Mark wrote how Jesus, “went out from” Jairus' house, “and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From where has this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching”, and in chapter six and verse seven of his book, Mark writes how Jesus sent forth His disciples, “by two and two” where we read:
And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two;
and gave them power over unclean spirits;
The verse reads, “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two;” Mark began with the words, “and he called unto him” or “and Jesus bid, beckoned, invited and summoned to Himself” “the twelve” which means “Jesus' twelve disciples”, “and began to send them forth” or “and commenced to dismiss and allow the twelve disciples to leave” “by two and two” which means “with the disciples being in pairs together”. Mark shared how Jesus dismissed His disciples in groups of “two”, and “two and two” they went out from Him.
The verse continues, “and gave them power over unclean spirits;” Mark added the words, “and gave them power over” which means “and Jesus granted, bestowed, supplied and furnished ability and authority over” “unclean spirits” which means “not cleansed, foul, impure and morally lewd essences which are devoid of all grosser matter and who possess the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting”. Mark shared how Jesus granted His disciples “power and authority” over “lewd, impure and foul” spirits.
When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we discover Jesus' commission of His disciples to minister among people. He was not to be with His disciples forever on earth, and they would need to know how to minister to people when Jesus was gone. Jesus did not send them out alone but rather sent them in “pairs” so they might have one another to minister with as they went, and He gave them “power and authority” over any “evil spirits” they would encounter as they went. God loves people, and He uses them to share His “good news” of salvation through His Son Jesus. All power and authority are His to give, and those who are wise will not only follow Him, but be ready when He discharges them to share His Kingdom with others.
Next time Mark shares how Jesus told His disciples, “they should take nothing for their journey”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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