Mark 3:13-19
Luke 6:12-16
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- In the context of Luke 6, what is significant about Jesus calling these men? What did Jesus do before He chose His apostles? Luke 6:12
- What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle? Luke 6:13
- Jesus prayed all night before choosing the Twelve. What criteria do you think he used in choosing them?
- What do you know about the apostles? Luke 6:14-16
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How will I apply it this week?
- Of the 12 apostles, which one do you feel like you are most like? Which one inspires you the most?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Jesus Selects His Twelve Apostles
Introduction
Our text for this lesson comes from Matthew 12:15–21; Mark 3:7–12 and Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:13–19; and Luke 6:12–16. Please open your Bibles to Matthew 12 and Mark 3.
Remember, we have just started Jesus’ second year of His public ministry (reference last lesson). Also, remember that the Jews (Pharisees) are trying to find fault with Jesus. We studied before how they were using events that happened on the Sabbath to try to “catch” Jesus.
Their hatred got so severe that they were plotting ways to kill Jesus (recall Matthew 12:14 says they were looking to “destroy Him”). What we are going to talk about today are events that happened before the Sermon on the Mount. First, a quick question: who are the twelve apostles?
Jesus Withdrew from the Pharisees but Continued to Heal.
Let us refresh our memory about what happened previously by reading Matthew 12:9–14 (read). Now read Matthew 12:15–21 (read). It will also help if we look at what Mark says in Mark 3:7–12 (read).
Something to note is that Matthew 12:15 says, “But Jesus, aware of this. . .” This was one of Christ’s first withdrawals to relieve tension. This also would not be His last.
From Mark’s account, notice all the people who followed Jesus to the sea (Mark 3:7, 8). Jesus taught, healed the sick, and cast out demons. What did He not want them to do? He did not want them to tell anyone. Why did He not want them to tell anyone? He did not want to further infuriate the people who hated Him.
Matthew’s account makes it clear that this was a fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 12:17–21). You can look at Isaiah 42:1–4 to see this prophecy. Look again at Matthew 12:19 (reread). The coming of the people from outside Palestine (Idumea, Tyre, and Sidon) stressed the significance of Jesus’ ministry to the Gentiles (Matthew 12:18, 21).
Jesus Selects His Twelve Apostles
Jesus knew His days were numbered and that it was time to select men to carry on His mission after His earthly life was over. Remember, He had part-time disciples in Judea and full-time disciples in Galilee. But now it was time to get the selected few.
Pay close attention to Luke 6:12—this decision was not made without first consulting with God. What should we learn from this? All decisions should be preceded by prayer.
He called them “apostles.” The term “apostles” means “one sent.” It was generally used in a sense of one sent on a special mission. The word “apostle” is translated “messenger” in some places. Obviously, the word had additional meaning in this situation because Jesus chose these individuals.
Also notice the significance of having twelve apostles. In Hebrew thought, twelve meant religious completeness. There were twelve patriarchs. There were twelve Tribes of Israel. Now Jesus had selected twelve apostles. Mark and Luke list the twelve while Matthew does not list them until later when Jesus sent them on a training mission.
Matthew’s List |
Mark’s List |
Luke’s List |
Acts 1:13 |
Peter |
Peter |
Peter |
Peter |
Andrew |
James |
Andrew |
James |
James |
John |
James |
John |
John |
Andrew |
John |
Andrew |
Philip |
Philip |
Philip |
Philip |
Bartholomew |
Bartholomew |
Bartholomew |
Thomas |
Thomas |
Matthew |
Matthew |
Bartholomew |
Matthew |
Thomas |
Thomas |
Matthew |
James (son of Alphaeus) |
James (son of Alphaeus) |
James (son of Alphaeus) |
James (son of Alphaeus) |
Thaddaeus |
Thaddaeus |
Simon (the Zealot) |
Simon (the Zealot) |
Simon (the Zealot) |
Simon (the Zealot) |
Judas (son of James) |
Judas (son of James) |
Judas Iscariot |
Judas Iscariot |
Judas Iscariot |
Do you notice any discrepancies? Let us evaluate the listings of the apostles. Peter is always mentioned first. This does not make him the “first pope.” It does perhaps suggest his talents made him a natural leader. Thaddaeus was also known as Judas the son of James. All Gospel accounts can be broken in three sets of four: Peter, Andrew, James, and John; Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew; James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas.
We have already met several of these men. We met Peter and Andrew in John 1:40, 41 and Matthew 4:18. We met James and John in Matthew 4:21. Philip and maybe Bartholomew are introduced to us in John 1:43, 45. And we met Matthew in Matthew 9:9.
We do not know much about the others, but what we do know is that they were called the same as Peter, Andrew, James, and John and that they had the same missions and power.
Conclusion
By way of application we should ask ourselves three questions.
Do we always have to go after our enemies?
Are there apostles today? No, not like the ones Jesus chose. There are messengers and ones sent. We were not specifically chosen to go and preach like the apostles, but we are charged throughout the Bible to be His messengers.
And on a more personal note: how are you doing being Christ’s messenger?
Further Reading
The Twelve are Chosen
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