Mark 6:7
Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.
And He called
The Greek word for "called" is "προσκαλέω" (proskaleō), which implies a personal and intentional summoning. This highlights Jesus' active role in initiating the mission of the twelve apostles. It reflects the divine calling that each believer experiences, emphasizing that it is God who calls us into His service, not by our merit but by His sovereign will.

the twelve
The "twelve" refers to the twelve apostles, a group symbolically representing the twelve tribes of Israel. This connection underscores the continuity between the Old and New Covenants, with the apostles serving as foundational figures in the establishment of the Church. Historically, the number twelve signifies completeness and authority, indicating the comprehensive nature of their mission.

to Him
This phrase emphasizes the relational aspect of discipleship. The apostles are called to Jesus Himself, not just to a task or mission. It reflects the centrality of Christ in the life of a believer, where all ministry and service flow from a personal relationship with Him.

and began to send them out
The Greek word "ἀποστέλλω" (apostellō) is used here, from which we derive the term "apostle." It means to send forth with a specific purpose. This commissioning marks a pivotal moment where the apostles transition from being mere followers to active participants in Jesus' mission. It highlights the Church's call to be outward-focused, spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

two by two
Sending the apostles in pairs reflects a practical and spiritual strategy. Practically, it provided mutual support and accountability. Spiritually, it aligns with the biblical principle of testimony, where two witnesses establish truth (Deuteronomy 19:15). This method underscores the importance of community and partnership in ministry.

giving them authority
The Greek word "ἐξουσία" (exousia) denotes power and authority granted by a higher power. Jesus imparts His divine authority to the apostles, signifying that their mission is not carried out in their strength but through His power. This authority is a reminder of the believer's empowerment through the Holy Spirit to accomplish God's work.

over unclean spirits
"Unclean spirits" refers to demonic forces opposed to God's kingdom. The authority over these spirits signifies the breaking in of God's kingdom, where Jesus' power triumphs over evil. Historically, this authority demonstrated the authenticity of Jesus' message and mission, providing a foretaste of the ultimate victory over sin and death. It reassures believers of Christ's supremacy over all spiritual forces.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is the one who calls and sends out the twelve disciples. His authority and mission are pivotal to understanding this verse.

2. The Twelve Disciples
These are the chosen followers of Jesus, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. They are being prepared for their mission to spread the Gospel.

3. Unclean Spirits
These refer to demonic forces or evil spirits that the disciples are given authority over. This highlights the spiritual warfare aspect of their mission.

4. Two by Two
This method of sending the disciples in pairs emphasizes the importance of companionship and mutual support in ministry.

5. Authority
The Greek word used here is (exousia), meaning power or authority. This indicates the divine empowerment given to the disciples to carry out their mission.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Community in Ministry
Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs, highlighting the need for support, accountability, and encouragement in ministry work.

Divine Authority and Empowerment
The authority given to the disciples is a reminder that our strength in ministry comes from God, not from ourselves.

Spiritual Warfare Awareness
Recognizing the reality of unclean spirits and spiritual battles is crucial for Christians. We must be prepared and equipped to face these challenges.

Obedience to the Call
The disciples responded to Jesus' call and went out as instructed. We, too, must be willing to step out in faith when God calls us to serve.

Reliance on God's Provision
The sending out of the disciples with authority implies reliance on God's provision and guidance, rather than human resources or strategies.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the method of sending the disciples "two by two" teach us about the importance of fellowship and partnership in our own ministry efforts?

2. How can we apply the concept of "authority over unclean spirits" in our daily spiritual lives and battles?

3. In what ways does the empowerment of the disciples in Mark 6:7 relate to the empowerment of believers through the Holy Spirit as described in Acts 1:8?

4. How can we ensure that we are responding obediently to God's call in our lives, similar to how the disciples responded to Jesus?

5. Reflect on a time when you had to rely on God's provision and authority in a challenging situation. How did this experience strengthen your faith and understanding of God's power?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Matthew 10:1-4
This passage parallels Mark 6:7, providing additional details about the authority given to the disciples and listing their names.

Luke 10:1-20
Describes a similar sending out of the seventy-two, emphasizing the authority over demons and the joy of the disciples in their successful mission.

Acts 1:8
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, empowering the disciples to be His witnesses, which connects to the authority given in Mark 6:7.

