Luk 9:2 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord calls His twelve disciples together to Him. It originates from Him. He also gives what is necessary for the service, both spiritually and materially. He provides them with power and authority. Power has to do with the ability, the energy, to do something; authority is the right to use the power. He gives them power and authority “over all the demons”. They will encounter them frequently in their service to counteract them in their service work and if possible to prevent them from doing their service. He also gives them power and authority “to heal diseases”. Thus the Lord as the Almighty provides His disciples with what is necessary to show the grace of God to men. After providing them with power and authority, He sends them out with the instruction “to proclaim the kingdom of God”. That is what it is all about. He wants people to know that this kingdom of God is coming, that it is at hand. The healing of the sick is the sign that the preaching is a blessing for the hearers. Then the Lord gives the necessary instructions. They don’t have to worry about anything when it comes to their own needs. That is unnecessary ballast that will only hinder them in fulfilling their mission. He wants them to be able to dedicate themselves completely to their task and concentrate on that alone. Anything that people normally take care of when they go on a journey, and what is justified to do, should be renounced by His disciples. The Lord wants them to realize the importance of the need for undivided dedication to their mission. They can count on Him to take care of them. Later they will also acknowledge that He has taken care of them ( ). Nor should they worry about finding a place to stay. If they are received hospitably in a house, they must stay there. That house will be their base of operations. From there they will go into the city every morning to preach the kingdom of God, and there they can return in the evening. They must also take into account the fact that there will be cities where they are not welcome. Then they have to leave that city. They have to shake the dust from that city off their feet that came on them when they brought their message there. It is a sign: if that city rejects them, they cannot have any fellowship with that city. It will not fare differently for the disciples than it fared for Him. The twelve leave and fulfill their mission. Wherever they go, they preach the gospel and heal according to the word of the Lord. Thus the testimony of the Lord is extended considerably, so that even Herod hears of Him.

‏ Luke 9:2

The Twelve Sent Out

The Lord calls His twelve disciples together to Him. It originates from Him. He also gives what is necessary for the service, both spiritually and materially. He provides them with power and authority. Power has to do with the ability, the energy, to do something; authority is the right to use the power. He gives them power and authority “over all the demons”. They will encounter them frequently in their service to counteract them in their service work and if possible to prevent them from doing their service. He also gives them power and authority “to heal diseases”. Thus the Lord as the Almighty provides His disciples with what is necessary to show the grace of God to men.

After providing them with power and authority, He sends them out with the instruction “to proclaim the kingdom of God”. That is what it is all about. He wants people to know that this kingdom of God is coming, that it is at hand. The healing of the sick is the sign that the preaching is a blessing for the hearers.

Then the Lord gives the necessary instructions. They don’t have to worry about anything when it comes to their own needs. That is unnecessary ballast that will only hinder them in fulfilling their mission. He wants them to be able to dedicate themselves completely to their task and concentrate on that alone.

Anything that people normally take care of when they go on a journey, and what is justified to do, should be renounced by His disciples. The Lord wants them to realize the importance of the need for undivided dedication to their mission. They can count on Him to take care of them. Later they will also acknowledge that He has taken care of them (Lk 22:35).

Nor should they worry about finding a place to stay. If they are received hospitably in a house, they must stay there. That house will be their base of operations. From there they will go into the city every morning to preach the kingdom of God, and there they can return in the evening.

They must also take into account the fact that there will be cities where they are not welcome. Then they have to leave that city. They have to shake the dust from that city off their feet that came on them when they brought their message there. It is a sign: if that city rejects them, they cannot have any fellowship with that city. It will not fare differently for the disciples than it fared for Him.

The twelve leave and fulfill their mission. Wherever they go, they preach the gospel and heal according to the word of the Lord. Thus the testimony of the Lord is extended considerably, so that even Herod hears of Him.