Church Fathers Commentary Mark 6:6-13

"And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages teaching. And he calleth unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits; and he charged them that they should take nothing for [their] journey, save a staff only; no bread, no wallet, now money in their purse; but [to go] shod with sandals: and, [said he], put not on two coats. And he said unto them, Wheresoever ye enter into a house, there abide till ye depart thence. And whatsoever place shall not receive you, and they hear you not, as ye go forth thence, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony unto them. And they went out, and preached that [men] should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." — Mark 6:6-13 (ASV)

Theophylact of Ohrid: The Lord preached not only in the cities but also in the villages, so that we may learn not to despise small things or always seek out large cities, but to sow the word of the Lord in remote and humble villages.

Therefore, it is said, "And He went round about the villages, teaching."

The Venerable Bede: Now our kind and merciful Lord and Master did not withhold His own virtues from His servants and disciples. Just as He Himself had healed every sickness and every infirmity, so also He gave the same power to His disciples.¹

Therefore, it goes on: "And He called to Him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits."

Great is the difference between giving and receiving. Whatever He does is done in His own power, as Lord. If they do anything, they confess their own weakness and the power of the Lord, saying in the name of Jesus, "Arise, and walk."

Theophylact of Ohrid: Again, He sends the Apostles two by two so that they would be more effective; for, as the Preacher says, "Two are better than one" (Ecclesiastes 4:9). But if He had sent more than two, there would not have been a sufficient number to send them to many villages.

St. Gregory the Great: Furthermore, the Lord sent the disciples to preach two by two because there are two commandments of love: the love of God and the love of our neighbor. Since love cannot exist between fewer than two people, He implies to us that anyone who does not have love for his neighbor should in no way take upon himself the office of preaching.²

It continues: "And He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse; but be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats."

The Venerable Bede: A preacher's trust in God should be so great that, even though he gives no thought to supplying his own needs in this present world, he should feel certain they will not go unmet, lest while his mind is occupied with temporal matters, he provides fewer eternal things to others.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: The Lord also gives them this command so that they might show by their way of life how far removed they were from the desire for riches.³

Theophylact of Ohrid: He was also instructing them by this not to be fond of receiving gifts, so that those who saw them proclaim poverty might be reconciled to it when they saw that the Apostles themselves possessed nothing.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Alternatively, according to Matthew, the Lord immediately added, "The workman is worthy of his meat" (Matthew 10:10), which sufficiently proves why He forbade them to carry or possess such things. It was not because these things were unnecessary, but because He sent them in such a way as to show that they were owed to them by the faithful to whom they preached the Gospel.⁴

From this, it is evident that the Lord did not mean by this command that the evangelists should live only on the gifts of those to whom they preach the Gospel; otherwise, the Apostle Paul would have transgressed this command when he supported himself by the labor of his own hands. Rather, the Lord meant that He had given them a power by which they could be assured that these things were due to them.

It is also often asked why Matthew and Luke related that the Lord commanded His disciples not to carry even a staff, while Mark says, "And He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only." This question is resolved by supposing that the word "staff" has a different meaning in Mark, who says it should be carried, than it does in Matthew and Luke, who state the opposite.

For one might concisely say, "Take none of the necessities of life with you—no, not even a staff—except for a staff only." The phrase "no, not even a staff" could mean "not even the smallest thing." But the addition, "except for a staff only," could mean that through the power they received from the Lord—of which a staff is the symbol—they will lack nothing, not even the things they do not carry.

The Lord, therefore, said both things. But because one evangelist did not record both, people suppose that the one who said the staff should be taken (in one sense) contradicts the one who declared it should be left behind (in another sense). Now that a reason has been provided, however, let no one think so.

Likewise, when Matthew declares that shoes are not to be worn on the journey, he is forbidding anxiety about them, for people are anxious about carrying them so that they will not be without them. This also applies to the two coats: no one should be troubled about having only the one he is wearing out of anxiety that he might need another, since he could always obtain one through the power given by the Lord.

Similarly, Mark, by saying they are to wear sandals, warns us that this way of protecting the feet has a mystical meaning: the foot should be neither covered on top nor bare on the ground. That is, the Gospel should be neither hidden nor dependent on earthly comforts. And when He forbids them to possess, carry, or, more specifically, wear two coats, He commands them to walk in simplicity, not with duplicity. But whoever thinks that the Lord could not, in the same discourse, say some things figuratively and others literally should look into His other discourses, and he will see how rash and ignorant his judgment is.

The Venerable Bede: Again, by "two tunics," He seems to me to mean two sets of clothes. This does not mean that in places like Scythia, covered with ice and snow, a man should be content with only one garment. Rather, by "coat," I think a complete set of clothing is implied, so that, being clothed with one, we should not keep another out of anxiety for what might happen.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Alternatively, Matthew and Luke allow neither shoes nor a staff, which is meant to indicate the highest perfection. But Mark permits them to take a staff and wear sandals, which is spoken as a concession (see 1 Corinthians 7:6).

The Venerable Bede: Again, allegorically, the bag symbolizes the burdens of this world, bread signifies temporal delights, and money in the belt represents hidden wisdom. This is because he who accepts the office of a teacher should neither be weighed down by the burden of worldly affairs, nor softened by carnal desires, nor hide the talent of the word entrusted to him within an inactive body.

It goes on: "And He said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place."

Here He gives a general command for constancy, that they should respect the bond of hospitality, adding that running from house to house is inconsistent with preaching the kingdom of heaven.

Theophylact of Ohrid: This was so they would not be accused of gluttony for moving from one house to another. It continues, "And whoever shall not receive you..." The Lord commanded this so that they might show they had traveled a long way for their sake, but in vain. Or, it was because they received nothing from them—not even the dust they shake off—so that it might be a testimony against them, that is, for their conviction.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Alternatively, it might be a witness to the hardship of the journey they endured for them; or it is as if the dust of the preachers' sins was turned against themselves.

It continues: "And they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them."

Mark alone mentions their anointing with oil. James, however, in his canonical Epistle, says something similar. For oil both refreshes us in our labors and gives us light and joy. But again, oil signifies the mercy of God's anointing, the healing of sickness, and the enlightenment of the heart, all of which is accomplished through prayer.

Theophylact of Ohrid: It also signifies the grace of the Holy Spirit, by which we are relieved from our labors and receive light and spiritual joy.

The Venerable Bede: From the Apostles' actions, it is evident that it is an ancient custom of the holy Church for people who are possessed or afflicted with any disease to be anointed with oil consecrated by a priest's blessing.

1. in Marc., 2, 24
2. Hom. in Evan., 17
3. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
4. de Con. Evan., 2, 30