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Commentary on Luke 9 verses 1–9
We have here, I. The method Christ took to spread his gospel, to diffuse and enforce the light of it. He had himself travelled about, preaching and healing; but he could be only in one place at a time, and therefore now he sent his twelve disciples abroad, who by this time were pretty well instructed in the nature of the present dispensation, and able to instruct others and deliver to them what they had received from the Lord. Let them disperse themselves, some one way and some another, to preach the kingdom of God, as it was now about to be set up by the Messiah, to make people acquainted with the spiritual nature and tendency of it, and to persuade them to come into the interests and measures of it. For the confirming of their doctrine, because it was new and surprising, and very different from what they had been taught by the scribes and Pharisees, and because so much depended upon men's receiving, or not receiving it, he empowered them to work miracles (Luk 9:1, Luk 9:2): He gave them authority over all devils, to dispossess them, and cast them out, though ever so numerous, so subtle, so fierce, so obstinate. Christ designed a total rout and ruin to the kingdom of darkness, and therefore gave them power over all devils. He authorized and appointed them likewise to cure disease, and to heal the sick, which would make them welcome wherever they came, and not only convince people's judgments, but gain their affections. This was their commission. Now observe,
1.What Christ directed them to do, in prosecution of this commission at this time, when they were not to go far or be out long. (1.) They must not be solicitous to recommend themselves to people's esteem by their outward appearance. Now that they begin to set up for themselves, they must have no dress, nor study to make any other figure than what they made while they followed him: they must go as they were, and not change their clothes, or so much as put on a pair of new shoes. (2.) They must depend upon Providence, and the kindness of their friends, to furnish them with what was convenient for them. They must not take with them either bread or money, and yet believe they should not want. Christ would not have his disciples shy of receiving the kindnesses of their friends, but rather to expect them. Yet St. Paul saw cause not to go by this rule, when he laboured with his hands rather than be burdensome. (3.) They must not change their lodgings, as suspecting that those who entertained them were weary of them; they have no reason to be so, for the ark is a guest that always pays well for its entertainment: "Whatsoever house ye enter into there abide (Luk 9:4), that people may know where to find you, that your friends may know you are not backward to serve them, and your enemies may know you are not ashamed nor afraid to face them; there abide till you depart out of that city; stay with those you are used to." (4.) They must put on authority, and speak warning to those who refused them as well as comfort to those that received them, Luk 9:5. "If there be any place that will not entertain you, if the magistrates deny you admission and threaten to treat you as vagrants, leave them, do not force yourselves upon them, nor run yourselves into danger among them, but at the same time bind them over to the judgment of God for it; shake off the dust of your feet for a testimony against them." This will, as it were, be produced in evidence against them, that the messengers of the gospel had been among them, to make them a fair offer of grace and peace, for this dust they left behind there; so that when they perish at last in their infidelity this will lay and leave their blood upon their own heads. Shake off the dust of your feet, as much as to say you abandon their city, and will have no more to do with them.
2.What they did, in prosecution of this commission (Luk 9:6): They departed from their Master's presence; yet, having still his spiritual presence with them, his eye and his arm going along with them, and, thus borne up in their work, they went through the towns, some or other of them, all the towns within the circuit appointed them, preaching the gospel, and healing every where. Their work was the same with their Master's, doing good both to souls and bodies.
II. We have here Herod's perplexity and vexation at this. The communicating of Christ's power to those who were sent forth in his name, and acted by authority from him, was an amazing and convincing proof of his being the Messiah, above any thing else; that he could not only work miracles himself, but empower others to work miracles too, this spread his fame more than any thing, and made the rays of this Sun of righteousness the stronger by the reflection of them even from the earth, from such mean illiterate men as the apostles were, who had nothing else to recommend them, or to raise any expectations from them, but that they had been with Jesus, Act 4:13. When the country sees such as these healing the sick in the name of Jesus it gives it an alarm. Now observe,
1.The various speculations it raised among the people, who, though they thought not rightly, yet could not but think honourably, of our Lord Jesus, and that he was an extraordinary person, one come from the other world; that either John Baptist, who was lately persecuted and slain for the cause of God, or one of the old prophets, that had been persecuted and slain long since in that cause, was risen again, to be recompensed for his sufferings by this honour put upon him; or that Elias, who was taken alive to heaven in a fiery chariot, had appeared as an express from heaven, Luk 9:7, Luk 9:8.
