Mark’s writing is so visceral you can practically feel the sweaty, uncomfortable press of the crowds. They are so desperate for healing that they are basically mobbing Jesus. As someone who has a fairly large personal bubble, I totally get the need to have an escape boat at the ready.

The people are pressing in, some carried on stretchers or with crutches (which are probably thrown aside after they are healed). There are dramatic manifestations of demons as they are cast out.

🤓 Sounds kinda like a Pentecostal revival.

When you have crowds like this, you need helpers. Of all the young men following Him, Jesus selects 12 to be sent. Sent is the Greek word apostello. Apostle.

MEET THE CREW

Simon, a.k.a. Peter (from Greek petros: rock) also called Cephas [kay-fas] (from Aramaic kepha: rock), Galilean fisherman, leader, probably one of the eldest. Married. Teamed up with Mark to write the Gospel of Mark. Also wrote 2 inspired Epistles. He was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero after Rome burned, 64-68AD. Early church tradition says he asked to be (and was) crucified upside down.

James the son of Zebedee, Galilean fisherman, brother of John (probably older), nickname: Boanerges (Sons of Thunder), NOT the James who wrote the Biblical book of James. He was the first martyred apostle. He was beheaded in Jerusalem circa 44AD.

John the son of Zebedee, Galilean fisherman, brother of James (probably very young), nickname: Boanerges (Sons of Thunder). Wrote the Gospel of John, the 3 Epistles of John, and probably The Revelation (though there is some scholarly debate if it was written by a different John). There is a LOT on John because he lived til about the year 100, so I’m just going to share the Google summary:

Andrew the brother of Peter, Galilean fisherman, always bringing people to Jesus. Died by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross on November 30, 60AD in Greece. Early accounts say he was bound (not nailed) to his cross. He hung there for 2 days, preaching to the crowds before he died.

The x-shaped cross became known as “Saint Andrew’s Cross.” Since Andrew is the patron Saint of Scotland, his cross is on their flag:

Philip – Galilean from Bethsaida (the same town as Peter and Andrew). NOT the same as Philip the Evangelist in the book of Acts. He preached the Gospel in Syria, Greece, and Phrygia and was martyred in what is now Turkey in about 80AD. Some accounts have it that he was beheaded. Some say he was crucified upside down like Peter and died preaching like Andrew.

Nathaniel Bar Tholomai (Bartholomew), Galilean from Cana where Jesus turned water into wine. According to church tradition, Bartholomew went into Armenia and eventually preached to and converted the king, Polymius. The king then destroyed the pagan idols and the king’s brother Astyages was furious. Polymius would not recant his faith and so Astyages had Bartholomew flayed alive and beheaded.

In Christian art he is often depicted as carrying or wrapped in his empty skin. Michelangelo depicted Bartholomew like this in the Sistine Chapel’s famous Last Judgment painting where the saint even holds the knife of his torture.

Matthew (Levi), Galilean Tax Collector from Capernaum. Besides the fact that he wrote a Gospel, little is known about Matthew. Mark 2:14 calls him “son of Alphaeus” which would make him a brother of James the Less. He reportedly preached the Gospel in Judea before local danger forced him to leave to preach in Parthia, Persia, and the lands near the Caspian Sea where he is believed to have been martyred around 60AD.

Thomas, Nickname: “The Twin” (Didimus), unfortunately dubbed “Doubting Thomas,” no scriptural details about his calling, probably a Galilean, went to India as a missionary in 52AD where he founded 7 Christian communities still active today called the Nasrani Community (from the word Nazarene?), there may have been a Jewish population there or he may have led a whole group of people to immigrate because these people are genetically connected to people from the Levant, tradition holds he was martyred in India about 72AD and his tomb is a venerated site to this day.

James the son of Alphaeus, Nickname: James the Less (or the Younger) from Mk. 15:40. Seems to be the brother of Levi (Matthew). If so, he was a Galilean and likely from Capernaum. Some early Church Fathers said that Alphaeus was the same person as “Cleopas” (his wife was one of the Marys at the cross) and possibly a relative of Jesus. Church tradition says he preached in Judea and Egypt. He was martyred but accounts differ as to the manner, location, and date.

Jude (Labbaeus) Thaddeus, (equated with “Judas of James” Lk. 6:16, Acts 1:13 and “Judas… not Iscariot” Jn. 14:22). Labbaeus was probably a nickname as it is connected to the word for “heart.” There is much debate about who the “James” is to which he is related and what that relationship was. Catholic tradition equates Thaddeus with Jude the brother of Jesus who wrote the Epistle of Jude, but John 7:5 is clear that Jesus’ brothers did not believe on him during His ministry. Tradition holds that he was a Galilean and preached the Gospel in Judea, Idumea, Samria, Syria, and as far as Libya and Mesopotamia. Accounts of his martyrdom differ. He may have been beheaded in Beirut or Armenia around 66AD.

Simon the Zealous, Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18 call him “the Cananite,” while Luke calls him “the Zealot” in both his Gospel (6:15) and Acts 1:13. “Cananite” may refer to his being from Cana of Galilee, and/or the Hebrew qanai which also means zealous. Either way, it has nothing to do with the Canaanites of the OT. There are mixed legends about what became of him from traveling to Africa, being crucified in Samaria, or taking the Gospel all the way to Roman Britain. There is likewise no consensus on where, where, or how he died.

Judas Iscariot, “Iscariot” is not his last name, it’s where he’s from: Kerioth [pronounced like care-ee-ot] in Judea. He was the treasurer of Jesus’ ministry and infamously betrayed Jesus in Gethsemane for 30 pieces of silver. Death by suicide.

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These were “The Twelve” and they were like Jesus’ adopted brothers. His own (half) brothers thought Jesus had gone off the rails. He’s spending hours and hours every day being mobbed by people so incessantly that they can’t even eat a meal in peace. And Jesus won’t send them away. Instead He just keeps healing people and it’s whipping up quite a frenzy.

The whole family shows up “to seize him” Mark 3:21 says. They’ve had a family conference and they’ve decided to do “an intervention.” They plan to drag Jesus back home and…what? Is Mary going to ground Him? Are the brothers going to lock Him in His room? Do they think He’s overworking Himself to death? Boy do they have no idea.

Don’t worry. Jesus’ siblings will eventually come around. But for now, the people who believe on Him and are in partnership with Him in spreading the Good News of the Kingdom – they are His family.

When there are uncomfortable feelings between you and your family members, it’s your besties that you call to help you out.