Mark 6 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 6:7-13 – Apostles Sent Out by Twos

Mark 6:7-13 – Apostles Sent Out by Twos

|| Matthew 10:1, 9-14;[1] Luke 9:1-6

MK6:7 Then Jesus summoned the Twelve and started to send them forth two by two. He gave them authority over unclean demons, MK6:8 and commanded them to take nothing for their travels[2] except only a staff – no bread, no provisions sack, no copper money in their belts – MK6:9 but only sandals for their feet and no second under garment. MK6:10 Now he told them: “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you are finished. MK6:11 And, whoever will not welcome you, or listen to you, on leaving that village stamp the dust off your feet as a witness against them.” MK6:12 So the Twelve set out and preached that everyone should repent. MK6:13 Now they exorcised demons and anointed the sick with oil and healed them.

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[1] Matthew 10:1, 9-14: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

[2] Take nothing for their travels: Jesus explains his actions after his resurrection. He is trying to teach them a lesson of reliance on God. [Luke 22:35]

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Preceding

Mark 6 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 6:1-6 – A Prophet Without Honor

Mark 3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 3:13-19 – Formation of Group of the Apostles

Mark 3:13-19 – Formation of Group of the Apostles

|| Matthew 10:1-4;[1] Luke 6:12-16

MK3:13 Then Jesus went up into the mountains and summoned those he wanted and they came to visit him. MK3:14 He appointed[2] twelve to be his close companions[3] and in order to send them forth to preach. MK3:15 Also, they would have authority to heal sicknesses and exorcise demons. MK3:16 And Jesus appointed: Simon (also called Peter), MK3:17 James and John of Zebedee (he called them “Boanerges” meaning “Sons of Thunder”), MK3:18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon of Canaan, MK3:19 and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed him. Then he went home.

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[1] Matthew 10:1-4: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

[2] Appointed: Or, ordained.

[3] Close companions: Or, be with him, associate with him. In Luke 12:32 Jesus calls these his “little flock.”

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Preceding

Matthew 19:27-29 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: We Have Left Everything for You!

Mark 3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 3:1-6 – A Withered Hand Cured on the Sabbath

Mark 3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 3:7-12 – Crowds Follow Jesus

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Related

Mark 3:13-19 – Who were the twelve apostles?

Those who Jesus can call friends

This weekend is a most important weekend, having Biblestudents all over the world remembering how Jesus had his last supper with his friends.

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You are the ones who have stuck with me in my trials.​—Luke 22:28.

Throughout Jesus’ challenging ministry, the faithful apostles proved to be real friends to Jesus. (Prov. 18:24) Jesus valued such friends. During his ministry, none of his fleshly brothers put faith in him. (John 7:3-5) At one point, his relatives even thought that he had gone mad. (Mark 3:21)

By contrast, Jesus could say the words of today’s text to the faithful apostles on the night before his death. The apostles occasionally disappointed Jesus, but he looked past their faults and saw that they had faith in him. (Matt. 26:40; Mark 10:13, 14; John 6:66-69)

On the last night with them before he was executed, Jesus said to these loyal men:

“I have called you friends, because I have made known to you all the things I have heard from my Father.” (John 15:15)

Without a doubt, Jesus’ friends were a great source of encouragement to him.

w19.04 11 ¶11-12

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #8 Matthew 26:31-35 – How All Will Be Stumbled This Night

Matthew 26:31-35 – How All Will Be Stumbled This Night

|| Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:31-34, 39; John 13:36-38

MT26:31 Now at this time Jesus told his disciples, “All of you [apostles] will stumble[1] because of me this very night. For it has been written,[2] ‘I shall smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock[3] will be scattered.’ [Zechariah 13:7] MT26:32 But after being raised up[4] I shall go before you into Galilee.” MT26:33 But Peter responded: “If all the others are stumbled because of you, I shall never be stumbled!”[5] MT26:34 Jesus said to him: “I tell you this truth: This very night before the rooster crows three times you [Peter] will deny me.” MT26:35 Peter said to Jesus: “And… if it is necessary for me I will die together with you! Never will I deny you!” Also, all the disciples said the same thing.[6]

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[1] Stumble: The Greek is SCANDALISTHESESTHE. BER: scandalized. See notes on the word elsewhere.

