By Randall L. Broad
Read: Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30; Luke 9:51-10:12; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 12:11
In today’s reading of the One Year Bible we have reached an important transition
in the Gospel of Luke when Jesus begins His final journey to Jerusalem. From
this point forward everything in the narrative is focused on preparing His
followers for the last days and the challenges ahead:
51As the time approached for him to be taken up to
heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52And he sent
messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for
him; 53but the people there did not welcome him, because he was
heading for Jerusalem.
Luke 9:51-53
First, Jesus “resolutely” sets off for Jerusalem with the full
understanding of what waits for Him there (v. 9:51). Most biblical translations
emphasize the intensity and focus of this moment using strong language–resolutely; determined; steadfastly; and
intently. These adverbs reflect the importance and determination in which
Jesus embarks on this journey. This same meaning will also be reflected when
Jesus sends out the seventy-two (vv. 10:1-12) and instructs them “… do not greet anyone on the road.” At
first glance this seems a contradiction to the compassion and grace Jesus
taught, but rather it is intended to convey a sense of urgency, focus, and
concentration to the moment at hand.
In chapter nine the first set of messengers are sent ahead to announce
His coming (v. 52), but the passage tells us Jesus is rejected in an unnamed
Samaritan village specifically because his destination was Jerusalem (v. 53).
This rejection is rooted in the ancient feud between Israel (Samaria) and Judah
(Jerusalem). The Samaritans descended primarily from the sons of Joseph–Ephraim
and Manasseh–as well as some of the remnant of Benjamin. The two kingdoms were
bitter enemies for centuries and in the Hellenistic Period the two former
sovereigns would disagree over everything from the holiest place of worship to
the piousness of the law. By the time Jesus began His final journey to
Jerusalem His own followers and the people of the Samaritan villagers were
deeply rooted in this ancient conflict.
54When the disciples James and John saw this, they
asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55But
Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56Then he and his disciples went to
another village.
Luke 9:54-55
Jesus rebukes James and John because he knows both the Jews and the
Samaritans were covenant partners in the promises made to Abraham and both had
a place in the Kingdom of God.
The final verses of chapter nine reflect on the cost of following Jesus:
57As they were walking along the road, a man said to
him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests,
but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he
replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own
dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but
first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow
and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:57-62
The interesting thing here is the various responses Jesus has for those
who wanted to follow Him. Individually each response is a warning or
instruction for following Jesus, but taken collectively they tell us our home
is not on this earth (v. 58), go and proclaim the gospel (v. 60), and do not
look back (v. 62). These instructions set the stage for chapter 10 which
contains three main narratives–the sending out of the seventy-two (vv. 1-15);
the parable of the Good Samaritan (vv. 10:25-37); and the visit to the home of
Martha and Mary (vv. 38-42).
Today we read only the first of these three narratives–the sending out
of the seventy-two (… or seventy in some manuscripts). The description is
highlighted by important warnings and instructions for carrying forth the
gospel.
1After 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. 2He 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. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among
wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet
anyone on the road.
Luke 10:1-4
The term “after this …” which begins this chapter points directly back
to the preceding events in chapter nine–especially those verses after Jesus
sets out for Jerusalem (v. 9:51-62). Now He sends out a second set of
messengers (v. 1) and instructs them to pray for God to send workers for the
harvest (v. 2). Then He instructs them to go and warns them they will be “like lambs among wolves (v. 3).” As
already noted He tells them not to take anything or to greet anyone on the
road. Anyone who has ever had to carry their belongings on their back knows the
lighter the load the faster you travel. They also know the fewer people you
greet the faster you will arrive at your destination. In these first four
verses Jesus is telling the messengers to Go and announce His coming. A
command that will echo throughout his ministry and that we inherit today. Like
the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) the key word found in the first four
verses is “Go”.
Then Jesus says:
5“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this
house.’ 6If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will
rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay there, eating and
drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move
around from house to house.
Luke 10:5-7
There is a profound thought here. Jesus tells the messengers when they
arrive at their destination, the place He has sent them, to pray for peace in
that place (v. 5). It is an instruction that would serve us well in our own
lives. What kind of place would the world be if every disciple prayed “‘Peace to this house” before they
entered any home, church, store, factory or work place? Jesus goes on to tell
them once they have found their place to stay there, be content with whatever
they are given, and do not roam about looking for something better. The key
word found in this passage is to “stay”.
Then Jesus says:
8“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what
is offered to you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The
kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10But when you enter a town
and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11‘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.’ 12I tell you, it will be more
bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Luke 10:8-12
In the final verses of today’s reading Jesus tells His messengers when
they have found the place they are welcome to take whatever is offered (v. 8),
heal the sick, and tell them the Kingdom of God is near (v. 9). The command to
“heal the sick” is oddly placed here
in this account. The overall theme of the narrative is to pronounce the coming
of Christ and the Kingdom of God–and suddenly Jesus commands them to perform
miracles of healing. “Healing the sick”
implies giving sight to the blind, healing the lame, and curing sickness. But
in the context of this passage, Jesus could be referring to the healing of
those who are sick in spirit–that is to say those who are blinded by the law,
crippled by sin, and emotionally ill. It is only the Gospel that has the power
to heal these kinds of sickness. Jesus goes on to tell them if the town does
not welcome them to wipe the dust from their feet and leave them with the
warning the Kingdom of God is near.
Therefore the message of this first narrative in Luke chapter ten is to
go, find your place, preach my message, and heal the sick–staying as long as
you are welcome. There is one other important message found in today’s reading.
In fact it underlies everything in Luke chapter ten. The sending out of the
seventy-two, the parable of the Good Samaritan, and the story of Jesus visit to
the home of Martha and Mary–surrender to the will of God.
Walk
with the Lord …
Ephesians
1:17
(RLB250302)
©
Copyright 2017: Randall L. Broad
Disclaimer: This commentary is written by Randall L. Broad. It is in no way affiliated with or represents any denomination, university, church, or pastor. Any errors or omissions are purely my responsibility.
