Luke 10
BolesLuke 10:1-24
- MISSION OF THE SEVENTY
1 Now after these things—The mission of the “seventy” is given by Luke only. Jesus was probably near Capernaum when this was given. Many think that the seventy were sent out before the incidents recorded in Luke 9:51-56, and therefore before Jesus left Galilee for the feast of tabernacles at Jerusalem. (John 7:2-10.) The places to which the seventy were sent are not known; they were probably in lower Galilee and along the Jordan valley in Perea and Judea. “After these things” simply means after the general series of events narrated in the previous chapter. They were to go in twos. The number seventy reminds us of the seventy elders appointed by Moses (Numbers 11:16) and the Jewish Sanhedrin, which was composed of seventy or seventy-two. These seventy were appointed in addition to the other disciples or apostles which had been selected. Their mission was to go before him and announce his coming.
2 And he said unto them,—As they were to go by twos, they had a specific mission. He said to them, “the harvest indeed is plenteous,” but there were very few laborers. The language used by Luke here is the same that was used in sending the twelve. (Matthew 9:37-38.) They were to pray that “the Lord of the harvest” should send forth sufficient laborers to take care of the harvest. Christ was the Lord of the harvest; it is he who sent them out. “The harvest” refers to the great multitude of people who were eager to learn of his teaching. This is another passage which very vividly represents the need of laborers to work for Jesus.
3 Go your ways; behold, I send you forth—These seventy likewise were sent as lambs among wolves; notice that here the word is “lambs,” while in Matthew 10:16 it is “sheep,” but the thought is the same, only intensified by lambs. These seventy were to go in gentleness and simplicity as lambs, and as defenseless as they, among the rough people who would act like wolves toward them. Lambs and wolves are natural enemies, the lambs are innocent and defenseless, the wolves are malicious and cruel. It is a pathetic picture of the risk and dangers that they had to endure. It is like taking one’s life into one’s own hands. It was necessary that these dangers be made emphatic to them so that they would know what they would have to meet.
4, 5 Carry no purse, no wallet,—The provision for their journey was very much like that of the twelve when sent out on their limited commission. “Purse” means moneybag; “wallet” was a bag for carrying provisions; they were to take no extra shoes or sandals. These sandals were fastened to the bottom of the feet with straps passing over the foot and ankle. They were to go just as they were, without making preparation, and depend on the hospitality of the people. They were to salute no man on the way; the King’s business required haste. The greeting or salutation to the house was the common Jewish greeting. To salute one by the way after the Eastern custom would consume much time, but this greeting to a house when they entered it was brief, and required no waste of time. The brief salutation was “peace be to this house.” Whatever house they should happen to enter, they were to greet it with this usual salutation. (1 Samuel 25:6.) This salutation was both a prayer and a blessing, and which indicated the gracious mission which they had in coming to that house.
6, 7 And if a son of peace be there,—“Son of peace” means one who is inclined to peace and properly belongs to the household. The figure here is that the peace and blessing which they pronounced upon this household would return to them; they would receive blessings for blessing the household. However if the head of the house did not receive them, their blessings should not abide with that house; it should return “to you again.” If they had a favorable reception, they were to remain in that house until they had finished their work in that village. They were not to go “from house to house” in their abiding; it does not mean that they should not go from house to house in their teaching. The laborer is worthy of his hire. It would be easier for them to do their work by remaining in the same house, and avoid waste of time with such elaborate entertainments as might be offered them.
8, 9 And into whatsoever city ye enter,—The same rules were to apply to them on entering a city that applied to them on entering a house if they had a welcome; they were to remain there and to eat such things as would be set before them; they were not to expect a great feast, but were to live a simple life so that they could render the most efficient service. To eat to gluttony and to drink to drunkenness would unfit them for the work that they were to do; they were not to be gormandizers. They were to heal the sick that were there and to preach that “the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” Healing is here placed before preaching; this was an emphatic way of demanding attention to their message.
10, 11 But into whatsoever city ye shall enter,—Jesus knew that his cause would have enemies; he knew that some would not accept his disciples; he knew that some would not believe, as he knew that some would believe and receive his message. Hence, he tells them how to deport themselves in the presence of those who refused to believe their message. Dust was a plague in the East; they should shake off the dust as a witness against those who rejected them. There was to go with this a condemnation because they had refused to accept the message. The kingdom of God had come nigh to them, and they had spurned it, and invited the condemnation of the kingdom upon themselves. As those who received them invited the blessings of the kingdom, so those who rejected the message invited the condemnation of the kingdom upon them.
