to proclaim the Kingly Rule of God (Mar 1:15; Mar 1:38-39).
‘Calls to Him those who He Himself would.’ He wanted all His close followers to be aware of the special status of the Twelve, and that He had chosen them. Luk 6:13 shows that those called here were more than just the twelve. There is a reminder here that no one comes unless drawn by Jesus and His Father (Joh 15:16; Joh 6:44). His sheep hear His voice and follow Him (Joh 10:28).
‘He appointed twelve that they might be with Him.’ That is, involved with Him in His ministry once He had trained them, and as His companions in His journeys, and finally with Him in the consummation (Joh 14:1-3). They were to be His bosom friends, while at the same time recognising their position as learners. Many followed Him regularly, including some women (Luk 8:2-3), but twelve were especially chosen. There were twelve patriarchs and twelve tribes of Israel, so we are justified in seeing these men as somehow representative of the twelve tribes (confirmed in Mat 19:28; Luk 22:30). They are to be the nucleus of the new Israel, the foundation of the new people of God, the new Temple of God (Eph 2:20). It is clear from this that Jesus saw ahead to the foundation of a new ‘assembly’ or ‘congregation’ of Israel (see Deu 9:10; Deu 18:16; Deu 23:1-3; Deu 23:8; Deu 31:30 where LXX translates as ekklesia – ‘church’), the Israel of God (Gal 6:16), something which He confirms in Mat 16:18, and which will shortly be indicated when He calls those who are faithful His ‘brothers’ (Mar 3:31-35).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Appointing of the Twelve (3:13-19a).
Having begun in Mar 1:16-39 with the calling of the Four, followed by His teaching, His dealings with unclean spirits and those who were diseased, and the gathering of the great crowds, Mark now in Mar 3:7-19 reverses the order. Here we have begun with the great crowds, and have moved on to the healing of the diseased, the response of the unclean spirits, and the appointment of the Twelve. (In between are the testimonies to what Jesus has come to do and declarations of His status before God in Mar 1:40 to Mar 3:6),
The appointment of the twelve is clearly intended to be seen as of great importance. This is especially brought out by the listing of their names in detail, even though most of them will receive no further mention. We cannot therefore just move on from it without asking what lay at the bottom of it. A number of suggestions can be made:
Firstly that it was a statement of intent. There are in the New Testament good reasons for suggesting that the twelve were to be seen as the foundation of the new Israel, thus paralleling them with the Patriarchs of the twelve tribes. This would explain the deliberate giving of their names. They are seen as the initial foundation stones of His new ‘congregation (in LXX ekklesia = church) of Israel’. For this compare Mat 16:18; Eph 2:20 – where it is along with the Prophets; Rev 21:14 – where they are closely connected with ‘the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel’. The new Israel was thus being formed and His Apostles would, as it were, watch over it as its ‘rulers’, although it was to be a rulership conducted in humility and with the attitude of servants (see Mat 19:28; Mat 20:20-28).
Secondly we may see that Jesus was laying the superstructure of a group of disciples for the days ahead. From now on this core of disciples, together with those who united with them, were being prepared for the task that lay in front of them. Apart from one they will still be there when the new initiative begins (Act 1:13). Thus we may see them as intended to be in our minds (although not necessarily exclusively) when we read about ‘the disciples’, recognising that, with all their undoubted failures, they were the foundation of the new future, being prepared for it by Jesus Himself.
And we are intended to see that from this day He would begin to prepare them for both tasks.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The call of the Twelve:
v. 13. And He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom He would; and they came unto Him.
v. 14. And He ordained twelve that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach,
v. 15. and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.
v. 16. And Simon He surnamed Peter;
v. 17. and James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James; and He surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The Sons of Thunder;
v. 18. and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
v. 19. and Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed Him. And they went into an house. In the neighborhood of the sea, where Jesus had been performing the miracles, there was a mountain, later simply known among the apostles by this name; in a lonely region. Jesus managed to dismiss the multitudes for a time, since He was anxious to perform a very necessary piece of work, namely, the gaining of assistants and successors in His prophetic labors. On this hill they would be undisturbed, and He would have leisure to give them the information concerning the call given them at this time. He called to Him those whom He wanted; He made a deliberate selection or choice from the total number of those that had gathered about Him as His disciples. And as He told them off, they came to Him in a place apart from the others. He then literally made twelve apostles, constituting these as a body for themselves. A special ceremony of ordination is not mentioned. It was merely a calling, a separating for special work, that the Lord performed. But as “the Twelve” they were henceforth known. The Lord’s charge to them consisted mainly in these points: That they should be with Him, be in His neighborhood at all times, this constant attendance upon His words being necessary for their training; that they should be sent out by Him for the work of heralding or proclaiming the Gospel; that they should, for this purpose, have power, transmitted to them by Jesus, to cast out demons. The power to perform miracles of such an extraordinary kind was necessary to substantiate their claim of a divine mission. The Twelve were thus called and they received their charge, their appointment. And their names are recorded in order. Jesus surnamed, laid upon, Simon the name Peter, Mat 16:18. His nature was uncertain and vacillating, as his denial shows; but by the teaching of Jesus and through His mercy he was afterward strengthened in faith and in trust to become a true rock-man. James was the elder son of Zebedee, the fisherman, the name of the younger son being John. To these the Lord applied the Aramaic name Boanerges, “sons of thunder,” on account of their fiery temper in their younger days, Luk 9:54-55. Their zeal was later tempered by the Lord’s instruction. James became the first martyr of the apostles, and John was known as the “Apostle of Love. ” These three are mentioned first, because they were the intimate friends of the Lord, being with Him both on the Mount of Transfiguration and also in Gethsemane, not to speak of minor occasions. Andrew was the brother of Peter and one of the first to follow the Lord, Joh 1:35-40. A third pair of brothers was Philip of Bethsaida and Bartholomew, who is undoubtedly identical with Nathanael, Joh 1:45-46. Matthew was formerly known as Levi, the publican, the son of Alphaeus, Mat 10:3. Thomas was also known as Didymus, the “twin,” Joh 20:24. Then there was James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, also known as Lebbaeus or Judas Lebbaeus, Act 1:13, and Simon of Cana. Last of all is mentioned Judas, the traitor, who was from Keith, and was admitted to the rank of the apostles that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, Joh 13:18. Their preliminary charge having been made to them, the Twelve returned to the valley with Jesus, and entered into a house. They were all in need of rest and recreation, the last days having been very strenuous.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mar 3:13-19 . Comp. Mat 10:2-4 ; Luk 6:12-16 .
] upon the mountain there. See on Mat 5:1 .
] so that no one might come forward of his own will. Jesus first of all made a wider selection, and then out of this, Mar 3:14 , the narrower one of the Twelve. To raise a doubt of the actual selection of the latter (Schleiermacher, L. J. p. 370), as if they to some extent had become apostles with less of assent on Christ’s part, is at variance also with Joh 6:70 .
Mar 3:14 f. ] He made , that is, He ordained, appointed . Comp. Act 2:36 ; 1Sa 12:6 . On the clause , comp. Act 1:21 .
] namely, subsequently. See Mar 6:7 .
] conjoined with the as an aim of the sending forth, in which it was contemplated that they were to preach and to have power , [71] etc. Comp. Mar 6:7 . The simple, naive detail of the appointment and destination of the Twelve bears the stamp of originality, not of elaboration after Matthew and Luke (Zeller in Hilgenfeld’s Zeitschrift , 1865, p. 396 ff.).
Mar 3:16 ff. Inexactly enough Mark relates, instead of Simon’s appointment , only his being named ; but he leaves his appointment to be thence understood of itself, and then, as if he had narrated it in connection with , continues by , which still depends on , an awkwardness which is scarcely to be attributed to a reflecting reviser.
As to the arrangement generally according to rank, but in Mark and Act 1:13 giving precedence to the three most intimate disciples of the twelve names in three quaternions, see on Mat 10:2 ; Ewald, p. 205 f.
Mark narrates the naming of Peter as having taken place at that time , which is not incompatible with Mat 16:18 (see in loc. ), although it is doubtless with Joh 1:43 .
Mar 3:17 . And He assigned to them names , (namely) Boanerges . The plural (for which D reads ) depends on the conception that the names bestowed on the two brothers are included in Boanerges. ] , . The Sheva, according to Aramaic pronunciation (see Lightfoot): oa. , in the Hebrew, a noisy crowd , Psa 55:15 ; in the Syriac, thunder ; comp. the Arabic , tonuit . [72] The historical occasion of this appellation is altogether unknown. It has been sought in the mighty eloquence of the two (Victor Antiochenus, Theophylact, Euthymius Zigabenus, Calvin, Wetstein, Michaelis, and others, comp. Luther’s gloss); but it may be objected to this view that such a quality could hardly have appeared at that time , when the men had not yet taught; and also that in the case of John at least, a thundering eloquence (as in Pericles; Cic. Orat. 29) is not to be supposed. Others (Heumann, Kuinoel, comp. also Gurlitt in the Stud. u. Krit. 1829, p. 715 ff.) have understood it to be a name of reproach , and referred it to Luk 9:54 , so that the meaningless, destructive power (Gurlitt) would be the point of comparison; but the time of the giving this name is not in accordance with this view, as it is also in itself improbable, and at variance with the analogy of Peter’s name, that Jesus should have converted a reproach into a name and thereby have made it the signature of their character; to which we may add, that in Luke, l.c , there is nothing at all said about thunder . Moreover, it is historically demonstrable that the disciples were of impetuous, ardent temperament (Mar 9:38 ; Luk 9:54 ; comp. Mat 20:20 ff., and Mar 10:35 ff.), and it is therefore not arbitrary to conjecture that some special exhibition of this peculiarity at the time suggested the name, of which, however, it is absolutely unknown for what reason it did not become permanent , like the name of Peter, and in fact is no further mentioned elsewhere, although it was given by Jesus .
