Mark 6:1-13

Jesus gave the apostles their assignments Mark 6:1-13: Jesus revisited his boyhood home of Nazareth. He had adopted Capernaum as His home and He did many of His mighty works there. Jesus had lived around and among these people for almost thirty years. They were astonished at His teaching. They asked, (1) Where did this man acquire this wisdom? (2) What is the given to Him? And (3) what mighty works and powers are wrought by His hands? They looked at Jesus as "the Carpenter." They knew His mother, Mary and His brothers, James and Joses and Judas and Simon. They also knew His sisters. Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his relatives and in his own house." He could not do much there because of the attitude that the people had toward Him. He did lay his hands on a few people and heal them.

Jesus called His apostles and sent them out with authority to preach and to heal. They were His ambassadors. They were only to take the basic necessities for their journey. He wanted them to learn to depend on God. God would use the believers to provide for the needs of His apostles. When they went into a city they were to stay in one house till they left that place. They were to shake off the dust from their feet against any city that refused them or that refused God's message. He said, "Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the judgment day than for that town."