7 And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
No Baggage
8 He charged 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 put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.
Rejection
11 And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.”
Mission by Word and Deed
12 So they went out and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.
EXPLANATION
Introduction
The principal activities of Jesus’ ministry at this stage of Mark’s Gospel were three: teaching/preaching, driving out demons and healing. Crowds followed him and from their numbers he appointed the Twelve to witness and be trained in his ministries, and to exercise these in a limited manner during his life–time. There is no mention of them teaching and their preaching was limited to advocating repentance. They had the authority but were not always successful in exorcising. These ministries were to continue in a fuller way after Jesus’ death. The Twelve were lay men at the time when he sent them out.
This present passage does not treat completely of the foundation of the structure of the Church but it does refer to some elements. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (765) states: “The Lord Jesus endowed his community with a structure that will remain until the Kingdom is fully achieved. Before all else there is the choice of the Twelve with Peter as their head. Representing the twelve tribes of Israel, they were the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem. The Twelve and the other disciples shared in Christ’s mission and his power, but also in his lot. By all his actions, Christ prepared and built his Church.”
7 And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
“And he called to him the twelve” — The word “called” used here is an authoritative call. It is used elsewhere as in Mk. 3: 13 where he called the Twelve to appoint them; in Mk. 15: 44 where Pilate summoned the centurion to check if Jesus had died. See also Mk. 7: 14; 8: 1, 34; 10: 42; 12: 43.
“The Twelve” — The first appearance of the “Twelve” as a group occurred in Mk. 3: 13–15, “And he went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.” Their first quality was that Jesus wanted or desired each of them. They were his choice. He selected them from the crowd and called each by name. Obviously he knew them personally. They had responded to his individual call some time previously (Mk. 1: 16–20; 2: 13–14).
The second point was that each came willingly to him; they answered his call or summons, as they had previously. He appointed them for three roles: a) to be “with him”; b) “to be sent out” and c) “to cast out demons”. “To be with him” meant until the death of each. “To be sent out” meant, first of all as trainees, our present reading, and then as those who would continue the mission of Jesus. “To cast out demons” was a specific role of Jesus which they would participate in. Already they had witnessed him exorcise (Mk. 1: 23–28, 32-34). Before he sent them out there would be other experiences (Mk. 3: 22–30; 5: 1–20).
“And began to send them out” — At their appointment he had told them that they would be sent out. Now that time had come. It is not said to what places he sent them but we may presume that as they had been travelling with Jesus from village to village (Mk. 6: 6b) they went to small rural communities.
“two by two” — Jewish law demanded that two witnesses were required in legal matters (Dt. 19: 15; Nm. 35: 30; II Cor. 13: 1). By going together and speaking with one voice would be seen as establishing the truthfulness of their sayings. However, it may be that Mark was merely recounting the practice of the early Church when missionaries were sent forth: Peter and John (Ac. 40 — 17: 14); Barnabas and Saul (Ac. 11: 30; 12: 25; 14: 38); Paul and Silas (Ac. 15: 40 — 17: 14).
“and gave them authority over the unclean spirits” — Jesus had foretold this ministry of the Twelve (Mk. 3: 15). Here he shares this power with the apostles. They will exercise it in v. 13.
For people today this power may not appear as very relevant: few have encountered people under the obvious power of the devil or devil–possessed. Nevertheless evil clearly abounds and the mission of Jesus to overcome the demons and their influence must continue. Jesus came to bring salvation to the world. The Church, the Sacrament of Salvation, continues his mission. Each baptised person has his/her part to play.
8 He charged 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 put on two tunics.
“He charged them to take nothing for their journey” — The word “journey” here is not an adequate translation of the Geek word which means “way”. Jesus is giving instructions not only for the itineraries that missionaries make but also for disciples who are following “the way”. Elsewhere (Jn. 14: 6), Jesus has called himself “the Way”. His instructions here refer to discipleship as well as missionary outreach. Jesus is charging missionaries and disciples to have absolute trust in and dependence on God in their life–styles. St. Bede says that one “should so trust in God that he is convinced that he will have everything he needs to support life, even if he cannot himself obtain it; for he should not neglect eternal things worrying about temporal things”.
“except a staff” — A staff was a very practical aid: it gave support and it could be useful for protection. It was also a symbol of authority, and Jesus is granting authority to the Twelve here.