] see on Mat 10:3 . As to , see on Mat 10:4 .
[71] Observe the correctness of the expression . . . . (in opposition to de Wette). For the destination of the apostles in fact was not: to teach and to drive out the demons , but to teach and in so doing to possess the power of driving out demons, in order that they might apply this power on appropriate occasion for the confirmation of their teaching. Comp. Mar 16:20 ; 2Co 12:12 .
[72] Jerome’s reading (in Dan 1 , Isa 62 ): Benereem , is an emendation ( , thunder).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
FIFTH SECTION
CONFLICT OF JESUS WITH THE UNBELIEF OF HIS GALILAN COUNTRYMEN, AND WITHDRAWAL INTO THE VILLAGES
Mar 3:13 to Mar 6:6
________
Beginning of the Conflict. The Lord providing Himself Helpers, in the Calling of the Apostles. Mar 3:13-19
(Parallels: Mat 10:1-8; Luk 6:12-16)
13And he goeth up into a [the] mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15And to have power to heal sicknesses, 4and to cast 16 out devils. And Simon he surnamed Peter; 17And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder; 18And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite, 5 19And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into a house.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Mar 3:13. See on the parallels.Into a mountain.Not up into the mountain of that locality, for the locality was the margin of the sea; but it is used in accordance with the relations of the land in Palestine, and the phraseology concerning it: going up into a mountain, in contradistinction to abiding in the narrow vales or low strips of land. And it is to be observed that the expression is used to signify a withdrawal of the Lord, especially for solitary devotion.And calleth unto Him.The manner of the call is not defined, whether sending for them, or otherwise. The main point is the free choice of the Twelve out of the rest of the discipleship. Meyer supposes that Jesus made first a larger selection, and then in Mar 3:14 the narrower choice. But there is nothing to hinder our regarding Mar 3:14 as expressing the more specific end of the call, that is, the appointment and mission.
Mar 3:16. And Simon He surnamed Peter.Some cursive MSS. have . According to De Wette, Mark passed over the statement of Peters call, because the change of name was to him of special moment. But we may regard the statement of Peters call as included in the . Thus Christ added, not merely to his name but rather to his general vocation, the distinguishing name of Peter. On account of these distinguishing names, Andrew follows in the fourth rank, after the two sons of Zebedee. The solemn appendage of the name in this place does not contradict the preliminary naming of Simon, which had taken place before, Joh 1:42.
Mar 3:17. Boanerges: ; in Araman, the sheva being equivalent to oa. The , in Hebrew meaning a threatening people (Psa 55:15), in Syriac meant thunder.That the name refers to the event mentioned in Luk 9:54 (according to Calmet, Heumann, etc.), is not contradicted by the supposition that it must have been a surname significant of praise, and not of blame. Comp. on this point the notes on Matthew. According to the ancients, the sons of Zebedee were so termed as (Theophylact, and others), because thunder is the ordinary symbol of solemn and profound utterances. We understand the expression to refer to the fiery, grand, sublime spirit, which found its utterance in correspondingly high, strong, and pregnant words. That the name was not habitually used, like the name Peter, may be explained by the fact that it was a collective one. It was distributed later, or merged in the several dignities of the first apostolical martyr, and the disciple who lay on the Lords bosom, the last great Evangelist.
Mar 3:18. Canaanite.Though the form of the surname has in it something unusual, yet it is easily explicable by the term in Luke, and the accompanying reading .
Mar 3:19. And they went into a house.For the chronology, Comp. the notes on Matthew. The Evangelists arrangement here is not according to time, but regulated by a classification of the facts. For the circumstance described does not, as Meyer thinks, fall into the period after the return from the Sermon on the Mount, but into a later period, when Christs work in Galilee was drawing to its close. According to Ewald, an original form of Mark might have introduced, before this return, the Sermon on the Mount, and the narrative of the nobleman in Capernaum. These, and similar suppositions of Hilgenfeld, we have sufficiently dealt with in our introductory account of this Evangelist. Finally, it does not follow from their coming into a house, that the ensuing discourse took place in that house.[The true sense is most probably that given in the margin of the English Version, and long before by Wiclif, they came home, i. e., returned to Capernaum again as their headquarters, and the centre of their operations. Comp. in Mar 2:1. Alexander in loc.Ed.]
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. Comp. on the parallels.It is characteristic of Mark, that he gives prominence here to the sons of thunder. On the fiery zeal of John, comp. Gerlach, p. 118. The peculiarity of John was pure simplicity, and also glowing, fiery zeal; this having been at first disturbed by impure passion (Mar 9:38; Luk 9:54), but sanctified afterwards by inward love to Christ. His epistles contain some of the sternest passages in the New Testament. See 1Jn 2:22-23; 1Jn 3:8; 2Jn 1:7-11. Comp. also the Seven Epistles in the Apocalypse. Church history also records many things concerning his sacred zeal. And then Gerlach introduces the narrative of Johns hastily leaving the bath in which the heretic was found.
2. As it respects the calling of the Twelve, it must be observed that it falls into two separate crises, according to Mark, Mar 3:13-19, and Mar 6:7 seq. Only it is evident that the more precise characterization of the mission in Mar 6:7 is identical with the mission in Mat 10:1 seq., and Luk 6:12 seq. Hence, we assume that Mark here describes a selection of the Apostles preliminary to that mission, one that was a continuation and enlargement of the call of the four most select disciples at the Sea of Galilee, and intended primarily as a vocation to more decided discipleship and engagement in helping the Redeemers work. Yet the more express apostolical vocation is kept in view even here, as is manifest from the very solemn account of Mark, in which he anticipates some features of the later vocation. It would appear, indeed, that the point of time to which Mark here carries us, was even later than the proper historical epoch of the more express vocation. The motive for placing it in this connection was the fact of the commencement of the great conflict of our Lord with the unbelief of the world, as it is exhibited in this section.
3. The names of the Apostles, or their call, introduced with respect to Christ by the appointment of the Father: mediate, and yet immediate.
4. Judas possessed a certain species of endowment; yet observe the doubtfulness of such kind of endowments in the affairs of Church and State, inasmuch as the superficial ability may easily outweigh the central character.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
See on the parallels.The call of Christs servants a call from the mountain: 1. Christ stands on the mountain; 2. those called go up the mountain to Him; 3. they come down from the mountain into the world of men. See Isa 52:7.The place of Jesus prayer the birthplace of apostolical and evangelical vocation.Fellowships and collegiate bodies in the kingdom of God: 1. In their meaning: union of the divine and the human, even here. 2. Their design: mutual supplementing and strengthening, lessening of human one-sidedness, and increase of divine power.Casting out of devils a main branch of ecclesiastical vocation.The variety and differences of the disciples of Jesus are an unfolding of the riches of Christ and of His kingdom.Judas Iscariot among the Twelve an eternal sign, 1. Of the all-endeavoring love of Christ, 2. of the greatness of human depravity, 3. of the dangers of the spiritual office (or of a mere external connection with the Lord) without perfect fidelity in the spiritual life (an internal union with Him), 4. of the aim and end of the Church (not a community of perfect saints, but of redeemed men).Degrees in the apostolical circle, notwithstanding their unity and equality.Even the dark power which was displayed by the last of the Twelve testified of the spiritual abilities of this company, over which Jesus reigned in kindly majesty.Who betrayed Him: the called Apostle a denounced traitor.
Starke:The choice of a pastor should be entered upon with prayer, Act 1:24.He who would be fit for the work of the Lord must first be much with the Lord.Quesnel:Spiritual pastors make up, with Christ the chief Pastor, only one Priest His priesthood in the preaching of the Gospel being continued, diffused, and perfected, 1Pe 2:9.The Lord gives the word along with the great host of the Evangelists. They who take their ease when they are placed in office, often become brethren of Judas.It is a miserable delusion to repose in a legitimate call, while negligent of fidelity and diligence in discharging its functions.Not all the names of Christians are written in heaven, though they may stand recorded in the books of the Church below.
Gossner:He who would be a witness for Christ and His Gospel, must be much with Him, and by constant communion have learned to know Him.How will they stand before Him, who learn what they have to say by heart, stand up, and only declaim, or read it off!Bauer:The death-roll of the Twelve Apostles itself a sermon.
Footnotes:
[4] [1]Mar 3:5.Whole as the other wanting in the most important Codd. Probably brought over from Mat 12:13.
[2]Mar 3:7.E, after D., P., Lachmann, Tischendorf; stronger than the .
[3]Perhaps there is an allusion here to the nave of the church edifice, which is derived from the Latin navis, from a supposed resemblance to the hull of a vessel.Ed.
Mar 3:15.To heal sicknesses, and wanting in B., L., ., Copt., and others. It is omitted by Tischendorf, and seems a supplement from Mat 10:1. The omission of this makes all the more prominent the casting out of the demons, in Mark the main point.
[5]Mar 3:18.The reading here, as in Mat 10:4, is best supported.
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
(13) And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him (14) And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, (15) And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: (16) And Simon he surnamed Peter; (17) And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: (18) And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite. (19) And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.
See Mat 10:1 . See also my Poor Man’s Concordance, on the subject of the Apostles.
13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.
Ver. 13. And calleth unto him whom he would ] Nec volentis, nec volantis, sed Dei miserentis, as a nobleman, after Paul gave it for his motto. It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, though he run as fast as a bird can fly; but in God that showeth mercy.
13 19. ] THE APPOINTMENT OF THE TWELVE, AND ITS PURPOSES. Mat 10:1-4 .Luk 6:12-16Luk 6:12-16 . See Luke, where we learn that He went up overnight to pray , and called His disciples to Him when it was day, and notes on Matt.
On see Mat 5:1 .
Mar 3:13-19 a. Selection of the Twelve ( cf. Mat 10:2-4 , Luk 6:12-16 ).
