Big Idea: All followers of Jesus are called to mission. Yet when the kingdom news of the gospel is presented, there is both authority from God and inevitable opposition to it when people reject the good news, sometimes even costing the lives of those sent to speak for God.

Understanding the Text

This begins the fourth section of the Galilean ministry in Mark (after 1:16–3:6; 3:7–35; 4:1–6:30) and constitutes the third sandwiching episode thus far (after 3:20–35; 5:21–43). The sending of the Twelve (6:7–13) is not completed until 6:30, when the disciples return and report the results of their successful mission. The intervening material begins with Herod’s response to Jesus and the mission of the disciples (6:14–16) and continues with a lengthy flashback to the arrest and death of the Bap…