003. "Go Not From House to House"

"Go Not From House to House"

(Luke 10:4-7) "And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide."

Christ sends out the seventy helpers with these instructions: "Carry neither purse nor scrip nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter ... in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire." This sounds strange to our ears, but remember there were many people to carry the Good News to, and not much time left in which to accomplish this work. When a stranger arrived in a village or an encampment, the people, one after another, must invite him to eat with them. There is a very strict custom about it, involving much hypocrisy; and any failure to observe this law of hospitality is violently resented by all the neighborhood, and often leads to feuds. This hospitality consumes an enormous amount of time, leads to levity and gossip, and in every way would counteract the success of the spiritual mission on which the disciples were sent. On account of all these obstacles, the helpers were instructed to avoid all these feasts. Christ was sending them out, not to be honored and feasted, but to call men to repentance. They were, therefore, first to find a suitable place to lodge in, and to remain there until their work for the Lord in that village was accomplished. "Go not from house to house, carry no scrip." The scrip is the whole skin of a kid, dried. It is fastened to the belt or a cord, and is thrown over the shoulder under the outer garment. The traveler will carry in this scrip bread, figs and olives, enough to last on his journey. The disciples were told not to take scrip or food with them (Luke 9:3).