Bible Study series: Mark 6:7-13. Proclaim repentance. They healed saw many healings and deliverances. They used oil to pray for the sick.
Friendly greetings and a warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together how to apply these truths to our lives.
I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click here:
If you would like to see the original Greek, please click here:
At that link, I also offer more commentary and a Summary and Conclusion, geared towards discipleship. Scroll down to the bottom and check it out!
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Mark 6:7-13
7 Now Jesus summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority order unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them that they take nothing on the road except a staff only, not bread, not a knapsack, not copper coins in the belt, 9 but sandals for wearing, and “don’t wear two shirts.” 10 He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. 11 And if any place does not welcome you or listen to you, go out from there and shake the dust from under your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 They went out and proclaimed that people should repent, 13 and they expelled many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:7-13)
Comments:
This section is very important because Jesus had enough confidence in his disciples to commission them. His training and their capacity to receive his training must have been sufficient for this commissioning. Jesus did not fret or have anxiety when he was alone without the twelve. And he trusted God when his disciples were sent out doing what he commanded them to do and say.
7:
Here we have a special commissioning. It is a short-term mission trip, but a powerful one. He delegates authority to them.
“sent”: this verb is apostellō (pronounced ah-poh-stehl-loh), and it is related to the noun apostle, but let’s not overstate things. It means “to send” and is used 132 times in the NT. BDAG, a thick Greek lexicon, says it means (1) “to dispatch someone for the achievement of some objective, send away / out” (the disciples are sent out: Matt. 10:5; Mark 3:14; 6:17; Luke 9:2; 10:1; John 4:38; 17:18). (2) “to dispatch a message, send, have something done.” Here it could be translated as “commission.”
Key point: the rabbinic text, the Mishnah, says, “the one sent by the man is as the man himself” (m.Ber. 5.5 in Darrell L. Bock, Luke 1:1-9:50. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament vol. 1, [Baker Academic, 1994] p. 542).
Missionaries today who go out by themselves, one by one, take too many risks. They should go out two by two—or more. Safety in numbers, both physical and moral safety.
“authority”: it is the noun exousia (pronounced ex-oo-see-ah), and it means, depending on the context: “right to act,” “freedom of choice,” “power, capability, might, power, authority, absolute power”; “power or authority exercised by rulers by virtue of their offices; official power; domain or jurisdiction, spiritual powers.”
What Are Signs and Wonders and Miracles?
As I will say many times throughout this commentary, the difference between authority and power is parallel to a policeman’s badge and his gun. The badge symbolizes his right to exercise his power through his gun, if necessary. The gun backs up his authority with power. But the distinction should not be pressed too hard, because exousia can also mean “power.” In any case, God through Jesus can distribute authority to his followers (Matt. 10:1; Mark 6:1; Luke 10:19; John 1:12).
So do we have the same power and authority that the twelve have in this passage, or are they a special case? Restrictive interpreters say they are special cases with unique callings, while freer interpreters say we too, as disciples of Jesus, can have the same authority. I come down on the freer interpretation.
Jesus will give us authority even over the nations, if we overcome trials and persecution (Rev. 2:26). And he is about to distribute his power in Acts 2. Never forget that you have his authority and power to live a victorious life over your personal flaws and sins and Satan. They no longer have power and authority over you; you have power and authority over them.
The disciples learn, however, that some demons are stubborn (Mark 9:18). They were unable to expel one and needed Jesus, who he scolded them for their unbelief.
Please see my posts about Satan in the area of systematic theology and a little practical theology (deliverance):
Bible Basics about Satan and Demons and Victory Over Them
Bible Basics about Deliverance
Magic, Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Fortunetelling
Strauss: “Jesus here demonstrates remarkable authority. Not only does he have divine authority to preach, heal and cast out demons, but he can pass it on to others. It is more than just delegated; it is his own authority to give.”
8-9:
These are the words of Jesus. This is his commissioning and his commands, more than counsel or good advice or “things to pack” list.
“don’t wear two shirts”: the syntax (sentence structure) shifts, indicating first-hand eyewitness testimony. In other words, Peter was probably preaching his stories, and eyewitness storytellers may sometimes leave in the exact wording, though grammatically awkward when it is mixed in with a report. Mark left in this command form, “Don’t wear! …” Grammatically awkward, but revealing of Peter telling his story.
The other items show this was a short-term mission trip. Copper pennies could be translated as generically as “money.” In other words, on this short-term mission trip, don’t take a wad of cash. Depend on God and the hospitality of generous people.
