He
called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey—neither staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats apiece. Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there. As many as don’t receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”
Luke 9:1-5
Luke 9 [1.] He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey—neither staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats apiece. Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there. As many as don’t receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”
Luke 9 [6.] They departed, and went throughout the villages, preaching the Good News, and healing everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this, about whom I hear such things?” He sought to see him. The apostles, when they had returned, told him what things they had done.
Meaning:
For months the twelve had travelled with Jesus, listened to his teaching and watched his power over storms, demons, disease and even death (Luke 8:22-26; Luke 8:51-56). Now Jesus sends them out to do the same work in his name. This is the first mission of the apostles, a training journey through the villages of Galilee. Mark and Matthew record the same commission (Mark 6:7-11; Matthew 10:1-4; Matthew 10:5-8).
- “He called the twelve together”
Jesus had chosen these twelve men from a larger group of disciples and named them apostles, meaning “sent ones” (Luke 6:12-16). The number twelve recalls the twelve tribes of Israel: Jesus was gathering a renewed people of God. Now the apostles live up to their name. They are sent.
- “Power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases”
Luke uses two words. Power is the ability to act; authority is the right to act. The disciples had no power of their own. Jesus shares his own power and authority with them. What they would do in the villages was really his work done through them.
- “To preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick”
The mission had two sides, word and deed. Preaching announced that God’s reign was arriving in Jesus; healing showed what that reign looks like, as sickness and evil are driven back. Jesus’ own ministry had the same pattern, fulfilling the prophecy he read in Nazareth: “to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind” (Luke 4:18).
- “Take nothing for your journey”
The instructions are striking: no staff, no traveller’s bag, no bread, no money, no spare tunic. Mark allows a staff and sandals (Mark 6:8-9); all three Gospels agree on travelling as light as possible. The point was dependence. The apostles were to rely on God to provide through the hospitality of the people they served. Later Jesus reminded them, “When I sent you out without purse, and wallet, and shoes, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing” (Luke 22:35).
- “Into whatever house you enter, stay there”
Hospitality to travellers was a sacred duty in Israel. The apostles were to accept the first home that welcomed them and stay there, not moving around in search of better food or lodging. Their contentment would show that they had come to give, not to gain. Paul later taught that “those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News” (1 Corinthians 9:14).
- “Shake off even the dust from your feet”
Devout Jews returning from Gentile lands sometimes shook off the dust so as not to carry unclean soil into Israel. For the apostles to do this when leaving a Jewish town was a solemn sign: rejecting God’s messengers was rejecting God himself. It was “a testimony against them,” a warning, not a curse, and still an invitation to repent. Paul and Barnabas did exactly this at Antioch of Pisidia: “they shook off the dust of their feet against them” (Acts 13:51).
The Significance of Luke 9:1-5
- Sent with his authority
Every follower of Jesus is sent in some way. The power to change lives does not come from our ability, education or resources but from Jesus, who still gives his authority to those he sends.
- Travelling light
Jesus’ instructions challenge comfort and self-reliance. Possessions and plans are not wrong, but they can make us depend on ourselves rather than God. The apostles learned that God provides for those who go in his name.
- Responsibility to respond
The messengers are responsible to deliver the message faithfully; the hearers are responsible for how they respond. Not everyone will welcome the gospel, and messengers need not be crushed by rejection.
Cross-References:
Mark 6:7: "He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits." Mark adds that they went two by two.
Matthew 10:10: "the laborer is worthy of his food." Why the apostles could rely on hospitality.
Acts 13:51: "But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium." The sign used by Paul and Barnabas.
Conclusion: In Luke 9:1-5 Jesus calls the twelve together, gives them power and authority over demons and disease, and sends them to preach God’s Kingdom and heal the sick. They are to take nothing for the journey, stay in the first house that welcomes them, and shake the dust from their feet as a testimony against towns that reject them. Jesus shares his authority with those he sends, and calls them to depend on God completely as they carry his message.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible