Mark 6:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Or else, Matthew and Luke neither allow shoes nor staff, which is meant to point out the highest perfection. But Mark bids them take a staff and be shod with sandals, which (1 Cor. 7:6) is spoken by permission.

The Lord not only preached in the cities, but also in villages, that we may learn not to despise little things, nor always to seek for great cities, but to sow the word of the Lord, in abandoned and lowly villages. Wherefore it is said, And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Or else; according to Matthew (Matt. 10:19), the Lord immediately subjoined, The workman is worthy of his meat, which sufficiently proves why He forbade their carrying or possessing such things; not because they were not necessary, but because He sent them in such a way as to shew, that they were due to them from the faithful, to whom they preached the Gospel. From this it is evident, that the Lord did not mean by this precept that the Evangelists ought to live only on the gifts of those to whom they preach the Gospel, else the Apostle transgressed this precept, when he procured his livelihood, by the labour of his own hands, but He meant that He had given them a power, in virtue of which, they might be assured, these things were due to them.

It is essential for the one who has been baptized to also receive the sacred anointing, so that after receiving it, they may become an anointed follower of God and possess the grace of Christ within them. Moreover, during the celebration of the Eucharist, the oil is consecrated on the altar and the baptized individuals are anointed with it. Anyone lacking an altar or church can still perform the consecration of the oil.

Further, the Lord sent the disciples to preach, two and two, because there are two precepts of charity, namely, the love of God, and of our neighbour; and charity cannot be between less than two; by this therefore He implies to us, that he who has not charity towards his neighbour, ought in no way to take upon himself the office of preaching. There follows, And he commanded them, that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: but be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

For such should be the preacher’s trust in God, that, though he takes no thought for supplying his own wants in this present world, yet he should feel most certain that these will not be left unsatisfied, lest whilst his mind is taken up with temporal things, he should provide less of eternal things to others.

What is Unction? The Sacrament of Anointing, also known as Unction, involves the application of consecrated oil to the body, invoking God’s grace to heal both spiritual and physical ailments.

Where does this Sacrament come from? Its roots trace back to the Apostles, who were endowed with the authority by Jesus Christ and 'anointed with oil many who were sick, and they were healed.' The Apostles passed this Sacred Rite on to the Church's clergy, as highlighted in the words of the Apostle James: ‘If any man be sick among you, let him call for the elders of the Church; and let them pray over hi

O All-Good Lord, let our stony hearts melt through the power of Your grace, so that we, as debtors to You before the hour of our death, may offer thanksgiving: to You, O our All-Good and All-Wise God!

As you enter a town, refrain from preaching to everyone you encounter; instead, seek out those who are deserving. Once you identify such a person, stay at their home and share your message from there. The Lord bestows grace and peace upon those who embrace the message, while those who reject it face a judgment more severe than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Although the specific locations where the apostles preached and the duration of their mission are not detailed, it is clear that their time apart was not extended. The Savior sent them out in pairs rather than sending them all to the same location, enabling them to minister in six different areas that He Himself had not visited.

The core message that the apostles were sent to proclaim is echoed by the evangelists in a remarkably consistent manner. Each one asserts that in order to facilitate their evangelistic mission, Christ empowered the apostles to heal various ailments and, notably, to cast out demons. This grace bestowed upon them included the Holy Spirit and the gift of healing, as noted in 1 Corinthians 12:9. Furthermore, Mark highlights that while administering healing, the apostles employed a symbolic action of anointing with oil. He also adds that Christ dispatched the apostles in pairs. In contrast, Matthew provides an extensive account of the specific instructions given by Christ to the apostles, while Mark and Luke present a more succinct overview. The latter two only reference a portion of Matthew's account. See the interpretation of Matthew 10:1-42.

Following the completion of His teachings to the twelve disciples, Jesus embarked on a journey through the towns of Galilee to share the message of the Gospel. The disciples, sent out in pairs, entered the villages, proclaimed the call to repentance, expelled numerous demons, and anointed many who were ill with oil, bringing healing to them. The Evangelists do not provide detailed accounts of the disciples' preaching efforts among the Jewish communities; however, one inquiry from Christ to the disciples after their return—“Did you lack anything when I sent you?”—makes it clear that they had all they needed, as they left without taking money, provisions, or extra clothing. The duration of their travels and the exact timing of their return are not specified; nevertheless, it is certain that the disciples gathered with Jesus when He received news of John the Baptist's death.

After journeying extensively through Palestine, the Savior recognized that the chosen people, lacking proper teachers and shepherds to guide their understanding, were spiritually depleted and vulnerable, "weary and scattered like sheep without a shepherd." He highlighted the abundance of the harvest yet noted the scarcity of laborers. Therefore, He instructed His disciples to beseech the Lord of the harvest to raise up diligent laborers from among them. Subsequently, He sent them out in pairs throughout the land to instruct the people, affirm His teachings, and perform miraculous deeds in His name (Matthew 9:35 - Matthew 11, Mark 6:7-13, Luke 9:1-6).

Anointing the sick with oil was a common practice among the Jewish people and others in the East, as oil is known to alleviate pain, particularly from wounds (cf. Luke 10:34). However, it is crucial to recognize that this discussion does not focus solely on the natural healing properties of oil, nor was it merely employed by Christ's apostles as a conventional remedy. Such an interpretation contradicts the context of the passage, which highlights the miraculous deeds performed by the apostles. Therefore, the healing of the sick through the anointing of oil should be viewed as a supernatural act. In this sense, anointing serves as a symbol or representation of the impartation of God's grace to the anointed, which not only forgives their sins but also restores them from physical ailments.