rwp Mark:6:7 SEEK
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Mark:6:7 @{
By two and two } (\
duo duo \).
This repetition of the numeral instead of the use of \
ana duo \
or \
kata duo \
is usually called a Hebraism .
The Hebrew does have this idiom ,
but it appears in Aeschylus and Sophocles ,
in the vernacular _Koin
_
(
Oxyrhynchus Papyri No .
121 ),
in Byzantine Greek ,
and in modern Greek (
Deissmann ,
_Light
from the Ancient East_
,
pp .
122f .).
Mark preserves the vernacular _Koin
_
better than the other Gospels and this detail suits his vivid style .
The six pairs of apostles could thus cover Galilee in six different directions .
Mark notes that he "
began to send them forth " (\
rxato autous apostellein \).
Aorist tense and present infinitive .
This may refer simply to this particular occasion in Mark '
s picturesque way .
But the imperfect tense \
edidou \
means he kept on giving them all through the tour ,
a continuous power (
authority )
over unclean spirits singled out by Mark as representing "
all manner of diseases and all manner of sickness " (
Matthew:10:1 |), "
to cure diseases " (\
iasthai \,
strkjv @
Luke:9:1 |),
healing power .
They were to preach and to heal (
Luke:9:1 ;
strkjv @
Matthew:10:7 |).
Mark does not mention preaching as a definite part of the commission to the twelve on this their first preaching tour ,
but he does state that they did preach (
6:12 |).
They were to be missioners or missionaries (\
apostellein \)
in harmony with their office (\
apostoloi \).