Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with 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. 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 3:7-19

On Monday, we read that Jesus taught that "the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." This is after the Pharisees questioned Him because His disciples passed through fields on the Sabbath, eating the fresh corn they found there. This was considered work and a violation of the Sabbath rule for rest. Going into the synagogue, Jesus found there a man with a withered hand. Ever watchful now, the Pharisees wanted to see whether or not Jesus would violate, in their eyes, the law of the Sabbath, by healing the man. Jesus asked, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" When His accusers remained silent, Jesus was angry and aggrieved at their lack of compassion, and healed the man's hand. After this, the Pharisees now plot with the Herodians to destroy Jesus.

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. We know from yesterday's reading that at this point in Mark's Gospel, a powerful alliance is seeking to destroy Jesus. The Pharisees together with the Herodians form an alliance of the religious and secular establishment - quite powerful indeed! Jesus withdraws to the sea just after His great confrontation in the synagogue over the rules of the Sabbath (see yesterday's reading) and the issues of what constitutes service to mankind, and therefore service to God. But He can't withdraw any longer - from the great multitude of people who seek to find Him from every region. His fame has spread so that He can preach by the sea or in "the deserted places." Those who want to know Him will seek Him out, wherever He is found - and therein is a metaphor for all who would find Him now. We go where the Spirit leads us to community and to His love.

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. We get a great picture here of Jesus surrounded by tremendous need in those who would seek Him. As incarnate Christ, he is yet but one man and therefore vulnerable as each of us. His power has great effect, and draws all things to Him - including personal danger that accompanies His fame.

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. Despite all those who press around Him, Jesus doesn't want to reveal His divinity through a pronouncement. There are many reasons for this speculated throughout history by scholars on this subject. He doesn't want to declare His messiahship, for one thing, because of the political expectations associated with it. Not only would it lead to misunderstanding among His followers, but it would increase a conflict He has no political reason to exacerbate. And the faith He desires doesn't come through grand proclamations, but through relationship of a different kind. The Father draws those to Jesus who will understand who He is, to whom this will be revealed by faith. In a commentary, St. John Chrysostom has written, "Because the multitudes called Him man, the devils came proclaiming His Godhead." Mark's Gospel is careful to teach us that Jesus does not openly reveal Himself as God, but repeatedly gives Himself the title, "Son of Man."

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Once again, we have another withdrawal by Jesus. After the conflict in the temple with the Pharisees, He withdrew to the sea - yet the many who seek Him followed, so many that He might be crushed. And now, He withdraws again - He withdraws further. He goes up on the mountain. By the sea, the many who seek healing come to find Him and seek also to touch Him. Up on the mountain, there is a special call to those who would be even more devoted than those who seek His healing and His power. He "called to Him those He Himself wanted." This is a different kind of a call, it is a call to discipleship. Jesus issues the call and the Gospel teaches us something important about how this relationship bears fruit: "And they came to Him." We must in turn choose to respond to that call.

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: . . . What is the purpose of missionary activity? Jesus gives them power as He appoints them. But first, we are told, they are appointed "that they might be with Him." According to a commentary in the New Oxford Annotated Bible, "Jesus invited the Twelve to live intimately with him, adopting his way of life as well as his message. Spiritual strength came through the community he established." There is first a union, a community of love; they are in relationship. From this they learn. And for the purpose, secondly, that "He might send them out to preach." From this order in which the purposes appear behind Jesus' choices we are given significance, a ranking: first of importance is fellowship, relationship, community with Him; next the good news they preach, the message they bring. And finally, they are appointed so they may "have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons." His power He shares with them, but for a reason and a purpose beyond the signs of that power. First comes love, community, relationship - "that they might be with Him." And next comes preaching, the gospel of the good news, the word of the faith. The power invested in and expressed through His disciples will come to serve that faith and that relationship, and it is also an expression of relationship and community - He has invested in them. It is an ordination. And from them, this community's numbers will grow.

. . . 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 points out that the names are not the same on all lists of Jesus' appointed disciples, as many people had more than one name. Names here are importantly associated with spiritual identity, suggesting to us that our spiritual truth in relation to Christ is also named as we are empowered and revealed through this love and this relationship. In this case, we are given the new names "Peter" for Simon and "Boanerges" for the brothers James and John Zebedee. And the final note comes for Judas Iscariot. Mark tells us he is the one "who also betrayed Him." Not another word is spoken about that here, but midst the turmoil and conflict facing Jesus, it is the first we have heard of betrayal even among His closest friends and disciples, the apostles themselves whom He has called to Himself.

A complex mix of swirling events and powers is what we are given in today's reading. We understand that Jesus is persecuted - those in power seek to destroy Him. And so He withdraws, first to the sea. All those who seek Him for His power of healing come to Him from every town. Even from beyond the region, they come to Him. It's not enough that they are healed, they also wish to touch Him, so that He is imperiled even from those who would follow Him. The demons recognize Him, but He forbids them to speak the secret of His identity. Then there is a deeper withdrawal, to the mountaintop, and only those whom He Himself calls may follow - when they choose to respond to the call. He invests in them His companionship, His love, and community, so that they might go our to preach and gather more to community, and have power so that they may also heal and cast out demons. Through all of this, He still has not declared Himself Messiah. There is in a sense a three-fold manifestation of pillars to discipleship: companionship and community, preaching which will gather more to community, and power to heal and cast out demons. Amidst persecution, this is how the gospel will grow, and Jesus' word will spread to others. And we must note: the One who has power over the demons will also be betrayed by one of His own chosen; yet the gospel will grow. In which way do you respond to that call? In which way have you heard that call in your life? Jesus invests in us first companionship, His love. He is with us as Comforter and Advocate. From there our relationship grows. We may come to understand that love and the community it creates; and thence to preach, to tell others, and even more may be invested. We may have the power to help heal others, even to cast off their own demons, to "fight the good fight of faith" as Paul puts it. All of this begins with love and His companionship, and in Mark's Gospel, with the power of God to forgive, to bathe us in that love, for healing. Let us not forget that as His companions, we are told that we too may share that love with others, and the power to heal that He invests in His disciples here, so that they too may gather more of His followers and build His flock. It is not a political movement, not an institution, but an investment of love and mutual faith (even invested in the one who will betray). Let us remember this is how His kingdom grows.