Mark 6:8

Mar 6:8-9. He commanded that they should take nothing for their journey — That they might be always unencumbered, free, ready for motion. Save a staff only — He that had one might take it; but he that had not, was not to provide one. No scrip, no bread — Our Lord intended by this mission to initiate them into their apostolic work. And it was, doubtless, an encouragement to them all their life after, to recollect the care which God took of them when they had left all they had, and went out quite unfurnished for such an expedition. In this view our Lord himself leads them to consider it, Luk 22:35, When I sent you forth without purse or scrip, lacked ye any thing? See the note on Mat 10:9-10; where the particular directions here given are explained at large.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6:8-9 The instructions for the disciples’ mission were about what they should leave behind (food . . . bag . . . money . . . change of clothes). They were to travel light, counting on Jewish hospitality for food and lodging (cp. Luke 22:35-37).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 6:8. Ἵνα, that) That they might be unencumbered, unrestrained, and free [comp. note on Mat 10:10].

Mar 6:8-9. Παρήγγειλεν) Mark uses this verb with a threefold construction in this passage; παρήγγειλεν—ἵνα μηδὲν αἴρωσιν—ἀλλʼ ὑποδεδεμένους (viz. εἶναι·)—καὶ μὴ ἐνδύσησθε. So also the construction is varied in ch. Mar 12:38, θελόντων περιπατεῖν καὶ ἀσπασμούς; where the infinitive and the accusative are joined.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 6:8 . εἰ μὴ ῥάβδον μόνον : vide in Matthew, ad loc. χαλκόν : no mention of gold and silver, brass the only money the poor missionaries were likely to handle.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Faithful Pastors ought not to have their minds set, no not on things that are necessary for this life, if they may be an hindrance unto them, be it never so little.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 8. A staff only] It is likely he desired them to take only one with every two, merely for the purpose of carrying any part of their clothes on, when they should be obliged to strip them off by reason of the heat; for walking staves, or things of this kind, were forbidden, see Mt 10:10. But, probably, no more is designed than simply to state that they must not wait to make any provision for the journey, but go off just as they were, leaving the provision necessary in the present case to the care of Divine Providence. St. James is represented in ancient paintings, as carrying a gourd bottle on a STAFF across his shoulder.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(8) Save a staff only.—St, Matthew (Mat_10:10) gives, “neither staves”—i.e., they were to take one only.

No money.—As the margin gives, no brass, or rather bronze, or money. The coins referred to are probably the “farthing” and the “mite” of Mar_12:42.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. and commanded them] Now follows a brief summary of the charge, which the Lord proceeded to give them on this occasion, and which is recorded at far greater length by St Matthew, Mat_10:5-42.

save a staff] They were to go forth with their staff as they had it at the time, but they were not (Mat_10:10) to “seek,” or “procure one carefully” for the purposes of this journey. The “staff” in Mat_10:10, depends on “acquire not” or “provide not for yourselves” in Mar_6:9.

no scrip] Scrip, from Sw. skrâppa, denotes a “wallet” or “small bag.” Comp. 1Sa_17:40, “And (David) took his staff in his hand and chose him five smooth stones, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip.” It was so called, perhaps, because it was designed to hold scraps, trifling articles, scraped off as it were from something larger. It was part of the pilgrim’s or traveller’s equipage: comp. Piers Ploughman’s Vis. 3573;

“I seigh nevere palmere

With pyk ne with Scrippe,”

and Shakespeare, As you like it, III. 2. 171,

“Though not with bag and baggage, yet with scrip and scrippage.” The scrip of the Galilean peasants was of leather, “the skins of kids stripped off whole, and tanned by a very simple process,” used especially to carry their food on a journey, and slung over their shoulders (Thomson’s Land and the Book, p. 355).

no money] “There was no departure from the simple manners of the country in this. At this day the farmer sets out on excursions, quite as extensive, without a para in his purse, and a modern Moslem prophet of Tarshîshx thus sends forth his apostles over this identical region. No traveller in the East would hesitate to throw himself on the hospitality of any villager.” Thomson’s Land and Book, p. 346.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey,.... To accommodate them in it, except those things after directed to:

save a staff only; a single one, for staves in the plural number are forbidden; see Gill on Mat 10:10;

no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse. Travellers used to put their bread, or any other sort of food into their scrips, and their money in their girdles; but the disciples were not allowed to carry either, because provision was to be made for them wherever they came at free cost, it being what their labour was worthy of; See Gill on Mat 10:9, Mat 10:10.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:

Ver. 8. Save a staff] Such a one as may ease and relieve you, not such as may cumber and hinder you, Mat 10:10. So that seeming contradiction is assoiled.