The staff of Moses was the symbol of God’s authority. With it he had miraculous powers (Ex. 4: 2–31) and produced the plagues (Ex. 7: 15; 8: 15; 10: 13), divided the Sea of Reeds (Ex. 14: 16) and brought water from the rock (Ex. 17: 5).
“no bread” — Jesus will give bread as he did in Mk. 6: 35–44; 8: 1–9.
“no bag, no money in their belts” –A bag would hold food and other things. There is to be no reliance on financial security. A belt–bag would hold relatively little; even a little is too much!
“but to wear sandals” — The staff and sandals may be mentioned by Mark (Matthew and Luke forbid both) because of the reference in Exodus 12: 11, “In this manner you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover”. This interpretation would strengthen that God would provide for them on their mission as he had provided for the Israelites in the exodus.
and not put on two tunics” — This may refer to a change of clothes: do not have even a change of inner garments.
10 And he said to them, “Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.
“Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place” — Rather than visitors seek a place to stay, the inhabitants were the ones who would offer accommodation to those entering a village or area. Jesus tells the missionaries that they are to be satisfied with the first offer of hospitality and not seek to improve their lodging.
11 And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.”
“And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you” — This is what happened to Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth and the Twelve witnessed this rejection. Now he tells them what they are to do if and when they are rejected or ignored. Jesus in forms the Twelve, and us, that the Church is not necessarily called to success in its proclamation.
“shake off the dust that is on your feet” — The Israelites, on returning to their homeland from pagan territory, would shake off the dust of the country they had left as a sign that they were returning to holy and consecrated ground.
“for a testimony against them” — Shaking the dust off their sandals would have been a condemnatory sign against those who rejected the apostles: they were no better than pagans. After they were expelled, Paul and Barnabas did this in Acts 13: 51. Paul, with some strong words, repeated the action in Ac. 18: 6.
Some translations have “as a warning to them” or “for them”. This action could also make witnesses have a second thought about rejecting or ignoring the preachers.
12 So they went out and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.
“So they went out and preached that men should repent” — John the Baptist. the disciples and apostles were limited to preaching repentance (Mk. 1: 4). Jesus reserved to himself the preaching about the kingdom of God (Mk. 1: 14–15).
“repent” — This was a preliminary stage in responding to the word of God. It demanded a change of the way one thought and lived, if one was not obeying what God demanded.
“they cast out many demons” — This was reserved to Jesus’ Messianic ministry (Mk. 1: 34, 39, 43; 3: 22–23; 7: 26).
“[They] anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them” — A major activity of Jesus’ ministry was the cure of the sick (Mk. 1: 34; 3: 2, 10; 6: 5). Anointing of the sick with oil was a Hebrew practice. It is mentioned by Isaiah (Is. 1: 6). Mark is the only evangelist who speaks of anointing the sick with oil. There is the possibility that there may be a remote reference here to the later practice of the Sacrament of the Anointing the Sick. The main reference to that sacrament occurs in the Letter of James 5: 14–16.
Under the heading of “A Sacrament of the Sick”, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
“The Church believes and confesses that among the seven sacraments there is one especially intended to strengthen those who are being tried by illness, the Anointing of the Sick:
This sacred anointing of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord as a true and proper sacrament of the New Testament. It is alluded to indeed by Mark, but is recommended to the faithful and promulgated by James the apostle and brother of the Lord” (CCC, 1511).
“… The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given to those who are seriously ill by anointing them on the forehead and hands with duly blessed oil — pressed from olives or from other plants — saying, only once: “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up” (CCC, 1513).
APPLICATION
When Jesus called Simon and Andrew his invitation was “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mk. 1: 17). That was an invitation to become a missionary, to ‘catch’ people for God. Sometime later (Mk. 3: 14–15) “he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and to cast out demons”. This was the appointment to be missionaries, that is, ‘people sent out’, the meaning of the word “mission”. In today’s Gospel passage the Twelve began their missionary work.
There are people around us who, no doubt, would have regarded Jesus as imprudent, choosing such ordinary disciples to undertake such extraordinary work. They had heard Jesus preach in parables and they let it be known that they had not understood. They had seen some astonishing miracles but Jesus had the power, not the twelve. Now as he sent them off he told them that they needed nothing other than the clothes they were wearing, a pair of sandals and a staff. ‘Go as you are and trust in God’ was all the immediate preparation he offered.
