Luke 10

Chap. X. Ver. 1—20. Jesus sends forth his seventy disciples.—We have already seen our Lord send forth his twelve apostles, probably about a year before this period, with instructions very similar to those now before us, as may be seen by turning to Matt. (Luke 10)ver. 1-16. The object of both missions seems to have been, like that of John the Baptist, to excite public attention, and to prepare the way of their Master. He sent them therefore, “two by two, before his face, into every city and place, whither he himself would come.” This increase of labourers seems to indicate the enlargement of the work before them; and here is no prohibition, as in Matthew, of visiting either Samaritans or Gentiles; and a farther increase of labour is strongly intimated, when our Lord says to these, as well as to the apostles, ((Matthew 9:37),) ‘The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into the harvest.” Indeed several circumstances seem to indicate that though their first labours were to be restrained to the land of Israel, yet this was but for a short period; for, immediately after Christ’s resurrection, their commission was indefinitely extended; and the Acts of the Apostles contain the travels of many of the seventy, (of whom Luke probably was one,) as well as of twelve, throughout the then known world. At the present period the number of preachers is vastly increased; yet contemplate the work before them, namely, the conversion of the world, we may well say, as the apostle Andrew did of the five loaves and two fishes which fed the 5000, ‘‘ What are these among so many?’ What indeed?

but he who multiplied that food, can easily multiply his missionaries to a full adequacy of their work. He can fill the world with them: let us pray the Lord of the harvest, that he will so do! The first mission of the seventy seems to have been very short, and immediately on their return, it is probable that they accompanied their Master in his last circuit through Galilee, which Doddridge thinks must have been between the feasts of Tabernacles and the Dedication; that is, about the beginning of the winter. But let us attend to their report; ‘‘ Lord, (say they,) even the devils (or demons) are subject to us through thy name!” “This seems to have been uttered with surprise, as well as joy, probably recollecting that a short time before, some of their brethren had failed in their attempt to eject a demon, ((Matthew 17:16),) and delighted that no similar disappointment had occurred to them. Jesus, while he admits the fact, represses their exultation: “True! (as if he had said,) I saw Satan with all his subject demons, fall, as lightning from the skies and I shall employ you in still farther victories over the old serpent and his agents: but triumph not in this. You may ‘cast out devils,’ and do many wonderful works, and yet be for ever banished from my presence. ((Matthew 7:22).) Rejoice, rather, that you have a name and a place in my kingdom above, and shall reign for ever with me.” Ver. 21—24. Jesus rejoices in the sovereign good pleasure of God, and teaches his disciples so to do.—“The Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil,”

((John 3:8),) and in no instance do we find his heart rejoicing, but in the downfall of pride, and ignorance, and sin; and on the other hand, in the revelation of mercy and salvation to his meek and humble followers; that while it had not pleased God to reveal his grace to ‘‘ the wise and prudent,” the learned and the intelligent, either among Jews or Gentiles, he had condescended to reveal it to his disciples, though comparatively babes. ‘This is the hour, the eventful hour, (says Dr. H. Hunter,) when Jesus rejoiced in spirit: the hour when the great Sovereign of the universe was subjecting spiritual wickedness to human agents, and perfecting praise out of the mouths of babes and sucklings; when all the glories of the kingdom of heaven unveiled themselves to his view, and the nations of the earth hastened into it.

The scenes of sorrow and suffering which must intervene, are absorbed in contemplating the blessed effects which they were to produce. Here we behold our great pattern setting us the example of referring every thing to God, as the first cause and the last end of all; who acts by his own uncontrollable, inexplicable supremacy, and with a view to his own glory. “Having made this ascription of universal power, authority, and property, to the Father, he represents himself as invested with an equal extent of dominion; as sole administrator of the world which he upholds, and which he came to redeem.—‘All things are delivered to me of my Father.’…. Now, where all power is lodged, there is Deity; ‘In that he put all things in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.’ spirit; the powers of darkness under the feet of the Prince of Behold the heathen given him for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession!

‘must reign until he hath put all things under his feet.’ “It is added, ‘And no man knoweth the Son but the Father; and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the That is, the nature, excellency, and Son will reveal him.’ dignity of the Godhead can be known only by Deity. God is infinite in all his perfections; but in contemplating infinity, all created understanding is lost. This reciprocal knowledge of the Father and of the Son, is itself a mystery inscrutable; it presents at once plurality and unity; which human reason sinks under. ‘No man hath seen God at any time; the begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he declared him.’” (Sacr. Biog. vol. viii. lect. 15.) As a proper application of this subject, our Lord addresses his disciples, apart from the multitude, and reminds them of the great privileges they enjoyed, not only in being under the immediate instruction of one who possessed a complete and infinite knowledge of divine mysteries; but also in seeing with their own eyes the fulfilment of those things which prophets and kings had in ages long since predicted, but were suffered only to glance at through the medium of prophetic vision.

