Luke 10

Sending Out the Seventy

1 After this, the Lord appointed 70^[a] others, and He sent them ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself was about to go.

2 He told them: "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.

3 Now go; I'm sending you out like lambs among wolves.

4 Don't carry a money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals; don't greet anyone along the road.

5 Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.'

6 If a son of peace ^[b] is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Don't be moving from house to house.

8 When you enter any town, and they welcome you, eat the things set before you.

9 Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, 'The kingdom of God has come near you.'

10 When you enter any town, and they don't welcome you, go out into its streets and say,

11 'We are wiping off [as a witness] against you even the dust of your town that clings to our feet. Know this for certain: the kingdom of God has come near.'

12 I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

Unrepentant Towns

13 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes!

14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades! ^[c]

16 Whoever listens to you listens to Me. Whoever rejects you rejects Me. And whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me."

The Return of the Seventy

17 The Seventy^[d] returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name."

18 He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a lightning flash.

19 Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions ^[e] and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will ever harm you.

20 However, don't rejoice that ^[f] the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

The Son Reveals the Father

21 In that same hour He^[g] rejoiced in the Holy^[h] Spirit and said, "I praise ^[i] You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure. ^[j]

22 All things have ^[k] been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son desires ^[l] to reveal Him."

23 Then turning to His disciples He said privately, "The eyes that see the things you see are blessed!

24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see yet didn't see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn't hear them."

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 Just then an expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26 "What is written in the law?" He asked him. "How do you read it?"

27 He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. ^[m]

28 "You've answered correctly," He told him. "Do this and you will live."

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 Jesus took up [the question] and said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead.

31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw [the man], he had compassion.

34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 The next day ^[n] he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him. When I come back I'll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.'

36 "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?"

37 "The one who showed mercy to him," he said. Then Jesus told him, "Go and do the same."

Martha and Mary

38 While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.^[o]

39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord's^[p] feet and was listening to what He said.^[q]

40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, "Lord, don't You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand."^[r]

41 The Lord ^[s] answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things,

42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, ^[t] and it will not be taken away from her."

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Luke 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

Seventy disciples sent forth. (1-16) The blessedness of Christ's disciples. (17-24) The good Samaritan. (25-37) Jesus at the house of Martha and Mary. (38-42)

Verses 1-16 Christ sent the seventy disciples, two and two, that they might strengthen and encourage one another. The ministry of the gospel calls men to receive Christ as a Prince and a Saviour; and he will surely come in the power of his Spirit to all places whither he sends his faithful servants. But the doom of those who receive the grace of God in vain, will be very fearful Those who despise the faithful ministers of Christ, who think meanly of them, and look scornfully upon them, will be reckoned as despisers of God and Christ.

Verses 17-24 All our victories over Satan, are obtained by power derived from Jesus Christ, and he must have all the praise. But let us beware of spiritual pride, which has been the destruction of many. Our Lord rejoiced at the prospect of the salvation of many souls. It was fit that particular notice should be taken of that hour of joy; there were few such, for He was a man of sorrows: in that hour in which he saw Satan fall, and heard of the good success of his ministers, in that hour he rejoiced. He has ever resisted the proud, and given grace to the humble. The more simply dependent we are on the teaching, help, and blessing of the Son of God, the more we shall know both of the Father and of the Son; the more blessed we shall be in seeing the glory, and hearing the words of the Divine Saviour; and the more useful we shall be made in promoting his cause.

Verses 25-37 If we speak of eternal life, and the way to it, in a careless manner, we take the name of God in vain. No one will ever love God and his neighbour with any measure of pure, spiritual love, who is not made a partaker of converting grace. But the proud heart of man strives hard against these convictions. Christ gave an instance of a poor Jew in distress, relieved by a good Samaritan. This poor man fell among thieves, who left him about to die of his wounds. He was slighted by those who should have been his friends, and was cared for by a stranger, a Samaritan, of the nation which the Jews most despised and detested, and would have no dealings with. It is lamentable to observe how selfishness governs all ranks; how many excuses men will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving others. But the true Christian has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwells in him; Christ's image is renewed in his soul. The parable is a beautiful explanation of the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves, without regard to nation, party, or any other distinction. It also sets forth the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward sinful, miserable men. We were like this poor, distressed traveller. Satan, our enemy, has robbed us, and wounded us: such is the mischief sin has done us. The blessed Jesus had compassion on us. The believer considers that Jesus loved him, and gave his life for him, when an enemy and a rebel; and having shown him mercy, he bids him go and do likewise. It is the duty of us all , in our places, and according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity.

Verses 38-42 A good sermon is not the worse for being preached in a house; and the visits of our friends should be so managed, as to make them turn to the good of their souls. Sitting at Christ's feet, signifies readiness to receive his word, and submission to the guidance of it. Martha was providing for the entertainment of Christ, and those that came with him. Here were respect to our Lord Jesus and right care of her household affairs. But there was something to be blamed. She was for much serving; plenty, variety, and exactness. Worldly business is a snare to us, when it hinders us from serving God, and getting good to our souls. What needless time is wasted, and expense often laid out, even in entertaining professors of the gospel! Though Martha was on this occasion faulty, yet she was a true believer, and in her general conduct did not neglect the one thing needful. The favour of God is needful to our happiness; the salvation of Christ is needful to our safety. Where this is attended to, all other things will be rightly pursued. Christ declared, Mary hath chosen the good part. For one thing is needful, this one thing that she has done, to give up herself to the guidance of Christ. The things of this life will be taken away from us, at the furthest, when we shall be taken away from them; but nothing shall separate from the love of Christ, and a part in that love. Men and devils cannot take it away from us, and God and Christ will not. Let us mind the one thing needful more diligently.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)