2.The great perplexity it created in the mind of Herod: When he had heard of all that was done by Christ, his guilty conscience flew in his face, and he was ready to conclude with them that John was risen from the dead. He thought he had got clear of John, and should never be troubled with him any more, but, it seems, he is mistaken; either John is come to life again or here is another in his spirit and power, for God will never leave himself without witness. "What shall I do now?" saith Herod. "John have I beheaded, but who is this? Is he carrying on John's work, or is he come to avenge John's death? John baptized, but he does not; John did no miracle, but he does, and therefore appears more formidable than John." Note, Those who oppose God will find themselves more and more embarrassed. However, he desired to see him, whether he resembled John or no; but he might soon have been put out of this pain if he would but have informed himself of that which thousands knew, that Jesus preached, and wrought miracles, a great while before John was beheaded, and therefore could not be John raised from the dead. He desired to see him; and why did he not go and see him? Probably, because he thought it below him either to go to him or to send for him; he had enough of John Baptist, and cared not for having to do with any more such reprovers of sin. He desired to see him, but we do not find that ever he did, till he saw him at his bar, and then he and his men of war set him at nought, Luk 23:11. Had he prosecuted his convictions now, and gone to see him, who knows but a happy change might have ben wrought in him? But, delaying it now, his heart was hardened, and when he did see him he was as much prejudiced against him as any other.
And that through them the whole race of mankind may be sought out, He not only gives them power to drive away evil spirits, but to cure all kind of diseases at His command; as it follows, And to cure diseases.
Wishing then that they should be free from the desire of wealth and the anxieties of life, He gave this injunction. He took it as a proof of their faith and courage, that when it was commanded them to lead a life of extreme poverty, they would not escape from what was ordered. For it was fitting that they should make a kind of bargain, receiving these saving virtues to recompense them for obedience to commands. And when He was making them soldiers of God, He girds them for battle against their enemies, by telling them to embrace poverty. For no soldier of God entangles himself in the affairs of a secular life. (2 Tim. 2:4.)
But when the Lord had girded His disciples as soldiers of God with divine virtue and wise admonitions, sending them to the Jews as teachers and physicians, they afterwards went forth, as it follows, And they departed, and went through the towns preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
(Orat. ii. 69.) Now in sending His disciples to preach, our Lord enjoined many things on them, the chief of which are, that they should be so virtuous, so constant, so temperate, and, to speak briefly, so heavenly, that no less through their manner of living than their words, the teaching of the Gospel might be spread abroad. And therefore were they sent with lack of money, and staves, and a single garment; He accordingly adds, And he said to them, Take nothing in the way, neither staves.
So the faith of the church must be sought first and foremost. If Christ is to dwell in a house, it undoubtedly must be chosen. But lest an unbelieving people or a heretical teacher deface its home, the church is commanded that the fellowship of heretics be avoided and the synagogue shunned. The dust is to be shaken off your feet lest when the dryness of barren unbelief crumbles the sole of your mind it is stained as if by a dry and sandy soil. A preacher of the gospel must take on himself the bodily weaknesses of a faithful people, so to speak. He must lift up and remove from his own soles worthless actions as if they were dust. For it is written: “Who is weak, and I am not weak?” Any church which rejects faith and does not possess the foundations of apostolic preaching is to be abandoned lest it be able to stain others with unbelief. The apostle also clearly affirmed this by saying “Reject a man that is a heretic after the first admonition.”
Of what kind then he ought to be who preaches the Gospel of the kingdom of God is marked out by these Gospel precepts; that is, he must not require the supports of secular aid; and clinging wholly to faith, he must believe that the less he requires those things, the more they will be supplied to him.
To those also who wish it, this place admits of being explained, so as to seem only to represent a spiritual temper of mind, which appears to have cast off as it were a certain covering of the body; not only rejecting power and despising wealth, but renouncing also the delights of the flesh itself.
He pronounces it to be foreign to the character of a preacher of the heavenly kingdom to run from house to house and change the rights of inviolable hospitality; but as the grace of hospitality is supposed to be offered, so also if they are not received the dust must be shaken off, and they are commanded to depart from the city; as it follows, And whosoever will not receive you when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony, &c.
Or it is a great return of hospitality which is here taught, i. e. that we should not only wish peace to our hosts, but also if any faults of earthly infirmity obscure them, they should be removed by receiving the footsteps of apostolical preaching.
This is a great vision. But if you wish to see it, remove the sandals from your feet. Remove every chain of sin. Remove the chains of the world. Leave behind earthly sandals. Jesus sent the apostles without sandals, without money, gold and silver, so that they would not carry earthly things with them. The one who seeks to do good is praised not for his sandals but for the swiftness and grace of his feet. The Scripture says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, of those who bring glad tidings of good things!” Therefore remove the sandals from your feet, that they may be beautiful for preaching the gospel.
(Hom. 22. in Matt.) But after that they had been sufficiently strengthened by His guidance, and had received competent proofs of His power, He sends them out, as it follows, And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God. And here we must remark, that they are not commissioned to speak of sensible things as Moses and the Prophets; for they promised a land and earthly goods, but these a kingdom, and whatsoever is contained in it.