We might regard it as a blessing that the Twelve had heard the invitation, the appointment and the actual ‘marching orders’ from the lips of Jesus. Even though they were neither prepared nor ready, at least Jesus was the one sending. That was some consolation.
The Church is the Universal Sacrament of Salvation and as the missionary document “Ad Gentes” (art. 2) from the Second Vatican Council states, “The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature, since it is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin, in accordance with the decree of God the Father.” That was one of the most innovative and important statements from that Council. It applies to each of us personally. If the Church is missionary by her very nature, each baptised and confirmed person, by being a member of the Church, must also be missionary. Pope John Paul II wrote that “missionary activity is a matter for all Christians”.
Faith is strengthened when it is given to others. It may seem to be merely a matter of sharing. But the deepening of roots is a by–product. When a number of people share their faith this produces missionary vitality. However, the opposite is also true: when there is little or no zeal to spread the faith, a crisis of faith ensues. This cause of the spread of secularism is never mentioned with the other reasons for the success of that modern happening.
It would be interesting to ask your friends and neighbours their views on what is the primary service which the Church can render to every individual and to all humanity in the modern world? Pope St. John Pal II spoke of this when he wrote his encyclical letter on the ‘Foreign Missions’. For him, the answer is missionary evangelisation, that is to bring the Good News of God’s love to all in the world which has lost its sense of God and the ultimate realities.
Right away you may feel to object and declare that you cannot do it because of your various weaknesses. Think of the Old Testament prophets, so many of whom also confessed their lack of competence and their inability. Think of the Twelve, definitely not suited for the task but Jesus overlooked that and “sent them out”.
During the homily at the Mass marking the inauguration of his pontificate Pope Benedict XVI said: “The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the One who gives us life, and life in abundance.” Jesus has given to each of us and our families so much. Our gratitude should be seen in our sharing what little we have with those who have not. Our faith may seem to be small but how rich we are compared to those who do not have. Belief in Jesus Christ is the way to arrive definitively at salvation. What a gift to give to others, the gift of salvation.
Commentary on the 15th Sunday (B) 11.07.2021
TEA: Text, Explanation, Application
TEXT Mark 6: 7 — 13 The Twelve Sent on Mission
Call and Mission
7 And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
No Baggage
8 He charged 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 put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.
Rejection
11 And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.”
Mission by Word and Deed
12 So they went out and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.
EXPLANATION
Introduction
The principal activities of Jesus’ ministry at this stage of Mark’s Gospel were three: teaching/preaching, driving out demons and healing. Crowds followed him and from their numbers he appointed the Twelve to witness and be trained in his ministries, and to exercise these in a limited manner during his life–time. There is no mention of them teaching and their preaching was limited to advocating repentance. They had the authority but were not always successful in exorcising. These ministries were to continue in a fuller way after Jesus’ death. The Twelve were lay men at the time when he sent them out.
This present passage does not treat completely of the foundation of the structure of the Church but it does refer to some elements. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (765) states: “The Lord Jesus endowed his community with a structure that will remain until the Kingdom is fully achieved. Before all else there is the choice of the Twelve with Peter as their head. Representing the twelve tribes of Israel, they were the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem. The Twelve and the other disciples shared in Christ’s mission and his power, but also in his lot. By all his actions, Christ prepared and built his Church.”
7 And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
“And he called to him the twelve” — The word “called” used here is an authoritative call. It is used elsewhere as in Mk. 3: 13 where he called the Twelve to appoint them; in Mk. 15: 44 where Pilate summoned the centurion to check if Jesus had died. See also Mk. 7: 14; 8: 1, 34; 10: 42; 12: 43.
“The Twelve” — The first appearance of the “Twelve” as a group occurred in Mk. 3: 13–15, “And he went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.” Their first quality was that Jesus wanted or desired each of them. They were his choice. He selected them from the crowd and called each by name. Obviously he knew them personally. They had responded to his individual call some time previously (Mk. 1: 16–20; 2: 13–14).
The second point was that each came willingly to him; they answered his call or summons, as they had previously. He appointed them for three roles: a) to be “with him”; b) “to be sent out” and c) “to cast out demons”. “To be with him” meant until the death of each. “To be sent out” meant, first of all as trainees, our present reading, and then as those who would continue the mission of Jesus. “To cast out demons” was a specific role of Jesus which they would participate in. Already they had witnessed him exorcise (Mk. 1: 23–28, 32-34). Before he sent them out there would be other experiences (Mk. 3: 22–30; 5: 1–20).
