Mark 6:9

But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Be shod with sandals.—The word occurs again in Acts 12:8. It describes obviously the shoes worn by the poor as distinguished from those of the more wealthy class, the sole of leather or wood fastened over the instep by strong leather thongs.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:7-13 Though the apostles were conscious to themselves of great weakness, and expected no wordly advantage, yet, in obedience to their Master, and in dependence upon his strength, they went out. They did not amuse people with curious matters, but told them they must repent of their sins, and turn to God. The servants of Christ may hope to turn many from darkness unto God, and to heal souls by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See these verses fully explained in the notes at Matthew 10:9-15. In Matthew 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mr 6:7-13. Mission of the Twelve Apostles. ( = Mt 10:1, 5-15; Lu 9:1-6).

See on [1440]Mt 10:1; [1441]Mt 10:5-15.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Go in your ordinary habits, making no provision for yourselves, as travellers, who think they may need something before their return.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But be shod with sandals,.... Which were different from shoes, and more fit to travel with, and therefore allowed when shoes were forbidden; See Gill on Matthew 10:10, though some think there was no difference between shoes and sandals, and that Christ, in Matthew 10:10, does not forbid the taking of shoes, but two pair of shoes; as not two coats, nor two staves, but one of a sort only. And

not put on two coats; that is, at a time; an inner and an outward one, or one at one time, and another at another: they were forbid change of raiment; the reasons for it See Gill on Matthew 10:10. From all which it appears, that as a minister of the Gospel ought not to be a worldly minded man, that minds earth and earthly things, and seeks to amass wealth and riches to himself, and preaches for filthy lucre's sake; nor to be a sensual and voluptuous man, serving his own belly, and not the Lord Jesus Christ, feeding himself, and not the flock; so neither should he be filled with worldly cares, overwhelmed in worldly business, and entangled with the affairs of this life: he ought to have his mind free from all solicitude and anxious concern, about a subsistence for himself and his, that so he may with greater and more close application attend to his ministry, to preparations for it, and the performance of it; and give up himself entirely to the word and prayer, and not have his mind distracted with other things: upon which account it is highly necessary, that the people to whom he ministers should take care, that a sufficient provision be made for him; that he may live without any anxious care and thought about such things, and his mind be more intent about the work he is called unto: and which is what our Lord chiefly designs by all this, who has ordained that they that preach the Gospel, should be comfortably provided for, and live of it; and which, as it makes for the peace of their minds that minister, it issues in the advantage of those who are ministered to.

Geneva Study Bible

But be shod with {e} sandals; and not put on {f} two coats.

(e) The word properly signifies women's shoes.

(f) That is they should take no change of garments with them, so that they might be lighter for this journey and travel more quickly.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 6:9. ἀλλὰ … σανδάλια, but shod with sandals.—μηδὲ ὑποδήματα, says Matthew, reconcilable either by distinguishing between sandals and shoes (vide on Matthew), or by understanding μηδὲ before ὑποδεδεμένους (Victor Ant.).—δύο χιτῶνας: In Mark the prohibition is not to wear (ἐνδύσησθε) two tunics, in Matthew and Luke not to possess a spare one. The sentence in Mark 6:8-9 presents a curious instance of varying construction: first ἵνα with the subjunctive after παρήγγειλεν (Mark 6:8), then ὑποδεδεμένους, implying an infinitive with accusative (πορεύεσθαι understood), then finally there is a transition from indirect to direct narration in μὴ ἐνδύσησθε.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. be shod with sandals] That is, they were to take no other shoes with them for travelling “than their ordinary sandals of palm-bark.” So now “the Galilean peasants wear a coarse shoe, answering to the sandal of the ancients, but never take two pair with them.”

two coats] That is, they were not to take with them a change of raiment.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - But be shod with sandals. This is quite consistent with what St. Matthew says (Matthew 10:9), that they were not to provide themselves with shoes (μηδὲ ὑποδήματα). According to St. Matthew, shoes are forbidden directly; according to St. Mark, they are forbidden by implication, where he says that they were to be shod with sandals. Shoes are here forbidden which cover the whole foot, not sandals which only protect the soles of the feet lest they should be injured by the rocky ground. The soil of Judaea was rocky and rough, and the climate hot. The sandals therefore protected the soles of the feet, and yet, being open above, kept the feet more cool, and therefore fit for the journey. It is worthy of our notice that, after our Lord's ascension, we find St. Peter using sandals when the angel, who delivered him out of prison, said to him (Acts 12:8), "Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals." Mark 6:9