Lk. 10:1 And after these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was to go.
Many people think that Yeshua had only the twelve disciples that we read about in the Gospels. Yet, in this verse we see that the Lord had many more disciples that followed Him. These seventy must have been faithful to Him or He would not have felt comfortable in sending them out to preach His message with the power of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh).
Lk. 10:2 Then He said to them, “The harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
There is a similar saying found in M:Avoth 2:15 - “R. Tarfon said, The day is short, and the task is great, and the labourers are sluggish, and the recompense is ample, and the master of the house is urgent.”
Yeshua many times took sayings like this and remodeled them to fit His own particular teaching.
Source: M;Avoth 2:15
Lk. 10:3 “Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.”
This verse shows that Jesus had not come to think very highly of a lot of people, comparing them with “wolves.”
Lk. 10:4 “Carry neither money bag, sack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.”
A Rabbinic parallel to this is found in M:Berachoth 5:1. “Though the king should salute them, let them not return the salutation.” The point of this is that the disciples are to be as intent on their mission as a person in the act of total devotion (not to be distracted).
Source: M:Berachoth 5:1
Yeshua instructs His disciples to travel light, without moneybag, luggage, or extra sandals. They were not to stop along the way to visit and exchange customary lengthy greetings. Their mission was urgent. The indication also is that each pair was given a particular destination to go to for ministry work.
Lk. 10:5 “But whatever house whatever house you enter, first say, peace to this house.”
Lk. 10:6 "And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.”
“Son of peace” does not refer to the peace-loving man (although he is probably that, too), but rather to the friendly man, the man that gets along well with other people. This is a harmonious, good-natured person who simply loves others.
“When you are invited into a home, let your first act be to say, ‘peace to this family.’” If the head of the family turns out to be friendly and hospitable (son of peace), pronounce a blessing of peace be on it and the family. If he is not friendly, withdraw your blessing and move on to another house.
A disciple of Yeshua blessed his host with safety: while the disciple lodged in the home, the host, his family, and all their possessions were safe. He also blessed them with health. The disciple’s presence meant protection against injury and illness. In addition, since each disciple healed the sick in whatever town or village he visited, certainly we may assume he healed every sick family member of the house in which he was invited to stay. His blessing, then, was not just empty words, but something to be sought after.
Lk. 10:7 “And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.”
The disciple had a real tangible blessing to give, so much that Yeshua said the disciple deserved to be paid for it. That payment came through the hospitality of the host, not momentarily. That is why Yeshua told them not to take anything with them. People who appreciated the work they did would take care of them.
Lk. 10:8 “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.”
Refusing to eat what was given to you would be an insult to that person, and would create a hindrance to the work the disciples were to accomplish. This verse is not to be taken, as some have suggested, that Yeshua was giving His disciples to break the laws of Kashruth. All the homes they would be going into at this time were Jewish (Gentiles would come much later), so Kosher laws would have been observed.
In Hebrew, to “come near” means “to be at.” If we try to understand verses #9 and 11 by reading the Greek word engikon (translated “has come near”), we are in trouble. Engikon means “about to appear” or “is about here.” The Hebrew equivalent is the verb harav, which means “to come up and be with,” or “to be where something or someone else is.” The Greek and English terms mean “its not here yet.” The implication is that the Kingdom of God is futuristic, not here yet. The Hebrew word means the exact opposite: “Its here! It has arrived!”
Lk. 10:10 “But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,”
Lk. 10:11 “The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the Kingdom of God has come near you.”
Lk. 10:12 “But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city”
The people who heard the message of Yeshua and His disciples were even more accountable because they had the Gospel preached to them and rejected it. Genesis 19:24 says: “The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire from the Lord out of Heaven.” This description probably doesn’t even do justice to the judgment that God poured out that day. rejection of God’s Word will bring horrible consequences.
Source: Genesis 19:24
Lk. 10:13 “Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented a great while ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.”
Lk. 10:14 “Bit it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.”
Mark’s Gospel records that many people from that region of Tyre and Sidon came to Him because they heard of the miracles that He performed. Later on, in Matt. 15:21, it says that Yeshua actually went into that region. The real rub of Yeshua’s words is that Tyre and Sidon were two Gentile cities in Phoenicia, north of Galilee. Yeshua was telling those Jews that some Gentiles would get off easier in the Day of Judgment than they would. Ouch!!
Lk. 10:15 “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to Heaven, will be thrust down to Hades.”
Lk. 10:16 ”He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”
A reflection of this is found in M:Avoth 4:12 where it says: “R. Elazar ben Shammua said, let the honour of the disciple be as precious to thee as thine own, and the honour of thy colleague be as the reverence for thy master, and the reverence of thy master be like the fear of Heaven.”
Source: M:Avoth 4:12
Lk. 10:17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
As to be expected, there is quite an increase of demonic activity during this time because of the arrival of the Messiah.
Lk. 10:18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven.”
For Yeshua to see Satan fall from Heaven, He is saying two things. First of all, for Him to see it happen He had to be in Heaven. Secondly, Satan fell before mankind was created. So, He is claiming to be Elohim Himself.
Lk. 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
His claim to be Elohim explains to His disciples where His authority comes from to give them power over the demonic forces. He is also telling them that they will receive supernatural protection during their mission.
Lk. 10:20 “Nevertheless, do not rejoice on this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.”
Their names are written in Heaven is a reference to the Book of Life. Several scriptures mention this book. Daniel 12:1 says, “At that time, the great prince, Michael, who stands beside the sons of your people will appear. It will be a time of trouble, the like of which has never been since the nation came into being. At that time, your people will be rescued, all who are found inscribed in the book.” Malachi 3:16 says, “In this vein have those who revere the Lord been talking to one another. The Lord has heard and noted it, and a scroll of remembrance has been written at His behest concerning those who revere the Lord and esteem His name.” M:Avoth 2:16 says, "And contemplate three things, and thou wilt not come within the power of transgression: know what is above thee – an all-seeing eye, and an all-hearing ear, and all thy deeds recorded in a book.” Philippians 4:3 says, “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the Gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”
Sources: Daniel 12:1; Malachi 3:16; M;Avoth 2:16; Phil. 4:3
Lk. 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I praise You, Father, Lord
of Heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and
revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.”
Lk. 10:22 “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who
the son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and the one whom the Son
wills to reveal Him.”
Lk. 10:23 And He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes
which see the things which you see.”
Lk. 10:24 “For I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you
see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”
These last two verses should have a profound message even for believers today. Yeshua told His disciples that they were seeing and hearing things that were called the Mysteries of the Kingdom. These were things that God had kept to Himself down through the centuries from the beginning of time and only slowly revealed to mankind. Kings and prophets knew that someday Messiah would come and they longed to see that day and the things that would happen when He did come. The disciples were now the fortunate ones to see and hear what they didn’t. Fortunately for us, the disciples then made a written record of at least some of the events and teachings of the Messiah that would come down to us.
When we pick up the Bible and read it, we are also being given access to the words and events of the mysteries of the Kingdom that in Matt. 13:11 Yeshua said that those who rejected Him were not entitled to have access to. It is my hope that people begin to realize just how privileged we are to have these incredible truths available to us.
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