No money in your purses] Gr. No brass, χαλκον, in your belts. The most usual material of money among the Roman princes was seldom gold or silver, most times brass, sometimes leather. Corium forma publica percussum, as Seneca hath it. The like is said to have been used here in England, in the times of the Barons’ Wars. And why not? since opinion sets the price upon these outward good things; and anno 1574, the Hollanders, then being in their extremities, made money of pasteboard.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See these verses fully explained in the notes at Mat 10:9-15. In Mat 10:5 they were commanded not to go among the Gentiles or Samaritans. Mark omits that direction, perhaps, because he was writing for the “Gentiles,” and the direction might create unnecessary difficulty or offence. Perhaps he omits it also because the command was given for a temporary purpose, and was not in force at the time of his writing.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. A staff only — The caution in Matthew against two staves, is part of the prohibition against extra provision. Some have ridiculed this mode of reconciliation, as if contradictions in Scripture might be allowed in such minutiae. They might as well say that it was ridiculous for our Lord to allow one coat and forbid two.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only. St. Matthew says, (Mat_10:10) according to the best authorities (mhde rabdon), they were not to take a staff. St. Luke says the same as St. Matthew. The meaning is that they were not to make any special provision for their journey, but to go forth just as they were, depending upon God. Those who bad a staff might use it; those who had not one were not to trouble themselves to procure one. The scrip (phra) was the wallet for food. They were to take no money in their purse (mh eiv thnhn calkon); literally, brass in their girdle. St. Mark, writing for Romans, uses this word for money. St. Luke, writing for Greeks, uses the term (argurion) "silver." St. Matthew (Mat_10:9) says, "provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He commanded them to take nothing for their journey - That they might be always unincumbered, free, ready for motion. Save a staff only - He that had one might take it; but he that had not was not to provide one, Matt. x, 9. Luke ix, 3.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

take nothing (See Scofield "Mat 10:9")

scrip provision-bag.

purse belt.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. Save a staff only. Only the staff that each had already. Matthew. forbids a supply for future use.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

8. παρήγγειλεν. This charge seems to have been given once for all (aor.), before any were sent out. For ἵνα see on Mar 3:9.

εἰς ὁδόν. For a journey, for travel; cf. Mar 10:17; also ἐξ ὁδοῦ (Luk 11:6).

εἰ μὴ ῥάβδον. Mt. and Lk. say, on the contrary, that they were forbidden to take a staff; and Mt. says that they were forbidden to wear ὑποδήματα, which seems to contradict the command to wear σανδάλια. These discrepancies are of no moment. In all three Gospels the charge means, “Make no elaborate preparations, as if you were going a long journey on your own business; you are going a short journey on Mine.” Contrariis verbis eandem sententiam uterque expressit; Christum Apostolis praecepisse, ne quid haberent, praeter ea quae essent in praesentem usum necessaria (Maldonatus). The directions recall those for eating the Passover (Exo 12:11; cf. Gen 32:10).

μὴ ἄρτον κ.τ.λ. A climax; no food, no wallet for carrying food that might be given, no money for buying food. This is the order in [1333][1334][1335][1336][1337] 33. There is no mention of gold or silver; they were not likely to have any or be offered any. They might accept a meal, but they were to have no other provision. The πήρα is a bag for provisions, not for money, as the context shows. Cf. Jdt 10:5. Mt. enlarges “copper for your purse” into “get no gold, nor yet silver, nor yet copper for your purses,” thus making one of his favourite triplets.

[1333] Codex Sinaiticus. 4th cent. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the Monastery of St Katharine on Mount Sinai. Now at St Petersburg. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1911.

[1334] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[1335] Codex Ephraemi. 5th cent. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out, and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it; but a great deal of the original writing has been recovered; of Mark we have Mar 1:17 to Mar 6:31, Mar 8:5 to Mar 12:29, Mar 13:19 to Mar 16:20. In the National Library at Paris.

[1336] Codex Regius. 8th cent. An important witness. At Paris. Contains Mar 1:1 to Mar 10:15; Mar 10:30 to Mar 15:1; Mar 15:20 to Mar 16:20, but the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9, showing that the scribe preferred it to the longer one.

[1337] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8.] Striking instances occur in these verses, of the independence of the three reports in their present form.

μηδὲ ῥάβδον Matt. = εἰ μὴ ῥ. μόνον Mark = μήτε ῥάβδον (-ους v. r.) Luke. See notes on Matt., also in the next clause.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. εἰ μὴ ῥάβδον μόνον—This was to be the only addition to their home outfit, the only thing that they were to take for the road. Mt. and Lk. do not make this exception, but expressly include the stick among the prohibited things. μὴ ἄρτον, μὴ πήραν—no bread, no wallet (or haversack). This order, adopted by Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. is the natural order. The words belong together, as do ζώνην and χαλκόν. πήραν is a leather sack, haversack, used to carry provisions. ζώνην is the girdle or belt, in which they carried money. χαλκόν means brass, or copper, and secondarily, money of any kind.

ἄρτον μὴ πήραν, instead of πήραν μὴ ἄρτον, Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. א BCL Δ 33, Memph.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.