Mar 3:13 . . He ascends to the hill ; same expression as in Mat 5:1 ; reference not to any particular hill, but to the hill country flanking the shore of the lake; might be used from whatever point below the ascent was made. , etc., He calls to Him those whom He Himself ( after the verb, emphatic) wished, whether by personal communication with each individual, or through disciples, not indicated. It was an invitation to leave the vast crowd and follow Him up the hill; addressed to a larger number than twelve, from whom the Twelve were afterwards selected. . .: they left the crowd and followed after Him.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar 3:13-19
13And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. 14And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, 15and to have authority to cast out the demons. 16And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); 18and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.
Mar 3:13 “He went up on the mountain” This could be understood in two ways: (1) Jesus left the area close by the sea of Galilee and went up into the hill country or (2) this is a prelude to the setting of the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 5-7), which Mark does not record.
Mar 3:14 “appointed twelve” This is paralleled in Luke’s Sermon on the Plain, Luk 6:12-16. Mark does not record Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount (i.e., Matthew 5-7).
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE NUMBER TWELVE
Mar 3:14 There is another phrase added to this verse by the ancient Greek uncial manuscripts , B, and with slight change, in C. The added phrase is “whom he also named apostles” (see footnote in NRSV). Many textual critics assume that this addition is an assimilation from Luk 6:13.
“so that they would be with Him” Jesus was intimately involved in the training of the Twelve. Robert Coleman has authored two helpful books on Jesus’ methods: The Master Plan of Evangelism and The Master Plan of Discipleship, both of which deal with the growth of the early church using the same principles as Jesus.
“send them out to preach” Jesus came to preach the good news of the kingdom. He trained His disciples to do the same: (1) the Twelve (cf. Mar 6:7-13; Mat 10:1; Mat 10:9-14; Luk 9:1-6) and (2) later, seventy disciples (cf. Luk 10:1-20).
Mar 3:15 “demons” This possibly refers to fallen angels, active on Satan’s behalf. However, the Bible is silent on the origin of the demonic. Jesus’ authority over them establishes His power and Messianic mission. See Special Topic at Mar 1:24.
Mar 3:16 “He appointed the twelve” The Twelve are mentioned in the NT four times (cf. Mat 10:2-4; Mar 3:16-19; Luk 6:14-16; and Act 1:13 [identical to Mat 10:2-4]). The list always appears in four groups of three people. The order often changes within the groups (but Peter is always first and Judas Iscariot is always last). It is possible that these groupings reflect a rotating way of allowing these men to return home from time to time to check on their family responsibilities.
It is amazing how little we know about most of the early Apostles. Early church tradition is often all we have to rely on.
SPECIAL TOPIC: CHART OF APOSTLES’ NAMES
“Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter)” Most Jews of Galilee had both a Jewish name (i.e., Simon or Symeon, meaning “hearing”) and a Greek name (which is never given). Jesus nicknames him “rock.” In Greek it is petros and in Aramaic it is cephas (cf. Joh 1:42; Mat 16:16).
Peter is the eyewitness, apostolic source behind the Gospel of Mark. See Introduction for complete notes.
Mar 3:17 “Boanerges. . .Sons of Thunder” Mark translates the Aramaic name for his Gentile (probably Roman) readers. These brothers (i.e., James and John) live up to the nickname in Luk 9:54.
Mar 3:18 “Andrew” The Greek term means “manly.” From Joh 1:29-42 we learn that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist and that he introduced his brother, Peter, to Jesus.
“Philip” The Greek term means “fond of horses.” His call is elaborated in Joh 1:43-51.
“Bartholomew” The term means “son of Ptolemy.” He may be the Nathanael of the Gospel of John (cf. Joh 1:45-49; Joh 21:20).
“Matthew” The Hebrew term means “gift of YHWH.” This is referring to Levi (cf. Mar 2:13-17).
“Thomas” The Hebrew term means “twin” or Didymus (cf. Joh 11:16; Joh 20:24; Joh 21:2).
“James” This is the Hebrew name “Jacob.” There are two men named James in the list of the Twelve. One is the brother of John (cf. Mar 3:17) and part of the inner circle (i.e., Peter, James, and John). This one is known as James the less.
“Thaddaeus” He was also called “Lebbeus” (cf. Mat 10:3) or “Judas” (cf. Joh 14:22). Both Thaddaeus and Lebbeus mean “beloved child.”
NASB, NJB”Simon the Zealot”
NKJV”Simon the Canaanite”
NRSV”Simon the Cananean”
TEV”Simon the Patriot”
The Greek text of Mark has “Cananean” (also Mat 10:4). Mark, whose Gospel was written to Romans, may not wanted to use the politically “hot-button” word “zealot,” which referred to a Jewish anti-Roman guerrilla movement. Luke does call him by this term (cf. Luk 6:15 and Act 1:13). The term Cananean may have several derivatives.
1. of the area of Galilee known as Cana
2. from the OT use of Canaanite as merchant
3. from a general designation as a native of Canaan (also called Palestine)
If Luke’s designation is right, then “zealot” is from the Aramaic term for “enthusiast” (cf. Luk 6:15; Act 1:17). Jesus’ chosen twelve disciples were from several different and competing groups. Simon was a member of a nationalistic group which advocated the violent overthrow of Roman authority. Normally this Simon and Levi (i.e., Matthew the tax collector) would not have been in the same room with each other.
Mar 3:19 “Judas Iscariot” There are two Simons, two Jameses, and two Judases. “Iscariot” has two possible derivations: (1) man of Kerioth in Judah (cf. Jos 15:23) or (2) “dagger man” or assassin, which would mean he also was a zealot, like Simon.
“who betrayed Him” This verb has been colored by John’s Gospel’s description of Judas (cf. Joh 6:71; Joh 12:4; Joh 13:2; Joh 13:26-27; Joh 18:2-5). Originally it simply meant “turn over to authorities” (cf. Mar 1:14). Judas’ psychological and/or theological motivation in betraying Jesus is a mystery.
a = the. Some well-known resort.
He = Himself
would = willed. Greek thelo. App-102. Compare Joh 15:16.
came = went, leaving all.
13-19.] THE APPOINTMENT OF THE TWELVE, AND ITS PURPOSES. Mat 10:1-4. Luk 6:12-16. See Luke, where we learn that He went up overnight to pray, and called His disciples to Him when it was day,-and notes on Matt.
On see Mat 5:1.
Mar 3:13. , into a mountain) Apart.- , whom He Himself would) He had unlimited authority, and that the highest. His will was in accordance with the will of the Father [among these partly the Twelve, just mentioned, were included; partly others, for instance, Joseph and Matthias, Act 1:23.-V. g.]-, they came away) leaving all things.
Mar 3:13-19
7. THE TWELVE APOSTLES APPOINTED
Mar 3:13-19
(Mat 10:1-4; Luk 6:12-16)
13 And he goeth up into the mountain,–[Luke (Luk 6:12-13) says: “That he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom also he named apostles.” The example of Jesus going aside and alone praying through the whole night to God as a preparation for choosing twelve apostles is suggestive to us. He felt the infirmity and the weakness of the flesh as we do. He felt the burdens and responsibilities of his position and his actions, on which depended the future wellbeing of the world. While he was divine in person, knowledge and power, it did not relieve him of the feeling of human weakness, so he carried the matter to God, and spent the whole night in humble and earnest prayer to God for wisdom to guide him in the matter. If Jesus felt the need of such prayer and was strengthened by it, how much more do we–poor, frail men and women–need constant help and strength, wisdom and guidance from God in our work? And how constant, humble, and earnest should we be in prayer to God for wisdom and strength.” “Pray without ceasing.” After praying through the night he called his disciples to him, and they came.]
and calleth unto him whom he himself would; and they went unto him.–“He himself” is very emphatic, and lays stress on the fact that the twelve were called and chosen by Jesus, not through the influence or at the suggestion of others. He prepared the way for a spiritual revolution by selecting and training men who should accomplish it. This included the establishment of his church. This revolution was to rest upon his own atoning death as its foundation. For the same reason, he did not develop the whole system of Christian doctrine but left both these tasks to be accomplished after his resurrection and ascension, yet preparing the way for both, by teaching and training those who should complete the church, both as to its organization and doctrine. This preparatory process was a gradual one. The first was in calling disciples to be with him as their teacher, and now selecting from these his apostles, whom he continues to school and prepare for completing the new movement after his departure. They were disciples before they were apostles. They were well trained by Christ before he allowed them to undertake such a public charge. Even then, he sent them the Holy Spirit to guide them in their work. (Joh 6:13.) We here reach a turning point in the ministry of Jesus. Hitherto his work had been personal and preparatory. This call of apostles begins a broader work by trained workers.
14 And he appointed twelve,–The number twelve is significant. It expresses fullness, completeness, and strength. There were the twelve patriarchs; the twelve tribes of Israel; the twelve stones of the Urim and the Thummim on the breastplate of the high priest (Exo 28:17-21); the twelve loaves of showbread (Lev 24:5-8); the altar and twelve pillars which Moses erected by Mount Sinai (Exo 24:4); the altar of twelve stones, by Elijah (1Ki 18:31); the New Jerusalem with twelve foundation stones (Rev 21:14; “Upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rev 12:1); a wall having twelve gates and at the gates twelve angels (Rev 21:12);the twelve gates were twelve pearls (Rev 21:21);and “the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits” (Rev 22:2). The number occurs often in the Bible.
that they might be with him,–Apostle is one sent or commissioned. They were messengers. As constant personal attendants, and as learners, to be trained for their subsequent work. He reveals the purpose for which he appointed them. He appointed them at this time, but did not send them out now. They are in the spiritual college, where they may complete their spiritual training, under Christ. Heretofore, they were in the primary department.
and that he might send them forth to preach,–As they were prepared to deliver the message. He “began to send them forth by two and two.” (6:7.) After the ascension of Christ, they were to preach everywhere (16:15), but not until after receiving power on Pentecost were they to be Christ’s witnesses, in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and unto the utmost parts of the earth (Act 1:8).