12 I say unto you,—Jesus had just given instruction to the seventy, and had told them that if a city refused to receive them that they should wipe off the dust from their feet as a testimony against that city. He now says that it will be “more tolerable” in the day of judgment “for Sodom” than for the city that rejects the messengers of Christ. Lot witnessed against the evil of the Sodomites, but he was a less perfect and clear witness than were the seventy in their mission to the towns of Palestine; hence the greater light rejected, the greater condemnation. This rule holds good now since it expresses a general truth:the more light and truth rejected, the greater the condemnation. (See Luke 12:47.) The many and the few stripes suggest this principle. Sodom was situated where the southern portion of the Dead Sea now is. Its wickedness was great. (Genesis 13:13; Genesis 18:20; Jude 1:7.) Its retribution was also great. (Deuteronomy 29:23; Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 49:18 Amos 4:11; 2 Peter 2:6.)
13, 14 Woe unto thee, Chorazin!—Chorazin is not mentioned save here and in Matthew 11:21. Its exact location is not known. The cities mentioned here were probably located west of the Jordan. Bethsaida was at the north end of the Sea of Galilee and probably on the west of the Jordan. It was evidently not far from where the Jordan flowed into the Sea of Galilee. Jesus evidently did many notable miracles in Chorazin and Bethsaida.
Jesus did many mighty works of which we have no special record. (Matt. 4:24; 8:16 9:35.) Bethsaida is supposed to be the name of two towns, one on the east and the other on the west of the Sea of Galilee. The name means “a house of fishing or fishery.” The Bethsaida on the northeastern border of the lake may be referred to in Mark 6:32; Mark 8:22; Luke 9:10. The one mentioned here was on the west side near Capernaum, the birthplace of Andrew, Peter, and Philip. (John 1:44; John 12:21.) Tyre and Sidon were located on the Mediterranean coast. They were the two principal cities on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. “Sidon” means “fishery” and was one of the oldest cities of the world; it is thought to have been founded by Sidon, the oldest son of Cain. (Genesis 10:15; Genesis 49:13.) Tyre means “a rock” and was about twenty miles south of Sidon; it was not so old as Sidon, but grew in importance and became a greater city. They were the subjects of much prophecy and of divine judgments. (Isaiah 23; Ezek. 26:27, 28; 29:18.) These old heathen cities of Tyre and Sidon would have repented long ago had such works been done in them as have been done in Chorazin and Bethsaida. “Sackcloth and ashes” were symbols of penitence. “Sackcloth” was a coarsely woven cloth; it was made of goats’ or camels’ hair, and was a material similar to that which Paul used in making tents. It was used for rough garments of mourners (1 Kings 21:27; Esther 4:1) in which the sackcloth was put next to the flesh in token of extreme sorrow. “Ashes” was a sign of mourning, and the defiling of oneself with dead things; sometimes this was done by using dirt.
15, 16 And thou, Capernaum,—Capernaum was situated on the northwestern coast of the Sea of Galilee. It had exalted privileges; Jesus had resided there for some time; its privileges and honors were great. (Matthew 9:1.) It was situated on the hill that rises from the plain of the sea; it could boast of being a great city. The prophecy of Christ is that it should be brought down “unto Hades.” Hades is not the same as Gehenna; “Hades” was originally the name of the god who presided over the realm of the dead; hence the phrase, “house of Hades.” “Sheol” has a similar meaning. The classical “Hades” embraced both good and bad men, though divided into “Elysium,” the abode of the righteous, and “Tartarus,” the abode of the wicked. In the New Testament, “Hades” is the realm of the dead; it is not merely the place for the wicked. Capernaum would be reduced from its high and exalted state to the lowest state.
He that heareth you heareth me;—These solemn words close the instruction that Jesus gave the seventy. The fate of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum will befall those who set aside the mission and message of those sent out by Christ. To receive these seventy would be to receive Christ; to reject the seventy and their message would be to reject Christ. Those who rejected Christ rejected God. Today when people reject the word of God they reject Jesus, and those who reject Jesus reject God. To reject the New Testament today is to reject God.
17 And the seventy returned with joy,—They had followed the directions of Jesus, and had gone into all of the cities where he had directed them to go. They now returned with joy and rejoicing. They had been given power over demons; the demons were merely one sign of the conflict between Christ and Satan. The twelve had been endowed with this power when they were sent out (Luke 9:1), but the seventy were only told to heal the sick as stated by Luke in 10:9. Not only did they heal the sick which Jesus commanded them to do, but their faith was so active and strong that they cast out demons. This was the more remarkable, as even nine apostles had sometime before this failed to cast out a demon. (Luke 9:40.) There is great simplicity and honesty in their report.