“And began to send them out” — At their appointment he had told them that they would be sent out. Now that time had come. It is not said to what places he sent them but we may presume that as they had been travelling with Jesus from village to village (Mk. 6: 6b) they went to small rural communities.
“two by two” — Jewish law demanded that two witnesses were required in legal matters (Dt. 19: 15; Nm. 35: 30; II Cor. 13: 1). By going together and speaking with one voice would be seen as establishing the truthfulness of their sayings. However, it may be that Mark was merely recounting the practice of the early Church when missionaries were sent forth: Peter and John (Ac. 40 — 17: 14); Barnabas and Saul (Ac. 11: 30; 12: 25; 14: 38); Paul and Silas (Ac. 15: 40 — 17: 14).
“and gave them authority over the unclean spirits” — Jesus had foretold this ministry of the Twelve (Mk. 3: 15). Here he shares this power with the apostles. They will exercise it in v. 13.
For people today this power may not appear as very relevant: few have encountered people under the obvious power of the devil or devil–possessed. Nevertheless evil clearly abounds and the mission of Jesus to overcome the demons and their influence must continue. Jesus came to bring salvation to the world. The Church, the Sacrament of Salvation, continues his mission. Each baptised person has his/her part to play.
8 He charged 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 put on two tunics.
“He charged them to take nothing for their journey” — The word “journey” here is not an adequate translation of the Geek word which means “way”. Jesus is giving instructions not only for the itineraries that missionaries make but also for disciples who are following “the way”. Elsewhere (Jn. 14: 6), Jesus has called himself “the Way”. His instructions here refer to discipleship as well as missionary outreach. Jesus is charging missionaries and disciples to have absolute trust in and dependence on God in their life–styles. St. Bede says that one “should so trust in God that he is convinced that he will have everything he needs to support life, even if he cannot himself obtain it; for he should not neglect eternal things worrying about temporal things”.
“except a staff” — A staff was a very practical aid: it gave support and it could be useful for protection. It was also a symbol of authority, and Jesus is granting authority to the Twelve here.
The staff of Moses was the symbol of God’s authority. With it he had miraculous powers (Ex. 4: 2–31) and produced the plagues (Ex. 7: 15; 8: 15; 10: 13), divided the Sea of Reeds (Ex. 14: 16) and brought water from the rock (Ex. 17: 5).
“no bread” — Jesus will give bread as he did in Mk. 6: 35–44; 8: 1–9.
“no bag, no money in their belts” –A bag would hold food and other things. There is to be no reliance on financial security. A belt–bag would hold relatively little; even a little is too much!
“but to wear sandals” — The staff and sandals may be mentioned by Mark (Matthew and Luke forbid both) because of the reference in Exodus 12: 11, “In this manner you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover”. This interpretation would strengthen that God would provide for them on their mission as he had provided for the Israelites in the exodus.
and not put on two tunics” — This may refer to a change of clothes: do not have even a change of inner garments.
10 And he said to them, “Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.
“Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place” — Rather than visitors seek a place to stay, the inhabitants were the ones who would offer accommodation to those entering a village or area. Jesus tells the missionaries that they are to be satisfied with the first offer of hospitality and not seek to improve their lodging.
11 And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.”
“And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you” — This is what happened to Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth and the Twelve witnessed this rejection. Now he tells them what they are to do if and when they are rejected or ignored. Jesus in forms the Twelve, and us, that the Church is not necessarily called to success in its proclamation.
“shake off the dust that is on your feet” — The Israelites, on returning to their homeland from pagan territory, would shake off the dust of the country they had left as a sign that they were returning to holy and consecrated ground.
“for a testimony against them” — Shaking the dust off their sandals would have been a condemnatory sign against those who rejected the apostles: they were no better than pagans. After they were expelled, Paul and Barnabas did this in Acts 13: 51. Paul, with some strong words, repeated the action in Ac. 18: 6.
Some translations have “as a warning to them” or “for them”. This action could also make witnesses have a second thought about rejecting or ignoring the preachers.
