Upon learning that the Pharisees and the party followers of Herod plan to kill him, Jesus and his disciples withdraw to the Sea of Galilee. Great crowds flock to him from all over​—from Galilee, the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, the eastern side of the Jordan River, Jerusalem, and Idumea farther south. Jesus cures many. As a result, those with serious diseases press forward. Not waiting for him to touch them, they eagerly reach out to touch him.​—Mark 3:9, 10.

The crowds are so large that Jesus tells his disciples to get a small boat ready for him so that he can pull away from shore and keep the crowds from pressing in on him. Also, he can teach them from the boat or move to another area along the shore to help more people.

The disciple Matthew notes that Jesus’ activity fulfills “what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet.” (Matthew 12:17) What prophecy is Jesus here fulfilling?

“Look! My servant whom I chose, my beloved, whom I have approved! I will put my spirit upon him, and what justice is he will make clear to the nations. He will not quarrel nor cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the main streets. No bruised reed will he crush, and no smoldering wick will he extinguish, until he brings justice with success. Indeed, in his name nations will hope.”​—Matthew 12:18-21; Isaiah 42:1-4.

Jesus, of course, is the beloved servant whom God approves. Jesus makes clear what is true justice, which is being obscured by false religious traditions. Unjustly applying God’s Law in their own way, the Pharisees will not even come to a sick person’s aid on the Sabbath! Making evident God’s justice and showing that God’s spirit is upon him, Jesus relieves people of the burden of unjust traditions. For that the religious leaders want to kill him. How deplorable!

What does it mean that “he will not quarrel nor cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the main streets”? When curing people, Jesus does not allow them​—or the demons—​“to make him known.” (Mark 3:12) He does not want people to learn about him through noisy advertising in the streets or through distorted reports that are excitedly passed from mouth to mouth.

Also, Jesus carries his comforting message to those who are figuratively like a bruised reed, bent over and knocked down. They are like a smoldering wick, whose last spark of life has nearly flickered out. Jesus does not crush the bruised reed or quench the flickering, smoking flax. Rather, with tenderness and love, he skillfully lifts up the meek. Truly, Jesus is the one in whom the nations can hope!

It has been about a year and a half since John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the Lamb of God. As Jesus began his public ministry, a number of sincere men became his disciples, such as Andrew, Simon Peter, John, perhaps James (John’s brother), Philip, and Bartholomew (also called Nathanael). In time, many others joined in following Christ.​—John 1:45-47.

Now Jesus is ready to select his apostles. These will be his close associates and will receive special training. But before selecting them, Jesus goes out to a mountain, perhaps one near the Sea of Galilee not far from Capernaum. He spends a whole night in prayer, likely asking for wisdom and God’s blessing. The next day he calls his disciples to him and chooses 12 of his disciples as apostles.

Jesus selects the six named at the outset, as well as Matthew, whom Jesus called from the tax office. The other five chosen are Judas (also called Thaddaeus and “the son of James”), Simon the Cananaean, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Judas Iscariot.​—Matthew 10:2-4; Luke 6:16.

By now these 12 have traveled with Jesus, and he knows them well. A number of them are his relatives. The brothers James and John are evidently Jesus’ first cousins. And if, as some think, Alphaeus was the brother of Joseph, Jesus’ adoptive father, then Alphaeus’ son, the apostle James, would be a cousin of Jesus.

Jesus, of course, has no problem remembering his apostles’ names. But can you remember them? One help is to remember that there are two named Simon, two named James, and two named Judas. Simon (Peter) has a brother Andrew, and James (son of Zebedee) has a brother John. That is a key to remembering the names of eight apostles. The other four include a tax collector (Matthew), one who later doubts (Thomas), one called from under a tree (Nathanael), and Nathanael’s friend (Philip).

Eleven of the apostles are from Galilee, Jesus’ home territory. Nathanael is from Cana. Philip, Peter, and Andrew are originally from Bethsaida. Peter and Andrew in time move to Capernaum, where Matthew apparently lived. James and John also live in or close to Capernaum, and they had a fishing business nearby. Judas Iscariot, who later betrays Jesus, seems to be the only apostle from Judea.