18-20 And he said unto them,—With a prophetic eye Jesus saw the downfall of Satan. The demons being subject to the seventy gave the occasion for Jesus to utter this prophecy. The fact that demons were subject to the disciples of Jesus indicated that Satan himself should be defeated by Christ. As a flash of lightning out of heaven, so quick and startling, so the victory of the seventy over the demons, the agent of Satan, forecast his downfall and Jesus in vision pictured it as a flash of lightning. Jesus now enlarged their authority over evil. They were to have authority “to tread upon serpents and scorpions,” and all phases of their enemies’ efforts to harm them.
Jesus gives them power to do the work that he had for them to do; they were qualified to do his work, and Satan should not have power to prevent their successful work. The power to tread upon serpents is repeated in Mark 16:18, and exemplified in Paul’s case in Melita. (Acts 28:3-5.) Protection from physical harm is not the main point in this struggle with Satan. (Matthew 13:25; Romans 16:20; 1 Peter 5:8.) Nothing can really “hurt” God’s people; they may be persecuted, but their spiritual life cannot be touched by any of the agents or weapons of Satan. (Romans 8:27-39.) “Serpents” were poisonous reptiles; “scorpions” were large insects, several inches long, with a poisonous sting at the extremity of the tail; they live in warm climates and are found in dry and dark places.
21 In that same hour he rejoiced—Jesus had just told his disciples to rejoice and he now sets the example as “he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” and prayed to his Father. Similar sublime words were spoken on another occasion. (Matt. 11 25-27.) The thanksgiving as expressed here by Jesus acknowledges God as “Lord of heaven and earth.” The thanksgiving arises from the wisdom of God in hiding these things from the wise and understanding, those who fancied themselves to be so, and having revealed them to babes in wisdom and understanding. The Holy Spirit expressed through Paul a similar thought. (Romans 9:11-17. See also Matthew 16:17; Matthew 18:3-4; Luke 9:47-48; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 Corinthians 1:26; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.) This result was not a mere arbitrary act of God; it follows a law of mind and of truth. People who refuse to see and accept spiritual truth gradually render themselves unable to understand it; those of little spiritual apprehension, mere babes in experience, yet willing to get and use what they can, gain more and more capacity to apprehend that kind of truth; thus it is hidden from the first and revealed unto the latter class.
22 All things have been delivered unto me—Jesus was given all power and authority on earth and in heaven; he is Revealer, Creator, Redeemer, and will be final Judge of all mankind. (Matthew 28:18; John 1:1-5; John 1:41; John 17:2.) No one knew the Father except as revealed through Christ; Christ knew the Father and revealed him. The Father knew Christ and revealed him to man; each revealed the other to man. We read of no patriarch or prophet, or priest, or apostle or saint of any age, who ever used words like these they reveal to us the mighty majesty of our Lord’s nature and person. They reveal the very intimate relation between the Father and Son both are incomprehensible, and are understood only so far as they are revealed.
23, 24 And turning to the disciples,—The prayer that Jesus uttered was a soliloquy, spoken in the presence of the seventy on their return. Jesus now turned and spoke “privately,” or to his twelve disciples. It may have been on this same occasion or a little later. “Blessed” here introduces a beatitude, a beatitude of privilege. Their eyes were blessed because they saw; they understood in some degree what Jesus was saying. They were indeed blessed in contrast to the blinded scribes and Pharisees around them, who both hated and rejected the truth; these humble followers of Jesus, having teachable spirits, had beheld him as the Messiah, and had received from him lessons of heavenly wisdom.
many prophets and kings desired to see—The Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, and kings like David, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, and Josiah longed to see the fulfillment of the promise in the coming Messiah, and to hear the wonderful truths he would reveal, but did not see the one nor hear the other. They lived and died in the hope and faith that these things would be accomplished. We live in the full light of that kingdom already set up, and yet how little do we realize the force of these remarkable words of Jesus! (2 Samuel 23:5; Job 19:23-24; Isaiah 52:7; 1 Peter 1:10.)
