Jesus channeled his ministry in two directions. One direction led away from his established community of faith, where he performed all manner of healings, feedings and other miracles. His other avenue of ministry traveled inward, focusing on those faithful few whom he had chosen. For them Jesus held special seminars on the meaning of discipleship, where he revealed glimpses of his true nature. In this week's gospel text, these two roads merged into one path as Jesus sent his frail contingent of followers out to minister to the villages of the land.

That Jesus chooses this particular moment to usher his disciples forth into their first "solo missions" is somewhat surprising. They have evidenced no great new insight into Jesus and his mission. They are still gamboling along, bumbling about t…