Ver. 25—37. The self-righteous lawyer reproved by the parable of the good Samaritan.—‘‘In attempting to discover the sense of a parable, (says Mr. Preb. Townsend,) we are free to take into consideration the purpose for which it was delivered, and the circumstances that occasioned it. We find here that the young lawyer, wishing to justify himself, and served the law, as far as it related to considering that he had obeyed the Jews, whom only he acknowledges as his neighbours, inquires, ‘‘Who is my neighbour?’ Our Lord answers the question by a parable, in which the duties we owe to our neighbour are forcibly defined, and the extent of those duties pointedly demonstrated. We are taught that not only our acquaintance, in sovereign adour friends, and countrymen, are included under this term; but that our very enemies, when in distress, are entitled to our sympathy, our mercy, and our best exertions for their relief. The Jews held the Samaritans in utter abhorrence; in order, therefore, to impress the mind of the inquirer more fully, Behold, Christian, and rejoice in our Saviour obliges the young man to reply to his own question, for he was compelled to acknowledge that mercy on him was our Lord having represented to him the extent of the law, commands the example of the good Samaritan, and to go and do likewise. The circumstances mentioned in this parable are, by many, considered as real: the road from Jerusalem to Jericho lay through a desert infested by robbers, and which was principally frequented by priests and Levites, in their journeyings from the latter to the former place. The parable itself has been variously interpreted, and by some commentators it is supposed the compassionate love of Christ (who was to relate only to all called by the Jews a Samaritan) to mankind. In whatever way we consider it, the duty it inculcates is most evident; and the parable must be regarded as a beautiful exemplification of the duty of loving our neighbours as ourselves, without any distinction of person, country, or party.”

(New Test. Arr.) every man as our “Let us go and do likewise, regarding let us renounce that neighbour, who needs our assistance. bigotry and party zeal which would contract our hearts into an insensibility to all the human race, but a small number, whose sentiments and practices are so much our own, that our love to them is but self-love reflected. With an honest openness of mind, let us always remember the kindred between man and man, and cultivate that happy instinct whereby, in the original constitution of our nature, God has strongly heard us to each other.” — Wesley. Ver. 38—42. The characters of Martha and Mary.—These were the sisters of Lazarus, and lived with him, where Jesus visited, and all of whom he loved, as we shall find in St.

John’s narrative ((Luke 11)) of the sickness, death, and resurrection of the latter. At present we shall briefly sketch their characters. The anxieties of Martha were, not to secure the wealth, nor enjoy the pleasures of the world; but Jesus was come with his disciples, probably a large company. She, as the elder sister, had welcomed him to the house, and she was anxious to afford him the best entertainment in her power. She could therefore find no time to sit at the feet of Jesus, and probably thought her sister very selfish, to sit and feast herself with his discourse, while she lent no hand to prepare a suitable entertainment for the Lord and his disciples: she therefore ventures to complain of her sister, doubtless expecting that Jesus would immediately order Mary to assist her.

But what says Jesus? He reproves the busy, anxious Martha, and excuses Mary. ‘Martha, Martha, thou art careful, anxious, and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful, the salvation of the soul, and Mary hath chosen that good part. But what is that one thing? “It is hearing the Saviour’s words; it is an attention to the soul; it is religion. What! is nothing else necessary? Yes, many things; but compared with this, they are less than nothing, and vanity. Other things are accidentally needful; this is essentially so. Other things are occasionally needful; this is invariably so. Other things are partially needful; this is universally so: Needful for prosperity and adversity; needful for the body and soul; needful for time and eternity.

Some things are needful for some individuals, but not for others: but this is needful for all; needful for kings and subjects; needful for rich and poor; needful for old and young. “Finally, it is worthy of remark, that real godliness is not only a necessary, but a durable acquisition. ‘Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken from her.’ Permanency adds bliss to bliss…. If we choose honours, riches, pleasures, friendships, they will be sure to fail us….. when we most need their aid. But the blessings we derive from godliness are our own for ever….. Even the desolations of death, which strip us of every thing else, cannot touch the believer’s portion. It is an inheritance incorruptible, and which fadeth not away.”