15 and to have authority to cast out demons:–Matthew (Mat 10:1) adds, “And to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness.” Jesus would send the apostles to preach with authority to perform the same miracles he himself performed. [This power was given them to attest that God was with them, and that they had authority from him to act and teach for him. Their words were his words. Having given the apostles these signs, the world may rest assured that in hearing the words of the apostles they hear God himself. “He that heareth you heareth me.” (Luk 10:16.)
16 and Simon he surnamed Peter;–The apostles are now named. Peter stands first and Judas at the end. [Andrew, Peter’s brother, was one of the two disciples that came to Jesus on the testimony of John. So soon as he saw Jesus he believed he was the Christ. “He findeth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ).” (Joh 1:41.) To Andrew and Peter he first said: “Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.” (Mar 1:17.) And now when he calls them to qualify for the work of apostles, Peter is the first called. In all lists of the apostles his name is first, indicating a preeminence. In enumerations in the New Testament the greatest come first.]
17 and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James;–[James was the elder of the two, from the order of their names. They were called to the discipleship immediately after Peter and Andrew.]
18 and Andrew,–[Andrew was the brother of Peter, the first to find Jesus and bring Peter to him. Occasionally he is mentioned next to Peter as his brother, but when not so placed he was mentioned first after James and John. He seems to have had Peter’s promptness in deciding his aggressive force in pushing work forward. We have no account of his afterlife. Tradition says he preached in Scythia, in Greece, in Asia Minor.]
and Philip,–[He was of Bethsaida, the home of Andrew, Peter, James, and John. Jesus told him, “Follow me,” among the first of his disciples called. He sought Nathanael and told him: “We have found him, of whom Moses, in the law, and the prophets, wrote.” (Joh 1:45.) Philip is always placed first in the second group of three; is mentioned a few times in the life of Jesus by John, but of his afterlife we know nothing.]
and Bartholomew,—[He is thought to be Nathanael, called to Jesus by Philip, in connection with whose name his is always associated. He asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” and when he came, Jesus said of him: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (Joh 1:47.) He is mentioned in Joh 21:2 as of Cana, in Galilee, to whom, with others, Jesus appeared after his resurrection. Tradition says he preached in Judea.]
and Matthew,–[Matthew was a publican, a gatherer of taxes, is called “Levi the son of Alphaeus.” (2:14.) He wrote the gospel of Matthew. Of his later life nothing is known.]
and Thomas,–[Of him we know but little. He is mentioned as one of the twelve apostles. When Jesus determined to go into Judea against the protest of his disciples that they had sought to kill him, Thomas said: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (Joh 11:16.) This shows doubt and gloomy forebodings, yet he was willing to go with him and share his fate. Again he asks of Jesus, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?” (Joh 14:5.) Then after his resurrection he refused to believe the testimony of the apostles that they had seen Jesus, but when Jesus showed him his hand and side, he said: “My Lord and my God.” (Joh 20:28.) Tradition says he preached in Persia.]
and James the son of Alphaeus,–[Or Cleophas, and brother of our Lord, was the brother of Jude.]
and Thaddaeus,– [He was called Judas. (Luk 6:15; Act 1:13.) He is brother of James the Less. He is mentioned in Joh 14:22 : “Judas, not Iscariot, saith unto him, Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” He, with James, is called the brother of the Lord; is thought to have written the epistle of Jude.]
and Simon the Cananaean,– [Luke calls him Simon Zelotes. (Luk 6:15; Act 1:13.) Smith’s Bible Dictionary says “These names point him out as belonging to the faction of the Zelots who were conspicuous for their fierce advocacy of the Mosaic ritual.” This refers to his position before he became a follower of Christ. We have no account of his later life. Beyond his name we really know nothing.]
19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.–[He completes the list, and is always placed last as a mark of his unworthiness. We know but little of his early life. He is said to be the son of Simon, and is supposed to have been born in Judea in the village of Kerioth, hence the name Iscariot. But this is supposition without much ground. If he was of Judea, he is singular in this, since all the others were of Galilee. In Joh 6:70-71 Jesus says: “Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? Now he spake of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.” He was doubtless chosen because of his fitness in character for the work to which he was called. Jesus must be betrayed. One in character fitted for the work must do it. God could not impose such work on a good man. Peter might impulsively deny him, but could not coldly betray him. Judas was with the disciples during the ministry of Christ, seemingly earnest as his follower, and was endowed with miraculous powers as were the others. (Mat 10:1.) He was like many others. While without temptations and while things went favorably, he ran well. When the pathway darkened and the temptations multiplied, he failed and fell. He was weak, with sinful propensities that could not resist temptation, and when tried, fell. God tries all men, and unless they can stand temptation they are not fitted for his service.]
CHAPTER 12
The First Twelve Preachers
And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: And Simon he surnamed Peter; And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house. And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
Mar 3:13-21
Here the Holy Spirit describes the calling of the twelve Apostles by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is an event, which ought to always be remembered and studied with deep gratitude. No twelve men in history have been so important as these twelve. None have done so much good. None have been of such benefit to us. J.C. Ryle wrote
What a vast amount of benefit these few men have conferred upon the world! The names of a few Jewish fishermen are known and lived by millions all over the globe, while the names of many kings and rich men are lost and forgotten.
These apostles were a special order of men. The apostolic office was in existence for only a very brief period of time, during which the canon of Holy Scripture was completed. They had distinct gifts of healing, tongues, and inspiration, which no one has possessed since the Apostolic Era. They were men specifically chosen, gifted, and ordained by our Lord Jesus Christ to preach the gospel during the earliest days of Christianity and to write the New Testament, explaining by divine inspiration the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. They had no successors. When they died, their office died. And when the Apostles died, all the gifts and signs accompanying apostleship died as well.
Twelve Men
Here are twelve men called and commissioned by our Savior to be the first preachers of the gospel in this dispensation: (1.) Peter, (2.) Andrew, (3.) John, (4.) Philip, (5.) James, the son of Zebedee, (6.) Bartholomew, (7.) Thomas, (8.) Matthew, (9.) Simon the Canaanite, (10.) Jude, the brother of James, (11.) James, the son of Alphaeus, and (12.) Judas the Traitor.
The number of the apostles was twelve. That is significant. There were twelve tribes in the nation of Israel. The church is represented by twelve stars (Rev 12:1). John saw twelve foundations in the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:12-14). And the Lord Jesus spoke of the twelve apostles sitting upon thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Luk 22:30).
Judas betrayal of our Savior made a vacancy in the apostolic office, leaving only eleven. You will recall that in Acts 2 Peter mistakenly concluded from Psa 69:25 that it was the responsibility of the church to fill the vacancy left by Judas apostasy, and to choose Matthias to take his place. It was true; the Lords intention was for his church to have twelve apostles, twelve and only twelve. Davids prophecy must be fulfilled. Another apostle was needed to take Judas place. But, like the others, he must be personally chosen and ordained to the office by Christ himself. The Lord had not chosen Matthias for this office. He had chosen Paul (1Co 15:8).
Just as the call of these twelve men was the evidence that Christ had chosen them to this high office, so it is the call of God that evidences every believers election by God in eternity and his redemption by Christ at Calvary. That faith which is given us in effectual calling is our God given evidence that we are his (Heb 11:1). Those who are called are justified (Rom 8:30). Those whom the Son of God has saved by his blood he will call by his Spirit (2Ti 1:9).
The same thing is true regarding those men the Lord God has chosen to be gospel preachers. Those who are sent by him are men chosen and called by him. And the evidence of their call is the fruit of their labor. Those preachers he has not sent forth as his messengers may preach truth; but they do so with no authority, because they have no authority from God. Those who are men chosen, called, and sent of God have, by the Word they proclaim, power over unclean spirits, and are used to heal the diseases and sicknesses of immortal souls in Christs name and power.
These twelve men are held before us as patterns and examples of what is required and what is to be expected of those men who are called of God to preach the gospel of his free and sovereign grace in Christ. It is my intention to use them in just that way in this study. It would be of no benefit to your soul for me to write about an office that no longer exists. But it will, if blessed of God, be of great benefit to your soul for me to tell you who these men were, what the Lord did for them, and what they, by the power and grace of God, did for others as the first twelve preachers of this gospel age. Here the Holy Spirit shows us by example how preachers are made, what they must do, and what may be reasonably expected from them.
The Lords Choice
It is a sad commentary upon our deluded society that I should have to call your attention to the fact that the apostles, these first twelve preachers, were all men. There is not a woman named among them. That is not an accident. A preaching woman is an abomination! God never called a woman to be a preacher or a missionary. Women are commanded of God to keep silence in the churches, never to teach or usurp authority over a man, and to learn in subjection. I cannot think of anything more obnoxious than effeminate men, except pushy, domineering women; and among them none are so abhorrent as female preachers!
Having said that, let me show you seven things about those men who are called and gifted of God to preach the gospel of his free and sovereign grace in Christ. What I have to say here applies to every man who is called of God. It matters not where he was educated, what his denominational affiliation is, or what his physical appearance is. If a man is called of God to the work of the gospel ministry, he must be like these first preachers in these seven areas.
1.Converted Men
Those who are called of God to preach the gospel are converted men. I know that Judas was not a converted man. And I know that our Lord Jesus knew Judas was unconverted. I will deal with those things later. But Judas professed to be a converted man, as well as Peter, James, and John. That is the important point here. A call to the ministry is always preceded by a call to discipleship. You cannot lead men to follow Christ unless you are a follower of Christ.
We must never attempt to raise men up for the ministry. We must never entice young men to dedicate themselves to the work of the ministry by glamorizing it. It is our responsibility to simply preach the gospel, pray for God to make it effectual, pray for him to send forth laborers into his vineyard, and wait for him to work. As soon as we start glamorizing the work and start trying to get men to go into the ministry, we will send men who are not called of God, (That would be disastrous!), and worse than that, we would send men who are not even converted!