(ubi sup.) Many things indeed He ordained hereby; first indeed it rendered the disciples unsuspected; secondly, it held them aloof from all care, so that they might give their whole study to the word; thirdly, it taught them their own proper virtue. But perhaps some one will say that the other things indeed are reasonable, but for what reason did He command them to have no scrip on their way, nor two coats, nor staff? In truth, because He wished to rouse them to all diligence, taking them away from all the cares of this life, that they might be occupied by the one single care of teaching.
(de Con. l. 2. c. 30.) Or, the Lord did not wish the disciples to possess and carry with them these things, not that they were not necessary to the support of this life, but because He sent them thus to show that these things were due to them from those believers to whom they announced the Gospel, that so they might neither possess security, nor carry about with them the necessaries of this life, either great or little. He has therefore, according to Mark, excluded all except a staff, showing that the faithful owe every thing to their ministers who require no superfluities. But this permission of the staff He has mentioned by name, when He says, They should take nothing in the way, but a staff only.
It was most appropriate for Jesus to instruct his disciples to take nothing with them. He wished them both to be free from all worldly care, and so entirely exempt from the labors that worldly things require, that they would not even worry about obtaining necessary and indispensable food for themselves. Manifestly, One who instructs them to abstain even from things such as these entirely cuts away the love of riches and the desire of gain. For their glory, he said, and, so to speak, their crown, is to possess nothing. He separates them even from such things as are necessary for their use, by commanding them to carry nothing whatsoever, neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money nor two coats. Observe, therefore, as I said, that he takes them away from worthless distractions and anxiety about the body. He commands them not to worry about food, repeating to them, as it were, that passage in the psalm: "Cast your care upon the Lord, and he shall feed you." For what Christ says is also true: "You are not able to serve God and money." And, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
The dust is shaken off from the Apostles' feet as a testimony of their labours, that they entered into a city, and the apostolical preaching had reached to the inhabitants thereof. Or the dust is shaken off when they receive nothing (not even of the necessaries of life) from those who despised the Gospel.
But if any by treacherous negligence, or even from zeal, despise the word of God, their communion must be shunned, the dust of the feet must be shaken off, lest by their vain deeds which are to be compared to the dust, the footstep of a chaste mind be defiled.
And he said to them: Take nothing for the journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money, nor have two tunics. It is usual to inquire how Matthew and Luke mentioned that the Lord told the disciples not to carry a staff, when Mark says, and he commanded them not to take anything for the road except a staff only. This is resolved in such a way that we understand the staff mentioned under a different meaning which, according to Mark, should be carried, and a different one that, according to Matthew and Luke, should not be carried. Just as temptation is understood under a different meaning when it is said: God tempts no one, and under another when it is said: The Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love him. One denotes seduction, the other probation. Therefore, both statements must be taken as said by the Lord to the apostles, both to not carry a staff, and to carry only a staff. For when, according to Matthew, he told them: Do not possess gold or silver (Matthew X), and other things, he immediately added: For the laborer is worthy of his food(Bidad). Hence he sufficiently showed why he did not want them to possess and carry these things. Not because these things were not necessary for the sustenance of this life, but because he sent them in such a way as to show that these things were due to them from those to whom the Gospel believers were announcing. However, it is clear that the Lord did not command in such a way that the Evangelists should live from other sources than those who provide for them, to whom they announce the Gospel. Otherwise, the Apostle went against this precept, who earned his living from the labor of his hands, so as not to be a burden to anyone. But he gave authority, wherein they knew these things were due to them. However, when something is commanded by the Lord, if it is not done, it is a fault of disobedience. When authority is given, it is permissible for anyone not to use it, and as if to give up their right. Therefore, the Lord ordained this, which the Apostle says he ordained, that those who announce the Gospel should live from the Gospel, he spoke to the apostles, that secure they should neither possess nor carry the essentials of this life, neither great nor small. Therefore, he said, Nor a staff, showing that from their faithful ones, all things are due to his ministers, requiring nothing superfluous. And therefore adding: For the laborer is worthy of his food (Matthew X), he thoroughly opened and illustrated wherefrom he spoke these things. Thus, he signified this authority by the name of the staff when he says, not to take anything for the road, except a staff only. It is understood that by the authority accepted from the Lord, which is signified by the name of the staff, even those things that are not carried will not be lacking. This must also be understood about two tunics, so none of them would think to carry another, besides the one they were wearing, worried it might be needed, as they could receive from that authority. But according to Mark, not to carry or have two tunics, but more expressively not to be clothed in two tunics, saying: And they were not to put on two tunics (Mark VI): what does he advise them except to walk not doubly but simply? Otherwise. In two tunics, they seem to me to show a double garment. Not that in the icy places of Scythia and snow, someone should be content with one tunic, but that in a tunic, we understand clothing, so we should not be dressed in one and reserve another for ourselves from fear of the future.