(Jay’s Short Disc. vol. ii. disc. 13.) Chap. XI. Ver. 1—8. Jesus again teaches his disciples to pray.—As we have already considered this prayer in (Matthew 6:9), our plan might have justified us in passing it over, but that it is a formulary of so much interest, and so extensive use. On these grounds we shall reconsider it, without repeating any of our former observations. The occasion of this request of the disciples appears to have been their hearing the simple, ardent, and importunate petitions of their divine Teacher, in whose recorded prayers we find nothing like sermonizing, or artificial eloquence; and it is truly mortifying to us to hear any thing of the kind from his professed disciples.

The foundation of all prayer lies in the character of God as a Father; but to authorize us to call him “our Father,” we should have evidence that we are his children—the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. And when we contemplate his residence in heaven, where he is surrounded by adoring seraphim, with perpetual ascriptions of Holy, holy, holy! we hope that his name, so revered in heaven, should also be sanctified upon earth. In praying for the accomplishment of the divine will on earth, we should restrain our desires to nothing short of the full accomplishment that it receives; appear to thwart it. On earth, it is true, that will is constantly opposed: but as we know it is omnipotent, we look with pleasure and with hope to that period, when every rebellious spirit on earth shall be subdued,

and holy and uniform obedience rendered to the Lord. When we pray for temporal blessings, our terms must be more limited; we are authorized to ask only provisions necessary or convenient for the present time; not what the rich fool aspired after—‘‘goods laid up for many years to come.” “For spiritual blessings,” says Bishop Taylor, ‘let our prayers be particularly importunate, perpetual, and persevering; for temporal blessings, let them be general, short, conditional, and modest.” Pardon of sin is one of those spiritual blessings for which perpetual, and persevering requests;’’ with which we must in all cases connect our readiness to forgive others, as our Lord has taught us. As in our Courts of law, a man who seeks for justice must go into Court with ‘‘clean hands,”

that is, commit no injustice against the party of whom he complains; so it is in vain for us to plead for mercy in the court of heaven unless we can add, “we also forgive every one that is indebted to us,” or has trespassed against us. The two following petitions, Mr. Granville Sharpe thinks, have a particular reference to the circumstances of our Lord himself—He was led into temptation, but he was delivered from the evil one; to both which circumstances he may probably allude. He was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil—he wrestled with the enemy and prevailed—he came off conqueror, and more than conqueror: but we are unequal to such a contest, and should therefore pray to be delivered from it.

But though we admit that “the evil one,” the devil, may be here particularly intended, we are far from wishing to see the translation so restrained. Not only from Satan, but from every evil being, and every thing, we should certainly pray to be delivered. To this prayer, our Lord adds some arguments for importunity; observing, that in many cases importunity may prevail with men, and God loves to be importuned: but this subject is reviewed (Luke 18:1). “,

Notes on the verses

Chap. X. Ver. 1. Other seventy.—Doddridge and Campbell, ‘‘Seventy other;” i. e. beside the twelve apostles. These “seventy” were, however, probably 72. So we call the seventy version ‘‘The LXX,” though it is generally admitted to have been the work of 72; i. e. twelve from each tribe of Israel. Ver. 4. Salute no man by the way.—This direction evidently implies haste: not that they were to renounce the courtesies of civil life; but the Eastern salutations were formal, and often accompanied with impertinent inquiries, which occasioned great hinderances. Niebuhr, Horneman, and other travellers, particularly complain of this among the Arabs. Orient. Cust. No. 443. Ver. 5. Peace be to this house.—‘‘When a Persian enters an assembly, (having left his shoes without,) he makes the usual salutation, Peace be unto you!

which is addressed to the whole assembly, as it were, saluting the house.’’ Morier’s 2d Journey. Ver. 6. If the son.—Campbell, “A son;” the Greek article being wanting in many MSS., the best editions, and the comments of several fathers. A son of peace, means a friendly, hospitable man; but “the son of peace” has been explained (though improperly) of the Son of man himself. The parallel text of Matthew x. 13, says, “If the house be worthy;” i. e. fit, suitable, and willing to receive you. The term “house” is frequently used for family. Ver. 13. Wo unto thee, Chorazin.—Chorazin is generally supposed to have been situated on the western shore of the lake of Tiberias, near Capernaum. These cities were so totally destroyed by the Romans, that their sites cannot now be identified.

—Bagster. Ver. 18. I beheld Satan, &c.—See (John 12:31); xvi. 11, (Revelation 12:8-9). This is generally understood to refer to the sudden and precipitous fall of Satan’s kingdom by the preaching of the Gospel; but Erasmus understands it as a caution to the disciples against spiritual pride, as if our Lord had warned them of Satan’s fate. Compare (1 Timothy 3:6). Ver. 20. Rather rejoice.—The word rather, according to Campbell, is wanting in almost all the MSS., Editions, Versions, &c. But the context seems to favour it, and Doddridge, Boothroyd, &c. retain it. Either way the sense remains the same. Ver. 21. That thou hast hid.—The ground of our Lord’s rejoicing here, is evidently not so properly that the gospel ‘was concealed, or not revealed to any, as that it was revealed to some, and those the most insignificant and unworthy.