An unconverted man is as unfit for the ministry as an elephant is for flying. How can he talk about grace who has never tasted that the Lord is gracious? How can he point sinners to the Savior who does not know the Savior? How can he urge sinners to flee to Christ who has not fled to Christ himself? No one does so much injury to the cause of Christ as lost, unconverted preachers. They promote infidelity. They are co-laborers with the evil. And they are an offense to God.
2.Chosen Men
Gospel preachers are divinely chosen men. The Lord called to him whom he would! He did not call the tallest, most handsome, smartest, most appealing, or most eloquent. The longer I live the more I think Bro. B. B. Caldwell was right when he told a bunch of Bible college boys, God never called any of you pretty boys to be a preacher!
Gospel preachers are not chosen by us, or even as we would choose them. The Lord Jesus calls to him whom he will.
3.Called Men
First, they are chosen. Then they are called. And all who are called by our God to preach the gospel are found preaching the gospel. No man has been called to preach the gospel who is not preaching the gospel. The call of our God is always effectual. Those whom he has chosen as his messengers he makes willing to be his messengers.
This is also a picture of our Lords effectual, irresistible grace in salvation. All the chosen are at Gods appointed time called. And all the called are made willing in the day of the power of his grace. Gods works are always effectual. God almighty never tried to do anything. Gods election is effectual election. Christs atonement is effectual atonement. The Spirits call is an effectual call.
4.Communing Men
Every man chosen, called, gifted, and sent of God to preach the gospel is a man in communion with Christ. Mark tells us in verse fourteen that these men were called to him that they should be with him. Like the apostles, faithful gospel preachers live with the Son of God, have fellowship with him, abide with him, and, like Mary, sit at his feet to hear his word. As these men went up into the mountain of prayer with Christ and went home with Christ, Gods servants must live at home with the Son of God in prayer, ever seeking his Spirit, walking in his steps, studying him, copying him, so that when he steps into the pulpit, he can honestly say what John said to the saints in his day.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1Jn 1:1-3)
5.Consecrated Men
Gospel preachers, those men sent of God to preach the gospel, are consecrated to Christ. These were men who literally left all and followed Christ. They were not self-serving merchandisers of mens souls. These men were the servants of men. They served the souls of men. And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread (Mar 3:20). While there was work to be done and opportunity to do it, for the good of men and the glory of God, they did not even stop to eat. Matthew Henry was exactly right in his observation. They whose hearts are enlarged in the work of God can easily bear with inconveniences to themselves in the prosecution of it.
6.Caring Men
Gods servants are caring men. They care for those trusted to their care. In verse fifteen we are told that these men were given power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils. And that which the Lord gave them the power to do, they did with all their might. You can mark this down. It applies to anything and everything. It is particularly applicable to the work of the ministry. Consecrated men are caring men; and caring men, truly caring men, are consecrated men.
7.Commissioned Men
And every man sent of God to preach the gospel goes forth with a divine commission. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach. They have a divine mandate. They are sent forth to preach. All who are called of God into the work of the gospel ministry are first and foremost preachers, gospel preacher! They are not counselors, baby-sitters, social workers, or denominational promoters. Gods servants are preachers, faithful, gospel preachers (Rom 1:15-17; 1Co 9:16; 2Co 5:18-21). Nothing in all the world is more utterly useless than a pastor who wastes his time on other things. Such a man is as useless as a lighthouse without a light.
A Reasonable Expectation
What should we expect to find among gospel preachers? What should we expect from men who are the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ, from men who are Gods ambassadors to our souls? Let me be crystal clear. When I speak of gospel preachers and Gods ambassadors, I do not have in mind Arminians, free-willers, and work-mongers. Gospel preachers are gospel preachers!
Taking these first twelve men as the standard, it is reasonable that we should expect Gods servant to be a steady, steadfast, rock of strength, faithfulness and courage, like Peter, though a mere man, who will sometimes be very disappointing. The gospel preacher ought to be a bold, courageous son of thunder like James and John, though just a man, who will sometimes seek to promote their own interests above others. The man who speaks for God ought to be a Thomas who is willing to go with Christ to Jerusalem to die with him, though but a weak man, who will sometimes be weak and doubtful. He should be a Bartholomew (Nathaniel) in whom there is no guile, an honest man, yet a man who knows himself by nature to be full of guile. The faithful servant of God may be a faithful Matthew, Andrew, Philip, James, or Simon, about whom very little is known, but a man with Gods message, without whom much would be lost.
There is no greater burden and no more awesome responsibility in the world than the work of preaching the gospel. Those who faithfully labor to preach the gospel need your prayers constantly. No wonder Paul says so often, Brethren, pray for us!
Why Judas?
Yet, among those who are doctrinally sound and orthodox, who preach the letter of the Word in truth, we find an occasional self-serving Judas, who gives the enemies of God occasion to blaspheme.
Have you ever wondered, Why did the Lord pick Judas and put him among the Apostles? I have. Let me tell you at least part of the reason why he did it. Without question, he chose Judas to fulfil the purpose of God and the prophecy of the Old Testament. Our Lord Jesus chose the betrayer that he might use him to bring on his death and accomplish the redemption of our souls. And I am confident that he chose the son of perdition that he might be a stumbling block to the unbelieving.
Judas did not pop on the scene as an unexpected surprise to God. He was as much a part of Gods purpose as Peter and Paul. And when Judas was gone, no harm had been done. His betrayal of the Master and his suicide were simply the means God used to accomplish his purpose of grace toward his elect and make room for the apostle to the Gentiles to step into place at precisely the time God had ordained.
Crowds Mean Nothing
In Mar 3:20 Mark directs our attention to the constant crowds ever pressing around our Redeemer. And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. Everywhere he went, our Lord Jesus drew huge crowds around him. What a great sight it must have been to see huge crowds gathered in the presence of the incarnate God! But we have something indescribably better. You and I have the privilege of gathering at his throne every day, with the ever swelling, innumerable crowd of his elect around the world and in heaven, for the constant healing of our souls in the boundless supply of his grace (Psa 100:4-5; Heb 12:22-23).
But great crowds mean nothing. During his earthly ministry, the crowds that constantly pressed our Savior, for the most part, did not attend his ministry because they believed him and worshipped him. They pressed around him hoping to get something from him, to be fed by him, to see some miracle performed by him, or to have a miracle performed upon their bodies.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was a perfect preacher. He never had to pause and look for words. He never had to think of an illustration. He always preached with power. More than that, he healed multitudes, performed, miracles, and even raised the dead. Yet, very, very few were converted under his ministry. Multitudes heard his words and felt the power of his words as he preached; but few heard his message and believed him.
How sadly true that is to this day! What multitudes use religion for nothing more than the gratification of the flesh; and self-serving preachers, churches and religious leaders are all too happy to supply unregenerate men with religious entertainment as they run to hell. Sunday after Sunday, churches are packed with crowds to see and perform plays, engage in contests, debate issues, rally support for some politician or political cause, enjoy a concert, and play countless games. Those places in which needy souls gather to hear the gospel preached, sing hymns of praise to our God, read his Word, and seek him in prayer are few and far between. Rarely are they packed with crowds.
Great crowds mean nothing. They are no indication that Christ is present or honored. He is present and he is honored wherever two are three are gathered by his grace in his name to worship him in spirit and in truth. It is our responsibility to prayerfully and faithfully preach the gospel to eternity bound sinners, and leave the results entirely in his sovereign purpose of grace.
Family and Friends
The Spirit of God directs our attention in Mar 3:21 to some of our Lords family and friends, who were utterly embarrassed by him. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. These friends were his kinsmen (Joh 7:5). They were members of his family, relatives who were embarrassed by his gospel and his devotion, and were scared to death of what the Scribes and Pharisees might think of them because of him.
There is nothing here that should be of any surprise to anyone. The prophet who came to anoint Jehu was called a mad fellow (2Ki 9:11). Festus told Paul that he was a madman. I can think of very little that more fully displays the corruption of the human nature than mans utter inability to understand devotion and consecration to God.
If a person is a loyal fan for a ball team, he is honored for his fanaticism. If a man is zealous about money, science, business, sports, or even war, he is applauded as a man of discipline. If he injures his own health because of his consuming passion in any of these areas, he is admired for his sacrifice. But zeal for Christ, devotion to the glory of God, the consecration of a redeemed sinner saved by grace to his God and Savior is looked upon by the wiseacres of the world as a sign of a weak mind. The world has not changed. The things of the Spirit are now, as they always have been and always will be, foolishness to the natural man (1Co 2:14).
When you have to drink the bitter cup of being misunderstood and misrepresented by family and friends who do not know God, do not allow their folly to shake your faith or cause you to turn on them in retaliation.
Mat 10:1-4, Luk 6:12-16
Reciprocal: Mat 5:1 – he went Mar 6:7 – the twelve Luk 6:13 – when Luk 9:1 – he
CALLING AND ELECTION
And they came unto Him.
Mar 3:13
I. Here is the evidence of our calling.We come because He calls. Let us not trouble ourselves with the doctrine of election. Let each one ask himself the question, Have I come to Jesus? If you have, then Christ has called you, and you have heard that call. You are one of the elect, for you have come to Jesus. In order to answer the question, Am I one of the elect? first ask another: Have I come to Jesus? Am I one of the elect? is not the first question. Have I come? is the first. Your answer to this question will be the answerthe only answerto the other. Are you at His feet?
II. All who hear His voice go unto Him.My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. Take care you make no mistake here. Take care it is to Him you go. There are many voices all around you. Gods call is to come first to Jesus. This is the voice of the Good Shepherd. Jesus firstJesus only.
