Mark 1:16-20, 3:13-19, 6:7-13

Introduction to Mark

Mark 1:1 “1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;”

If Mark wanted to write a title to his book, this is it.

if Matthew 1:1 “1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” signals the beginning of the Book of Matthew; here in Mark it signals the beginning of the ministry of Jesus

“The beginning” here is the same the LXX uses for Genesis 1:1 “1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Mark considers this point, the start of the ministry of Jesus every bit a big as the creation of the world! In Jesus a new creation is at hand

Mark 1:16-20 Calling Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John to dedicated service

Mark 1:14–22 KJV

14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. 19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. 21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

The Gospel summed up: Mark 1:14–15 “14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Little, insignificant Galilee as opposed to great, “important” Jerusalem is central to Mark. Part of his use of irony throughout the book.

Mark 1:16–20 “16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. 19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.”

Always made me wonder, if Jesus was “normal looking” in every way as the Bible says, why were they willing to just drop everything and follow him? James and John even leave their father and the family business behind without him even saying a work that Mark records. Not insignificant when we think of the fishing industry in 1st century Galilee was huge. Fish from there were exported as far away as Alexandria in Egypt and Antioch in Syria

Jesus is sovereign and carries all the authority of God the Father when he speaks John 10:27 “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” doesn’t say they “think about following me”

John 1:35–42 “35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”

Maybe as much as a year to two years earlier than Mark 1:16. This sounds like when they were saved. Want to be careful because it’s not explicit, but not hard to imagine Peter and Andrew had witnessed to James and John then afterward did Jesus call them to the full time discipleship and ministry of evangelism but not just evangelism, the were to have a special office

The word for “disciple,” in both its Greek and Hebrew roots, means “student” or “learner,” specifically one who learns in active fellowship, hence an apprentice. The special office is Apostle

Mark 3:13-19 The 12 commissioned as Apostles

Mark 3:13–19 KJV

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 Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, 19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

Mark 3:14 “14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,”

Greek behind “send forth” here is the word we get apostle from. Apostole “the sending out of troops” but here only of Jesus emissaries for the special office to send out the Christian message

Apostleship required eyewitness testimony of Jesus and that eyewitness authority behind their preaching

Given power to heal sickness and cast out demons in order for the people to see the authoritative stamp of God on their ministry as they laid the foundation the church will be built on. Jesus as the cornerstone, the apostles as the foundation, and disciples as the body

12 for the 12 tribes of Israel reminds the Gentiles salvation is of the Jews and reminds the Jews their place as the holy tribes of God is only made a reality through Christ

Mark 6:7-13 The 12 sent out

Mark 6:7–13 KJV

7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. 10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. 12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

Exodus 12:11 “11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.”

Mark 6:8–9 “8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.”

The four items required of the Twelve are, in fact, identical to the belongings that God instructs the Israelites to take on their flight from Egypt: cloak, belt, sandals, and staff in hand

They are human so a staff, sandals, and 1 tunic.

No beggars bag, no food, and no money in their belt.

Guarantees those in service of the Lord rely on the Lord and not on things

Mark 6:10 “10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.”

Stay with the ones that receive you in the town. Trust that Jesus has supplied the who to stay with, the where to stay at, and the provisions to stay on

Mark 6:11 “11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”

Jews traveling outside Palestine were required to shake themselves free of dust when returning home lest they pollute the holy land. This commandment is tantamount to declaring a Jewish village heathen.

Mark 6:12–13 “12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.”

Preaching that men should repent tells us responding to the gospel doesn’t just happen with words, there are actions behind it. Saying the gospel is true is not the same as coming to Jesus and striving to leave our sins behind

Olive oil was used as medicine as well as exorcising and warding off demons. Here Mark also likely has in mind the oil of gladness

Psalm 45:7 “7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

Conclusion

What can we learn from the calling, commission, and sending of the Apostles

“The sending of the Twelve appears premature and may catch us by surprise, for the record of the disciples to date has not been reassuring. Heretofore they have impeded Jesus’ mission (1:36–39), become exasperated with him (4:38; 5:31), and even opposed him (3:21). Their perception of Jesus has been—and will continue to be—marked by misunderstanding (8:14–21).”

“The willingness of Jesus to abide the intractable nature and behavior of his followers is further testimony to his divine humility. The sending of these particular individuals—and at this stage of their understanding of Jesus—testifies to the beleaguered believers in Mark’s church, indeed to believers of every age, that the fulfillment of the word of God depends not on the perfection or merit of the missionaries but on the authoritative call and equipping of Jesus.”

We don’t have to be perfect. Jesus was perfect because we couldn’t be.

We don’t even have to be good. We just have to have the faith to follow and go. Even that faith is a gift from God.

Jesus meets us in our mess and not only ministers to us through it, but He can use it to preach the message of redemption to those around us in our lives.