Cornmett renders it, “Because, having hidden these things from sages and the learned, thou hast revealed them to babes;” and Doddridge, though he retains the common version, inserts in his paraphrase the word while; (* While) thou hast hid these things,” &c.; perhaps the conjunction although would be still better. See (Romans 6:17). Ver. 22. All things, &c.—And turning to these disciples, he said, All things,” &c. So Campbell. ‘The all things delivered to the Son, may, in the first place, intend the doctrines and mysteries of the Gospel, but are not, we conceive, to be confined to these. See (Matthew 28:18). Ver. 23. Blessed are the eyes, &c.—Compare the parallel text, (Matthew 13:16); and 1 Peter i.

10, 11, which seems a full illustration of the passage before us. Ver. 25. And, behold, a certain lawyer; i. e. a student, or doctor of the Mosaic law, stood up, and tempted him; Doddridge, ‘to try him.” Similar incidents occur (Matthew 19:16); xxii. 35; but the party is not thought to be the same. Ver. 26. How readest thou?—Vitringa observes, that the text quoted by the lawyer, in the next verse, was read daily in the temple. Ver. 30. And fell among thieves.—From the testimony of Josephus, it appears that not only was Judea at that time miserably infested with robbers, but that this road, in particular, was deplorably harassed by these banditti, as it lay through wild and dreary solitudes. Hence Jerome tells us it was called ‘the bloody way.”

Mr. Buckingham, in his late travels, says, here pillage, wounds, and death, would be accompanied with double terror, from the frightful aspect of every thing around; here the unfeeling act of passing by a fellow creature in distress, strikes one with horror, as an act more than inhuman; and here, too, the compassion of the good Samaritan is doubly virtuous, from the purity of the motive which must have led to it, in a spot where no eyes were fixed upon him, and from the bravery which was necessary to admit of a man’s exposing himself, by such delay, to the risk of a similar fate. Ver. 31, By chance.—Doddridge, “It happened:” Wesley, “It came to pass,” who adds, “There is no such thing in the universe as either chance or Ver.

32. Came and looked.—Curiosity might induce the Levite to do this; but the priest passed on without even stopping to look. Ver. 33. A certain Samaritan.—From the benevolence of character here exhibited, the principal person in the fable has been distinguished by the epithet of good, and a desire to honour the Saviour of mankind, no doubt led the ancient fathers, and from their time the allegorical preachers of every succeeding age, to apply this character to Jesus Christ, though he was neither a Samaritan nor a sectary. To complete the allegory, the Jew is supposed to represent Adam; his going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, the fall; the thieves which attacked him, sin and Satan; and his being left half dead, the miserable state of man since the fall.

The priest and Levite who passed him by, the moral and ceremonial law; the inn, the church; the host, the ministers of the gospel; the two pence, the two dispensations, oil and wine, the sacraments, &c. and the repayment, the rewards of another world. We shall cite no name to this interpretation, because we think it unwarranted; but we believe it is ancient as Origen, and as modern as Wm. Huntington. Ver. 34. Oil and wine—Mingled together, were used medicinally by the ancients. —To an inn.—Of the eastern inn, see note on (Luke 2:7). But this inn is not described by the same term, but was probably a mere resting place, and the (as the original implies,) and where some person attended, here

To him the good Samaritan gave two host, or innkeeper, to assist strangers.

‘x; pence, about 28 cents of our money, with a promise of more, if needed. Ver. 39. Which also sat.—This conjunction (also) does not imply that Martha sat with her, for it is evident from the next verse that she did not. The also is therefore omitted both by Doddridge and Campbell. Ver. 41. Careful and troubled.—Doddridge, “Anxious and disturbed.” Ver. 42. One thing is needful.—What this is, has been almost as much disputed as the summum bonum among the ancients. Some have suggested, that one dish might be intended; but surely one dish would not serve Jesus and his apostles, to say nothing of the seventy disciples. This, besides, supposes, when Mary chose the better part, that she had taken care to secure that dish to herself: a most degrading interpretation!

When the sacred writers speak of one thing as particularly important, it is something of a spiritual and sublime nature. See (Psalms 27:4). (Proverbs 3:13); iv. 7. (Mark 10:21).