Some take this list of prohibited items literally and claim that no true preacher should have basic supplies, but depend on the good graces of the people. If their conscience says to follow this path, then they should. But if they follow other Scriptures, which says a worker is worthy of his pay (Luke 10:7) and that those who receive good teaching should give material resources to the teachers (Gal. 6:6), then they should follow that. In other words, Jesus’s restriction should not be viewed as universal—required for all times and all missionaries. Jesus sent them out on a short-term mission trip.
10:
The point to this verse is to command the twelve not to wander around from house to house, particularly when one house is richer and offers better bedding and food than the poorer house. If the poor house invites them first, they should accept it and not yearn for the rich house. Don’t show favoritism (cf. Jas. 2:1-7).
11:
Shaking the dust off of their feet is what devout and strict Jews did when they left pagan territory, so they could remove the ceremonial uncleanness. But the ceremonial uncleanness is not the point here because the twelve disciples were going into Jewish towns and villages (Matt. 10:6). Instead it means “you—not we—take responsibility for your decision!” It signifies that rejecting the kingdom of God is deadly serious. Nehemiah shook the dust out of the fold of his garments when he made the returning Israelites give back the property and children who were sold into slavery, in a promise that apparently required the shaking. “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!” (Neh. 5:13, NIV). Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet to the Jews in Pisidian Antioch when they rejected the kingdom, and then the missionary pair left for Iconium (Acts 13:51). In Macedonia Paul spoke to the Jews about Jesus the Messiah, but they rejected and mocked him. “When they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them: ‘Your blood be upon your head! I am clear! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!’ (Acts 18:6, my tentative translation).
12:
Their message was simple. Repent (Luke 9:2 adds that they should proclaim the kingdom of God.) Let’s look more closely at the verb.
“repent”: it is the verb metanoeō (pronounced meh-tah-noh-eh-oh, and the noun is metanoia and is pronounced meh-tah-noi-ah). The verb literally means “to change one’s mind” (and so does the noun). But it goes deeper than mental assent or agreement. Another word for repent is the Greek stem streph-, which means physically “to turn” (see Luke 2:20, 43, 45). That reality-concept is all about new life. One turns around 180 degrees, going from the direction of death to the new direction of life.
13:
Success! They cast out many demons and heal many sick people. What surprised me was the oil. It is often used today in healing services or in small groups. The twelve must have borrowed it from the people whom the twelve visited. It has been said that oil was a kind of therapy or medicine (Luke 10:34). That may be true in some cases, particularly when a wound occurs. However, Jas. 5:14 says that if anyone is sick, he should call for the leaders of the church and they should anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. There does not seem to be a medical reason for this kind of anointing.
The NT authors permit us to read certain items in the OT as symbolic, so let’s take some time to do a symbolic reading of oil.
Oil speaks of the sacred anointing for consecrating the priests (Exod. 29:7; 30:22-33).
Next, Samuel took a flask of oil and anointed first Saul (1 Sam. 10:1) and then David (1 Sam. 16:1) to be kings. In 11 Sam. 6:3, we read: “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David” (see Ps. 89:20). In Ps. 23:5, David proclaimed that God anointed his head with oil.
Heb. 1:9 says that God anointed his Son Jesus with the “oil of joy.”
James 5:14 says oil was used to anoint the sick.
In Luke 4:18 Jesus said God has anointed him to carry out the ministry of God. Acts 10:38 says God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit. Paul said that God anointed them (2 Cor. 1:21). “Christ” means “the Anointed One.”
Why Our Churches Must Consider Communion Elements and Baptismal Waters As Sacred
We, God’s New Covenant people, also have an anointing from the Holy One, who will guide his people to the truth (1 John 2:20, 27). The Holy One is the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13).
From these verses oil came to symbolize the Holy Spirit. Oil, the anointing, and the Spirit are linked. Being in Christ, we are all anointed by the Spirit.
However, if you don’t like a symbolic reading, then skip it. The choice is yours.
“heal”: the verb means to “make whole, restore, heal, cure, care for.”
Finally, let’s introduce the topic of whether apostles exist today. Please see this link, if you’re interested.
Yes, Junia Really Was a Female Apostle: A Close Look at Romans 16:7
The point to the linked post is that the lower order of apostles is open to certain men and women today but be warned! Anyone who claims the title must be checked out, especially if he gave himself this title or allowed some “yes men” to call him an apostle.
GrowApp for Mark 6:7-13
A.. Everyone has a calling, from soccer mom to famous evangelist. What is your commission? Has it changed as you have gone through the stages in life? How?
RELATED
10. Eyewitness Testimony in Mark’s Gospel
2. Church Fathers and Mark’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
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