Mar 3:13 | KingComments | STEP | All the wonders the Lord performs, He does with effort. In them He always gives of Himself. He needs it after a day or period of being busy for the benefit of people to separate Himself in order to be with His God. He does this also now, but at the same time He wants to involve others in His work. As the true Servant He wants to teach others to become servants in imitation of Him. That is why He goes up on the mountain. He separates Himself from the people to be with God, and by sovereign election He summons those He wants. And they come. By going up on the mountain, He shows us that the origin of His ministry is heaven and not men. On the mountain He calls the disciples to Himself, which also shows that the origin of their ministry is heaven and not men ( ; ). And just as He Himself went forth to preach ( ), so here He gives the same command to those He calls. But it begins by saying “that they would be with Him”. Preaching to others must be done from His presence. He determines the moment of sending out. When the time of their preparation is finished, the twelve are sent out. After the command to preach they also get the power to cast out demons. Wonders are never isolated events. They are there to support the Word that has been spoken ( ). The Lord appoints them. He has that authority, for He is the Son of God ( ). He also gives Simon another name and calls him Peter. This indicates His position of authority. Only persons who have authority over others have the power to give or change names ( ; ). If He changes a name, it has a meaning. Peter means ‘stone’. Peter is mentioned first in every list of the twelve. James and John also get another name. The name He gives them shows that He knows the character of these men. Apart from the fact that that name, “Sons of Thunder”, can refer to their passionate temperament, it can also mean that they will speak the Word with special power in the Name of God. God speaks in thunder to bring forth fruit in waste and desolate land ( ). Of the other disciples we know little, of a few we know no more than their name. Andrew brings people to the Lord ( ). Philip is tested by the Lord ( ) and tells Him about people who seek Him ( ). Bartholomew is the same as Nathanael ( ). Matthew, or Levi the tax collector, is the author of the Gospel that bears his name. Thomas wants to die with the Lord and needs the tangible proof that He has risen ( ). Apart from James, the brother of John ( ), we hear here of another James, namely James the son of Alphaeus. So he is someone other than the brother of the Lord ( ) and also someone other than James the Less ( ). Thaddaeus is also called Judas ( ). Simon is given the addition of “the Cananaean” or “Zealot,” which refers to his earlier violent religious and political views. The last one mentioned is Judas. He takes last place in every listing of the disciples, always with the reference to what he will do with the Lord.

‏ Mark 3:13

Calling of the Twelve

All the wonders the Lord performs, He does with effort. In them He always gives of Himself. He needs it after a day or period of being busy for the benefit of people to separate Himself in order to be with His God. He does this also now, but at the same time He wants to involve others in His work. As the true Servant He wants to teach others to become servants in imitation of Him. That is why He goes up on the mountain. He separates Himself from the people to be with God, and by sovereign election He summons those He wants. And they come.

By going up on the mountain, He shows us that the origin of His ministry is heaven and not men. On the mountain He calls the disciples to Himself, which also shows that the origin of their ministry is heaven and not men (Acts 13:1-4; Gal 1:1). And just as He Himself went forth to preach (Mk 1:38), so here He gives the same command to those He calls.

But it begins by saying “that they would be with Him”. Preaching to others must be done from His presence. He determines the moment of sending out. When the time of their preparation is finished, the twelve are sent out. After the command to preach they also get the power to cast out demons. Wonders are never isolated events. They are there to support the Word that has been spoken (Heb 2:3-4).

The Lord appoints them. He has that authority, for He is the Son of God (Mk 1:1). He also gives Simon another name and calls him Peter. This indicates His position of authority. Only persons who have authority over others have the power to give or change names (Gen 1:18; Dan 1:7). If He changes a name, it has a meaning. Peter means ‘stone’. Peter is mentioned first in every list of the twelve.

James and John also get another name. The name He gives them shows that He knows the character of these men. Apart from the fact that that name, “Sons of Thunder”, can refer to their passionate temperament, it can also mean that they will speak the Word with special power in the Name of God. God speaks in thunder to bring forth fruit in waste and desolate land (Job 38:25-27).

Of the other disciples we know little, of a few we know no more than their name. Andrew brings people to the Lord (Jn 1:41-42 ; Jn 6:8-9 ; Jn 12:21-22). Philip is tested by the Lord (Jn 6:5) and tells Him about people who seek Him (Jn 12:21-22). Bartholomew is the same as Nathanael (Jn 1:47). Matthew, or Levi the tax collector, is the author of the Gospel that bears his name. Thomas wants to die with the Lord and needs the tangible proof that He has risen (Jn 11:16 ; Jn 20:24-29).

Apart from James, the brother of John (Mk 3:17), we hear here of another James, namely James the son of Alphaeus. So he is someone other than the brother of the Lord (Gal 1:19) and also someone other than James the Less (Mk 15:40). Thaddaeus is also called Judas (Jn 14:22). Simon is given the addition of “the Cananaean” or “Zealot,” which refers to his earlier violent religious and political views.

The last one mentioned is Judas. He takes last place in every listing of the disciples, always with the reference to what he will do with the Lord.