Mark 6:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.

NIV: They went out and preached that people should repent.

NASB: And they went out and preached that people are to repent.

CSB: So they went out and preached that people should repent.

NLT: So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God.

KJV: And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

NKJV: So they went out and preached that people should repent.

Although Jesus' preparation instructions do not mention preaching, it is inferred in Mark 6:11. Preaching the gospel is one of the primary reasons Jesus chose the Twelve in the first place (Mark 3:14). Matthew records that Jesus tells the Twelve, "proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matthew 10:7).

The gospel of Jesus is that we are separated from God because of our sin (Romans 3:23–26) but Jesus died to cover our sins so that we can spend eternity with Him (John 3:16–18). Before the crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus and the Twelve only preached the first part which is the gospel of John the Baptist: repent (Mark 1:4).

"Repent" is from the Greek root word metnoeo and means to change one's mind. In the New Testament context, that means conforming to God's point of view regarding sin, lifestyle, and the place God has in one's life. It does not mean we will be perfect and never sin again. It does not mean to "believe" in Jesus through simple agreement—without acknowledging that our sin is wrong or resolving to be rid of it. It means to humbly come before God, understand that our sin makes us unworthy of His blessings, and genuinely hate the sin that separates us from Him.

This gospel—John's gospel—spreads throughout the area before the crucifixion. When Paul reaches Ephesus, he discovers disciples who have not yet heard of Jesus and His sacrifice and have not received the Holy Spirit. Paul tells them, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus" (Acts 19:4). Learning about Jesus is the final piece of the puzzle, and they receive the Holy Spirit.

Shortly, Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, will hear of Jesus and His disciples, preaching the gospel of repentance. Antipas has killed John, and the similarity of the Twelve's message to John's probably adds to his confusion about who Jesus is.

Mark 6:7–13 describes the Twelve's missions trip, sandwiched by two less-encouraging accounts. Jesus' rejection at Nazareth teaches the disciples and us that preaching the gospel is often most difficult at home (Mark 6:1–6). The execution of John the Baptist by Herod Antipas shows that sometimes doing the work of Christ brings dire consequences (Mark 6:14–29). Jesus had chosen the Twelve to be with Him, to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons (Mark 3:14). They had been with Jesus, not it was a time for them to be sent out to minister to others. Later, Jesus will send out seventy-two (Luke 10:1–12). Before He ascends to heaven, He will send out all who believe in Him (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; John 17:20–26). Matthew 9:35—11:1 recounts this event with more detail, while the account in Luke 9:1–6 is nearly identical to Mark's.

Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, but the people there are faithless and skeptical. As a result, Jesus performs no more than a few minor miracles. He then assigns His twelve apostles to travel in pairs, preaching repentance and healing various conditions. Mark then takes a brief detour to explain the death of John the Baptist, beheaded after Herod Antipas is tricked by his wife. The focus then returns to Jesus, explaining His miraculous feeding of thousands of people, walking on water, and healing people in Gennesaret.

Even as the Twelve are given opportunity to wield some of Jesus' power and authority, they still struggle to understand. They misinterpret who He is, what He has come to do, and how much He will ask of them. They fear Jesus' display of deity, but seem to dismiss the murderous rejection of His hometown and the death of John the Baptist. It's easy to have faith in a prophet who seems poised to rescue Israel from foreign rule. It is still beyond them to understand that He is actually God.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.