Mark 3:17

17 James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder” ),

Mark 3:17 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 3:17

And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of
James
These are mentioned next, as being first called after Peter and Andrew:

and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, the sons of thunder:
either because of their loud and sonorous voice; or their warm zeal for Christ, and fervency in their ministry: or for their courage in opposing the enemies of Christ, and the power that went along with their words; which either put to confusion and silence, or issued in conviction and conversion. The Syriac version reads, "Benai Regesh", and the Persic, "Beni Reg'sch". The Jews, as our learned countryman Mr. Broughton has observed ^F23, sometimes pronounce "Scheva" by on, as Noabyim", for "Nebyim"; so here, "Boanerges" for Benereges", or "Benerges". There is a city which was in the tribe of Dan, mentioned in ( Joshua 19:45 ) , which is called "Bene-berak, the sons of lightning"; and is spoken of in the Jewish ^F24 writings, as a place where several of the Rabbins met, and conversed together: the reason of this name may be inquired after.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Broughton's Requ. of Consent, in his Works, p. 620.
F24 Haggada Shel Pesach. p. 6. Ed. Rittangel. & in Seder Tephillot, Ed. Basil, fol. 243. 1. Juchasin, fol. 36. 1.

Mark 3:17 In-Context

15 giving them authority to cast out demons.

16 These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he named Peter),

17 James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder” ),

18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot ),

19 Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

Footnotes

• [a]. Greek whom he named Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder.