The Character of Jesus 46
The Seventy Sent and Returned
Luke 10:1 – 24
Intensity
- Characteristic: Intensity
- Similar events:
- Luke 9:1 – 6 No bag, bread, or money. Stay in one house per town. Shake off the dust if refused.
- Matthew 10:5 – 42 As in Luke 9 plus warnings about persecution and promises of help in speaking
- Luke 22:35 – 37 Reminds them of the previous mission, but says this time to take provisions and swords.
- Probably in Judea, between Tabernacles and Hanukkah (John 7:1 and 10:22), so the same thing as Luke 9:1 – 6 and Matthew 10:5 – 42, except in the south rather than the north.
- (1 – 2)
Reasons for the mission:
- Advance advertising: places He intended to go.
- Compassion: from Matthew 9:36, He wanted to make it easier for the multitudes, “because they were weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.”
- Not laid back, but forcing the issue.
- (3 – 11)
Same instructions as in the north
- (3 – 4) No provisions. Plus, avoid the political correctness of long greetings.
- (5 – 9) Accept hospitality from one willing person. Avoid political correctness of staying with everyone who wants to participate.
- (7) The laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t feel like a freeloader.
- (8) Don’t be picky.
- (10 – 16)
God will handle those who do not welcome you.
- (10 – 11) A public announcement against those who will not welcome them.
- (12 – 16) Although they make the announcement, God will handle the repercussions. See Luke 9:52 – 55: James and John want to call down fire on a Samaritan village which refused them – and believed they could do it.
- Not “live and let live.”
- (17 – 20)
The disciples’ reaction to success
- (17) Had they doubted that they would succeed?
- (18) Most likely this is a figure of speech for Satan’s rapid decline in power due to the power of these disciples casting out demons.
- (19) Likely a figure of speech for varieties of “the powers of the enemy.” Certainly, Jesus could protect them from snakes and scorpions, too, but the end of the sentence suggests that they are figures of speech
- (20) But the exciting part is not the power over Satan’s realm, but their own position with God.
- Focus on the most important part. Don’t get mired in details.
- (21 – 24)
Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit because the message was spread by the
ordinary.
- (21) “In the Spirit” If this means that the disciples could tell that Jesus was prophesying here, the means by which they knew is not given. But, it sounds more like a prayer, so He was “in the Spirit” much as Christians are today when they pray.
- (21) “Revealed them to babes” Perhaps this is a reference to Zechariah 11:11.
- (22) At this point in His ministry, the identity of the Messiah was not known, but developing. Jesus had made His assertions to a few.
- (23 – 24) In addition to rejoicing that their names were written in heaven (20), they should rejoice that they were privileged to know this inside information, into which many famous faithful people had desired to look.
- Focus on the most important part. Don’t get mired in details.
- Similar events:
- Application: Intensity
- Does the church generally spread the gospel out of compassion?
- Does the church look for ways to make it easier for those who are searching?
- Although later the missionaries are told to take provision and weapons, the general ideas are the same: accept help, you are worthy of support, don’t be picky.
- Is it appropriate to “shake the dust off your feet against them”?
- What is the general focus on success in spreading the gospel? Does it seem strange to rejoice over the missionary’s acceptance by God rather than the addition of a new Christian?
- Are we surprised when we succeed?
- Do we rejoice when the ordinary respond? As much as when the affluent respond?
- Do we rejoice that we know the mysteries into which prophets and angels desired to look?
- Are we intense about the gospel or laid back?
- Do we get mired in details or maintain focus on the most important part?