SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:17
y a Jacobo, hijo de Zebedeo, y a Juan hermano de Jacobo; y los apellid Boanerges, que es, Hijos del trueno;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Mark 3:17
Verse 17. Sons of thunder] A Hebraism for thunderers; probably so named because of their zeal and power in preaching the Gospel. The term Boanerges is neither Hebrew nor Syriac. Calmet and others think that there is reason to believe that the Greek transcribers have not copied it exactly. [r ynb beney raam, which the ancient Greeks would pronounce Beneregem, and which means sons of thunder, was probably the appellative used by our Lord: or s[r ynb beni reges, sons of tempest, which comes nearest to the Boanerges of the evangelist. St. Jerome, on Dan. i. , gives [r ynb (which he writes Benereem, softening the sound of the y ain) as the more likely reading, and Luther, supposing our Lord spoke in Hebrew, gives the proper Hebrew term above mentioned, which he writes Bnehargem. Some think that the reason why our Lord gave this appellative to the sons of Zebedee was, their desire to bring fire down from heaven, i.e. a storm of thunder and lightning, to overturn and consume a certain Samaritan village, the inhabitants of which would not receive their Master. See the account in Luke ix. 53, 54. It was a very usual thing among the Jews to give surnames, which signified some particular quality or excellence, to their rabbins. See several instances in Schoettgen.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James , etc..] 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 f45 , 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 f46 writings, as a place where several of the Rabbins met, and conversed together: the reason of this name may be inquired after.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-21 - Christ calls whom he will; for his grace is his own. He had called the apostles to separate themselves from the crowd, and they came unto him He now gave them power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils. Ma the Lord send forth more and more of those who have been with him, an have learned of him to preach his gospel, to be instruments in his blessed work. Those whose hearts are enlarged in the work of God, can easily bear with what is inconvenient to themselves, and will rathe lose a meal than an opportunity of doing good. Those who go on with zeal in the work of God, must expect hinderances, both from the hatre of enemies, and mistaken affections of friends, and need to guar against both.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ιακωβον 2385 N-ASM τον 3588 T-ASM του 3588 T-GSM ζεβεδαιου 2199 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ ιωαννην 2491 N-ASM τον 3588 T-ASM αδελφον 80 N-ASM του 3588 T-GSM ιακωβου 2385 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ επεθηκεν 2007 5656 V-AAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM ονοματα 3686 N-APN βοανεργες 993 N-PRI ο 3739 R-NSN εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S υιοι 5207 N-NPM βροντης 1027 N-GSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. Although Mark mentions that the apostles were sent out in pairs (vi. 7), he does not classify them here in pairs. But he alone throws Peter and James and John, the three who shared the Lord's particular intimacy, into one group. Matthew and Luke both introduce Andrew between Peter and James.He surnamed them Boanerges (epeqhken autoiv onoma Boanhrgev). Lit., he put upon them the name. Some uncertainty attaches to both the origin and the application of the name. Most of the best texts read ojnomata, names, instead of name. This would indicate that each of the two was surnamed a "son of thunder." Some, however, have claimed that it was a dual name given to them as a pair, as the name Dioscuri was given to Castor and Pollux. The reason of its bestowal we do not know. It seems to have been intended as a title of honor, though not perpetuated like the surname Peter, this being the only instance of its occurrence; possibly because the inconvenience of a common surname, which would not have sufficiently designated which of them was intended, may have hindered it from ever growing into an appellation. It is justified by the impetuosity and zeal which characterized both the brothers, which prompted them to suggest the calling of fire from heaven to consume the inhospitable Samaritan village (Luke ix. 54); which marked James as the victim of an early martyrdom (Acts xii. 2); and which sounds in the thunders of John's Revelation. The Greek Church calls John Brontofwnov, the thunder-voiced. The phrase, sons of, is a familiar Hebrew idiom, ill which the distinguishing characteristic of the individual or thing named is regarded as his parent. Thus sparks are sons of fire (Job v. 7); threshed corn is son of the floor (Isa. xxi. 10). Compare son of perdition (John xvii. 12); sons of disobedience (Eph. ii. 2; v. 6).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:17 {Boanerges, which is Sons of thunder} (boanerges ho estin huioi brontes). this Hebrew nickname is given only by Mark and the reason for it is not clear. It may refer to the fiery temperament revealed in #Lu 9:34 when James and John wanted to call down fire on the Samaritan villages that were unfriendly to them. The word literally means {sons of tumult, sons of thunder} in Syriac. No other epithets are given by Mark save descriptions to distinguish as Simon the Cananaean (or Zealot) and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him (verse #19). Andrew, (from aner, a man) and Philip (Philippos, fond of horses) are both Greek names. Bartholomew, son of Tolmai, is the Nathanael of John's Gospel (#Joh 21:2). He probably had both names. Matthew is a Hebrew name meaning gift of God (maqqaios). Thomas is Hebrew and means Twin (Didymus, #Joh 11:16). There are two uses of the name of James (Iacwbos, Jacob). Thaddeus is another name for Lebbaeus.
