Luke 10

Seventy-two sent out

1 After these things, the Lord commissioned seventy-two others and sent them on ahead in pairs to every city and place he was about to go.

2 He said to them, “The harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest.

3 Go! Be warned, though, that I'm sending you out as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry no wallet, no bag, and no sandals. Don't even greet anyone along the way.

5 Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peace be on this house.'

6 If anyone there shares God's peace, then your peace will rest on that person. If not, your blessing will return to you.

7 Remain in this house, eating and drinking whatever they set before you, for workers deserve their pay. Don't move from house to house.

8 Whenever you enter a city and its people welcome you, eat what they set before you.

9 Heal the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘God's kingdom has come upon you.'

10 Whenever you enter a city and the people don't welcome you, go out into the streets and say,

11 ‘As a complaint against you, we brush off the dust of your city that has collected on our feet. But know this: God's kingdom has come to you.'

12 I assure you that Sodom will be better off on Judgment Day than that city.

Judgment against cities that reject Jesus

13 " How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin. How terrible it will be for you, Bethsaida. If the miracles done among you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed their hearts and lives long ago. They would have sat around in funeral clothes and ashes.

14 But Tyre and Sidon will be better off at the judgment than you.

15 And you, Capernaum, will you be honored by being raised up to heaven? No, you will be cast down to the place of the dead.

16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

The seventy-two return

17 The seventy-two returned joyously, saying, "Lord, even the demons submit themselves to us in your name."

18 Jesus replied, " I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

19 Look, I have given you authority to crush snakes and scorpions underfoot. I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

20 Nevertheless, don't rejoice because the spirits submit to you. Rejoice instead that your names are written in heaven."

21 At that very moment, Jesus overflowed with joy from the Holy Spirit and said, " I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you've hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and shown them to babies. Indeed, Father, this brings you happiness.

22 My Father has handed all things over to me. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal him."

23 Turning to the disciples, he said privately, " Happy are the eyes that see what you see.

24 I assure you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear, but they didn't."

Loving your neighbor

25 A legal expert stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to gain eternal life?"

26 Jesus replied, " What is written in the Law? How do you interpret it?"

27 He responded, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself."

28 Jesus said to him, " You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live."

29 But the legal expert wanted to prove that he was right, so he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 Jesus replied, " A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He encountered thieves, who stripped him naked, beat him up, and left him near death.

31 Now it just so happened that a priest was also going down the same road. When he saw the injured man, he crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way.

32 Likewise, a Levite came by that spot, saw the injured man, and crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way.

33 A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came to where the man was. But when he saw him, he was moved with compassion.

34 The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, tending them with oil and wine. Then he placed the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 The next day, he took two full days' worth of wages and gave them to the innkeeper. He said, ‘Take care of him, and when I return, I will pay you back for any additional costs.'

36 What do you think? Which one of these three was a neighbor to the man who encountered thieves?"

37 Then the legal expert said, "The one who demonstrated mercy toward him." Jesus told him, " Go and do likewise."

Jesus visits Martha and Mary

38 While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest.

39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his message.

40 By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me."

41 The Lord answered, " Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things.

42 One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won't be taken away from her."

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18