12 So they went out and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.
“So they went out and preached that men should repent” — John the Baptist. the disciples and apostles were limited to preaching repentance (Mk. 1: 4). Jesus reserved to himself the preaching about the kingdom of God (Mk. 1: 14–15).
“repent” — This was a preliminary stage in responding to the word of God. It demanded a change of the way one thought and lived, if one was not obeying what God demanded.
“they cast out many demons” — This was reserved to Jesus’ Messianic ministry (Mk. 1: 34, 39, 43; 3: 22–23; 7: 26).
“[They] anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them” — A major activity of Jesus’ ministry was the cure of the sick (Mk. 1: 34; 3: 2, 10; 6: 5). Anointing of the sick with oil was a Hebrew practice. It is mentioned by Isaiah (Is. 1: 6). Mark is the only evangelist who speaks of anointing the sick with oil. There is the possibility that there may be a remote reference here to the later practice of the Sacrament of the Anointing the Sick. The main reference to that sacrament occurs in the Letter of James 5: 14–16.
Under the heading of “A Sacrament of the Sick”, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
“The Church believes and confesses that among the seven sacraments there is one especially intended to strengthen those who are being tried by illness, the Anointing of the Sick:
This sacred anointing of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord as a true and proper sacrament of the New Testament. It is alluded to indeed by Mark, but is recommended to the faithful and promulgated by James the apostle and brother of the Lord” (CCC, 1511).
“… The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given to those who are seriously ill by anointing them on the forehead and hands with duly blessed oil — pressed from olives or from other plants — saying, only once: “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up” (CCC, 1513).
APPLICATION
When Jesus called Simon and Andrew his invitation was “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mk. 1: 17). That was an invitation to become a missionary, to ‘catch’ people for God. Sometime later (Mk. 3: 14–15) “he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and to cast out demons”. This was the appointment to be missionaries, that is, ‘people sent out’, the meaning of the word “mission”. In today’s Gospel passage the Twelve began their missionary work.
There are people around us who, no doubt, would have regarded Jesus as imprudent, choosing such ordinary disciples to undertake such extraordinary work. They had heard Jesus preach in parables and they let it be known that they had not understood. They had seen some astonishing miracles but Jesus had the power, not the twelve. Now as he sent them off he told them that they needed nothing other than the clothes they were wearing, a pair of sandals and a staff. ‘Go as you are and trust in God’ was all the immediate preparation he offered.
We might regard it as a blessing that the Twelve had heard the invitation, the appointment and the actual ‘marching orders’ from the lips of Jesus. Even though they were neither prepared nor ready, at least Jesus was the one sending. That was some consolation.
The Church is the Universal Sacrament of Salvation and as the missionary document “Ad Gentes” (art. 2) from the Second Vatican Council states, “The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature, since it is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin, in accordance with the decree of God the Father.” That was one of the most innovative and important statements from that Council. It applies to each of us personally. If the Church is missionary by her very nature, each baptised and confirmed person, by being a member of the Church, must also be missionary. Pope John Paul II wrote that “missionary activity is a matter for all Christians”.
Faith is strengthened when it is given to others. It may seem to be merely a matter of sharing. But the deepening of roots is a by–product. When a number of people share their faith this produces missionary vitality. However, the opposite is also true: when there is little or no zeal to spread the faith, a crisis of faith ensues. This cause of the spread of secularism is never mentioned with the other reasons for the success of that modern happening.
It would be interesting to ask your friends and neighbours their views on what is the primary service which the Church can render to every individual and to all humanity in the modern world? Pope St. John Pal II spoke of this when he wrote his encyclical letter on the ‘Foreign Missions’. For him, the answer is missionary evangelisation, that is to bring the Good News of God’s love to all in the world which has lost its sense of God and the ultimate realities.
Right away you may feel to object and declare that you cannot do it because of your various weaknesses. Think of the Old Testament prophets, so many of whom also confessed their lack of competence and their inability. Think of the Twelve, definitely not suited for the task but Jesus overlooked that and “sent them out”.
During the homily at the Mass marking the inauguration of his pontificate Pope Benedict XVI said: “The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the One who gives us life, and life in abundance.” Jesus has given to each of us and our families so much. Our gratitude should be seen in our sharing what little we have with those who have not. Our faith may seem to be small but how rich we are compared to those who do not have. Belief in Jesus Christ is the way to arrive definitively at salvation. What a gift to give to others, the gift of salvation.