After he was rejected in Nazareth for the second time, Mark records: Jesus “…went round about the villages, teaching” (Mark 6:6b). Some scholars believe this represents the third time Jesus made a circuit in Galilee preaching in the synagogues there, but actually it was only the second reference to him doing that. Before Luke begins Jesus public ministry, he tells us ahead of time that he preached in the synagogues of Galilee, being glorified by all (Luke 4:14-15), but this is the same circuit Jesus made in Luke 4:31-44 after his first rejection in Nazareth. This is also the same circuit both Matthew and Mark refer to in Matthew 4:23 and Mark 1:21. That represents Jesus’ first year of public ministry. Thus, Mark now mentions that Jesus, beginning at Nazareth, made a second circuit of the synagogues during his second year of public ministry (Mark 6:6b, cp. Matthew 9:35).
However, Jesus’ second circuit of the synagogues of Galilee seems to be different from the first. It is my understanding that he was probably pretty much barred from preaching in the synagogues, the Jewish places of worship (cp. Mark 3:22).[1] In reality, the rulers of the synagogues, who did receive him and permitted him to teach, were, themselves, expelled from the synagogues (cp. John 12:42-43). Therefore, we should understand Jesus’ second circuit of the synagogues of Galilee in the context of his sending out his disciples two by two and preaching his message of the Kingdom of God (Mark 6:7).
Jesus told the Twelve to take along a staff only. Food, spare clothing and money wasn’t necessary, for everything would be provided for them (Mark 6:8-9; cp. Luke 22:35). Moreover, the text says neither were they to take along a scrip or a bag (G4082). There have been several interpretations of this, from a wallet to luggage. However, if they weren’t to take money, they had no need of a wallet, and, if they didn’t take spare clothing or shoes, they had no need of a luggage case, nor a food bag, if they weren’t to take along any food. The late German theologian, Gustav Deissmann, mentioned an inscription at Kefr-Hauar, in Syria. The inscription mentions a temple slave, who was sent by a woman on a begging expedition, and he brought back seventy bags (pera – G4082, same word used by Mark) of money which he had collected. Therefore, scrip or a bag in Mark 6:8 seems to refer to begging. In other words, the Twelve weren’t to take up collections after they preached. They weren’t to profit from the Gospel.
Instead of profiting, they were to accept the hospitality of those who received them as messengers of the Lord, and they were not to seek better accommodations, while in any city. Instead, they were to stay in the place where they were received, until they were finished preaching in that town (Mark 6:10). However, if a city (i.e., a synagogue) refused to receive them (Mark 6:11), they were to testify against that city, warning them of the coming judgment upon those who continue to rebel against the Lord (cp. Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17).
The Twelve, therefore, went out as Jesus sent them, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, calling for repentance and submission to the Lord, healing the sick and demonic folk as they went (Mark 6:12-13).
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[1] If Jesus was believed to work in the power of Beelzebub, why would he be permitted to use the synagogues for teaching? Just as it would be illogical to permit a Hindi or an Islamic teacher to hold a Sunday school class in a Christian place of worship, it would also be illogical for Jesus to be permitted to teach in the Jewish synagogues, if he was believed to hold pagan doctrines and operated out of a pagan influence. While the text does say Jesus was in the synagogue of Nazareth (Mark 6:1-2), he was rejected there out of hand. Moreover, later, when he healed a woman in a synagogue, the ruler of that synagogue addressed and admonished the people and ignored Jesus (Luke 13:10, 14). The fact remains that the scriptures do not record Jesus teaching in a synagogue after his first year of public ministry, except for these two occurrences and a third in Capernaum in John 6:59, which would put that occurrence near the 2nd Passover of Jesus public ministry (1 ½ years into it). Nevertheless, this is understandable, if Jarius, a ruler of a synagogue (Mark 5:22, 38), whose daughter Jesus healed, was the ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum.
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