Mark 3:13-19

Jesus called and they answered....period. There was no hesitation in their response to Him. There are those who from the beginning follow God without ever doubting or questioning His existence in their life.....He is and always will be their great I AM.

Christ gave power or authority to these twelve apostles.The apostle Paul called this authority “the signs of an apostle”. Christ and the apostles authenticated their ministry through signs, miracles, and wonders.

Jesus gave Peter a new name because it was the Jewish custom to rename someone who had experienced a life-changing event. This renaming of the disciples has similarities to the renaming of Abram and of Saul. Jesus no doubt sent out His apostles in pairs as He did the 70 disciples in Luke.

Luke 10-2 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. ² Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 

Mark 3:13-19

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.