LXXXIII.

Mission and Return of the Seventy.

(Probably in Judæa, October, a.d. 29.)

^C Luke X. 1–24.

^c 1 Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others [i. e., other messengers in addition to the twelve apostles], and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. [Luke has told us of the journey through Samaria to Jerusalem, and John has told us what occurred at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. We learn from John also that Jesus was at the Feast of Dedication (John x. 22). The first feast was in October and the latter in December. Jesus evidently spent the time between these feast in Judæa, making a tour of that province and sending the seventy before him, thus thoroughly evangelizing it as he had Galilee, by sending out the twelve.] 2 Therefore he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way. [This last was probably a common direction in cases of haste (II. Kings iv. 29). Eastern salutations were tedious and overburdened with ceremony. Those in haste were excused from them.] 5 And into whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 6 And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall turn to you again. 7 And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give [they were not to give trouble and waste time by asking for better food]: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and 473they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, 11 Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh. [For comment, see pp. 362–365.] 12 I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they would have long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment, than for you. 15 And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt be brought down unto Hades. [For comment on a similar passage, see pp. 286, 287.] 16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me. [For comment, see page 368.] 17 And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. [The report of the seventy is more joyous than that of the twelve, for the sayings of the latter on their return were overshadowed by the news of John the Baptist's death.] 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. [This may be translated “I was beholding Satan fallen as lightning falls from heaven.” The sense indicates that the words refer to the victories over the unclean spirits just reported by the seventy. In their successes Jesus saw Satan falling from the lofty heights with the swiftness of lightning. The overthrow of Satan was then in progress— John xvi. 11; xii. 31.] 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall 474in any wise hurt you. [While the messengers of Christ were, no doubt, literally protected from the poisons of reptiles, etc. (Acts xxviii. 3–6 ), serpents and scorpions are here to be taken an emblematic of the powers of evil.] 20 Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. [Your joy in visible and temporal success, and in the subjection to you of the powers of evil, is not to be compared to the joy that you have the prospect of heaven.] 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes: yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. 22 All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him. [For comment, see pp. 288, 289.] 23 And turning to the disciples, he said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. 24 for I say unto you, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. [For comment, see p. 332.] 475