Luke 9:1

There is a definite break in this chapter (Luke 9:51), where Luke begins a large section of teachings and events not recorded elsewhere in the New Testament. Up to that point, he related a number of incidents reported in the other Gospels. These are: the Twelve sent forth (Luke 9:1-6), Herod's perplexity (Luke 9:7-9), feeding the five thousand (Luke 9:10-17), Peter's confession (Luke 9:18-27), the transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36), curing the epileptic boy (Luke 9:37-43), a prophecy of Jesus' being delivered up (Luke 9:44-45), on "Who's the greatest?" (Luke 9:46-48), the one who followed "not us" (Luke 9:49-50); and then follows material largely unique to Luke: the proposal to call down fire (Luke 9:51-55), and the story of three prospective followers of Jesus (Luke 9:56-62).

And he called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. And he sent them forth to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staff, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats. And into whatsoever house ye enter, there abide, and thence depart. And as many as receive you not, when ye depart from that city, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony against them. And they departed, and went through the villages, preaching the Gospel, and healing everywhere. (Luke 9:1-6)

SENDING FORTH OF THE TWELVE

Both Matthew and Mark record this preaching mission of the Twelve (Matthew 10:5ff; Mark 6:7ff); and despite the fact of Luke's narrative partially following Mark's order, it actually is unlike both the others, indicating the independence of the sacred authors. There is more than a mere possibility that Jesus sent forth the Twelve twice, this possibility resting upon the fact that Matthew records such a mission BEFORE the deputation of John the Baptist came to Jesus, and Luke recorded it substantially AFTER that event. It seems to this student that it is arbitrary to conclude that there was only one "sending forth" of the Twelve, and that this or that Gospel erred in the placement of it in the holy record. In keeping with Luke's style of relating TWO of many typical acts of Jesus, rather than merely one, it would not be exceptional if he did the same thing here. In the very nature of training Jesus gave the Twelve in preparation for their worldwide mission, a training that extended over a period of about four years, it appears that there easily could have been two, or even more, occasions when the Twelve were sent out to preach. See under 7:10. For a line-by-line comment on this event see my Commentary on John, at John chapter 10, and in my Commentary on Mark, under Mark 6:7ff.

Neither staff ... Matthew stated that Jesus said, "Get you ... no staff'; (Matthew 10:10), that is, "Do not procure, or purchase one"; and Mark reported Jesus saying, "Take nothing ... save a staff only." The obvious meaning of all this taken together is, "Go as you are." As Ash noted, "Mark's account meant to take only the staff they had, whereas Luke's referred to taking another staff. The basic meaning in all three Gospels is `Go as you are'."[1] Such a variation as is evidenced here loses all significance when it is considered that Jesus might have said one thing on one occasion, and something else on another. Regarding the propensity of some to hunt a contradiction, the burden of proof must rest upon them, requiring that they should show how it was impossible for Jesus to have sent the Twelve forth more than one time, with the slight variation of his instructions (if they are variations) revealed in the sacred records.