Luke 10

1 After this, the Lord appointed seventy other talmidim and sent them on ahead in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go.

2 He said to them, "To be sure, there is a large harvest. But there are few workers. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the Harvest that he speed workers out to gather in his harvest.

3 Get going now, but pay attention! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

4 Don't carry a money-belt or a pack, and don't stop to shmoose with people on the road.

5 "Whenever you enter a house, first say, `Shalom!' to the household.

6 If a seeker of shalom is there, your `Shalom!' will find its rest with him; and if there isn't, it will return to you.

7 Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for a worker deserves his wages -- don't move about from house to house.

8 "Whenever you come into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is put in front of you.

9 Heal the sick there, and tell them, `The Kingdom of God is near you.'

10 But whenever you enter a town and they don't make you welcome, go out into its streets and say,

11 `Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off as a sign against you! But understand this: the Kingdom of God is near!'

12 I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for S'dom than for that town.

13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Beit-Tzaidah! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tzor and Tzidon, they would long ago have put on sackcloth and ashes as evidence that they had changed their ways.

14 But at the Judgment it will be more bearable for Tzor and Tzidon than for you!

15 "And you, K'far-Nachum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Sh'ol!

16 "Whoever listens to you listens to me, also whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the One who sent me."

17 The seventy came back jubilant. "Lord," they said, "with your power, even the demons submit to us!"

18 Yeshua said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

19 Remember, I have given you authority; so you can trample down snakes and scorpions, indeed, all the Enemy's forces; and you will remain com pletely unharmed.

20 Nevertheless, don't be glad that the spirits submit to you; be glad that your names have been recorded in heaven."

21 At that moment he was filled with joy by the Ruach HaKodesh and said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I thank you because you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated, yet revealed them to ordinary people. Yes, Father, I thank you that it pleased you to do this.

22 "My Father has handed over everything to me. Indeed, no one fully knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

23 Then, turning to the talmidim, he said, privately, "How blessed are the eyes that see what you are seeing!

24 Indeed, I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you are seeing but did not see them, and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them."

25 An expert in Torah stood up to try and trap him by asking, "Rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?"

26 But Yeshua said to him, "What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?"

27 He answered, "You are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your understanding; and your neighbor as yourself."

28 "That's the right answer," Yeshua said. "Do this, and you will have life."

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Yeshua, "And who is my `neighbor'?"

30 Taking up the question, Yeshua said: "A man was going down from Yerushalayim to Yericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him naked and beat him up, then went off, leaving him half dead.

31 By coincidence, a cohen was going down on that road; but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 Likewise a Levi who reached the place and saw him also passed by on the other side.

33 "But a man from Shomron who was traveling came upon him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion.

34 So he went up to him, put oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he set him on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

35 The next day, he took out two days' wages, gave them to the innkeeper and said, `Look after him; and if you spend more than this, I'll pay you back when I return.'

36 Of these three, which one seems to you to have become the `neighbor' of the man who fell among robbers?"

37 He answered, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Yeshua said to him, "You go and do as he did."

38 On their way Yeshua and his talmidim came to a village where a woman named Marta welcomed him into her home.

39 She had a sister called Miryam who also sat at the Lord's feet and heard what he had to say.

40 But Marta was busy with all the work to be done; so, going up to him, she said, "Sir, don't you care that my sister has been leaving me to do all the work by myself?"

41 However, the Lord answered her, "Marta, Marta, you are fretting and worrying about so many things!

42 But there is only one thing that is essential. Miryam has chosen the right thing, and 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.