Jesus Appoints the Twelve Apostles
Mark 3:13-19
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Mark.3.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- αναβαινει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ορος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- προσκαλειται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- ους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- ηθελεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτος: PRON,nom,sg,3,m
- και: CONJ
- απηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- προς: PREP
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Luke 6:12-16 (verbal): Luke likewise records Jesus going up on a mountain (or to a solitary place), praying, and then appointing the twelve; the sequence and language closely parallel Mark's account.
- Matthew 10:1-4 (structural): Matthew presents the commissioning of the Twelve—Jesus summons and empowers them and lists their names—paralleling Mark's report of calling the Twelve though Matthew omits the mountain-setting detail.
- Mark 1:16-20 (thematic): Earlier in Mark Jesus calls his first disciples (Simon, Andrew, James, John) by summoning them to follow him; thematically similar as another scene of Jesus calling followers.
- Acts 1:15-26 (thematic): After the resurrection and ascension the remaining apostles select Matthias to restore the number of the Twelve, reflecting the continued importance of the Twelve as a chosen group and the theme of apostolic appointment.
- Matthew 5:1-2 (allusion): Matthew's account of Jesus going up the mountain to teach (the Sermon on the Mount) echoes the mountain as a setting for authoritative action and revelation, paralleling the motif of Mark 3:13.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he himself desired; and they came to him.
- Jesus went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him.
Mark.3.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εποιησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- δωδεκα: NUM,acc,pl,m
- ινα: CONJ
- ωσιν: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,pl
- μετ᾽αυτου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ινα: CONJ
- αποστελλη: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- κηρυσσειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
Parallels
- Matthew 10:1–2 (verbal): Matthew narrates the calling and commissioning of the Twelve, similarly giving them authority and sending them out to preach, matching Mark’s language of appointing twelve and sending them.
- Luke 9:1–2 (structural): Luke records Jesus calling the Twelve, empowering them and sending them out to proclaim the kingdom and heal the sick—paralleling Mark’s purposes: to be with him and to be sent to preach.
- Mark 6:7 (structural): A parallel episode within Mark where Jesus sends the Twelve out (two by two) with authority over unclean spirits—an expanded account of the sending mentioned in 3:14.
- Acts 1:21–22 (thematic): In selecting a replacement for Judas the apostles require one who had been with Jesus during his ministry—reflecting the criterion in Mark 3:14 that the Twelve be 'with him' as part of their appointment.
- John 15:16 (thematic): Jesus tells the disciples they did not choose him but were chosen and appointed to bear fruit; thematically this echoes Mark’s emphasis on appointment for mission—being with Jesus and sent out to proclaim.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he appointed twelve, whom he also called apostles.
- And he appointed twelve—so that they might be with him, and so that he might send them out to proclaim,
Mark.3.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εχειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- εξουσιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εκβαλλειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- δαιμονια·: NOUN,acc,pl,n
Parallels
- Matthew 10:1 (verbal): Jesus gives the twelve authority over unclean spirits to cast them out—language parallels Mark’s grant of authority to expel demons.
- Luke 9:1 (verbal): Luke’s account likewise records Jesus empowering the twelve with power and authority over demons and to heal diseases, closely matching Mark’s wording and intent.
- Mark 1:27 (thematic): Jesus’ own authority over unclean spirits is demonstrated here—the theme of divine authority to command demons underlies Mark 3:15.
- Mark 6:13 (structural): The disciples’ practice of casting out many demons after being sent by Jesus shows the exercised outcome of the authority granted in Mark 3:15.
- Luke 10:17 (thematic): The seventy-two report that even demons are subject to them in Jesus’ name, reflecting the same theme of delegated authority over demons described in Mark 3:15.
Alternative generated candidates
- To be with him, and to send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons.
- and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out unclean spirits.
Mark.3.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εποιησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- δωδεκα: NUM,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- επεθηκεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ονομα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- Σιμωνι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- Πετρον: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 10:2 (structural): Parallel synoptic account of the appointment of the Twelve that names Simon as 'Peter' in the apostolic list.
