7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.1 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’2 name had become known. Some3 said, “John the Baptist4 has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately 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, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s5 head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and 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 his body and laid it in a tomb.
Section Overview
A third cycle is reached in Jesus’ mentoring of his disciples. Now he sends his followers out in pairs to call to repentance, to exorcise, and to heal the sick (Mark 6:12, 30; see echo to 3:13–15). As noted above, the death of John the Baptist (6:14–29) casts a long shadow over Jesus’ own future (cf. 1:14; 3:1–6; 6:1–6).220 His life is already endangered, partially because of his authoritative, miraculous deeds and partially because of his unusual claims. There are many public opinions and rumors about the increasingly popular Jesus. The Galilean tetrarch, Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist executed, believes Jesus to be the revived Baptizer (6:16).
Amid various themes of rejection (6:1–6, 14–29; cf. comments on 1:16–45), the disciples are now sent out to disseminate Jesus’ good news and to bring his blessings (6:7–13). The systematically taught disciples proclaim God’s eternal rule, complemented by healings and exorcisms. On the heels of Jesus’ rejection in his hometown of Nazareth, the arrest (6:17), death (6:27), and burial (6:29) of the innocent John the Baptist signals that Jesus will continue to face stiff opposition (cf. 1:14; 3:1–6; 6:1–6; 14:1–2). Concerning the impending consequences of opposition to Jesus, consider especially 14:46; 15:1 (arrest); 15:10, 14–15 (death); and 15:45–46 (burial of the innocent), aspects of which will eventually confront the disciples as well (cf. 8:27–10:52; Acts 4:3). The term “prison” serves as an inclusio (cf. Mark 6:17, 27), also underlining the conspicuous and paradoxical contrast between “prison” for the godly and a “banquet” (v. 21) for the ungodly.
The wider context of 6:30–8:26 describes Jesus’ work beyond Galilee. He continues to display his expanding authority, thus undergirding his message. Amid such work, he applies the personal rule of God more thoroughly and directly to his disciples by warning them of their hard hearts (see esp. 8:14–21) as a key obstacle to God’s rightful kingship (cf. comments on 1:16–45). This warning occurs irrespective of the honor and commission to go out to the people in his name. Tragically, their hard hearts hinder them from seeing who Jesus really is (cf. comment on 8:22–26) and who they really are in the eyes of God.221
Section Outline
II.C. Work beyond Galilee (6:7–8:26)
1. Sending of the Twelve; the Death of John the Baptist (6:7–29)
a. Sending of the Twelve (6:7–13)
(1) Travel Conditions for the Disciples (6:7–10)
(2) The Disciples’ Call to Repentance (6:11–13)
b. The Execution of John the Baptist (6:14–29)
(1) Public Opinions about Jesus (6:14–16)
(2) John the Baptist’s Challenge of Herod Antipas (6:17–18)
(3) Herodias’s Grudge against John the Baptist (6:19–20)
(4) The Banquet of Herod Antipas (6:21)
(5) The Promise of Herod Antipas (6:22–23)
(6) The Consequences of His Promise (6:24–26)
(7) The Execution and Burial of John the Baptist (6:27–29)
Response
Jesus continues to train his disciples by sending them out two by two in order to call for repentance, to exorcise, and to heal (6:12–13; cf. 6:30). The disciples find themselves on a trajectory toward Christ-empowered Christlikeness in word and deed. Jesus imprints on his disciples his overall mission. Likewise, he enables them toward God-dependent Christlikeness as a consequence of his impending death. This is why they gradually become “living letters” of God to all who hear them (2 Cor. 3:2–3), irrespective of their life circumstances.
To “shake off the dust” (Mark 6:11) is all that contemporary disciples of Jesus are to do if their witness and call to repentance are rejected. As stated above, there is absolutely no room for militancy or violence in Jesus’ commission to proclaim his message. Campaigns of destruction did, on occasion, occur as divine judgment through God’s people in the OT. The book of Joshua especially describes the divine command to destroy people (Josh. 1:4; 3:10; 6:21). Note in this context the land promise already given to Abraham in Genesis 15:16–21. Such destructions did occur on account of the evil and wicked practices among the inhabitants of Canaan (cf. Gen. 15:16; Deut. 18:10–12).239 However, it is important to note that God also warns his own people Israel: if they serve other gods, they likewise will be punished (Deut. 28:63–68; Josh. 7:25; 23:7, 13, 15). Note the fulfillment of this warning by means of the ensuing destruction or subjugation of Israel by Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome. This occurs on account of their unfaithfulness to God.240
Following the incarnation and sacrifice of his eternal Son, Jesus, the triune God now remains the sole and exclusive judge over mankind (Mark 8:38; Acts 10:42; Rom. 12:19; 2 Tim. 4:1; James 5:8–9). Now his followers are not to use any force in the pursuit of conversions, for their own reconciled standing before God is because of the sheer grace and weighty mercy of God. Were it not for the unmerited and justifying grace of God, all human beings would deserve divine judgment (Rom. 3:9–10, 20, 23). In this sense, all human beings, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion, are “Canaanites,” deserving of death in the face of the righteous, holy God who is a consuming yet loving fire. Before a righteous God, no human being deserves a chance at life, due to the various forms of enmity, idolatry, immorality, and indifference before God. Personal faith and acceptance of the Passover-atonement of Christ is the only protection against the wrath of God.
Such is the context of the unmerited, weighty grace of God. The pure righteousness and love of God are thus never compromised. As a consequence, disciples of Jesus are to express sacrificial love and speak the truth (cf. Matt. 5:44) in enduring gratitude for God’s mercy and love. They are never permitted to use any kind of force in proclaiming and presenting the gospel of Jesus.
Misrepresenting, denying, or opposing God and his mission (Mark 6:14–29) arises from a self-centered and rebellious human nature, embodied, for example, by Herod Antipas’s actions. In his case, a far-reaching immoral decision leads him to oppose God by executing John the Baptist. The essential dilemma of human existence is that until God reveals who he is and who his creatures are meant to be, human beings remain ambivalent about both (cf. comments on 7:1–8:26).