About Mark: Jesus appointed the twelve apostles to two roles; to be with him, and to be "sent out to proclaim the message". In fact, "apostle" is a Greek word meaning "the sent one." Mark has reached the stage in his story where the disciples are now introduced to this second role. Jesus sends them out to preach (6:7-13). However, they have fair warning of the difficulties involved. Jesus himself faces rejection. A proverb expresses the general principle that prophets are accepted elsewhere but not in their hometowns. As part of his instructions to the twelve, Jesus advises them to move on when people don't receive them.
Mark has the briefest summary of instructions (in verses 8-11) and results (12-13). Matthew and Luke both expand on this considerably. Matthew has detailed instructions in Matthew 9:35-10:42. Luke presents the early mission activities of the Twelve in two phases. The apostles go out as a group of twelve reported in Luke Chapter nine. It appears they then lead a group of seventy-two, reported in Luke Chapter 10. Mark seems to conflate these two events, but gives us the helpful information that the apostles went out two-by-two, in the second phase, each pair leading a team of twelve other recruits.
Mark is more concerned to show the real problems that all apostles face, and in his practical fashion does so with less words and more examples. Verse 11 has the words. The surrounding examples are of Jesus (Mark 6:1-6) and then John the Baptist (see the next section, Mark 6:14-29), each in their own way rejected for being sent by God.
Bible: Mark 6:1-13, The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
1 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." 5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching.
The Mission of the Twelve
7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Comment: THE HOMETOWN CARPENTER
The place Jesus comes to is not actually identified in the text, though we know it was Nazareth. The point, as Mark says, is that it is his hometown! "What deeds of power are being done by his hands," is probably their scornful retort to rumours of the deeds of Chapter 5. For them, his hands are those of "the carpenter, the son of Mary." A mere carpenter’s hands. And they took offence at him. Even so, Mark records that Jesus did lay his hands on a few sick people and cured them (5). The deeds of power (see verses 2 & 5) that Jesus was unable to perform were those powerful works of restoration such as described in conjunction with faith in Chapter 5. But here Jesus is appalled by their lack of faith (6a). This is a hometown phenomenon (4), demonstrated in the rejection of Jesus and John the Baptist by their own countrymen. It was something the apostles must also expect in their world mission.
The instructions of Jesus to the apostles given in Matthew and Luke fill out our understanding that the Twelve went as the representatives of Jesus to proclaim the kingdom of God. They urged people to repent; to modify their attitudes to God and to His Son Jesus, precisely as the apostles themselves had.
As representatives of God's kingdom, they were endowed with the authority and power of the kingdom. Thus they set people free from evil or unclean spirits, and restored people to wholeness. Mark shows that the apostles continued to do what Jesus had been doing, which these events illustrate.
The apostles went with no reserves, but faith. They were to model the faith they proclaimed to others, and stay in whatever accommodation was offered, where they were received.
The apostles were now possessed by the good they could do to others. They went and proclaimed that "all" should repent because they knew that "all" could benefit by this message as they had, as seen by those who were cured through them.
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