Gospel: Jesus Sent Out the Twelve

Today marks the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the Gospel reading is lifted from the account of St Mark (6:7-13).

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick--no food, no sack, no money in their belts.

They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them."

So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

This week's Gospel and the one for next week describe how Jesus sent the disciples to minister in his name and the disciples return to Jesus afterward. These two passages, however, are not presented together in St Mark's Gospel. Inserted between the two is the report of Herod's fears that Jesus is St John the Baptist back from the dead. In St Mark's Gospel, Jesus' ministry is presented in connection with the teaching of St John the Baptist. Jesus' public ministry begins after St John the Baptist was arrested. He prepared the way for Jesus, who preached the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God.

While we do not read these details about st John the Baptist in our Gospel this week or next week, our Lectionary sequence stays consistent with St Mark's theme. Recall that last week we heard how Jesus was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. The insertion of the reminder about St John the Baptist's ministry and his death at the hands of Herod in St Mark's Gospel makes a similar point. St Mark reminds his readers about this dangerous context for Jesus' ministry and that of his disciples. Preaching repentance and the Kingdom of God is dangerous business for Jesus and for his disciples. St Mark wants his readers to remember that we, too, may find resistance as we choose to be disciples of Jesus.

St Mark's Gospel tells us that Jesus sent out the Twelve. These twelve were selected from among Jesus' disciples and named by St Mark in chapter three. St Mark notes that these twelve are also called "apostles." The word apostle means "one who is sent." The number twelve is also a symbolic number, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. By naming twelve apostles, Jesus shows his mission to be a continuation of the mission of God's people, Israel.

Jesus' instructions to the apostles are very specific. He repeats the mission that they are sent to preach and to share his authority to heal and to drive out demons. Jesus sends them in pairs, establishing his mission to be a communal endeavor. Jesus also instructs them to travel lightly, without the customary food, money, and extra set of clothes. These instructions mean that the twelve will be dependent on the hospitality of others, just as Jesus depended on others to provide for his needs.

Jesus continues to send us into the world as his disciples. But like the first disciples, we are not sent alone. Jesus has given us the community of the Church, which strengthens our life of discipleship. The Christian message can only authentically be proclaimed in and through the community of faith that is the Church. In our work with others, we build this community of faith and can invite others to share in it.

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