Mark 6:7-13 - Standard operating procedure for ministers

In Mark 3:14 the Lord appointed the 12 apostles to be with Him so that He could send them out. And they had been with Him, they walked, slept, ate and traveled with Him. They had seen and experienced the wonders of His ministry – teaching the multitude, healing the sick, delivering the demonized and reviving the dead. The time had now arrived for the Lord to send them out to do what He had done. Verse 7 tells us that they were sent out two by two. Each one was endowed with wisdom and the Master’s authority, especially to cast out demons. This arrangement met the basic requirement set in Deuteronomy 19:15, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall a matter be confirmed.  Furthermore, each one could provide support for his partner as a pair.

Verses 8-11 detail three specific instructions from the Lord to the teams as they set out for their ministries. Firstly, He dealt with their basic provision. They were instructed to “…take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belt— but to wear sandals;” and He added, “Do not put on two tunics.” This was to help them to exercise faith in God  and not on what they had. He probably wanted to inculcate maximum faith in Him and not to overly rely on their own limited provision.  

Secondly, He instructed them regarding their comfort. In their day, they had to depend on the hospitality of their host. The Lord did not want them to change their lodging just for self-comfort. They were told to stay with one host until they leave town.  

And thirdly, they were told about the attitude they should adopt:  ^“Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” This act was a call to dissociate with the pollution of the pagan and the judgement that would come upon them. This was designed to cause the people to reflect on their spiritual condition and to consider the grace that had been offered. And the Twelve went out and “…preached that men should repent. And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.”

In seven verses, we are called to go forth and reach a turbulent world. We do it depending on the Lord; we do it traveling light; and we do what we can and trust Christ to do what we cannot. Let’s go forth and accomplish the greater works that He had promised