Mark 3:13-19 Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles

13 And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

Devotional (cont.)
This section of the third chapter of Mark chronologically precedes the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus then after spending all night in prayer appoints the twelve that they might be with Him as well as go out and preach. And Jesus gives them a new distinction, they are His Apostles meaning “chosen messengers” (Luke 6:12-19). Yet more than just men with a message they are given power from Him to both perform supernatural healings but also cast out demons and so wherever they go they are to represent Jesus Christ the Son of God by doing the very same miraculous signs which He Himself does. The Apostle’s would initially then be His undeniable chosen witnesses through these. As well the Apostles were initially commissioned by Jesus Christ to only preach to the twelve tribes of Israel, the gospel needing to come to them first to fulfill the Scriptures (Acts 3). Matthew chapter ten is where we find the Lord Jesus’ giving the twelve Apostles their initial instructions before sending them out. Jesus Words and warnings there are likewise to be heeded by every follower of His. Now Apostleship as a governing office of the church is not something that comes into being until Jesus Christ’s resurrection, ascension and Holy Spirit outpouring (Acts 1:1-4). It is at that time at the dawn of the church age that they are recognized as such and recognize others as such, i.e. the Apostle Paul. What is unique to them all is their being personally called by and eye witnesses to the Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Now don't lose sight of the fact that Jesus first drew His disciples away from the multitude to be with Him before He would choose the twelve and send them out to minister to them. Christians then have that pattern of withdrawing from their world to spend time with Jesus and each other before returning back into it to minister the gospel to it.

Scriptural Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.