[For an explanation of what this is about and to see the first pass, go here.]Verse-by-Verse Comments:
1After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.
(1) After this refers to the hesitation to follow exhibited by the three different potential disciples mentioned in Luke 9:57-62.
(2) The group here recruited are to go ahead of Jesus in a ministry of preparation a bit like John the Baptist. By our lives and activities, we modern-day Christians can help people prepare to receive Jesus, too.
(3) Jesus sends these folks out in groups of two. In Luke's account of the early Church's history, approximately the first thirty years after Jesus' resurrection and ascension, we see that many of the early Christians traveled together in order to spread the Gospel. This also comes through in Paul's New Testament writings.
(4) If you're familiar with the art of Biblical translation, you know that our Bibles are based on thousands of manuscript fragments emanating from different portions of the Mediterranean basin, each with varying claims of authority. Equally eminent authoritative manuscripts say that the number called by Jesus here was seventy; others say seventy-two. Whatever the exact number, as I indicated yesterday, the call of this large group after the calling of twelve found in 9:1-6, the growth and development of the fledgling Church is indicated. So is the call of all believers to be witnesses for Christ!
2He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
(1) This is one of the most neglected of all the prayer commands Jesus gives. The idea here is that there are millions of people ripe for following Christ. "But," as Paul writes in Romans 10:14-15:
how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”When we share the Good News of Jesus, lives are changed for the better forever. Through the Good News of faith in Jesus Christ, people turn from sin, find that God forgives them, gives them fresh starts in this life, and life with God that lasts forever. We're able to gather in the harvest of those who have received the good seed of Jesus Christ.
(2) It's interesting that Jesus calls the seventy(two) to pray for laborers to go into the harvest just as He sends them into the harvest. You've got to be careful what you pray for; God may use your passion to make you the answer to your prayers!
3Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ 6And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
(1) Jesus gives a series of instructions on how the seventy are to conduct themselves. They're not to flit around looking for better digs. They're to station themselves where they're welcomed, accepting whatever hospitality they're offered.
(2) The seventy(two) are to give God's peace, the very peace to which the risen Jesus refers when appearing among His fearful, skeptical disciples (Luke 24:36).
(3) As pointed out in The New Interpreter's Bible, the wolf is the lamb's natural predator. But the seventy are given no instruction on how to deal with things. They just need to know that some will oppose the sharing of Christ with others.
(4) The basic thrust of Jesus' instructions here seems to be to rely completely on Him. This is exactly what the early Church learned to do, as can be seen in the New Testament book of Acts.
(5) The words, The kingdom of God has come near to you, will come as good news here. Comforting news. God is reaching out through His emissaries to bring reconciliation between God and rebellious humanity. A few verses later, almost the same words will be said in judgment to those who have foolishly spurned Christ. Jesus is the great dividing line of history. Either we will throw our lots and destinies in with Him and live forever. Or, we'll reject Him and choose to be apart from God forever.
10But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’
(1) Here the phrase, the kingdom of God has come near, has the meaning, "You've had your chance to welcome Christ and His kingdom. But now it's too late."
16“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
(1) Those who confess Jesus Christ as their God represent Him in the world.
17The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” 18He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
(1) Jesus has empowered the Church to confront evil and gather people into His kingdom. It's exciting! But more amazing to us should be the fact that, by faith in Christ, we're privileged to be part of this kingdom. It's dangerous for Christians to get hung up on "signs," which are designed to point not to us, but to Christ.
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