Scripture
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles
13Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. 14Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles.[1] They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, 15giving them authority to cast out demons. 16These are the twelve he chose:
Simon (whom he named Peter),
17James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”[2]),
18Andrew,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
Thomas,
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,
Simon (the zealot[3]),
19Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
Jesus and the Prince of Demons
20One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.
22But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan,[4] the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”
23Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked. 24“A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. 25Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. 27Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.
28“I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, 29but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.” 30He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.”
The True Family of Jesus
31Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. 32There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers[5] are outside asking for you.”
33Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 34Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers.
Translation notes (5)
- 3:14 Some manuscripts do not include and called them his apostles.
- 3:17 Greek whom he named Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder.
- 3:18 Greek the Cananean, an Aramaic term for Jewish nationalists.
- 3:22 Greek Beelzeboul; other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.
- 3:32 Some manuscripts add and sisters.
He appointed twelve (whom he named apostles), so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach and to have authority to cast out demons. Mark 3:14-15
Do you remember playing the game “Follow the Leader” as a kid? There is an implication attached to someone’s instructions to follow them that calls the one following to “do what they are doing.” For example, if someone follows me in their car to get from one destination to the next, they will turn when I turn until we get to the destination. This was the case with Jesus’ call to His disciples. When He called them to follow, it was not just a call to observe what He did; it was a call to live like Him as well.
Mark 3 tells us about when Jesus officially appointed His disciples. He went to a mountain and called a group of people to come with Him. Of the people who went up with Him, He appointed 12 of them to be His apostles (verse 13-14). He told them that “they were to accompany Him, and He would send them out to preach, giving them authority to cast out demons” (verses 14-15). Jesus made it clear that they were not supposed to just watch Him. He wanted them to live like Him and do some of the things He did, like preach and cast out demons (verse 15). They were called to go with His power and live and do like He did. The call to follow Him was a call to action and carrying out the mission of Jesus.
If we are followers of Christ, the same is true for us. When we decide to follow Jesus, He equips us in His power and calls us to carry out His mission. Specifically, He calls us to make Him known to the rest of the world around Him. May you and I commit to sharing His message with everyone we are in contact with each and every day.
Moving toward action
Who is someone you know who is far from Christ? Take some time to pray for them today. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them and that He would give you opportunities to share your faith with them. Then, as you go throughout your day, look for opportunities to share your faith with them.
Going Deeper
Mark 3:13-34 (NLT)
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