In Mark 6:12-13, the twelve traveled in pairs from place to place, preaching the message that people should repent and turn back to God. Through the authority Jesus gave them, they cast out many demons, anointed the sick with oil, and healed them.
Mark 6:12-13Mark 6:12-13 commentary describes how in obedience to Jesus’s command, the twelve went out preaching repentance, casting out many demons, anointing sick people with oil, and healing them.
His instructions, as recorded by Mark (Mark 6:8-11Mark 6:8-11 commentary) and Luke (Luke 9:3-5Luke 9:3-5 commentary), emphasized how they were to take practically nothing for their journey and to live dependently upon God and the mercy of others during this mission. This would give His disciples a way to apply some of Jesus’s teachings from the Sermon on the Mount about money, treasures in heaven, and worry (Matthew 6:19-34Matthew 6:19-34 commentary). Jesus also instructed them to seek out a place to stay in that town and what to do when a town rejected their message (Mark 6:10-11Mark 6:10-11 commentary, commentaryLuke 9:4-5Luke 9:4-5 commentary).
The Gospel of Matthew gives the most detailed account of Jesus’s instructions for this mission. It is recorded in Matthew 10:1Matthew 10:1 commentary, 5-425-42 commentary.
After Jesus gave the twelve their instructions, He sent them out to accomplish their mission.
They went out and preached that men should repent (v 12).
The pronoun—they—in Mark 6:12-13Mark 6:12-13 commentary refers to the twelve disciples whom Jesus sent. This verse, and Luke’s parallel account (Luke 9:6Luke 9:6 commentary), indicate how the disciples faithfully carried out the mission Jesus gave them.
Repentance was the main theme of the disciples’ preaching.
Throughout the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the call to repent is closely associated with the kingdom. The Greek term that is translated as repent is a form of the term μετανοέω (G3340—pronounced: “meta-noeō”). Metanoeō is a compound word:
Meta = change
Noeō = mind
Repent literally means to “change one’s mind” or to change one’s perspective.
The disciples preaching called people to repent/change their mind about two things. The disciples called people to repent of their sinful actions because the Messiah was here, and they called people to repent/change their mind about who they perceived Jesus to be. Jesus was not simply a miracle worker or a wandering Rabbi as they supposed, but rather, Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to redeem Israel.
The disciples’ preaching echoed the same theme that had characterized both John the Baptist’s (Mark 1:4Mark 1:4 commentary) and Jesus’s early proclamations (Mark 1:15Mark 1:15 commentary), emphasizing the need for individuals to decisively turn away from sin and wholeheartedly return to God, and to acknowledge Jesus as His Messiah. Unless the people repented of their sin and accepted Jesus as the Messiah, they would not be able to enter the kingdom. By preaching repentance, the disciples were preparing hearts to receive the deeper work of salvation that Jesus alone could accomplish.
To verify the truth of their message, Jesus granted the twelve the power to cast out demons and heal people from their diseases (Mark 6:7Mark 6:7 commentary, commentary see also Matthew 10:1Matthew 10:1 commentary, commentaryLuke 9:1Luke 9:1 commentary). And this is what they did when they went out.
Mark reports:
And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them (v 13).
Similarly, Luke reports:
“Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.” (Luke 9:6Luke 9:6 commentary)
The twelve carried out their mission not only through words but also through acts of power that validated their message. As they traveled, they demonstrated the authority Jesus had given them by delivering people from demonic oppression and bringing physical healing to many who were suffering. Their actions revealed that the kingdom of God was not merely a future hope, but a present reality on the cusp of breaking into the world through Jesus, the Messiah.
The practice of anointing the sick with oil was a symbolic and tangible act.
It was associated with healing, consecration, and the presence of God’s care. In Jewish tradition, oil represented the Spirit’s blessing and was sometimes used to set individuals apart for God’s purposes. By anointing the sick, the twelve visibly expressed God’s compassion and the expectation of His healing power, combining a physical symbol with prayer and divine authority rather than relying on the oil itself as a source of power.
The result of their ministry was the restoration of many lives (physically and spiritually). The repentance and healing were signs that God’s reign was advancing. The twelve’s success in healing and deliverance testified that their authority came directly from Jesus and affirmed the truth of the message they went out and preached.
The ministry of the twelve served as a foretaste of the greater healing and restoration that Jesus would ultimately bring through His death and resurrection, as well as their future role in proclaiming that message when Jesus commissioned them to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20Matthew 28:18-20 commentary, commentaryMark 16:15-20Mark 16:15-20 commentary, commentaryActs 1:8Acts 1:8 commentary)
Matthew’s gospel indicates that Jesus also went about proclaiming a similar message while the twelve were sent out through Israel to preach that men should repent (Matthew 11:1Matthew 11:1 commentary).
Luke’s gospel reports what happened after the twelve had completed their mission:
“When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.” (Luke 9:10Luke 9:10 commentary)
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Mark 6:12-13 meaning
The parallel gospel accounts for Mark 6:12-13Mark 6:12-13 commentary are found in Matthew 11:1Matthew 11:1 commentary and commentary Luke 9:6Luke 9:6 commentary.
