Luke10

Jesus commissions seventy disciples, sending them to preach, heal, and declare the Kingdom of God, warning of judgment for those who reject their message. Upon their joyful return, Jesus redirects their focus to rejoicing in their salvation rather than their power over spirits. He then teaches a lawyer about inheriting eternal life through the parable of the Good Samaritan, emphasizing active mercy. The chapter concludes with Jesus commending Mary for prioritizing spiritual devotion over Martha's worldly anxieties.

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Jesus Commissions the Seventy

After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit.

And 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.

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

Carry no purse or bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the road.

Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’

If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.

Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

If you enter a town and they welcome you, eat whatever is set before you.

Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare,

‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’

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

Woes to Unrepentant Cities

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.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades!

Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

The Seventy Return with Joy

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

So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

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

At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “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 was well-pleasing in Your sight.

All things have been entrusted 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.”

Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

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

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

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

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.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.

Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.

But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion.

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’

Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

“The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus Visits Martha and Mary

As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message.

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things.

But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Study Notes for Luke 10

Verse 1

The appointment of the seventy (or seventy-two in some manuscripts) highlights the expanding scope of Jesus’ ministry beyond the initial twelve apostles. The number 70 often symbolized the nations of the world (Gen. 10), suggesting a mission to all peoples.

Verse 2

This verse underscores the urgency of the mission. The 'harvest' refers to the multitude of people ready to hear the message of the Kingdom, contrasting sharply with the limited number of available workers.

Verse 4

The instruction to travel without provisions (purse, bag, sandals) emphasizes radical reliance on God and the hospitality of those they minister to, signifying urgency and complete dependence on the mission.

Verse 5

'Peace' (Shalom) is more than a greeting; it is the comprehensive offer of God's well-being and the establishment of the Kingdom's presence in that home.

Verse 7

This establishes the principle that those dedicated entirely to preaching the Gospel are worthy of sustenance from the community they serve, allowing them to focus fully on their calling.

Verse 9

The ministry combined healing (demonstrating God's power) with the proclamation that 'the kingdom of God is come nigh,' signaling that Jesus’ rule was actively breaking into the present world.

Verse 11

Wiping the dust off their feet was a symbolic, dramatic gesture used by Jews when leaving Gentile territory, indicating complete separation and absolving themselves of responsibility for the city’s rejection.

Verse 12

Sodom represents the epitome of historical wickedness (Gen. 19). Jesus judges the rejection of the Kingdom’s message, delivered by his messengers, as a greater sin than that of Sodom, due to the light they had received.

Verse 13

Chorazin and Bethsaida were Galilean towns where Jesus performed many miracles. Their condemnation is based on the principle of accountability: greater spiritual privilege brings greater judgment when rejected.

Verse 15

Capernaum, Jesus' home base during his Galilean ministry, is condemned for its spiritual pride and ultimate rejection of the Messiah, despite being highly favored with his presence and works.

Verse 16

This verse grants the disciples divine authority. To receive or reject the messenger is to receive or reject the one who sent them (Jesus), and ultimately, the Father.

Verse 17

The disciples’ joy stems primarily from the manifestation of spiritual power, specifically the ability to overcome demonic forces through Jesus’ authority.

Verse 18

This statement is interpreted as Jesus witnessing the spiritual consequence of the disciples’ ministry—the active defeat and collapse of Satan’s dominion as the Gospel advanced.

Verse 19

Serpents and scorpions are metaphors for dangerous earthly and demonic powers. Jesus grants them authority over 'all the power of the enemy,' assuring them of protection in their spiritual warfare.

Verse 20

Jesus refocuses their joy from miraculous spiritual power (which is temporary) to eternal security. Salvation and adoption into God's family are the true and permanent cause for rejoicing.

Verse 21

Jesus thanks the Father for revealing divine truth not to the self-proclaimed intellectual elite ('wise and prudent'), but to the humble and receptive ('babes').

Verse 22

This high Christological claim asserts Jesus’ unique and exclusive knowledge of the Father, establishing him as the sole mediator of divine revelation.

Verse 24

The disciples are blessed because they are living in the fulfillment of promises sought by Old Testament figures. They are witnessing the Messiah and the dawning of the Kingdom firsthand.

Verse 25

A 'lawyer' (nomikos) was an expert in Mosaic Law. He 'tempted' (tested) Jesus, likely seeking to challenge his theological authority or to limit the scope of his teaching.

Verse 27

The lawyer correctly summarizes the two greatest commandments (Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18), confirming that eternal life requires holistic love for God and active love for humanity.

Verse 29

The lawyer seeks to 'justify himself' by defining his neighbor narrowly, hoping to set boundaries on his responsibility and exclude those he did not wish to serve.

Verse 30

The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous, dropping 3,300 feet over 17 miles, making it a common route for robbery.

Verse 31

The priest and the Levite avoided the wounded man, perhaps fearing ritual defilement if the man was dead (Num. 19:11-13), prioritizing religious duty over immediate human need.

Verse 33

Samaritans were despised half-breeds to the Jews. Jesus deliberately makes the most hated social outsider the moral hero, shattering the lawyer’s ethnic and religious prejudice.

Verse 34

Oil and wine were common ancient remedies: oil soothed wounds, and wine served as an antiseptic. The Samaritan provides medical care, transport, and financial security.

Verse 37

Jesus reframes the question: the focus shifts from defining *who* one is obligated to love, to demonstrating the active mercy that makes one a neighbor to anyone in need. The lawyer cannot even bring himself to say 'Samaritan.'

Verse 38

This brief account follows the teaching on love and obedience, providing a practical example of prioritizing devotion to Christ within the demanding realities of daily life.

Verse 39

By sitting at Jesus' feet, Mary assumes the posture of a disciple (a student of a rabbi), a role typically reserved for men in first-century Jewish culture.

Verse 40

Martha represents the temptation to let necessary service and hospitality ('much serving') distract from the central focus of devotion and spiritual instruction.

Verse 42

Jesus affirms Mary's choice. While service is important, hearing and absorbing the Word of God is the 'one thing needful,' the superior and enduring priority that cannot be taken away.

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Luke10

Jesus Commissions the Seventy

Woes to Unrepentant Cities

The Seventy Return with Joy

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Jesus Visits Martha and Mary

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