III. That they should be with Him.Mark the important word herewith Him. He called them unto Him. For what purpose? That they should be with Him. We were redeemed that we should walk with God. We were bought with His blood that we should be with Him, that we should never leave His side, that we should have Him nearer to us than any earthly friend, however near or dear. Why are so many satisfied with having been called unto Him, and care so little about being with Him? Most of Gods people are walking at a distance. They have forgotten why the Saviour called themthat they should be with Him. This is the only tenure on which you hold the great blessings of redemption. You have no right to one of them except on this conditionthat you walk with God.
Rev. F. Whitfield.
3
Jesus called these men out of the group of disciples following him.
THE beginning of this passage describes the appointment of the twelve apostles. It is an event in our Lord’s earthly ministry, which should always be read with deep interest. What a vast amount of benefit these few men have conferred on the world! The names of a few Jewish fishermen are known and loved by millions all over the globe, while the names of many kings and rich men are lost and forgotten. It is they who do good to souls who are had “in everlasting remembrance.” (Psa 112:6.)
Let us notice in these verses, how many of the twelve who are here named, had been called to be disciples before they were ordained apostles.
There are six, at least, out of the number, whose first call to follow Christ is specially recorded. These six are Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Matthew. In short, there can be little doubt that eleven of our Lord’s apostles were converted before they were ordained.
It ought to be the same with all ministers of the Gospel. They ought to be men who have been first called by the Spirit, before they are set apart for the great work of teaching others. The rule should be the same with them as with the apostles-“first converted, then ordained.”
It is impossible to overrate the importance of this to the interests of true religion. Bishops and presbyteries can never be too strict and particular in the enquiries they make about the spiritual character of candidates for orders. An unconverted minister is utterly unfit for his office. How can he speak experimentally of that grace which he has never tasted himself? How can he commend that Savior to his people whom he himself only knows by name? How can he urge on souls the need of that conversion and new birth, which he himself has not experienced? Miserably mistaken are those parents who persuade their sons to become clergymen, in order to obtain a good living, or follow a respectable profession! What is it but persuading them to say what is not true, and to take the Lord’s name in vain? None do such injury to the cause of Christianity, as unconverted, worldly ministers. They are a support to the infidel, a joy to the devil, and an offence to God.
Let us notice, in the second place, the nature of the office to which the apostles were ordained. They were to “be with Christ.” They were to be “sent forth to preach.” They were to have “power to heal sicknesses.” They were to “cast out devils.”
These four points deserve attention. They contain much instruction. Our Lord’s twelve apostles, beyond doubt, were a distinct order of men. They had no successors when they died. Strictly and literally speaking, there is no such thing as apostolical succession. No man can be really called a “successor of the apostles,” unless he can work miracles, and teach infallibly, as they did. But still, in saying this, we must not forget, that in many things the apostles were intended to be patterns and models for all ministers of the Gospel. Bearing this in mind, we may draw most useful lessons from this passage, as to the duties of a faithful minister.
Like the apostles, the faithful minister ought to keep up close communion with Christ. He should be much “with Him.” His fellowship should be “with the Son.” (1Jn 1:3.) He should abide in Him. He should be separate from the world, and daily sit, like Mary, at Jesus’ feet, and hear His word. He should study Him, copy Him, drink into His Spirit, and walk in His steps. He should strive to be able to say, when he enters the pulpit, “that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you.” (1Jn 1:3.)
Like the apostles, the faithful minister ought to be a preacher. This must ever be his principal work, and receive the greatest part of his thoughts. He must place it above the administration of the sacraments. (1Co 1:17.) He must exalt it above the reading of forms. An unpreaching minister is of little use to the church of Christ. He is a lampless light-house, a silent trumpeter, a sleeping watchman, a painted fire.
Like the apostles, the faithful minister must labor to do good in every way. Though he cannot heal the sick, he must seek to alleviate sorrow, and to increase happiness among all with whom he has to do. He must strive to be known as the comforter, the counselor, the peacemaker, the helper, and the friend of all. Men should know him, not as one who rules and domineers, but as one who is “their servant for Jesus’ sake.” (2Co 4:5.)
Like the apostles, the faithful minister must oppose every work of the devil. Though not called now to cast out evil spirits from the body, he must be ever ready to resist the devil’s devices, and to denounce his snares for the soul. He must expose the tendency of races, theaters, balls, gambling, drunkenness, Sabbath-profanation, and sensual gratifications. Every age has its own peculiar temptations. Many are the devices of Satan. But whatever be the direction in which the devil is most busy, there ought the minister to be, ready to confront and withstand him.
How great is the responsibility of ministers! How heavy their work, if they do their duty! How much they need the prayers of all praying people, in order to support and strengthen their hands! No wonder that Paul says so often to the churches, “Pray for us.”
Let us notice, in the last place, how our Lord Jesus Christ’s zeal was misunderstood by His enemies. We are told that they “went out to lay hold of him, for they said, he is beside himself.”
There is nothing in this fact that need surprise us. The prophet who came to anoint Jehu was called a “mad fellow.” (2Ki 9:11.) Festus told Paul that he was “mad.” Few things show the corruption of human nature more clearly, than man’s inability to understand zeal in religion. Zeal about money, or science, or war, or commerce, or business, is intelligible to the world. But zeal about religion is too often reckoned foolishness, fanaticism, and the sign of a weak mind. If a man injures his health by study, or excessive attention to business, no fault is found:-“He is a diligent man.”-But if he wears himself out with preaching, or spends his whole time in doing good to souls, the cry is raised, “He is an enthusiast and righteous over-much.” The world is not altered. The “things of the Spirit” are always “foolishness to the natural man.” (1Co 2:14.)
Let it not shake our faith, if we have to drink of the same cup as our blessed Lord. Hard as it may be to flesh and blood to be misunderstood by our relations, we must recollect it is no new thing. Let us call to mind our Lord’s words, “He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.” Jesus knows the bitterness of our trials, Jesus feels for us. Jesus will give us help.
Let us bear patiently the unreasonableness of unconverted men, even as our Lord did. Let us pity their blindness and want of knowledge, and not love them one whit the less. Above all, let us pray that God would change their hearts. Who can tell but the very persons who now try to turn us away from Christ, may one day become new creatures, see all things differently, and follow Christ themselves?
Mar 3:13. Into the mountain. Probably the mount of Beatitudes (comp. Mat 5:1); or possibly the hill country in contrast with the seashore. Our Lord spent the previous night in prayer, choosing the Apostles in the morning (Luk 6:12-13).
Whom he himself would. The freedom of choice is made prominent. He gathered a larger number of disciples about Him and chose out twelve (Luk 6:13). This verse probably refers to the latter act. Strictly speaking, this was rather the formal announcement of His choice, for most of them (seven at least, had been specially called before this time.
They went, lit., went away (i.e., from the others) unto him.
As the Jewish church arose from twelve patriarchs, so the christian church became planted by twelve apostles. The person commissioning them was Christ; none may undertake the work and calling of the ministry, but those whom Christ appoints and calls. The persons commissioned were disciples before they were apostles; to teach us, that Christ will have such as preach the gospel to be disciples before they are ministers; trained up in the faith and doctrine of the gospel, before they undertake a public charge.
Observe farther, The holy preparative which our Saviour uses in order to this election of his apostles; he goeth up into a mountain to pray upon that great occasion. He went up into a mountain to pray, and spent the night in prayer to God. Luk 6:12
And when it was day, he called his disciples, and of them he chose twelve. In this prayer no doubt he pleaded with his Father to furnish all those that were to be sent forth by him with all ministerial gifts and graces.
Learn thence, That as prayer is a necessary preparative to all duties, so more especially befoe the public election and ordination of the ministers of the church: solemn prayer is to be used by such as are to ordain and choose them: our Lord’s practice is to be a standing rule herein to all church-officers.
Observe again, Though Christ called his apostles now, yet he did not send them forth now, yet he did not send them forth now: He ordained twelve that they should be with him. That is, that they might converse with him, and be eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses of his life, doctrine, and miracles. And having been thus with Christ, and fitted and prepared for him for their work, afterwards they went forth.
Thence learn, That such as are to take upon them the office of the ministry, ought first to be fitted and prepared for it, then solemnly called to it, befoe they enterprize and undertake the execution of it: if the apostles here, who were called and qualified extraordinarily, were to spend some time with Christ to receive direction and instruction from him before they went forth to preach; how much more needful is it for such as are ordinarily called, to be well fitted and furnished for the ministerial service, before they undertake it!
Observe next, How the several names of the apostles are here registered and recorded: God will honour those that honour him, and are the special instruments of his glory. Of these apostles Peter is named first, and Judas last.
Peter is named first, because probably elder than the rest, or because for order sake he might speak before the rest.
From whence may be inferred a primacy, but no supremacy; a priority of order, not a superiority of degree. As the foreman of a grand juty has a precedency but no pre-eminency; he is first in order before the rest, but has no authority or power over the rest. Judas is named last, with a brand of infamy upon him; that he was a traitor, the person that betrayed his Lord and Master.
Whence learn, That though the truth of grace be absolutely necessary to a minister’s salvation, yet the want of it doth not disannul his office, nor hinder the lawfulnes of his ministry. Judas, though a traitor, was yet a lawful minister. The mission of a person may be valid, though he be not sanctified.
Observe lastly, That our Saviour surnamed James and John, Boanerges, the Sons of thunder. St. Jerome thinks this name was given them, because being with Christ in the mount at his transfiguration, they heard the Father’s voice out of the cloud like thunder: others think them so called, because they were more vehement and earnest than the rest in preaching, and did with greater zeal and power sound forth the doctrine of the gospel like thunder. It is very probable, that Christ gave them this name from a foresight of the heat and zeal of their temper, of which they soon gave an instance, in desiring fire to come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans.