Ephesians 6:10-18
Discusses the armor of God, which is relevant to the spiritual authority and warfare mentioned in Mark 6:7.
On Attending the Church ServiceJohn Wesley Mark 6:7
Preparations for PreachingA. Rowland Mark 6:7-12
MissionariesE. Johnson Mark 6:7-13
The Apostolic CommissionR. Green Mark 6:7-13
The Mission of the TwelveA.F. Muir Mark 6:7-13
The Mission of the TwelveJ.J. Given Mark 6:7-13
Apostolic Labours and Their ReceptionJ. H. Godwin.Mark 6:7-18
CompanionshipDe W. S. Clark.Mark 6:7-18
Incumbrances to be AbandonedDe W. S. Clark.Mark 6:7-18
MissionariesE. Johnson, M. A.Mark 6:7-18
Mutual HelpMark 6:7-18
No MoneyJ. Morison, D. D.Mark 6:7-18
Preparations for PreachingA. Rowland, LL. B.Mark 6:7-18
The Apostolic CommissionR. Green.Mark 6:7-18
The First Mission of the TwelveH. M. Luckock, D. D.Mark 6:7-18
The Mission of the TwelveMatthew Henry, D. C. Hughes, M. A.Mark 6:7-18
People
Elias, Elijah, Herod, Herodias, James, Jesus, John, Joseph, Joses, Judas, Jude, Mary, Philip, Simon
Places
Bethsaida, Galilee, Genneseret, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Sea of Galilee
Topics
Authority, Calleth, Calls, Evil, Forth, Foul, Giving, Orders, Pairs, Power, Proceeded, Spirits, Summoned, Summoning, Twelve, Twos, Unclean
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Mark 6:7

     2012   Christ, authority
     4135   demons, Christ's authority over
     4165   exorcism
     5457   power, human
     7709   apostles, authority
     7726   evangelists, ministry

Mark 6:1-11

     7757   preaching, effects

Mark 6:1-56

     5357   journey

Mark 6:6-11

     7621   disciples, calling

Mark 6:7-11

     7740   missionaries, call
     7953   mission, of church

Mark 6:7-12

     7755   preaching, importance

Mark 6:7-13

     4512   staff
     7631   Twelve, calling of
     7708   apostles, function

Library
January 6 Evening
The apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things they had done.--MARK 6:30. There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.--The Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.--Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. When ye shall have done
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

September 4. "Come Ye Yourselves Apart" (Mark vi. 31).
"Come ye yourselves apart" (Mark vi. 31). One of the greatest hindrances to spirituality is the lack of waiting upon God. You cannot go through twenty-four hours with two or three breaths of air, in the morning, as you sip your coffee. But you must live in the atmosphere, and you must breathe it all day long. Christians do not wait upon God enough. It needs hours and hours daily of spiritual communion with the Holy Spirit to keep your vitality healthful and full. Every moment should find you breathing
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

January 8. "It is I, be not Afraid" (Mark vi. 50).
"It is I, be not afraid" (Mark vi. 50). Someone tells of a little child with some big story of sorrow upon its little heart, flying to its mother's arms for comfort, and intending to tell her the story of its trouble; but as that mother presses it to her bosom and pours out her love, it soon becomes so occupied with her and the sweetness of her affection that it forgets to tell its story, and in a little while even the memory of the trouble is forgotten. It has just been loved away, and she has taken
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Herod --A Startled Conscience
'But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.'--Mark vi. 16. The character of this Herod, surnamed Antipas, is a sufficiently common and a sufficiently despicable one. He was the very type of an Eastern despot, exactly like some of those half-independent Rajahs, whose dominions march with ours in India; capricious, crafty, as the epithet which Christ applied to him, 'That fox!' shows; cruel, as the story of the murder of John the Baptist proves; sensuous
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Master Rejected: the Servants Sent Forth
'And He went out from thence, and came into His own country; and His disciples follow Him. 2. And when the Sabbath day was come, He began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing Him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto Him, that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands? 3. Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the Brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon! and are not His sisters here with us? And they
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Martyrdom of John
'For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. 18. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. 19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: 20. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. 21. And when
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The World's Bread
'And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31. And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. 33. And the people saw them departing, and many knew Him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Christ Thwarted
'And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And He marvelled because of their unbelief.'--Mark vi. 5,6. It is possible to live too near a man to see him. Familiarity with the small details blinds most people to the essential greatness of any life. So these fellow-villagers of Jesus in Nazareth knew Him too well to know Him rightly as they talked Him over; they recognised His wisdom and His mighty works; but all the impression that these
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

On Attending the Church Service
"The sin of the young men was very great." 1 Sam. 2:17. 1. The corruption, not only of the heathen world, but likewise of them that were called Christians, has been matter of sorrow and lamentation to pious men, almost from the time of the apostles. And hence, as early as the second century, within a hundred years of St. John's removal from the earth, men who were afraid of being partakers of other men's sins, thought it their duty to separate from them. Hence, in every age many have retired from
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

The Epistle of Saint Jude.
V. 1, 2. Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, but a brother of James, to those that are called to be holy in God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. This Epistle is ascribed to the holy Apostle, St. Jude, brother of the two Apostles, James the Less and Simon, by the sister of the mother of Christ, who is called Mary (wife) of James or Cleopas, as we read in Mark vi. But this Epistle cannot be looked upon as being that of one who was truly an Apostle,
Martin Luther—The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained

