The Choosing of the Twelve
Mark 3:13-19
And he goes up into a mountain, and calls to him whom he would: and they came to him.…


I. THE CHOICE AND ITS OBJECT. The Saviour ascends the mountain that was near at hand, probably Karun Hattin, "and calls to him whom he wished." At once they went off away (ἀπό), leaving other things, and turning to him as their sole object. Of these he appointed, or ordained - though the original word is more simple, viz. "he made " - twelve for a threefold purpose:

(1) to "be with him," to keep him company, assisting him and sympathizing with him;

(2) to be his messengers to men, heralding the good news of salvation; and

(3) to alleviate miraculously human misery - curing diseases and expelling demons.

II. THE LIST OF NAMES. The order and meaning of the names require only a few remarks. The twelve are distributed into three classes. Simon, the Hearer, whom our Lord surnamed the Rock-man, heads the first class; next to him were James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, both of whom were surnamed Boanerges, "Sons of Thunder," that is, bene (oa equivalent to e) regesh; and Andrew. The second class is headed by Philip; then comes Bartholomew, which means the son of Tolmai, the word being a patronymic - in all probability the person meant was Nathanael, the proper name of the same; also Matthew and Thomas. The third class begins with James the son of Alphaeus; then Judas, surnamed Thaddseus, or Lebbseus, the Courageous; and Simon the Kananite, that is, the Zealot, not a Canaanite; while Judas Iscariot, that is, the man of Kerioth, the traitor, is the last in every list. - J.J.G.



Parallel Verses
KJV: And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

WEB: He went up into the mountain, and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him.




The Choosing of the Apostles
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