Luke Chapter 10
1 Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he was about to come.
2 Then he said to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the labourers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out labourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs amongst wolves.
4 Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way.
5 Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'
6 If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.
7 Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the labourer is worthy of his wages. Don't go from house to house.
8 Into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you.
9 Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, 'God's Kingdom has come near to you.'
10 But into whatever city you enter, and they don't receive you, go out into its streets and say,
11 'Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that God's Kingdom has come near to you.'
12 I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.
13 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgement than for you.
15 You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.
16 Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me."
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!"
18 He said to them, "I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.
19 Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.
20 Nevertheless, don't rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
21 In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight."
22 Turning to the disciples, he said, "All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him."
23 Turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see,
24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them."
25 Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"
27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself."
28 He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live."
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbour?"
30 Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell amongst robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he travelled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion,
34 came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.'
36 Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbour to him who fell amongst the robbers?"
37 He said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
38 As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me."
41 Jesus answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her."
Footnotes
- Verse 1 (ahead of him)
- literally, "before his face"
- Verse 15 (Hades)
- Hades is the lower realm of the dead, or Hell.
- Verse 27
- Deuteronomy 6:5
- Verse 27
- Leviticus 19:18
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Luke Chapter 10 Guide
The mission of the seventy is recorded only by Luke. They went forth, sent by Jesus. They returned glad in the victories they had wrought in His name. He received them, and declared to them the whole truth concerning the kingdom of evil, in the words, "I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven," and then warned them not to rejoice in their apparent success, but rather in their relationship to that kingdom from which Satan had fallen.
A lawyer asked Him, "Who is my neighbour?" and the story of the good Samaritan is our Lord's reply to that inquiry. We are arrested by the fact that He completely shifted the ground of the question, and by this reply said, in effect, that the question as to who is a neighbour was not so important as the question to whom was he a neighbour.
The account at the close of this chapter of the visit to the house of Martha and Mary is very full of beauty. In His declaration to Martha, "One thing is needful," He was revealing the supreme thing in life. If we would be strong for service in the strength that prevents distraction and unrest, we must how what it is to find time amid all the duties of life to sit at His feet as disciples.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Luke Chapter 10 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- 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.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.