Mark 3:13-19 Famous Disciples

First Things: Devotions in Mark’s Gospel

Mark 3:13-19 Famous Disciples

Mark 3:13   And He *went up on the mountain and *summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. ¹⁴ And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, ¹⁵ and to have authority to cast out the demons. ¹⁶ And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), ¹⁷ and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); ¹⁸ and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

Who is the most famous disciple? Most people might say “Peter.” And, since he heads the list of the Twelve, it seems like a reasonable guess. He’s the outspoken one. That gets him into trouble from time to time. He’s in the inner circle, the Three (Peter, James, and John). He has the major fail at the trial of Jesus, but he is restored and specifically commissioned at the end of John’s Gospel. He is first to the empty tomb of Jesus, and the first to stand up and speak at Pentecost. He leads the way (better, is led) to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (Cornelius, Acts 10) and to defend that action in Jerusalem. He’s not the most prolific New Testament writer, but he, through the Holy Spirit, gives us 1 and 2 Peter.

One can be famous for good. One can also be famous for bad. And one might remember the first name in a list. But one also might remember the last name in that list: Judas Iscariot. He is perhaps the second most famous disciple. Maybe he is first. But not for good. He is universally known as the disciples who betrayed the Lord, with a kiss. He’s not mentioned much in the middle, but he is central at the end. And then, before the mission of the church even begins, he is gone. He takes his own life. I don’t know the statistics, but I am quite sure that more mothers throughout history since that day have named their baby boy “Peter” rather than “Judas.”

But I’m not sure that I want my name at the beginning of a list, or at the end. I’m not sure being famous is such a good thing. And that’s a good thing, because most of us are never going to be famous. We live rather ordinary lives, shaped in more ways by the providence of God than we know, living in families, working jobs, being neighbors and friends, making mistakes and trying to do better. We have strengths and weaknesses, but not great strengths, and hopefully, prayerfully, not terrible weaknesses.

And we know that, whether we be famous or not, God knows us and values us just the same. He does “not see as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.” And perhaps, as we live our rather ordinary lives, we escape the special tests, trials and troubles that afflict the famous. Sure, we have our own concerns, but we take them to God, and know that He is there to help, famous or not.