Mark 3:13-19
Summary for Mark 3:13-19: 3:13-19 a The scene now changes to a mountain, and Mark tells how Jesus called his disciples, which is reminiscent of God’s call of Old Testament prophets (Exod 3:14-22 b; 1 Sam 3:4-14 c; Jer 1:5-19 d).Summary for Mark 3:14-15: 3:14-15 e Jesus appointed twelve to represent Israel’s twelve tribes and to proclaim that the Kingdom of God had arrived. He called them apostles (Greek apostoloi, “emissaries”). He chose them to accompany him and to be sent out (Greek apostellō) to preach and to cast out demons. They represented Jesus and were endowed with his authority.
Summary for Mark 3:16-18: 3:16-18 f Simon and Andrew were brothers, as were James and John (1:16-20 g).
• Peter is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic kepa’, meaning “rock.”
3:17 h but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”: This nickname probably speaks of their character (cp. Luke 9:53-54 i).
3:18 j Philip is fifth on all four lists of the twelve disciples (Matt 10:1-4 k; Luke 6:12-16 l; Acts 1:13 m); James the son of Alphaeus (not the son of Zebedee and brother of John) is always ninth. Bartholomew might be Nathanael (John 1:43-51 n), and Matthew is probably Levi, the tax collector (Mark 2:14 o; Matt 9:9 p). Although Thomas is referred to as “the twin” (John 11:16 q; 20:24 r; 21:2 s), nothing else is said in the New Testament about this. Thaddaeus (Matt 10:3 t) is missing from Luke’s list; he might be Judas, the son of James (Luke 6:16 u; Acts 1:13 v). That a government official (Matthew) and an anti-government activist (Simon ... the zealot) were among the twelve apostles testifies to Jesus’ ability to change people’s hearts and overcome natural antagonism.
3:19 w Identifying Judas as Iscariot suggests that Mark wanted to avoid confusing him with another Judas (Luke 6:16 x; Acts 1:13 y). Iscariot probably comes from ’ish (“man of”) qeriyoth (“Kerioth,” a town in Judea).
• who later betrayed him: See Mark 14:10-11 z, 43-46 aa.
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