Mar 3:13. He goeth up into a mountain Thus Luke also represents him as retiring to a mountain for solemn prayer, and indeed continuing all night in that duty, before he made choice of twelve out of his disciples, and appointed them to be apostles: thereby showing, that much consideration and prayer ought to precede and accompany the choice and ordination of persons for ministers, and that nothing in so important a business should be done rashly. And calleth unto him whom he would With regard to the eternal states of men, God always acts as a merciful Saviour and just Lawgiver, Governor, and Judge. But with regard to numberless other things, he seems to us to act as a mere Sovereign.
XLI.
AFTER PRAYER JESUS SELECTS TWELVE APOSTLES.
(Near Capernaum.)
aMATT. X. 2-4; bMARK III. 13-19; cLUKE VI. 12-16.
c12 And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain b13 And he goeth up into the mountain, cto pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God. [It was a momentous occasion. He was about to choose those to whom he was to entrust the planting, organizing, and training of that church which was to be the purchase of his own blood. Jesus used such important crises, not as occasions for anxiety and worry, but as fitting times to seek and obtain the Father’s grace and blessing.] 13 And when it was day, he called his disciples: band calleth unto him whom he himself would; and they went unto him. cand he chose from them twelve [We can not think that the number twelve was adopted carelessly. It unquestionably had reference to the twelve tribes of Israel, over whom the apostles were to be tribal judges or viceroys ( Luk 22:30), and we find the tribes and apostles associated together in the structure of the New Jerusalem ( Rev 21:12-14). Moreover, Paul seems to regard the twelve as ministers to the twelve tribes, or to the circumcision, rather than as ministers to the Gentiles or the world in general ( Gal 2:7-9). See also Jam 1:1, 1Pe 1:1. The tribal reference was doubtless preserved to indicate that the church would be God’s new Israel], b14 And he appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons: cwhom also he named apostles [The word apostle means “one sent.” Its meaning was kindred to the word ambassador [220] ( 2Co 5:20), the messenger whom a king sent to foreign powers, and also to our modern word missionary, which also means “one sent.” Christ himself was an apostle ( Heb 3:1), and so sent them ( Joh 20:21). The word apostle is translated “messenger” at 2Co 8:23, Phi 2:25. The apostles were to be with Jesus, that they might be taught by his words, and that they might become teachers of that word and witnesses as to the life and actions of Jesus. A necessary condition, therefore, to their apostleship was this seeing of Jesus and the consequent ability to testify as to his actions, especially as to his resurrection ( Act 1:8, Act 1:21, 1Co 9:1, Act 22:14, Act 22:15). They could therefore have no successors. All the apostles were from Galilee save Judas Iscariot]: a2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these Joh 1:41, Joh 1:42. Peter, by reason of his early prominence, is named first in the four lists. His natural gifts gave him a personal but not an ecclesiastical pre-eminence over his fellows. As a reward for his being first to confess Christ, he was honored by being permitted to first use the keys of the kingdom of heaven; i. e., to preach the first gospel sermon both to the Jews and Gentiles. But after these two sermons the right of preaching to the Jews and Gentiles became common to all alike. That Peter had supremacy or authority over his brethren is nowhere stated by Christ, or claimed by Peter, or owned by the rest of the twelve. On [221] the contrary, the statement of Jesus places the apostles upon a level ( Mat 23:8-11). See also Mat 18:18, Mat 19:27, Mat 19:28, Mat 20:25-27, Joh 20:21, Act 1:8. And Peter himself claims no more than an equal position with other officers in the church ( 1Pe 5:1, 1Pe 5:4), and the apostles in the subsequent history of the church acted with perfect independence. Paul withstood Peter to his face and (if we may judge by the order of naming which is made so much of in the apostolic lists), he ranks Peter as second in importance to James, the Lord’s brother ( Gal 2:11-14, Gal 2:9). See also Act 12:17, Act 21:18. Again, James, in summing up the decree which was to be sent to the church at Antioch, gave no precedence to Peter, who was then present, but said, “Brethren, hearken unto me . . . my judgment is”–words which would be invaluable to those who advocate the supremacy of Peter, if only it had been Peter who spoke them. So much for the supremacy of Peter, which, even if it could be established, would still leave the papacy without a good title to its honors, for it would still have to prove that it was heir to the rights and honors of Peter, which is something it has never yet done. The papal claim rests not upon facts, but upon a threefold assumption: 1. That Peter had supreme authority. 2. That he was the first bishop of Rome. 3. That the peculiar powers and privileges of Peter (if he had any) passed at the time of his death from his own person, to which they belonged, to the chair or office which he vacated]; aand Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; {bthe brother of James;} and them he surnamed Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder [This selection of brothers suggests that the bonds of nature may strengthen those of grace. Why James and John were called sons of thunder is not stated, but it was probably because of their stormy and destructive temper ( Luk 9:51-56, Mar 9:38). The vigor of the two brothers is apparent, for it marked James as a fit object for Herod’s spleen ( Act 12:2), and it sustained John to extreme old age, for Epiphanius says [223] that he died at Ephesus at the age of ninety-four, but Jerome places his age at a hundred. No change is noted in the nature of James during the brief time which he survived his Lord. But the gracious and loving character of the aged John showed the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. But even to the last this son of thunder muttered in portentous strains against Diotrephes ( 3Jo 1:9, 3Jo 1:10), and his denunciations of sins and sinners is very forceful, including such epithets as “liar,” “antichrist,” “deceiver,” “children of the devil” ( 1Jo 1:6, 1Jo 2:4, 1Jo 2:22, 1Jo 3:15, 1Jo 1:3-11). It is also worthy of note that except in this verse in Mark, which applies the name “Son of thunder” to John, neither the word “thunder,” nor any of its derivatives is found anywhere in the New Testament save in the writings of John, by whom it and its derivatives are used eleven times, a fact which causes Bengel to remark, “A son of thunder is a fit person for hearing voices of thunder.”] a3 Philip, and Bartholomew [as noted on Mar 15:40); probably because he was younger than the son of Zebedee. He must not be confounded with James the Lord’s brother, who, though called an apostle by Paul, was not one of the twelve apostles (nor was Barnabas– Act 14:14). James the Lord’s brother is mentioned at Mat 13:55, 1Co 15:5-7, Gal 1:19, Gal 2:9, Gal 2:12, Act 15:6-9, Act 21:18. He wrote the epistle which bears his name, and his brother Jude (who also must not be confounded with Judas Thaddus, the apostle) wrote the epistle which bears his name. We do not know the James who was the father of Judas, and of Judas himself we know very little. He seems to have been known at first by his name Thaddus, possibly to distinguish him from Iscariot, but later (for Luke and John wrote later than Matthew and Mark) by the name Judas– Joh 14:22.] a4 Simon the Cananaean, cwho was called the Zealot [Cananan means the same as zealot. It comes from the Hebrew word kana, which means zealous. The Zealots were a sect or order of men much like our modern “Regulators,” or “Black Caps.” They were zealous for the Jewish law, and citing Phinehas ( Num 25:7, Num 25:8) and Elijah ( 1Ki 18:40) as their examples, they took justice in their own hands and punished offenders much after the manner lynchers. It is thought that they derived their name from the dying charge of the Asmonan Mattathias when he said, “Be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers” (I. Macc. ii. 50). Whatever they were at first, it is certain that their later course was marked by frightful excesses, and they are charged with having been the human instrument which brought about the destruction of Jerusalem. See Josephus, Wars, IV., iii. 9, v. 1-4; vi. 3; VII., viii. 1. Simon is the least known of all the apostles, being nowhere individually mentioned outside the catalogues], aand Judas Iscariot, cwho became a traitor; awho also betrayed him. [Judas is named last in all the three lists, and the same note of infamy attaches to him in each case. He is omitted from the list in Acts, for he was then dead. As he was treasurer of the apostolic group, he was probably chosen for office because of his executive ability. He was called Iscariot from his native city Kerioth, which pertained to Judah– Jos 15:25.]
{*} NOTE.–To avoid making the text too complex and confusing, we have followed the order in which Matthew gives the names of the twelve. The names of the apostles are recorded four times in the following different arrangements and orders. Some think that Matthew divides them into groups of two, so that he may show us who went together when Jesus sent them out in pairs ( Mar 6:7). But it is idle to speculate as to the differences in arrangement. We note, however, that the twelve are divided into three quaternions, or groups of four, and that each has a fixed leader. TABLE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES.
{*} NOTE.–To aid the reader, we submit the following table of the women who watched the crucifixion of Jesus, for it is from their names and descriptions that we get our Scriptural light by which we distinguish the kindred of our Lord.
Matthew and Mark each name three women, whence it is thought that Salome was the name of the mother of James and John. But the solution of the problem depends on our rendering of Joh 19:25, which is translated thus: “But there were standing by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” Now, was Mary, the wife of Clopas, named and also additionally described as sister to our Lord’s mother, or was it the unnamed Salome who was her sister? Does John mention three or four women? The best modern scholarship says that there were four women, and that therefore James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were cousins of our Lord. In support of this it is argued: 1. That it is unlikely that two sisters would bear the same name, a fact which, as Meyer says, is “established by no instance.” 2. John gives two pairs of women, each pair coupled by an “and.” The first pair is kindred to Jesus, and is unnamed and is paralleled by the other pair, which is not kindred and of which the names are given. Hebrew writers often used such parallelism. 3. It accords with John’s custom to withhold the names of himself and all kindred, so that in his Gospel he nowhere gives his own, his mother’s, or his brother’s name, nor does he even give the name of our Lord’s mother, who was his aunt. 4. The relationship explains in part why Jesus, when dying, left the care of his mother to John. It was not an unnatural thing to impose such a burden upon a kinsman.
