Mark 6:7-9 7And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits, 8and he charged them to take nothing for the journey except a staff, no bread, no travel bag, no money in their belts, 9but wearing sandals and not put on two tunics.
Jesus’ mission strategy shines forth in this passage. He had a mission for the twelve apostles. He gave them the opportunity to live out what it meant to be an “apostle,” one “sent forth.” Their ministry was an extension of Jesus’ ministry. He gives them the power to perform their task. The verb called is present tense and is used in a historical way to show ongoing activity. Jesus’ directions are specific. He did not wait until the disciples understood everything about the kingdom but sent them out to preach the gospel to grow their faith and trust in him.
One of his key strategies was to send them out with a partner, which would provide many benefits, including encouraging one another when their faith grew weak, being accountable to one another when the temptations and doubts arise, and providing fellowship when loneliness creeps in. It is difficult to do ministry alone because these three issues of weak discouragement, temptations, and loneliness have not counter-balance and can eventually overwhelm a person.
An important part of their mission was to caste out unclean spirits, which is the same description of the Gerasene demoniac’s problem in chapter 5. When Jesus chose these special twelve disciples and appointed them as “apostles” in 3:14-15, part of his purpose for them was to caste out demons. Demon possession can take many forms. Not all people who are plagued by demons will act like the Gerasene man in his crazed lack of self-control, personal injury, and isolation. Demon possession in the modern world can be quite sophisticated. The word “possession” when used in relation to demonic forces can be scary and create images of people like the Garasene man. Unclean spirits may not be evident in such dramatic ways but show up in more subtle ways with a general disregard for the things of God, acts of impurity, hatred, or any of the “acts of the flesh” Paul lists in Galatians 5:19-21. Jesus sent the twelve out to bring spiritual healing to those trapped by sin and evil.
This mission would be a significant test of the disciples’ faith. Their only resources were to be what they normally wore each day as they walked with Jesus across Galilee after they left the fishing boat, tax booth, or whatever they were doing when Jesus called them. Their only resource was the authority Jesus gave them. Their garb was minimal and not what one going on a trip would take. A staff would help steady the walk and provide some degree of protection against wild animals. Having no bread would put them in a place of dependency upon the hospitality and generosity of those they met. Having no travel bag meant they would not stay long but be on a journey. They needed to live simply and not take any possessions with them. No money in their pockets would also make them dependent on the hospitality of hosts, which would be a challenging test of their faith. Sandals were necessary because of the rocky roads. The tunic was the outer garment used for sleeping at night, so it was necessary for the journey. Having two would be an extra comfort they would not need. Jesus did not leave them destitute but with enough to take care of their basic needs.
In these brief verses, we can peer into how discipleship requires doing what Jesus did and living his kind of lifestyle. Jesus challenged his disciples to grow in their faith by living simply and trusting fully in God’s providential care. Disciples are responsible for obedience to proclaim the message and not how people will respond to the message.
For older posts, click here.