Luke 10:25-37
- THE GOOD
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up—This parable is peculiar to Luke. “A certain lawyer,” that is, one who was skilled in the law of Moses, one who could interpret the law and who could teach it. The lawyer “stood up,” which showed this was some formal meeting or gathering. His purpose was to make trial of Jesus. He was not wanting to know the truth; the question of the ensnaring lawyer and the answer with their explanatory parable were fitted to give truer views of God’s law, further break down Jewish exclusiveness, and to prepare the way for the acceptance of the universal brotherhood of man. The question asked was “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26, 27 And he said unto him,—The lawyer’s question implied that he knew what the rabbis taught, but you are a new teacher; what do you say? Jesus did not ask what the law taught, but he asked, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” Jesus asked how do you understand the law to teach regarding this? How would you sum up the law respecting this particular matter? The lawyer answered by quoting Deuteronomy 6:3; Deuteronomy 11:13, which were written on the phylacteries. The second part of his answer was from Leviticus 19:18 and shows that the lawyer knew the law. At a later time Jesus himself in the temple gave a like summary of the law to a lawyer who wanted to catch him by his question. (Matthew 22:34-40 Mark 12:28-34.)
28, 29 And he said unto him,—The rich young ruler had asked the same question and this lawyer was not as sincere as the ruler. Jesus gave an unexpected turn and said: “This do, and thou shalt live.” The lawyer was not prepared for this answer of Jesus; he expected Jesus to give a different answer. He did not see that following the law in its deep significance would lead him to accept the Messiah; he did not see that every sacrifice offered unto the law pointed to Jesus as the great sacrifice for the sins of the world; he did not see that the law was tutor to bring one to Christ. The lawyer seeking to justify himself, asked: “Who is my neighbor?” The lawyer admitted that it was hard to keep this law fully, and that Jesus had answered him correctly. He was seeking a loop-hole by which he could escape. He had come to ensnare Jesus, but had been caught in his own trap; hence he sought to justify himself by asking a question which diverted the mind from the main question.
The lawyer asked whom he was to love as himself. He was hoping, perhaps, that Jesus would limit the word neighbor to the Jews. (Matthew 5:43.) The Pharisees restricted the term so as to exclude not only Gentiles and Samaritans, but also publicans and those who shared not their own peculiar views. If Jesus should make a different application, the lawyer would have hope to refute Jesus. The word “neighbor” signified one living near, and was used in a limited sense to mean a friend; in its broader sense, Jesus shows that it meant a fellow man in need.
30 Jesus made answer and said,—This is a very good point with respect to the teachings of Jesus. The lawyer had given this turn to his question and asked whom he is to love as himself. How near must he live to him; how near in the gradations of social life; how exactly on the same plane of social rank? This shows that the astuteness of the lawyer was brought to his aid in this conversation; he presents the many difficulties of interpreting the second table of the law so as to make it thoroughly practical. Jesus presents the case of a Jew who was journeying from Jerusalem to Jericho. This road was indeed a going “down,” for Jericho was about eight hundred feet below the Mediterranean Sea, while Jerusalem was about two thousand five hundred feet above it, making a descent of three thousand three hundred feet in about sixteen to eighteen miles. This road to Jericho was through a narrow, deep ravine with holes, caves, and hiding places for robbers.
31 And by chance a certain priest—It seems accidental, yet there are no accidents in God’s arrangements. Jericho was a city of priests, where twelve thousand lived. As they served at Jerusalem, it would be no uncommon thing for a priest to be traveling that road, even though they more commonly took the longer route by Bethlehem. When the priest saw this man wounded and dying, he passed by “on the other side.” This presents a vivid and powerful picture of the vice of Jewish ceremonial cleanliness at the cost of moral principle and duty. This priest was under obligation to help this man, but he did not do so.
32 And in like manner a Levite also,—“A Levite” was one who belonged to a class, the descendants of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; these were the sons of Levi who assisted the priest in sacrificing and other services; they also guarded the temple. (Numbers 3:17; Numbers 8:5-22.) The Levite was probably returning to Jericho from the temple service at Jerusalem. When he drew near to the wounded man, he just looked at the miserable object and got an idea of the critical condition of the poor, wounded sufferer. He immediately crossed the road, passing on without doing anything to relieve the man. The priest had showed great and even selfish indifference, but the Levite showed a cool and calculating selfishness; both acted in a manner unbecoming humanity and utterly unworthy of their sacred professions and office. Their conduct was a striking violation of the law. (Exodus 23:4-5; Deuteronomy 22:1-4; Isaiah 58:7; Malachi 2:6-7.)
