Read Mark 6:6b - 12
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. [Mark 6:7 NIV]
The word 'mission' is from the Latin word 'mittere' which means 'to send.' These 12 men were being sent out by Jesus and this act of sending is called a 'mission' and the same word applies to the persons who are being sent and their purpose. Because we use the word 'missionary' to describe Christians who have gone overseas to preach the Gospel, we often associate 'mission' with going abroad. However, these men were being sent to their own people. Notice that I have used the word 'apostle' to refer to these 12 men and this comes from the Greek word also meaning to send [apo = 'away' and stellein = 'to send.']
Although we are not apostles, we have a command from the Lord Jesus to go and to make disciples of all nations. So we are also on a mission (See Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1:7). Although these words were originally addressed to the 12 (or 11 after the death of Judas), the great commission applies to all of us.
Mark mentions that the apostles are being sent out two by two and this is not specifically mentioned in Matthew's Gospel or Luke's Gospel but both Matthew and Luke lists them in pairs (Matthew 10: 2-4 and Luke 6:14-16). Matthew gives more detail on this mission. The mission-field was the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The theme of their preaching was the nearness of the kingdom. Their credentials was the power to work miracles, even going as far as raising from the dead. They were to dress like ordinary peasants from Galilee on a journey. There is a description of how they were to approach the towns and villages and how they were to behave on their arrival. If they had a staff, they were to take it but if they did not have one they were not to go out and purchase one. The scrip was a bag slung over the shoulder and was used as a wallet. It was made in Syria from the skin of a goat's kid, The skin was stripped off whole and tanned. The purse (literally their money belt) was simply a fold in the tunic hanging over the girdle.
The whole of the instructions imply that the disciples were to go on their journey with minimum preparation and with no grandeur or ostentation. They were to travel in the same way as the ordinary Galilean peasants.
They were to wear sandals not shoes. The shoes were made from a softer leather and the sandals were made of much harder leather. The sandal was a piece of thick, tough leather, roughly the shape of the sole of the foot, but larger every way - holes were pierced all-round the edges and laces were attached to these holes and then used to keep the sandal attached to the foot. This was basic protection for walking on rough ground or in thorny paths. So the picture is that these apostles were to be dressed practically with footwear and clothes which would stand up to the demands of the tasks. They were not to wear any uniform or any form of dress which would elevate them from the status of the ordinary folk they were visiting.
Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” [Mark 4:10-11 NIV]
To help us to understand what Jesus is teaching in these verses, it might help us to look at the book of Acts where we see the apostles in action. Paul was not one of the original apostles, but, through God's grace he was included as an apostle, and we have a record of his visit (along with others) to the city of Thyatira. A rich business woman called Lydia provides hospitality to them. She invites them to stay in her home. There was a distinct lack of travel lodges or inns in those days and so it was customary to be given hospitality in the home of strangers. However, there is a clear indication that Lydia was identifying herself with the message of the gospel which Paul was preaching. She has just declared her allegiance to Jesus by being baptised. (Acts 16:15)
On the other hand, we have an example of the second part of Jesus statement - a place which did not welcome them.
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” [Acts 18:5-6]
Although there is not a specific reference to shaking the dust from their feet, it would seem that Paul's actions are making the same point. He spells out the meaning of shaking his clothes in protest and makes a declaration that he is not responsible for the consequences of their rejection. A lesson is there for us today. Sometimes it is clear that people have turned their backs on the message of the Gospel. There is a justification for making the decision to go elsewhere. This is a decision which should not be taken lightly and should be preceded by much prayer for God's guidance. There is also a message for anyone who is reading this blog and who has consistently refused to accept the message of the good news. There will be a time when you will no longer have the opportunity to respond to the invitation from God's messengers.
As we bring this blog to a close, notice that these apostles were preaching that people should repent. This is an important point. This means that those who heard the message were expected to look within themselves and to see that they needed to change the way they were living. They needed to turn their back on their sinful lifestyle and thoughts and to turn to God through the person of Jesus Christ, God's Son. This same message applies to us today in 2022 (Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30). [See Day Share entitled, "Repent and believe 22/01/2022"]
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