[2] It has been written: The Nazarene quotes Zechariah 13:7.

[3] The sheep of the flock: See the “one flock” of John 10:16. See Luke 12:32 and the “little flock” of Jesus’ apostles. Jesus had said he came only for the ‘lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ Compare notes on Matthew 10:6 and Matthew 15:24.

[4] Raised up: A synonym for “resurrected.” Compare Paul’s use in 1 Corinthians 15.

[5] I shall never be stumbled: We wonder at Jesus’ expression to this presumptuousness. Or, KJV: never be offended; LAM: never deny you.

[6] All the disciples said the same thing: Or, WEY: in like manner protested all the disciples.

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Preceding

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #1 Matthew 26:1-2 – Two Days Before Execution

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #2 Matthew 26:3-5 – Plotting to Seize Jesus

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #3 Matthew 26:6-13 – A Woman to Be Remembered

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #4 Matthew 26:14-16 – The Price of Betrayal

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #5 Matthew 26:17-19 – Passover Preparations

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #6 Matthew 26:20-25 – The Last Passover

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #7 Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory

Matthew 21:33-41 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of the Vineyard

Matthew 21:33-41 – Parable of the Vineyard

|| Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16

MT21:33 “Listen to another parable:[1] A person was a landlord. Before traveling away, he planted a vineyard, fenced it around, dug a winepress, erected a tower and then he leased it out to cultivators. MT21:34 Now when the fruit came into season the landlord sent his slaves to the cultivators to gather in his crop. MT21:35 Having received his slaves the cultivators beat them, and one they killed and another they stoned. MT21:36 Then the landlord sent more slaves and they did the same to them. MT21:37 Finally, he sent off his own son, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ MT21:38 However, when the [cultivators] saw the son they told one another, ‘This is the heir. Come and let us kill him and then we will have his inheritance.’ MT21:39 Taking the son they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. MT21:40 Now, when the lord of the vineyard arrived, what will he do to those cultivators?” MT21:41 The priests and Scribes answered, “Because they were bad people he will bring a bad destruction on them. Then he will lease the vineyard out to other cultivators who will produce the fruitage in the season.”

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[1] Listen to another parable: Jesus is about to do something similar to the prophet Nathan: tell a story about these men and get them to condemn themselves. The landlord is Yehowah, God of the Jews. The cultivators are those Jewish men who were responsible: the priests, scribes, and elders. The “slaves” likely included John the Baptist and his disciples as well as Jesus’ own apostles. The “son” is Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus predicts an evil destruction upon those men. Jesus indicates his death will occur outside of Jerusalem.

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Preceding

Matthew 21:1-3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Sent Ahead for a Donkey

Matthew 21:4-5 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Your King Is Coming upon a Donkey

Matthew 21:6-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Blessed the One Coming in God’s Name!

Matthew 21:10-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Who Is This?

Matthew 21:12-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Temple Cleansed

Matthew 21:12-14 – From a den of thieves to a house of prayer

Matthew 21:15-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Out of the Mouth of Babes

Matthew 21:18-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: A Cursed Fig Tree a Lesson in Faith

Matthew 21:23-27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Question of Authority

Matthew 21:28-32 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of Two Children

 

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Further related

1. “at evensong, one hour before the sun go down”: a Sermon on the Parable of the Vineyard
2. The Parable of the Vineyard
3. March 15
4. How to Subvert Divine Justice and Turn Everybody’s Lives Upside Down
5. Passion Week – Killing the Master’s Son: Matthew 21:33-41