[FFG 220-226]
HE CALLS THE TWELVE APOSTLES
Mat 10:2-4; Mar 3:13-19; & Luk 6:13-16. Mark: And He goes up into a mountain, and calls to Him those whom He wished, and He made twelve, that they may be with Him, and that He may send them out to preach, and to have the power to heal the sick and to cast out demons. Luke says that He went out into the mountain to pray, and was spending the night in the prayer of God. And when it was day, He called His disciples, and selecting twelve from them, whom He called Apostles. Bishop Taylor used to make it a rule to spend a night in prayer before he sent away the missionaries to their respective fields of labor. Rev. A.B. Simpson anticipates those wonderful, unprecedented, and paradoxical missionary collections by a night of prayer. O what an example here for Annual Conferences, and other responsible transactions in the kingdom of God! Where E.V. says, He ordained twelve (Mar 3:14), the original is epoiese, which simply means made; i.e., He selected twelve out of the company of disciples who followed Him, and made them apostles. The word apostle is from apo, from, and stello, send. Hence it means persons sent forth, as the inspired Twelve were commissioned and sent into all the world. King Jamess translators used the word ordained, here and elsewhere, in order to sustain the Church usages and authority, there being no such a meaning in the original. Our Savior made the twelve apostles just like He makes you what you are, if true to His providence and grace. He has a vast diversity of workers in His kingdom. He made them all what they are. We have nothing to do but perfectly submit to His Word, Spirit, and providence, and rest assured He will make us efficient workers in His vineyard, though infinitely diverse, either from other. Paul says,
He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints. (Eph 4:2.)
Hence, you see, all of these offices are perpetuated to the end of time. Under the shibboleth of Church ordination, floods of ecclesiastical misrule and tyranny have been turned on the Church, terribly to the detriment of her efficiency in the salvation of the world. The great dogma of ordination, as claimed and practiced by the High-Church isms, is unknown in the Bible, a true translation eliminating it altogether. It is all right for the Churches to corroborate the Holy Ghost in the ordination of God’s saints for the work to which He calls them.
Matthew: He placed on Simon the name Peter; i.e., rock, which the world never saw till after the fires of Pentecost burnt up the debris, and swept away the cowardice, and revealed the solid rock. James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and on these he put the names Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder.
This name is very significant, showing that James and John had tremendous voices, so they could roar hike thunder. O, what a blessing a stalwart physical constitution and stentorian voice! If the Lord has given you a strong voice, appreciate the honor of a Boanerges, and consecrate this rich and valuable gift to God. And Andrew, Philip, and Bartholomew; i.e., son of Tolmai, a patronymic for Nathanael. Matthew, Thomas; James the son of Ahpheus [also called James the Less]; and Thaddeus [i.e., Jude], and Simeon the Canaanite. Matthew and Mark call him the Canaanite, while Luke says, Simon, called Zelotes i.e., the zealot. Now if you will look in a Greek dictionary, you will find zelotes and canaanite synonymous, neither of them being proper names, as E.V. has them. The simple lexical meaning is, zealous, setting forth the fact that Simon was a red-hot holiness evangelist, full of life and fire. And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. What a momentous transaction took place on this mountain, when our Lord selected these twelve men, not from the colleges nor the palaces, but from the lower walks of labor and private life, and invested them with the commission to preach the gospel to all the world! To this they all proved true but Judas Iscariot, whom Satan unfortunately captured before he received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, the indispensable qualification of them all. However, he was nobly succeeded by Matthias, who, with the other eleven, received his allotment in the distribution of the world among the Twelve, going to Abyssinia; Mark, to Egypt; Matthew, to Ethiopia; Peter, to Rome; Andrew, to Armenia; Bartholomew, to Phrygia; Philip, to Syria; Jude, to Tartary; Thomas, to India. After our Lord’s ascension, He augmented this number by the addition of five more noble apostles i.e.,
Paul, Apollos, Barnabas, and James and Judas, the brothers of the Lord the two Jameses included in the original Twelve both suffering martyrdom in Jerusalem.
Luk 6:17. And coming down along with them, He stood on a level place. The Mount of Beatitudes, hanging over the city of Capernaum, has a nice plateati, about half-way down from the summit, which is doubtless the plain on which our Lord halted with the Twelve, whom He had constituted apostles. A multitude of His disciples, and a great host of the people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and Tyre and Sidon by the seaside, who came to bear Him, and to be healed of their diseases, and those troubled with unclean spirits; and they continued to be healed. And the whole crowd sought to touch Him, because power was going out from Him and was healing all. After the night of prayer, spent high up in the Mount of Beatitudes, calling His disciples to Him, He proceeds to select from them the twelve apostles, accompanied by whom He descends from the summit about 8 A.M. No sooner does He descend to the plateau till the people, recognizing Him, come rushing from all directions. Moved with sympathy, He now does a mighty work of bodily healing and demoniacal ejectment, thus wonderfully saving the people, both from sin and sickness. Where E.V. says, Power was going out from Him and was healing all, the Greek says dynamite, a word which men of science have recently Anglicized and adopted, to indicate the greatest mechanical power in the known world, and very appropriately, as it is the word constantly used in the New Testament to reveal the matchless wonders of omnipotent grace.
Mar 3:13-19. The Appointment of the Twelve.That Jesus associated with Himself an inner circle of twelve men is not open to reasonable question. If the number twelve be mythical, it must be suggested by the twelve tribes of Israel. The fact that His own ministry was confined to Israel, makes it natural for Jesus Himself to have acted on the suggestion. To trace the number, with the exponents of the Christ-myth, to the signs of the Zodiac, or the twelve apostles of the Jewish Patriarch of Alexandria (who are not known to have been twelve) is a gratuitous absurdity. The choice of the Twelve was made when Pharisaic hostility and popular enthusiasm increased the burden of the task of evangelization. Mk. emphasizes the choice of Christ. He called whom He would (cf. Joh 15:16). These men are chosen to be with Jesus, a phrase peculiar to Mk. which discloses the meaning and the secret of disciple-ship. Bousset rightly asks, In which of the OT prophets does personal intercourse with disciples, this gradual outpouring of the wealth of the soul into the souls of others, play such a part as it does in the case of Jesus? (Jesus, p. 17). But the Twelve are also to be sent out to proclaim the nearness of the Kingdom. We may note that Mk.s phrase suggests repeated tours, not one outstanding expedition such as is presupposed in Schweitzers theory. Hence the name apostles (mg. in Mar 3:14 is perhaps part of the text; see Swete). In the list that follows, Mk. and Mt. agree in the name Thaddus, while Luke has Judas the son of James. The identification of Matthew with Levi rests on Mat 9:9; Mat 10:3. The nickname Sons of Thunder, given to James and John has now been shown by Rendel Harris to be connected with the cult of twins. The sons of Zebedee were probably twins. Thomas is also a twin (see Joh 11:16; Joh 14:22*, Joh 20:24; Joh 21:2). There is, therefore, some reason for suspecting that the apostolic list has been affected by folklore concerning twins. Simon the Cananan (the word has nothing to do with Canaan) is rightly identified by Lk. (Luk 6:15) as a Zealot (cf. mg. here). This is not a reference to his zeal but to his previous political opinions (pp. 609f., Act 5:37*). Swete says, This Simon cannot have belonged to the more advanced Zealots, who were associated with sedition and outrage. But why cannot Jesus have converted and chosen an advanced Zealot? If He did, the fact is of some importance. The teaching of Jesus is perhaps more directly aimed at the Zealots than we sometimes suppose (see Windisch, Der Messianische Krieg; also Lake, The Stewardship of Faith, chaps. i. and ii.). [In Harvard Theological Review, Jan. 1917, Lake argues very cogently from Josephus that the use of the name Zealot to describe a Jewish sect or party cannot be earlier than A.D. 66. He thinks Mt. and Lk. may have made an error, or that we have been wrong in translating or explaining, and that Mt. and Lk. simply meant Simon the Zealous, a reference not to party but to personal character.A.J.G.] The meaning of the name Iscariot is still obscure.
Mar 3:16. The Ferrar group of MSS read, And He made first Simon. The text adopted in RV is certainly corrupt, and some previous mention of Simon is required. This reading is perhaps better than mg.
Verse 13
Into a mountain; into a retired place among the recesses of the mountains.
2. Jesus’ selection of 12 disciples 3:13-19 (cf. Luke 6:12-16)
Jesus’ selection of 12 disciples constituted an important advance in His ministry. These men would be the primary beneficiaries of His training for leadership to carry out His mission. The plot to take His life made the training of disciples imperative.
The exact location of this incident is uncertain. It was probably somewhere in Galilee since this whole section describes Jesus’ ministry there (Mar 1:14 to Mar 6:6 a). Jesus first called His disciples to join Him. Then from that larger group He selected 12 as apostles (Luk 6:13). Evidently Jesus selected 12 for leadership over Israel’s 12 tribes during His messianic reign (Mat 19:28). In view of Israel’s rejection of Jesus, they became the nucleus of the church, which the New Testament never refers to as the "new Israel." This is a term that covenant theologians have applied to the church that has created serious confusion in the minds of many Bible students.
". . . from a mountaintop, an imagery reminiscent of Yahweh’s summons to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exo 19:20), Jesus sovereignly summons the Twelve into a new community (Mar 3:13-19) and to a mission that is founded on a relationship with himself (’in order that they might be with him,’ Mar 3:14). He confers his authority on the Twelve and sends them out with dominion over demons (Mar 6:7-13) and with freedom from the tradition of the elders (Mar 7:5-13)." [Note: Edwards, p. 224.]
"In Mark’s story world, the mountain connotes nearness to God and is therefore a place of divine-human communication and encounter. Atop a mountain, Jesus prays (Mar 6:46), is transfigured by God (Mar 9:2-8), and foretells the future (Mar 13:3-5)." [Note: Kingsbury, p. 93.]
Mark stressed that Jesus initiated this appointment, and the Twelve voluntarily responded (cf. Exo 19:20). Perhaps he did this to remind his readers that God had chosen them as disciples; they had not sought this privilege. The response of these initial disciples provided a good example for all succeeding followers of Jesus.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)