And he appointed twelve that they might be with him, and that he might send them to preach,
Jesus leaves the crowd and goes up a mountain. There He calls the men He wants and forms a group of twelve. Their first purpose is not work at all. It is to be with Him.
Jesus does not take a vote of the crowd that has been following Him. He climbs away from them and calls the men He chooses.
He goes up into the mountain, for ministry has its source on high, and in no way gets its approval from the crowd. He calls those He Himself wants, and they came to Him. He appointed twelve, so that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach... It was an act new and strange to human eyes. In truth it was independent of Israel and of man, and deeply significant from every point of view.
Some older English versions read "ordained" here. One writer insists on "appointed," and shows that the order of the two purposes matters.
The moral order in this scripture is of the greatest importance. The Lord appointed (not "ordained") twelve. First, that they might be with Him. Then, that He might send them out to preach, and also to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons. So to be with Christ, to be in fellowship with Him, is the one thing needed for all true service. It is needed too if divine power is to win in the fight with the enemy. Someone may object that the twelve were never really like this in their souls. The answer is that whatever their failure, the teaching stands.
The two purposes are not equal in weight. One writer names the greater one, and warns what a busy preacher can lose.
There are two things here — companionship with Jesus, and the ministry of the Word. The first is by far the more important and blessed. It is one of the most marvellous fruits of His grace that men should be called to be the companions of the Son of God... A man might preach with the tongue of an angel, to the great admiration of the crowd, and yet be starved in his own soul.
The twelve were given power as well as a place beside Him. One writer shows on what terms that power is held.
If the Lord authorises for service, He also grants the needed power. But it is granted on one ground only. The power is held as in Him alone, and by us in full dependence on Him... We are in no sense storehouses of power. We may be its channel, but only while we are in His company. Being with Him (in spirit now) and having power go together. The one who stays most in his Lord's blessed company has the most power.
The second purpose is that He might send them. One writer weighs the danger of a man who sends himself.
I do not believe in anyone being self-sent. I do not believe in servants who appoint themselves... I think one of the most miserable beings in this world is a man-made minister. But I think it far worse for a man to hold no commission except from himself. That is the worst of all — it is consecrated self-will... He did give them power to work miracles, and power over demons. But their great service and great work was preaching: He sent them out to preach.
What looks like the recruiting of helpers is the laying of a foundation.
On the mountain we are lifted above man's world. There we learn something of the new ways of God. In the sovereign choice of the Twelve we see the foundation laid for the new order of blessing God was about to bring in. The Church is called out from Jews and Gentiles. It is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone" (Eph. 2:20).
- Called — He chose them Himself, on the mountain, away from the crowd. Ministry comes from above, never from popular approval.
- With — the first purpose is companionship, and it is the greater of the two. Whatever the failures of the twelve, that order stands.
- Empowered — no servant is a storehouse of power. He is only a channel, and the one who stays nearest Christ has the most.
- Sent — a man with no commission but his own is worse off than a man-made minister. The great work he is sent to do is preaching.
- Founded — the twelve were not just helpers but a foundation. On it the Church is built, called out from Jews and Gentiles alike.
and to have power [to heal diseases, and] to cast out demons.
Jesus appointed twelve men as apostles for three purposes, and this verse names the third: authority to cast out demons. That raises two questions: why would a man need such authority given to him, and why does Mark mention demons here but not diseases?
Jesus went up a mountain before He appointed anyone. One writer sees the place itself as part of the lesson.
He goes up into the mountain — for ministry has its source on high, and in no way gets its approval from the crowd — and calls the ones He Himself wanted. It was an act that was not only new and strange to human eyes, but truly independent of Israel and of man, and full of meaning from every point of view.
The three purposes are not a flat list. The first purpose carries the other two, and the power named here rests on the preparation that comes before it.
The Lord separated Himself from man and his world, and by His own sovereign choice He calls to Him the ones He wanted. He calls them, He appoints them, He sends them out, and He gives them power. But above all, He chooses them to be with Him. The nearest and dearest desire of His heart is to have His people with Himself. Here, though, this is especially in view of service, and the only true preparation for service is the company of the Lord.
Another writer explains why nearness matters for a messenger.
Being near someone makes you know them, and keeping company with them makes you like them. This is essential if a witness is to be accurate. An ambassador must be let in on the mind of his government, and the servant of Christ must live in the sweet enjoyment of His presence.
Anyone might in theory wield borrowed power. The striking thing here is the source. What Jesus does is not merely use authority over unclean spirits but hand it on.
He sent them into the territory of the prince of this world to announce that the kingdom of the Lord and His anointed was near. In giving them this commission, the Lord showed His divine power and Godhead by handing His followers authority over Satan's demon servants. A mere man could never pass on such power over unclean spirits to others. But Jesus had this authority Himself (Mark 1:27), and He also gave it to the twelve.
Older English versions add the words "to heal sicknesses" here. Commentators differ on whether those words belong in Mark. One writer treats the shorter reading as settled and explains how the longer one arose.
In Matthew and Luke, the power to cure diseases goes together with power over unclean spirits. Copyists, in a misguided eagerness to make the Gospels all alike, seem to have added the phrase here without warrant. It is now agreed that the best manuscripts leave it out in Mark.
What comes later in the chapter explains the emphasis. One writer ties Mark's wording to an accusation the scribes make against Jesus.
So the apostles' power over diseases is not mentioned here, in order to give greater prominence to their power over demons. We can see how fitting this omission is, especially since the chapter goes on to tell how the scribes who came down from Jerusalem charged the Lord with being in league with Satan.
The authority is real, but it never becomes the property of the one who uses it.
If the Lord gives authority for service, He also gives the power that is needed. But only on this ground: the power is held in Him alone, and by us in full dependence on Him. We are in no sense storehouses of power. No — but we may be its channel, and only while we are in the company of the Lord.
- Chosen — The call starts on the mountain, away from the crowd. Ministry has its source on high, not in the approval of the crowd.
- With Him — Being with Christ is the first appointment, not the warm-up. Keeping company with Him makes a person like Him, and only that fits a witness to speak accurately.
- Given — Anyone can use power that someone else gives; only God can give it. The gift itself shows His Godhead.
- Sent — Jesus sends the twelve into Satan's own territory to announce the kingdom. The authority named here is just what that errand needs.
- Dependent — No servant owns power. He is only a channel, and only while he stays in the Lord's company.