Bible Study Series: Mark 3:13-18. They will become the official overseers of the gospel stories about Jesus and leaders of the church. Then they will become missionaries.
Friendly greetings and a warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together how to apply these truths to our lives.
I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click here:
If you would like to see the original Greek, please click here:
At that link, I also offer more commentary and a Summary and Conclusion, geared towards discipleship. Scroll down to the bottom and check it out!
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Mark 3:13-18
13 And he went up a mountain and summoned whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve whom he also designated apostles, so that they would be with him and in order that he would commission them to preach 15 and have authority to expel demons. 16 He appointed twelve: he gave the name Peter to Simon, 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, and he gave them the name Boanerges, which means ‘sons of thunder’; 18 and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, and 19 Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:13-18)
Comments:
13:
Remember: a mountain was a special place of revelation in Israel’s history (Exod. 3; 19; see also Matt. 5:1; 14:23; 15:29; 17:1; 28:16). The location is probably one of the hills / mountains in Galilee.
In the first century, students sought out the rabbis; here, Jesus is calling and commissioning his students. Jesus was formally separating out these twelve from the crowds and from any of the other many disciples. Recall that Jesus sent out seventy (or seventy-two) disciples, as well (Luke 10:1-12, 17-20). There are these twelve who will judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28) and whose names will be written on the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:14). This special office can never be duplicated. These twelve have a unique vocation and commission.
However, in the NT there is a lower order of apostles. Barnabas was called an apostle (Acts 14:14); Andronicus and Junia (a woman) were apostles (Rom. 16:7). Certain brothers, including Titus, were called apostles (2 Cor. 8:23). Epaphroditus was an apostle (Phil. 2:25). The latter two were messengers of the churches.
The point to the linked post is that the lower order of apostles is open to certain men and women today, but be warned! Anyone who claims the title must be checked out, especially if he gave himself this title or allowed some “yes men” to call him an apostle.
14:
Apostle literally means “sent one.” Key point: the rabbinic text, the Mishnah (and ancient Jewish text, compiled around 200 A.D.) says, “the one sent by the man is as the man himself” (m.Ber. 5.5; see Darrell L. Bock, The Gospel of Luke, vol. 1, p. 542).
“be with him”: to fulfill their calling, they had to be with him, which included his training them. Most importantly, they would grow in their knowledge of his character and heart. It must have been something special to spend so much time with him. Hands-on training is better than reading manuals and hearing lectures (Strauss, p. 163).
15:
Verses summarizing healings and demon expulsion appear 1:32-34; 3:7-12; and 6:13; and 6:53-56 refer only to healing. Plus, Mark right now is highlighting spiritual warfare in the first three chapters of his Gospel (Strauss on 1:39). The kingdom must exert power over demons, and the disciples (and us, by extension) must learn that we too have kingdom authority over darkness, in Jesus’s name.
“authority”: it is the noun exousia (pronounced ex-oo-SEE-ah), and it means, depending on the context: “right to act,” “freedom of choice,” “power, capability, might, power, authority, absolute power”; “power or authority exercised by rulers by virtue of their offices; official power; domain or jurisdiction, spiritual powers.”
The difference between authority and power is parallel to a policeman’s badge and his gun. The badge symbolizes his right to exercise his power through his gun, if necessary. The gun backs up his authority with power. But the distinction should not be pressed too hard, because exousia can also mean “power.” In any case, God through Jesus can distribute authority to his followers (Matt. 10:1; Luke 10:19; John 1:12).
So do we have the same power and authority that the twelve have in this passage, or are they a special case? Restrictive interpreters say they are special cases with unique callings, while freer interpreters say we too, as disciples of Jesus, can have the same authority. I come down on the freer interpretation.
Jesus will give us authority even over the nations, if we overcome trials and persecution (Rev. 2:26). And he is about to distribute his power in Acts 2. Never forget that you have his authority and power to live a victorious life over your personal flaws and sins and Satan. They no longer have power and authority over you; you have power and authority over them.
I like what commentators Wessel and Strauss say about vv. 14-15:
The Twelve are to serve as his representatives and expand the scope of his ministry. The primary theme of Mark’s gospel up to this point has been Jesus’s authority as inaugurator of the kingdom of God. Now Jesus delegates this kingdom-authority to his disciples. As we have seen, the proclamation of the good news and driving out demons are closely related. The salvation Jesus brings is of cosmic significance: it involved the defeat of Satan and the spiritual forces of evil.
16-19:
Boanerges is an Aramaic term. It describes their disposition early on in their walk with the Lord; they were thunderous (Mark 9:38; 10:35-37); Luke 9:54).
I have already written an article about the different lists of names in Matthew, Mark and Luke and Acts and the meaning of their names:
The Meaning of the Names of the Twelve Apostles
In Mark 6:7-13, Jesus will actually send them out.
GrowApp for Mark 3:13-19
1. We all have our commission from God, whether a world changer or a faithful worker at church or a soccer mom. How has Jesus commissioned you?
2.. How are you best fulfilling your commission?
RELATED
10. Eyewitness Testimony in Mark’s Gospel
2. Church Fathers and Mark’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
For bibliographical data, please click on this link and scroll down to the very bottom:
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 