Mark 6:12-13Mark 6:12-13 commentary describes how in obedience to Jesus’s command, the twelve went out preaching repentance, casting out many demons, anointing sick people with oil, and healing them.
In Mark 6:7-11Mark 6:7-11 commentary, commentary Jesus granted the twelve disciples the power to cast out demons (and heal—see Matthew 10:1Matthew 10:1 commentary and commentary Luke 9:1Luke 9:1 commentary) throughout the Jewish towns of Israel. They were to proclaim the kingdom of God (Matthew 10:7Matthew 10:7 commentary, commentary Luke 9:2Luke 9:2 commentary). Jesus sent them “out in pairs” (Mark 6:7Mark 6:7 commentary).
His instructions, as recorded by Mark (Mark 6:8-11Mark 6:8-11 commentary) and Luke (Luke 9:3-5Luke 9:3-5 commentary), emphasized how they were to take practically nothing for their journey and to live dependently upon God and the mercy of others during this mission. This would give His disciples a way to apply some of Jesus’s teachings from the Sermon on the Mount about money, treasures in heaven, and worry (Matthew 6:19-34Matthew 6:19-34 commentary). Jesus also instructed them to seek out a place to stay in that town and what to do when a town rejected their message (Mark 6:10-11Mark 6:10-11 commentary, commentary Luke 9:4-5Luke 9:4-5 commentary).
The Gospel of Matthew gives the most detailed account of Jesus’s instructions for this mission. It is recorded in Matthew 10:1Matthew 10:1 commentary, 5-425-42 commentary.
After Jesus gave the twelve their instructions, He sent them out to accomplish their mission.
They went out and preached that men should repent (v 12).
The pronoun—they—in Mark 6:12-13Mark 6:12-13 commentary refers to the twelve disciples whom Jesus sent. This verse, and Luke’s parallel account (Luke 9:6Luke 9:6 commentary), indicate how the disciples faithfully carried out the mission Jesus gave them.
Repentance was the main theme of the disciples’ preaching.
Throughout the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the call to repent is closely associated with the kingdom. The Greek term that is translated as repent is a form of the term μετανοέω (G3340—pronounced: “meta-noeō”). Metanoeō is a compound word:
Repent literally means to “change one’s mind” or to change one’s perspective.
The disciples preaching called people to repent/change their mind about two things. The disciples called people to repent of their sinful actions because the Messiah was here, and they called people to repent/change their mind about who they perceived Jesus to be. Jesus was not simply a miracle worker or a wandering Rabbi as they supposed, but rather, Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to redeem Israel.
The disciples’ preaching echoed the same theme that had characterized both John the Baptist’s (Mark 1:4Mark 1:4 commentary) and Jesus’s early proclamations (Mark 1:15Mark 1:15 commentary), emphasizing the need for individuals to decisively turn away from sin and wholeheartedly return to God, and to acknowledge Jesus as His Messiah. Unless the people repented of their sin and accepted Jesus as the Messiah, they would not be able to enter the kingdom. By preaching repentance, the disciples were preparing hearts to receive the deeper work of salvation that Jesus alone could accomplish.
To verify the truth of their message, Jesus granted the twelve the power to cast out demons and heal people from their diseases (Mark 6:7Mark 6:7 commentary, commentary see also Matthew 10:1Matthew 10:1 commentary, commentary Luke 9:1Luke 9:1 commentary). And this is what they did when they went out.
Mark reports:
And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them (v 13).
Similarly, Luke reports:
“Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.”
(Luke 9:6Luke 9:6 commentary)
The twelve carried out their mission not only through words but also through acts of power that validated their message. As they traveled, they demonstrated the authority Jesus had given them by delivering people from demonic oppression and bringing physical healing to many who were suffering. Their actions revealed that the kingdom of God was not merely a future hope, but a present reality on the cusp of breaking into the world through Jesus, the Messiah.
The practice of anointing the sick with oil was a symbolic and tangible act.
It was associated with healing, consecration, and the presence of God’s care. In Jewish tradition, oil represented the Spirit’s blessing and was sometimes used to set individuals apart for God’s purposes. By anointing the sick, the twelve visibly expressed God’s compassion and the expectation of His healing power, combining a physical symbol with prayer and divine authority rather than relying on the oil itself as a source of power.
The result of their ministry was the restoration of many lives (physically and spiritually). The repentance and healing were signs that God’s reign was advancing. The twelve’s success in healing and deliverance testified that their authority came directly from Jesus and affirmed the truth of the message they went out and preached.
The ministry of the twelve served as a foretaste of the greater healing and restoration that Jesus would ultimately bring through His death and resurrection, as well as their future role in proclaiming that message when Jesus commissioned them to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20Matthew 28:18-20 commentary, commentary Mark 16:15-20Mark 16:15-20 commentary, commentary Acts 1:8Acts 1:8 commentary)
Matthew’s gospel indicates that Jesus also went about proclaiming a similar message while the twelve were sent out through Israel to preach that men should repent (Matthew 11:1Matthew 11:1 commentary).
Luke’s gospel reports what happened after the twelve had completed their mission:
“When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.”
(Luke 9:10Luke 9:10 commentary)