- Luke 6:14 (verbal): Synoptic parallel that states Jesus appointed the Twelve and names Simon 'Peter' (Σίμων ὁ λεγόμενος Πέτρος).
- John 1:42 (allusion): Independent Johannine episode in which Jesus (or Andrew bringing Simon) gives Simon the name Cephas/Peter, confirming the naming tradition.
- Matthew 16:18 (thematic): Later Matthean development highlighting the significance of the name 'Peter' (rock), connecting the naming in Mark 3:16 to Peter's role and authority.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),
- He appointed the twelve: Simon, whom he surnamed Peter;
Mark.3.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- Ιακωβον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- Ζεβεδαιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ιωαννην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αδελφον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- Ιακωβου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- επεθηκεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- ονοματα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- Βοανηργες: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- Υιοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- Βροντης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Matthew 10:2-4 (verbal): Lists the twelve apostles and names James son of Zebedee and John—verbal parallel identifying the same pair as in Mark's list.
- Luke 6:14 (verbal): Another parallel list of the twelve that includes James and John, confirming their place among the Twelve.
- Luke 9:54-56 (thematic): James and John propose calling down fire on a Samaritan village—an episode that exemplifies the fierce, zealous character behind the nickname 'Sons of Thunder.'
- Mark 10:35-41 (thematic): James and John ask for exalted places in Jesus' kingdom; their ambitious, fervent temperament is thematically linked to the epithet 'Sons of Thunder.'
- Acts 12:2 (structural): Refers to the martyrdom of 'James the brother of John' (son of Zebedee), identifying the same James mentioned in Mark and connecting the Markan list to later apostolic history.
Alternative generated candidates
- James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James—to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder—
- and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which means 'Sons of Thunder';
Mark.3.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- Ανδρεαν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Φιλιππον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Βαρθολομαιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Μαθθαιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Θωμαν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ιακωβον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- Αλφαιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Θαδδαιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Σιμωνα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Καναναιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 10:2-4 (structural): Parallel list of the Twelve apostles; many of the same names appear (Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus/Levi, Simon the Zealot), with minor name variations.
- Luke 6:14-16 (structural): Luke's enumeration of the Twelve closely parallels Mark's roster, including Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus (Judas son of James), and Simon the Zealot.
- Acts 1:13 (structural): List of the apostles present after the Ascension that reflects the same apostolic group named in Mark (Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, etc.).
- John 1:40-43 (verbal): John records the calling of Andrew and Philip by Jesus, linking those individual apostolic identities to the names listed in Mark 3:18.
- John 20:24-29 (thematic): A narrative focused on Thomas (called the Twin/Didymus), one of the names in Mark 3:18, developing his later role and character among the apostles.
Alternative generated candidates
- and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
- and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
Mark.3.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- Ιουδαν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- Ισκαριωθ: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- παρεδωκεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 10:4 (structural): List of the twelve apostles naming 'Judas Iscariot'—parallel roster placement to Mark's list.
- Luke 6:16 (structural): Another apostolic list that includes Judas Iscariot, corresponding to Mark's enumeration of the Twelve.
- John 6:71 (thematic): Identifies Judas Iscariot as the one who would betray Jesus ("one of you is a devil"), thematically linking to Mark's note that he betrayed him.
- Mark 14:10-11 (thematic): Narrative account within Mark detailing Judas's agreement with the chief priests to betray Jesus—direct narrative development of the brief remark in 3:19.
- John 13:18 (cf. Psalm 41:9) (quotation): John cites Psalm 41:9 as prophecy fulfilled in the betrayal by 'the one who ate my bread'—an interpretive/prophetic parallel that explains Judas's role as betrayer.
Alternative generated candidates
- and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
- and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. And they went into a house.
And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he himself desired, and they came to him. And he appointed them to be with him and to be sent out to proclaim,
and to have authority to cast out demons. And he appointed the twelve: Simon (whom he named Peter),
and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he named them Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder. And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,
and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.