Mark 3:19

Mark 3:19, in plain English

and Judas Iscariot, who would later betray Jesus.

Why it's here

Even knowing what Judas would do, Jesus chose him. The Twelve included the one who would betray Him. Jesus walked into that heartbreak with eyes wide open.

Who's speaking

Mark closes the list of apostles with Judas, already identified by his future act of betrayal.

Where it sits in the story

Every time you read the list of the Twelve, it ends with these heavy words. Jesus chose twelve men, and one of them would hand Him over to be killed. He knew it from the start, and He chose him anyway.

The scholarly reading

The list concludes with Judas Iscariot (Ioudan Iskarōth), identified immediately by his future betrayal (hos kai paredōken auton), casting a shadow over the entire apostolic catalog.

Language and setting

Iscariot (Iskariōth) likely derives from Hebrew 'ish Kerioth' ('man of Kerioth'), suggesting Judas was the only Judean among the Galilean apostles. The verb paredōken ('handed over') is the same used for John's arrest.

Voice

Mark concludes the apostolic list with Judas, defined by the act that would define him in history.

Significance

Judas' inclusion among the chosen Twelve is one of the most troubling mysteries of the Gospel. Jesus chose him knowing the outcome, and Mark signals the tragedy from the very introduction.

17James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”),

18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,

19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

20Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat.

21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”

Read all of Mark 3 — A man with a withered hand, a crowd pressing in from every side, and twelve unlikely men called to change the world.