33-35 But a certain Samaritan,—The wounded man was apparently a Jew, and the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. (John 4:9.) This Samaritan traveling the same road found the man who had been robbed and wounded; he had mercy on him; he took him up and gave him treatment, “pouring on them oil and wine,” and put him on his own beast and took him to an inn. Of all men in the world to do a neighborly act, a Jew would not expect this of a Samaritan. The Samaritan did not side-step or dodge the wounded man, but had compassion on him. Oil and wine were used for medicinal purposes in the East. (Isaiah 1:6.) They were very commonly carried by travelers. (Genesis 28:18; Joshua 9:13.) The wine may have been used for bathing and cleansing the wounds, and the olive oil for relieving the pain and for its healing qualities. Jews also used a mingling of oil and wine together for healing wounds. The Samaritan was not contented with merely taking him to the inn and seeing that he had a place of safety, but he took care of him during the remainder of the day and night, attending to his wants, nursing him, and thus denying himself of needed rest and sleep.
36, 37 Which of these three,—Jesus is now ready to have the lawyer answer his own question. The lawyer had asked who was his neighbor and the great Teacher has led him up to the point that he can answer his own question. So Jesus asks the lawyer which of the three “proved neighbor unto him that fell among the robbers?” The lawyer answered promptly and said: “He that showed mercy on him.” The Master Teacher had changed the lawyer’s standpoint and put it up to him to decide, and the lawyer could not answer the question incorrectly; the lawyer could not say that the priest or the Levite acted neighborly toward the wounded man; such an answer would have stulified his own intelligence; he had to answer the question correctly; there was no way to evade. He had come to ensnare Jesus, but is now entangled in his own net. Jesus then said to him: “Go, and do thou likewise.” He had asked what he should do to inherit eternal life, and he now has his answer. He avoided in answering Jesus’ question, saying “the Samaritan” proved neighbor, and used the clause, “he that showed mercy on him.”
Luke 10:38-42
- MARY AND MARTHA
38 Now as they went on their way,—Jesus was traveling toward Jerusalem; they came to “a certain village.” We learn from John 11:1 that this was Bethany. The time is not definite; there is nothing in the language to indicate just when this event took place. As Jesus and the twelve were on their journey whither the seventy had already gone, they came to Bethany—Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. The characters of the two sisters as here presented agree with those described in John. Lazarus is not named here by Luke; it seems that Luke’s design was merely to present these two sisters with their different traits and their relations to Jesus. Bethany was situated less than two miles from Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Jesus went into the house of these sisters Many think that this was before the sickness and death of Lazarus.
39 And she had a sister called Mary,—Martha was probably the older of these sisters, and had charge of the domestic duties of the house; she received Jesus to her hospitalities. Very little is said about Mary; in fact, these sisters are mentioned only three times in gospel history. Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet, and heard his word.” Pupils were accustomed to sit at the feet of their teacher; Paul sat and learned at the feet of Gamaliel. (Acts 22:3.) Mary is described as sitting in John 11:20, in contrast to the active Martha. In Mary we see a quiet, childlike, teachable, and contemplative spirit eagerly seeking after the truth. The good Samaritan presents us an example of active love; Mary of devoted and receptive love.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving;—In contrast to Mary at her Master’s feet is Martha bustling amid anxious cares and overburdened with much labor. She is “cumbered,” which means “perplexed, overoccupied”; with her domestic duties weighing heavily upon her in preparing the table for the entertainment of Jesus, she complains to Jesus about her sister Mary. Jesus frequently visited this home; hence he was not a stranger. Martha came with some haste to Jesus into the room where he was sitting and asked that he bid her sister to help her. There seems to be a reproach to Jesus in her speech as she asked if he did not care that Mary had left her alone to serve. It was an explosive act of Martha to so speak to Jesus. Jesus overlooked the apparent rebuke that Martha gave him, and looked into her heart and answered according to her good and his own wisdom.
41, 42 But the Lord answered and said unto her,—Jesus said: “Martha, Martha.” This was an impressive and emphatic repetition, calling her attention to the important truth he was about to utter. Martha was fretted with work, and Jesus kindly and calmly answered her outburst of feeling and said that she was “anxious and troubled about many things.” The manifold cares in providing for his entertainment were not necessary. Jesus reproved her, not so much to the entertaining him as to her state of mind not to the mere providing for the company, but to her needless solicitude and restless agitation of spirit which could well have been spared on that occasion. Martha was anxious about “many things,” but Jesus informed her that only “one thing is needful.” Here Jesus puts in contrast the “many things” with the “one thing”; that contrast is not only in regard to number, but also in regard to kind. Martha was absorbed with the physical and earthly. Jesus points her to the spiritual and heavenly.
The one thing needful was a proper state of heart for receiving Jesus, and also the receiving of his truth. With proper attention to the one thing needful, Martha as well as Mary could have done well in attending to her household duties. Jesus commended Mary because she had “chosen the good part,” and he adds that it should “not be taken away from her.”