Mark introduces us to Jesus when he encounters John the Baptist: John saw “the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased’†(Mark 1:10-11). An affirmation of Eternal Love! God knows he will need it. Then “the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan†(Mark 1:12-13). A dreadful harrowing occurs. It is a preparation for what is to follow. He is in occupied territory. His mission is to claim it back. So, when he emerges from the wilderness, he announces “‘the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near’†(1:15). The reign of evil in the world is coming to an end. It will be replaced by the reign of God.
He calls some local fishermen to join him in this mission (1:16-20). They do. They almost certainly have little or no idea of what they have agreed to. Their first encounter with the reign of evil is in a synagogue. An “unclean spirit†cries out: “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God†(1:24). Ironically, a representative of the reign of evil announces the one who is to destroy the reign of evil. The evil spirits know what is happening before the religious authorities do. Indeed, it will be many months and after some devastatingly dark hours, before the fishermen – those closest to Jesus – really understand what is happening.
In today’s Gospel – Mark 6:7-13 – the fishermen are introduced to the mission: “Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spiritsâ€. We are told little more than that “they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured themâ€. Notice, Jesus has not yet entrusted them with the ultimate task of proclaiming the reign of God, the Kingdom.
In fact, “Jesus forbids the news that he is the Messiah to be spread by the devils, 1:25, 34; 3:12, by those he cures, 1:44; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, even by the apostles, 8:30; 9:9. The silence is not to be broken until after his death, Mt 10:27. Since the prevailing idea of the Messiah was nationalistic and warlike, in sharp contrast with his own ideal, Jesus had to be very careful, at least on Israelite soil, see 5:19, to avoid giving a false and dangerous impression of his mission†(Henry Wansbrough OSB, editor, The New Jerusalem Bible, New York: Doubleday, 1990, 1661-1662).
Those fishermen who have thrown in their lot with Jesus – and many millions since – will only be in a position to bear witness to the coming reign of God – and be able to counter the full force of the reign of evil – when they have been grasped by the reality of the cross and the empty tomb. Only then will they be able to set aside their own expectations and allow God to be God in them.