Sermon Tone Analysis

It was a strange group Jesus chose to be his disciples.

Four of them were fishermen, one a despised tax collector, another possibly a member of a radical and violent political party.

Of six of them we know practically nothing.

All of them were laymen.

There was not a preacher or an expert in the Scriptures in the lot.

Yet it was with these people that Jesus established his church and disseminated his good news to the ends of the earth

Mark has narrated the call of four fishermen brothers (1:16–20) and Levi the tax collector (2:13–17), and he has referred repeatedly to Jesus’ “disciples,” a group of followers distinct from the crowds (2:15–16, 18, 23; 3:7, 9).

Now he appoints a special group of twelve from among this larger group.

From this point on in Mark’s gospel, the term “disciples” is used almost exclusively of the Twelve (see R. P. Meye, Jesus and the Twelve [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1968]).

No precise location is indicated, but for Mark the reference likely has theological significance.

The mountain was a place of revelation in Israel’s history (Ex 3), and mountains function in a similar way in the Gospels (esp.

Mt 5:1; 14:23; 15:29; 17:1; 28:16).

On the mountainside Jesus called “those he wanted, and they came to him.”

As in the previous call narratives, Jesus’ authority is on center stage.

Contrary to the model of first-century discipleship, according to which students would seek out a teacher, Jesus takes the initiative, and they respond immediately to his call

Their ministry was to consist of preaching the good news and driving out demons (v.

15).

It is significant that this is the same ministry Jesus has been performing.

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’ 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 involves the defeat of Satan and the spiritual forces of evil.

3:14–15 The number twelve recalls the twelve tribes of Israel and therefore symbolizes the new or restored people of God, which later came to be known as the church.

The last part of v. 14 and the first part of v. 15 indicate the two purposes of Jesus’ summons: that they might be with Jesus (one of the most important elements in being a disciple) and that they might be sent on a mission to proclaim the advent of the kingdom of God and demonstrate it by exorcising demons (cf.

6:7–12).

The last part of v. 14 and the first part of v. 15 indicate the two purposes of Jesus’ summons: that they might be with Jesus (one of the most important elements in being a disciple) and that they might be sent on a mission to proclaim the advent of the kingdom of God and demonstrate it by exorcising demons (cf.

6:7–12).

3:13–19.

In this section, we see Jesus calling a community together.

This came at a pivotal point in Jesus’ ministry.

He had confronted the religious powers several times.

After the confrontation in Mark 3:1–6, a plot was being hatched against his life.

Crowds were following him, and yet, these were not close friends.

It was a lonely time, a dangerous time.

Jesus called twelve men to be his special companions.

To them he granted power to perform miracles in his name.

He gave them the message of the kingdom of God.

If something happened to him—and he knew it would—there would be a band to take his message to the world.

Luke 6:12 informs us that before Jesus appointed the Twelve, he spent the night in prayer.

Sons of Thunder may have been a description of the fiery temperaments of these men.

They were the ones who wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans (Luke 9:54), perhaps in imitation of the Old Testament prophets.

Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter).

In all four listings of apostles, Peter is named first.

Peter was anything but “rock-like” in the Gospels.

But Peter became the rock of the church in Acts as his preaching won a multitude of converts to the new faith.

James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder).

John was a follower of John the Baptist, the author of the Gospel that bears his name, three letters, and Revelation.

Tradition also states that it was John who leaned on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper.

He was called the “beloved disciple” in the Gospel of John.

He is generally considered to have been a teenager when following Jesus.

He was the only apostle who did not die a martyr’s death.

John, James, and Peter formed the inner circle of apostles among the Twelve.

Sons of Thunder may have been a description of the fiery temperaments of these men.

They were the ones who wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans (Luke 9:54), perhaps in imitation of the Old Testament prophets.

Andrew was first a follower of John the Baptist, and he was Simon Peter’s brother (John 1:41).

He evangelized Peter, introducing him to Jesus.

Andrew also had contact with the boy who had the five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6:8–9).

Later in John’s Gospel, some Greeks came to Andrew, asking to see Jesus (John 12:21–22).

Philip was also an early evangelist.

He immediately told his friend Nathaniel about Jesus.

Bartholomew is not listed anywhere outside the Gospels.

Because of his association with Philip, most scholars believe that Nathaniel and Bartholomew were the same person.

Matthew is the Levi whose calling was recorded in Mark 2:14.

Although he is called “Levi son of Alphaeus” in 2:14, most likely he was not related to James son of Alphaeus.

Thomas is called “the twin” or is known as “doubting Thomas” because of his questioning of the other apostles about the resurrection of Jesus.

Thomas, though, is also the apostle who was willing to die with Jesus (John 11:16).

He may have contained a mixture of courage and cowardice, of unquestioning faith and reluctant reason.

In other words, he was like most of us.

James son of Alphaeus.

It is probable that this James is identical to “James, the younger” in Mark 15:40.

His mother, Mary, was present at the cross, and she was one of the women who cared for Jesus’ needs.

While Thaddaeus is mentioned in Mark and Matthew, he is not mentioned in other lists.

Instead, “Judas, son of James,” or “Judas not Iscariot” is mentioned.

These are probably the same man.

Simon the Zealot.

The Zealots were religious extremists who desired the overthrow of Rome.

They would use any means to accomplish this purpose.

As noted by Barbieri, it was amazing that Simon the Zealot and Levi the tax collector were part of the same family of followers of Jesus.

They were miles apart in their political convictions (Barbieri, Mark, p. 85).

As a tax collector, Levi was accustomed to Roman rule and in fact profited from it while the Zealots wanted nothing to do with the Romans.

This is further evidence that when Jesus is the blood that flows through the family, every other barrier can be overcome.

Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Iscariot, literally translated, means “man from Kerioth,” a town in Judah, although Stock believes that it derived from ish sakariot, meaning the man in charge of payments.

This would fit Judas’s occupation as treasurer among the apostles (Stock, Method and Message, p. 125).

He was the only apostle who was not from Galilee.

Judas represents the one barrier that could not be overcome by Jesus—the heart determined to be unregenerate.

This foreshadows Jesus’ later discussion of the only sin that will not be forgiven.

The calling of the twelve apostles represents the great need people have for companionship.

There were many people crowding around Jesus, begging him to touch them, to heal them.

The twelve apostles were the companions whom Jesus could teach at a deeper level and, at times, even draw some measure of strength from them (Mark 14:32–42).

14.

Ordained (ἐποίησεν).

Lit., made.

Rev., appointed.

Might send them forth (ἀποστέλλῃ).

As apostles.

Compare the kindred noun ἀπόστολοι, apostles.

15.

To have power (ἔχειν ἐξουσίαν).

Note that he does not say to preach and to cast out, but to preach and to have authority to cast out.

The power of preaching and the power of exorcising were so different that special mention is made of the divine authority with which they would need to be clothed.

The power of driving out demons was given that they might apply it in confirmation of their teaching.

Compare 16:20.

13.

Whom he would (οὓς ἤθελεν αὐτός).

Rev., more strictly, “whom he himself would;” not allowing any to offer themselves for special work.