Mark 3:14 Commentary and Bible Study

He ordained them. The Greek verb simply means, ‘he made twelve’. He was to make each one, and remake them. ‘That they should be with him’, throughout his earthly life and ministry, and hear his every word, and see his every action. They would have among them those who would be authors of the New Testament Scriptures. They would need to be authenticated, of course, and so they were. ‘And that he might send them forth to preach.’ They would be his messengers, his sent ones, which is what the word apostle means, and it will be their title in due time. They were not simply prototype pastors or ministers. They were a special order; only those twelve were apostles. Judas, of course, was the betrayer and was replaced, and in due course the apostle Paul was added to the number and given special revelation, but that is the full number. After that, there were the ordinary uninspired preachers and ministers, dependent entirely upon the word of God. They were never given revelation to speak directly from God, because the Scriptures, which would soon be completed, contained all that they needed with no more direct revelation. God’s Spirit may move to remind us of things in his word and illuminate our minds; but he gives no new authoritative revelation. The word of God will be complete with the era of the apostles.