Luke 10: 72 sent out and return triumphant, a parable and a home incident

• v.1-16 Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two
• v.17-24 The Seventy-Two return
• v.25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan
• v.38-42 At the Home of Martha and Mary

v.1-16 Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

v.1-3 He next sends out 72

v.1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.

v.2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

v.3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

[Note: Jesus then sends 72 to go ahead and prepare the way and tells them, the harvest needs workers, so he’s sending them out vulnerable in this dangerous world.]

v.4-11 He gives instructions how they are to proceed:

v.4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

v.5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’

v.6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.

v.7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

v.8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.

v.9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

v.10,11 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’

[Note: He instructs them, take no provisions but seek a house that will welcome you peaceably. If they don’t, that’s fine, nevertheless where you can, let them feed you and stay there, eat what you are offered, heal the sick to demonstrate the kingdom. If you are not welcomed warn them they have rejected the opportunity to experience the kingdom.]

v.12-16 He warns of judgment on unbelieving towns

v.12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

v.13,14 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

v.15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.

[That is, the realm of the dead]

v.16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

[Note: If they don’t receive you, judgment will come on that town. Various towns who have seen the power but rejected them will also be judged. Similarly with Capernaum. If they reject you, they reject me and God.]

v.17-24 The Seventy-Two return

v.17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

v.18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

v.19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

v.20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

v.21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

v.22 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

v.23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

v.24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

[Note: The 72 return rejoicing and Jesus says he saw Satan’s kingdom fall in their ministry. So, he’s given them all authority to serve, but only rejoice that you are the chosen ones. Jesus praised his Father for what has happened and declares that revelation of the Father only comes through him. How blessed were they to experience these things, many before wanted to see this but the time wasn’t right.]

v.25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan

v.25-29 A teachers asked about eternal life and who his neighbor was

v.25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

v.26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

v.27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

v.28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

v.29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

[Note: A teacher asked about eternal life. Jesus asked about what the Law says. Love God and your neighbor [Deut. 6:5, Lev. 19:18]. Jesus commends him, so he asks who his neighbor is?]

v.30-37 Jesus tells the parable

v.30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

v.31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

v.32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

v.33-35 But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

v.36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

v.37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

[Note: Jesus tells a parable of a man who is mugged. A priest passes by but does nothing. Similarly, a Levite [a servant of the Temple], but a Samaritan [a foreigner] came and helped and took good care of the man. So who, asks Jesus, is the neighbor? The one who helped. Do the same.]

v.38-42 At the Home of Martha and Mary

v.38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.

v.39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.

v.40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

v.41,42 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

[Note: In Bethany, Martha opens her home to Jesus, but her sister Mary just sat and listened to Jesus. Martha was put out that she wasn’t helping her so Jesus gently corrects her.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: