The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 256

companion~hip, and 'to secure that none should be unfriended and unsupported• as well as, in all likelihood, to bring about that one should supply the other's lack. 2. They were sent as pi,lgrims. Two things only they were to take with them-thuir sandals Rnd their staves, which were part of their natural equipment as travellers afoot. 3. Yet they were forbidden to provide for their journey. Luxuries and superfluities they must not take with them, neither must they provide for their subsistence, but must act upon the expectation that the labourer would be deemed worthy of his hire. In all these respects the instructions given to the twelve were significant of the method in which our Lord desires his people to undertake their spiritual mission to mankind. The work is to be done in fellowship and with mutual sympathy and support; it is to be done in the spirit of those who are in the world but are not of the world, who are not entangled in its snares, and who mind heavenly things. II. TnE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE MISSION. Like their Lord, the apostles were enjoined to have compassion upon the varied needs of their fellow-men, to address themselves to the supply of both spiritual and temporal wants. 1. They were to summon men to repentance, the indispensable and universal condition of pardon and life to sinful, guilty men. A change of mind and heart alone could prepare men for the blessings of the Messianic kingdom. 2. At the same time they were to confront the power of evil in its most malignant manifestations, and to cast out demons in the name of that stronger One who was binding the spiritual tyrant of mankind. 3. And they were to heal the sick, both as a symbolic act, and as a proof and exercise of true and practical benevolence. All this they did efficiently and successfully, in the authority of their Divine Lord. The nature of this commission is parallel with that given by our Savionr to his whole Church ; for he has put his people in charge with the welfare of mankind, both socially and temporally, and also spiritually. III. THE SPIRIT OF THE MISSION. The directions given by the Master as to the apostles' bearing with regard to those to whom they ministered were worthy of himself. There is a beautiful combination of meekness and dignity in these instructions, very like the Lord who gave them. Wherever received with cordiality, the apostles were directed to abide with their hosts, grateful for kindness and content with their ent.ertainment. Wherever their message was rejected and they were disregarded, the twelve were commanded to " shake off the dust under their feet" for a testimony against the unbelieving and impenitent. The servants of the Lord Jesus cannot too carefully study these counsels, in considering in what spirit they shall fulfil the com- mission entrusted to them in human society. On the one hnnd, all selfish desires, all pride and restlessness, must be repressed; on the other hand, the high vocation must be esteemed, the office must be magnified, the authority of the Redeemer must be upheld, and the responsibility of rejecting the gospel must solemnly, and with appropriate dignity, be cast upon the unbelieving and unspiritual. PRACTICAL LESSONS. 1, All Christians may be reminded of their position in this world as the representatives and ministers of Christ. 2. All hearers of the gospel may be admonished as to the serious responsibility they incur when a message from heaven is brought before their minds. Vent. 14-29.-Si~hating righteousnu,. The growing fame of Jesus reached all parts of the land and all classes of society. Not only the poor and diseased, the neglected and the despised, heard of the compassionate heart and the mighty deeds of the Son of man; the learned were jealous of his influence with the people, and powerful rulers wondered what was the secret of his power. Many were the expla- nations given of the new Teacher's authority. Whilst some trac~d a resemblance between him and the olden Hebrew prophets, others even deemed him the greatest of the order-Elijah himself, returning to the land of his ministry, in accordance with what was deemed the inspired prediction. But the most singular of all conjectures was that of Herod-that John the Baptist, whom he had beheaded in circumstances of atrocious dishonour to himself, had arisen from the dead. Mentioning this conjecture, the evangelist is naturally led to relate the incident of the forerunner's violent death-one of the most awful, tragic incidents in all history. Simply tracing the narrative, we meet witb successive embodiments of moral fact and law. L THE A.PPBEHENBIONS OF .A GUILTY OONSCIENCE. There seems to have been but little OH, vI. 1-56.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 2.53