Breaking the Word

for they said, “He is out of his mind.” (Mk 3,21)

When something extra-ordinary happens, people pass

comments about it. Each one, as he/she perceives the event.

They do the same with persons as well.

When we go through the Gospel of Mark, we find many remarks

about Jesus from different people/sources.

GOD THE FATHER: You are my beloved Son; with you I am well

pleased (Mk 1, 11)

John the Baptist: One mightier than I is coming… (Mk 1, 7)

Unclean spirit: The Holy One of God (Mk 1, 24)

The crowd: What is this? A new teaching with authority…(Mk 1,27)

Scribes: He is blaspheming…(Mk 2,7)

Unclean spirit: You are the Son of God (Mk 3,11)

His relatives: He is out of his mind (Mk 3,21)

Remarks/comments/appellation are many as we go through

the gospels. There are many more as we read through the

Gospel.

Jesus’ own family begin to think he is mad.

This passage is, in fact, a powerful witness to the remarkable

things Jesus was doing. Early Church or the Gospel writer did

not make up a story like this. If this was not true then they would

not have created a story to speak ill of their leader.

People say these sorts of things (he is mad or he is in

collaboration with demons) when something is happening for

which there is no other explanation.

But Jesus’ basic claim would be that the Kingdom of God is

present.

He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted 

and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named 

apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth

to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: 

And so he appointed the Twelve (Mk 3, 13-16a)

Why only twelve?

He could have appointed eleven thus avoiding the traitor or he could

have appointed more than 12 to complete the work faster.

In fact he had a great following and they were flocking to him.

Every Jew knew that there were twelve tribes in Israel.

These twelve corresponded to the twelve sons of Jacob.

From these twelve tribes only the great nation grew up in Egypt.

Redemption was gifted to this nation in Egypt.

They entered the land of Canaan as twelve tribes (a nation).

Land was divided and shared among the twelve tribes.

When Assyrians and Babylonians destroyed the land and the 

people; they hoped that God would restore them again.

God would turn everything around and make them 

a great nation once again.

So when Jesus called the twelve and gave them a special status

and a special commission, the crowd would have understood

the implication of his action.

His commission was not just a healing mission.

His commission was not just a spiritual renewal.

His commission was not just to teach/preach

IT WAS TO CREATE A NATION 

with physical, spiritual, social wholeness etc.

It was a restoration movement.

It was gathering up of all people into a single nation.

And a nation (for a Jew) was made up of twelve tribes.

So, the twelve apostles were the heads of the twelve tribes 

of new Israel (Kingdom of God).

Jesus' work was the work of restoration, of  recreation,

of reformation of new Israel beginning with the twelve.