Mark: The Right Now Gospel
Pt. 10
“The 12 Sent Out And a Foolish Old King”
Sending Out the Twelve
Mark 6:7-9 “And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. 8 He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— 9 but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.”
Here we have the sending out of the 12 to do the work of ministry. It’s an exciting time for them. It’s worth noting that the 12 had been with Jesus for quite some time before being sent out by him. That is the Bible pattern!
And as was his habit, Mark’s account focuses more on action than Christ’s words before sending them. Matthew records more of Jesus’s words:
“Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”–Matt 10:5-8
Now, in Mark’s account we see Jesus first laying out the CONDITION in which they were to go. They were to travel in two’s, never alone. And they were to take nothing for the journey–no bag, bread, or money in their money belts.
Why did the Lord require this? He wanted them to learn to trust in his sovereign provision when doing his work. Toward the end of his ministry, Jesus referred back to this time by asking them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”–Lk 22:35
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Then next, the Lord tells them what their DEMEANOR is to be toward those that reject their message:
10 “Also He said to them, ‘In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 11 And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!’”
There are times in our dealings with people, when we have shared the gospel and reasoned with them about the truth of it and they yet reject it, that we are to leave them to it.
Jesus said, ‘If they will not receive you nor hear you, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.’ Shaking the dust off the sandals was a symbol of renunciation of further effort, and perhaps a disclaimer of responsibility. It certainly meant, ‘We have no more to do with you,’ and possibly, ‘Your blood be on your own heads.’
The Apostle Paul did this very thing with the Jews that opposed him. “But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”–Acts 18:6
But this isn’t always the case in our own dealings with others. Sometimes the Lord will have you persevere long with a person. So this is not necessarily prescriptive, but is descriptive of this particular event. We must make it a matter of prayer and follow the Spirit’s leading at all times. Mark continues in vs. 12:
12 “So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.”
Notice what their message began with. REPENT! In today’s modern pulpits we don’t often hear that word. We don’t want to offend or lose church attendees. But REPENTANCE is the condition upon which we walk through the door of salvation!
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Next we have the grim and sad account of the martyrdom of John the Baptist:
14 “Now King Herod heard of Him (Jesus), for His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”
15 Others said, “It is Elijah.”
And others said, “It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.”
16 But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!”
What we have here is a classic example of haunting guilt. Why was Herod so obsessed with John? Mark tells us:
17 For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. 18 Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Herod had committed an egregious act of adultery, and not the garden variety kind. He had actually torn apart his brother Philip’s marriage in order to marry his brother’s wife, Herodias. So this was incestuous adultery. John the baptist had spoken out against it, calling it sin, and Herodias didn’t like it:
19 “Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”
Now, the translation here of “he did many things” is not the best. The original Greek reads, “greatly he was perplexed” and heard him gladly. Meaning the preaching of John had sent him into a state of tension and uncertainty. Apparently, Herod had experienced a level of conviction. But he never fully repented, which made him tragically vulnerable to what came next:
21 “Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. 22 And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23 He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”
And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”
25 Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26 And the king was exceedingly sorry;”
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Now, we are given a glimpse here into the twisted soul of the woman Herod had sinfully brought into his life. Herodias’s request is like something out of Friday 13th. It is macabre and hellish. “…give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
This request was designed entirely to mock and denigrate the man of God in front of the entire dinner party.
We note that this mother/daughter duo are very much alike. They are about sensuality, revenge, and cruelty. No doubt, Herodias had snared Herod with the same sensual appeal the daughter had made use of in her dancing.
And Herod, having never fully repented, was reduced to an old, lustful fool that snared himself with the words of his mouth. The same weakness with lust that had moved him to steal his brother’s wife now snares him again, to his own regret and sorrow.
It says, “yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.”
Can you imagine being the dinner guests at this point!
We see here that there is often a link between sensuality and violence–both works of the flesh. For instance, how often we read of an adulterous affair that turns violent and even results in murder!
John’s disciples came and took his headless corpse and laid it in a tomb. The mighty warrior and herald for the arrival of Christ was now safe in glory!
Jesus later said of his cousin John the Baptist, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;”–Matt 11:11
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TAKEAWAYS:
• Regarding the disciples: Where God guides, God provides
• Regarding Paul: Sometimes we must walk away from “NO” people to search for “YES” people
• Regarding John: Speaking the truth sometimes carries the highest price
• Regarding Herod: Conviction ignored opens dark doors