The First Sayings of Jesus --His Ideas of a Divine Father and of a Pure Religion --First Disciples.
Joseph died before his son had taken any public part. Mary remained, in a manner, the head of the family, and this explains why her son, when it was wished to distinguish him from others of the same name, was most frequently called the "son of Mary."[1] It seems that having, by the death of her husband, been left friendless at Nazareth, she withdrew to Cana,[2] from which she may have come originally. Cana[3] was a little town at from two to two and a half hours' journey from Nazareth, at the foot
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

The Chronology
45. The length of the public ministry of Jesus was one of the earliest questions which arose in the study of the four gospels. In the second and third centuries it was not uncommon to find the answer in the passage from Isaiah (lxi. 1, 2), which Jesus declared was fulfilled in himself. "The acceptable year of the Lord" was taken to indicate that the ministry covered little more than a year. The fact that the first three gospels mention but one Passover (that at the end), and but one journey to Jerusalem,
Rush Rhees—The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

The Friend of Men 223 in Nothing Does the Contrast Between Jesus and John the Baptist Appear More Clearly than in their Attitude Towards Common Social
I The Friend of Men 223. In nothing does the contrast between Jesus and John the Baptist appear more clearly than in their attitude towards common social life. John had his training and did his work apart from the homes of men. The wilderness was his chosen and fit scene of labor. From this solitude he sent forth his summons and warning to his people. They who sought him for fuller teaching went after him and found him where he was. They then returned to their homes and their work, leaving the prophet
Rush Rhees—The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

Twelve Baskets Full of Fragments Gathered from the Miracle of Christ Feeding the Multitude.
1.--MAN NEEDS HELP. "They have nothing to eat." (Mark vi. 36.) 2.--GOD IS BETTER THAN GOOD MEN. "Send them away," said the disciples. (Mark vi. 36.) "They need not depart," the Lord replied. (Matt. xiv. 16.) 3.--MINISTERS SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR THE CHILDREN, THEY GIVE HELP AS WELL AS TROUBLE. Andrew said, "There is a lad here." (John vi. 9.) 4.--YOUTH CAN GIVE TO JESUS WHAT NO ONE ELSE POSSESSES. "There is a lad here which hath five barley loaves." (John vi. 9.) 5.--UNBELIEF
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

The Historical Books. 1 the New Testament...
CHAPTER XXIX. THE HISTORICAL BOOKS. 1. The New Testament, like the Old, is not an abstract system of doctrines and duties, but a record of facts involving doctrines and duties of the highest import. This record does not constitute an independent history, complete in itself, and to be explained in its own light. It is rather the necessary sequel to the record of the Old Testament. It interprets the Old Testament, and is itself interpreted by it. The two constitute together an organic whole, and can
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Right to Privacy
"There were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."--Mark 6:31 "But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them."--Matthew 9:36 I had just come back from a strenuous month in the country. Mr. and Mrs. Sprightly, the young married couple who were in charge of the mission station, and I were relaxing around the tea table. I told about the work I had been doing, and answered interested questions. Finally the talk drifted into lighter channels, and
Mabel Williamson—Have We No Rights?

Set at Liberty.
(MARK VI. 27.) "Hush my soul, and vain regrets be stilled; Now rest in Him who is the complement Of whatsoe'er transcends our mortal doom, Of baffled hope and unfulfilled intent; In the clear vision and aspect of whom All longings and all hopes shall be fulfilled." ARCHBISHOP TRENCH. The Genesis of a Great Crime--The Strength of Evil Influences--An Accomplice of Satan--The Triumph of Hate--The Baptist Beheaded--A Place of Repentance The evangelist Mark tells us, in the twenty-first verse of this
F. B. Meyer—John the Baptist

The King's Courts
(MARK VI.) "The number of thine own complete, Sum up and make an end; Sift clean the chaff, and house the wheat; And then, O Lord, descend. "Descend, and solve by that descent This mystery of life; Where good and ill, together blent, Wage an undying strife." J. H. N. Under Royal Surveillance--"It is not Lawful."--The Revenge of Herodias--The Upbraidings of Conscience--Devotion to Truth--"A Sin unto Death." Our story brings us next to speak of the Baptist's relations with Herod Antipas, son of the
F. B. Meyer—John the Baptist

Rejected in his Own Country
"And He went out from thence; and He cometh into His own country; and His disciples follow Him." MARK 6:1-6 (R.V.) WE have seen how St. Mark, to bring out more vividly the connection between four mighty signs, their ideal completeness as a whole, and that mastery over nature and the spiritual world which they reveal, grouped them resolutely together, excluding even significant incidents which would break in upon their sequence. Bearing this in mind, how profoundly instructive it is that our Evangelist
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

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