The Gospel of Luke – Luke 9:51-10:24 – The Seventy

This week we will continue our journey through Luke with Luke 9:51-11:28. In the readings today, Jesus expands his workforce from twelve to ninety-two.

On to Jerusalem: (vv.51-56)

With Herod asking around about Jesus and with the Twelve having completed their initial training, Jesus set his face like flint towards Jerusalem. Jesus’s time as an itinerant teacher, healer, and exorcist in Galilee comes to an end. During this journey (Luke 9:51-18:24), Jesus engages with Pharisees and other Jewish teachers and leaders more regularly, he will rely more on parables in his teachings, and miracles will become less common. Luke’s Gospel is entering its second of three parts.

We can almost feel the disciples’ excitement. The Messiah is now going to take Jerusalem, just like King David. As the journey begins, a Samaritan village refuses to extend hospitality to Jesus and the disciples. The disciples want to call down fire from heaven (like Elijah in 2 Kings 1:10-12) and destroy the recalcitrate villagers. The King is marching toward his prize and those that stand in the way should be destroyed, not unlike Henry V at Harfleur (Act 3.3). Jesus, of course, rebukes his disciples.

Cost of Discipleship: (vv.57-62)

Although Jesus does not destroy the Samaritan village, Jesus does require a high level of dedication from his followers. First, Jesus reminds a potential disciple, that Jesus does not have a home, and neither will he. To the second potential disciple, he rebukes the man for wanting to go a bury his father – maybe the most sacred domestic duty of a son. The third wants to say goodbye to his household, yet Jesus tells him he cannot look back but must act now. Jesus is not taking volunteers but commitments.

The Seventy: (vv.10:1-20)

In Luke 9, Jesus commissioned and trained the Twelve to carry on his work. Here, he expands his workforce by adding seventy additional apostles to proclaim the Kingdom of God. As Jesus realizes, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (v.2). He gives them similar instructions as he did the Twelve. Their message is simple: “The Kingdom of God has come near to you.” 

Unlike the Twelve, Luke does not mention the names of the Seventy, although Church tradition has attempted to do so. Most people who labor for the Kingdom are forgotten to history. However, their work knocks Satan off his throne (v.18), and their names are remembered in heaven (v.20). The Seventy provides a wonderful example for us.

Jesus’s Rejoicing: (vv.17-24)

Luke’s discussion of the Seventy ends with Jesus’ prayer of Thanksgiving. We see Jesus rejoice in the presence of the other two persons of the Trinity. v.21. This appears to be a much shorter version of Jesus’ prayer in John 17. Jesus rejoices not only with the Trinity but privately with his disciples (12+70?). What Jesus sees in the success of the Seventy is that the cosmic battle is being won. For Luke, in particular, the success of the Seventy also foreshadows the success of the apostles throughout Acts.

Dinner is at 6. The menu is pasta with chicken. Discussion about 6:45. Compline at 8. Hope to see you here!

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. Revelation 12:9-10.