he then appointed twelve: The verb “appoint” is literally “make” and may reflect a Semitic

usage for “appoint” or “designate” (see 1 Kgs 13:33; 2 Chr 2:18 [ LXX 2:17]; 1 Sam 12:6).
On the Twelve in Mark, see the Interpretation.[whom he also named apostles]: In many
translations (e.g., the Revised NAB), these words are in brackets to indicate that they may not
be original in the text of Mark. The principal reasons for doubting their authenticity are these:
(1) They are not in Matt 10:1 - 2 but are in Luke 6:13, which suggests that a later copyist
added them to Mark on the basis of Luke; (2) though good manuscripts (Vaticanus,
Sinaiticus) have the phrase here, from the text - critical principle lectio difficilior potior (the
more difficult reading is preferred), many editions omit it because the “twelve apostles”
became such a common expression; (3) Mark never employs the term “twelve apostles”
elsewhere, and he uses the noun “apostle” onlsy once again (6:30, though it is in a context
that refers to the Twelve [see 6:7]); and (4) including the phrase complicates the sense of the
sentence, since the second half of the verse reads “that he might send them out (apostell
ButtonText_image) ,” which is tautologous after calling them “apostles,” that is “those sent.”
in order that they might be with him: See above under 1:16 - 20. The two constant elements
of discipleship are “being with” or “following” Jesus and doing the things of Jesus, here
being sent out to preach and cast out demons.
in order that he might send them on a mission: This is the second purpose clause explaining
the reason for the choice. The verb “send on a mission” or “send out” (apostellein) and its
nominal form “apostle” (apostolos) connote official representation of the sender.
to preach: Just as there is a dual purpose for the appointment of the Twelve (being with and
being sent), their mission has a dual purpose. The first is to “preach” (lit. “proclaim”
[kēryssein] , or to act as heralds; see 6:12). “Proclaiming” links them to John the Baptist (1:4,
7), to Jesus (1:14, 38), to other characters in the gospel touched or healed by the power of
Jesus (1:45, the leper; 5:20, the Gerasene demoniac; 7:36, the deaf and dumb man), and to the
church under persecution (13:10).

5 The statement “And he appointed twelve” (kai; ejpoivhsen [tou;"] dwvdeka) may have been the
pre-Markan introduction to the traditional list of names that appears in vv. 16-19.11 The repetition
of the statement in v. 16 could be a sign that the author returned to his source after inserting his
own introduction concerning the purpose of the appointment in vv. 14-15

The Markan Jesus appoints twelve men “to be with him” (i{na w\sin metÆ aujtou'). Although the
terminology of teacher (didavskalo") and disciple (maqhthv") does occur in Mark but is avoided by
both Xenophon and Plato in describing the relationship between Socrates and his followers, there is
an analogy between this statement in Mark and the term that Xenophon used most frequently to
describe that relationship, namely, sunovnte" (“those who were with him”).1

Both the motif of “being with him” and the motif of twelve close associates are found in a passage
from the Temple Scroll that describes the law for the king: [They shall count,] on the day that they
appoint hi[m] king, the sons of Israel from the age of twenty to sixty years according to their
standard (units). He shall install at their head captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains
of fifties and captains of ten in all their cities. He shall select from among them one thousand by
tribe to be with him: twelve thousand warriors who shall not leave him alone to be captured by the
nations. All the selected men whom he has selected shall be men of truth, God-fearers, haters of
unjust gain and mighty warriors. They shall be with him always, day and night. They shall guard him
from anything sinful, and from any foreign nation in order not to be captured by them. The twelve
princes of his people shall be with him, and twelve from among the priests, and from among the
Levites twelve. They shall sit together with him to (proclaim) judgement and the law so that his heart
shall not be lifted above them, and he shall not do anything without them concerning any affair.
(11QT 57:2-15)13

Since the Temple Scroll is a rewriting of portions of the Torah, this passage refers to the future
historical king of Israel, in terms of its literary point of view. As read by the community at Qumran,
however, it portrayed the ideal king of the eschatological future as well as of the historical past. The
twelve princes, twelve priests, and twelve Levites are to form a council to advise the king and to
assist him in making decisions.14

Both this passage from the Temple Scroll and Mark 3:13-19 must be seen in the context of the
expectation of the restoration of the twelve tribes of Israel in the last days. This hope was already
expressed in the late exilic period as the restoration under Cyrus was anticipated:

And now the Lord says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to
him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God
has become my strength—he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up
the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that
my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isa 49:5-6 LXX)15

According to Ben Sira, one of the tasks that Elijah will accomplish in the last days is the restoration of
the tribes of Israel: Of whom it is written that you are prepared for the proper time, to turn aside the
wrath befor[e the day of the Lord comes,] to turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons and to
establish the tr[ibes of Israel]. (Sir 48:10)16

Josephus may know this tradition, although he avoids stating it explicitly. He reports a decree of
Xerxes allowing the Jews to return from Babylon to Jerusalem and states that many did so. He goes
on to say, however: But the Israelite nation as a whole remained in the country. In this way has it
come about that there are two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while until now
there have been ten tribes beyond the Euphrates—countless myriads whose number cannot be
ascertained.

It is likely that the historical Jesus chose twelve special associates in order to symbolize the
restoration of the twelve tribes of Israel that was about to take place.18 Vielhauer argued that the
idea of an inner circle of twelve within the group of Jesus’ disciples, based on eschatological
expectation, arose only after the death of Jesus.19 The earliest tradition about the resurrection of
Jesus is Paul’s statement that “he was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve” (kai; w[fqh Khfa'/ ei\ta
toi'" dwvdeka) (1 Cor 15:5).20 This early tradition implies that the Twelve constituted a definite
group before the experience of Jesus as risen. If the vision of the Lord was the occasion for the
formation of the Twelve, one would expect to find some trace of this idea in the various traditions
about the resurrection. It is of course possible that the tradition that Jesus appeared to them was
invented in order to legitimate a group of Twelve, but then one would expect them to play a larger
role either in the leadership or the ideology of the early Christian movement.21 The eschatological
role of the Twelve is expressed in Matt 19:28: Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that, in the new
age, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on
twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel”
If the saying was not in Q, it nevertheless represents an early tradition compatible with the activity
of the historical Jesus as an eschatological prophet.24 The author of Mark, however, emphasizes a
more immediate role for the Twelve; the Markan Jesus wishes to send them out to proclaim and
with authority to cast out demons.25 Although the content of their proclamation is not specified
here, it is likely that it is substantially the same as that of Jesus, as summarized in 1:14-15. This is the
purpose for which the disciples were called; this is what it means to be “fishers of human beings” (cf.
1:16- 20, esp. 17). Whereas the Q-saying discussed above deals with the role of the Twelve in the
time of fulfillment, this passage in Mark portrays their role in the initial phase of the last days.