Posts
But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan, and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God." But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.
And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is,"Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
- Mark 3:7-19a
In yesterday's reading, Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?" And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the harness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan, and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. Jesus withdraws to the sea because of the plotting of the leadership against Him. Not for the first time nor the last do we read in the Gospels that Jesus withdraws at opportune times, avoiding confrontations until the necessary time -- and making confrontations He deems necessary for His ministry (such as His healing of the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath). His ministry grows, even in the out-of-the-way places in Galilee -- so much so, that He must have a boat ready for Himself because of the crowds. This is especially so because of His reputation for healing.
And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God." But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known. My study bible tells us, "The troublesome demons again recognize the divinity of Jesus, but Jesus commands them to be silent, that the messianic secret may be preserved." As my study bible indicates in the note, we see Jesus measuring His ministry, giving out what is necessary and withholding or withdrawing also what is necessary at the time.
And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: . . . A note tells us: "The appointing of the twelve sets forth: (1) Jesus' authority in calling people to ministry: many might have volunteered, but He appointed whom He would; (2) the requirement of discipleship before ministry: to be with Him -- for intimate fellowship and training -- and to follow Him in order to be sent by Him; and (3) the commission to share in Jesus' ministry of preaching, healing, and casting out demons. In Mark's view, demonic oppression is characteristic of human existence under the bondage of evil. The mission of Jesus' disciples is to liberate humanity from this bondage. Every age has its own manifestations of demonic power. Thus, we who are His disciples have a similar mission today -- helping people to break lose from bondage and come to freedom in Christ."
Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is,"Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. My study bible explains that Thaddaeus is probably the same man called Judas son of James in Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13.
I think it's important to note that Christ does what He does when it's necessary. In yesterday's reading and commentary, we mentioned the importance of discernment. In some way, discernment can be likened simply to living a prayerful life, to walking with Christ. In His way, Christ begins and ends everything with prayer. Every time there is a new moment, a turning point in His ministry, it is met with prayer. Every "mountain top" moment we can assume is a prayerful moment, including the appointing of the Twelve. My study bible makes a good point when it notes that Jesus calls each one of these people to Himself, because it plays out into our own lives regarding how we make decisions ourselves. Are they accompanied by prayer? Do we look for the inner "voice" that's in the heart in prayer? None of us is going to be perfect in doing this, and none of us can claim perfection in being what God calls us to be. Yet, in prayer, this call is waiting for us. To be in prayer is to be in dialogue with God, with Christ. And that's where we begin to understand Jesus' own motives and His own life. Even one of His own appointees will betray Him. But nothing is done without prayer, without guidance and direction from the Father. Whether there is a confrontation or a withdrawal, whether it is time to provoke or time to go to the mountaintop or to the sea, Jesus' mission in the world is directed in prayer, from the Father. Even the revelation of His own identity is up to the Father's timing. This is the way we understand Him, and the way we understand our faith. Can we bring ourselves to such a place in prayer? Can we understand what that reality is like? Let us consider what it is to be true to the One who will take us places we can't go on our own, and to be humble enough to accept His direction and follow His example.