For He sends them out as very beggars, so that He would have them neither carry bread, nor any thing else of which men are generally in want.
Some also understand by the Apostles not carrying scrip, nor staff, nor two coats, that they must not lay up treasures, (which a scrip implies, collecting many things,) nor be angry and of a quarrelsome spirit, (which the staff signifies,) nor be false and of a double heart, (which is meant by the two coats.)
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SUMMARY
In Luke 9:3, Jesus issues precise and radical instructions to His twelve disciples as He commissions them for a missionary journey: they are to take nothing for their travels—no staff, no bag, no food, no money, and only one tunic. This command underscores a profound call to absolute dependence on God's provision, a singular focus on the urgent proclamation of the Kingdom, and a practical lesson in faith that prioritizes divine resources over human self-sufficiency.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Luke's account in Luke 9:3 employs several literary devices to convey Jesus' profound message. The most prominent is Emphasis through Repetition of the negative particle "neither" (mḗte). This repeated negation ("neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece") creates a powerful cumulative effect, underscoring the absolute and comprehensive nature of the command to divest themselves of all worldly provisions. This serves to highlight the radical nature of the disciples' mission and their required dependence. Furthermore, the specific items listed (staff, scrip, bread, money, two coats) function as Symbolism. These are not merely practical items but represent human self-sufficiency, foresight, and security. By forbidding them, Jesus symbolically strips the disciples of all reliance on their own resources, compelling them to embody complete trust in divine providence and the generosity of others. This also serves as a form of Hyperbole, as the literal application of taking absolutely nothing for a journey would be extreme, thus drawing attention to the spiritual principle of radical dependence rather than merely practical travel advice.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The instructions in Luke 9:3 are a profound theological statement on the nature of God's Kingdom and the radical commitment required of its heralds. They underscore that the mission of proclaiming the Gospel is not to be undertaken with human resources or self-reliance, but with absolute trust in divine provision and power. This command forces the disciples into a posture of complete dependence, teaching them firsthand that God is faithful to sustain those who are fully devoted to His purposes. It challenges the common human tendency to hoard, to rely on personal security, and to prioritize comfort over calling, instead calling for a single-minded focus on the spiritual task at hand. This principle of radical trust in God's provision for His work is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, emphasizing that God equips and sustains those He sends.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 9:3 presents a challenging and counter-cultural call for believers today. While not a literal command to abandon all preparation for every journey, it serves as a powerful spiritual principle: our effectiveness in God's work is not contingent on our accumulated resources, but on our radical dependence on Him. It compels us to examine where our true security lies—is it in our savings, our possessions, our plans, or in the unfailing providence of God? This passage invites us to cultivate a posture of humility and trust, recognizing that when we step out in faith for the Kingdom, God Himself becomes our ultimate provider and protector. It encourages us to simplify our lives, to shed the unnecessary burdens of materialism, and to maintain a single-minded focus on the mission of sharing the good news, confident that as we prioritize His Kingdom, all our legitimate needs will be met.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Were these instructions for all disciples at all times, or specific to this mission?
Answer: These instructions were specific to the immediate, short-term missionary journey of the Twelve Apostles as commissioned by Jesus in Luke 9:1-2. This is evident from Jesus' later instructions in Luke 22:35-36, where He asks if they lacked anything during that initial mission (to which they replied "Nothing") and then tells them that going forward, they should take a money bag, a scrip, and even sell a cloak to buy a sword. This shift indicates that the radical divestment in Luke 9:3 was a unique, pedagogical exercise for a particular phase of ministry, designed to teach them absolute reliance on God and the hospitality of others during a time of relative peace and direct divine oversight.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Luke 9:3 directly concerns the disciples' immediate mission, its deeper Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the radical dependence and self-emptying demonstrated by Jesus Himself. Christ, though "rich, yet for your sakes he became poor" (2 Corinthians 8:9), embodying the ultimate example of divesting Himself of heavenly glory and earthly comforts to accomplish His Father's mission. He had "nowhere to lay his head" (Luke 9:58), living a life of utter dependence on the Father's provision and will, perfectly fulfilling the spirit of these instructions. The disciples' journey, stripped of material security, foreshadows the path of the Suffering Servant who relied entirely on God to complete His redemptive work on the cross. Their mission, empowered by Christ and sustained by the Father, points to the greater mission of the Church, which, through the power of the Holy Spirit, continues to proclaim the Kingdom of God, relying not on human strength or resources, but on the unfailing provision and authority of the risen Christ, who promises to be with His disciples "always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).