Jesus was a planner for the future

JESUS WAS A PLANNER FOR THE FUTURE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 10:1 After this, the Lord appointedseventy-two
others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to
every town and place He was about to visit.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The MissionOf The Seventy
Luke 10:1-24
R.M. Edgar
Jesus, as we have seen, is now going up on his lastjourney to Jerusalem, and
he is anxious that the places he is to visit for the last time, and some possibly
for the first as well as last, should be ready to receive him. On this accounthe
organizes the mission of the seventyin addition to that of the twelve already
noticed. They are to be forerunners, going to announce his advent in the
different cities and villages. Let us study the mission as here presented to us.
And -
I. THEY ARE TO GO FORTHIN A SPIRIT OF PRAYER FOR
ADDITIONAL LABOURERS. (Ver. 2.) The desire in the world to limit and
regulate the number of laborers, to keepup wages, is to have no counterpart
in the Church of Christ. The needs of men are so great, the harvest of souls is

so enormous, that as many reapers as can possibly be equipped are needed
and should be prayed for. Narrow-mindedness and jealousyare, therefore,
out of place in Christian work. Those alreadylaboring for God are to be the
chief intercessorsfor more workers, andit is the inspiration of God which can
alone fit men for such work.
II. THEY ARE TO GO FORTHPREPARED FOR OPPOSITION EVEN
UNTO DEATH. (Ver. 3.) It seems at first a foolish policy to send lambs among
wolves. Will they not be torn to pieces instantly? Is it not to court defeat and
failure? But it so happens that it is the manifestationof a meek and lamblike
spirit among ravenous and wolfish men which wins the battle for Christ and
conquers the world. Were it not for such exhibitions of meekness the world
would never be won. Hence the martyr-spirit is the safetyof the Church.
III. THEY ARE TO DEPEND UPON THE PEOPLE FOR SUPPORT. (Vers.
4-8.)Some of the seventy, like some of the twelve, might have takensome
provision or money with them. They were not all absolutely poor. The Lord
himself might have brought from heaven or furnished miraculously all that he
needed during his ministry on earth, but he preferred to depend upon his
Father in heaven, and to acceptof the loving ministrations of his friends on
earth. The same rule he prescribes for his servants. Theyare to receive their
support from those among whom they labor. And in the receptionof support,
they are to be content with whateverhospitality comes first. Peacefullyare
they to dwell in the house of their host, and they are not to be choosing some
better hospitality and showing a mean and worldly spirit.
IV. THEY ARE TO GIVE THEMSELVES UNRESERVEDLYTO THE
KING'S BUSINESS. (Vet. 4.) The instruction, "Salute no man by the way,"
does not advise any discourtesy, but as the Easternsalaams are protracted
pieces of etiquette, they are to show so clearlythat their "King's business
requireth haste," that such cumbrous formalities must be dispensed with. It is

a greatthing gained if the Lord's servants are so concentratedupon their
work that nothing is allowedin the leastdegree to interfere with it. God's
work must be paramount.
V. THEY ARE TO HEAL THE SICK AND ANNOUNCE THE KINGDOM.
(Ver. 9.) It is the advent of salvationto these cities and villages of Palestine;
hence the healing of the sick is performed as a sign of the higher salvation
which is included in the coming of the kingdom. Physicalmiracles are
spiritual signs. The health of the soul is to follow that of the body, if the people
will only trust the King. The delegatedmiraculous power is the sign and
announcement of coming spiritual powerand salvation.
VI. THE PENALTIES ATTACHED TO THE REJECTION OF THESE
AMBASSADORS. (Vers. 10-16.)The Lord directs them, as in the case ofthe
twelve, to simply shake off the dust of their feetagainstthem. This was the
sign of separationcomplete and final. But he indicates that in the judgment it
shall be more tolerable for such cities as Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon, than for the
cities which rejectthem. Now, the doom of Sodom and of Tyre was terrible. In
the one case Goddestroyedthe cities of the plain by fire; in the other case by
siege and bombardment. But for Sodomand for Tyre - meaning, of course, for
their inhabitants - there yet remains a judgment in the greatday. Yet their
sin, though heinous, was not so greatas that of rejecting Jesus and his
ambassadors.Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum will experience a deeper
doom than even Tyre and Sodom, because they repented not. The solemn
position of an ambassadorofChrist cannotbe over-estimated. To speak for
Christ, in his Name, in some way worthy of him, is surely a greatcommission.
What an altitude in ministration should we reachbefore we can
conscientiouslyadoptthe attitude of the apostles!
VII. THE JOY OF THE SEVENTYAT THEIR SUCCESS.(Ver. 17.)They
delighted in the thought that the devils had become subjectunto them through

the Name of Jesus. How natural it is to rejoice in the success the Lord grants!
But as Jesus here shows, it is dangerous. While assuring them of triumph over
Satanand all the power of the enemy, he also would have them to rejoice
rather in this, that their names are written in heaven. The meaning of this
seems to be that they should rejoice in what the Lord has done for them
rather than what they have done for the Lord. In the one case, theyare liable
to be puffed up and to think highly of themselves;in the other case,they are
kept in wholesome humility. Let the Lord's work and the Lord's part of the
works, rather than ours, be the source of our spiritual joy.
VIII. THE JOY OF JESUS ABOUT THE ARRANGEMENTSOF HIS
KINGDOM. (Vers. 21-24.)While Jesus advisedthem to rejoice in God's
salvationof them, he himself proceeds to rejoice in their successfulwork. His
reasonfor this was:
1. That it put to confusionthe wise and prudent, through the revelationbeing
made to babes. Those who are proud and self-confidentmiss the meaning of
the gospeland the kingdom, while those who are babelike in their docility get
an apprehension of both.
2. It is in virtue of his mediatorial commission. The Fatherhas committed all
things to Jesus, andhe proceeds, as Son, to revealthe Father to whomsoever
he will. Without such a revelationwe should never know the Father.
3. Christ's joy is also because ofthe distinguished privileges enjoyed by the
disciples. Many prophets and kings desired to see such things as they saw, but
the prophets and kings had been passedby, and these weak ones selected.
Hence it is that Jesus rejoices in such God-glorifying arrangements. The more
humble we are in heart, the fuller shall be the revelationwhich God will make
to us through Jesus Christ - R.M.E.

Biblical Illustrator
The Lord appointed other seventy.
Luke 10:1
Our Lord's instructions to the severity
H. Hunter, D. D.
I. CHRIST SENT OUT THE SEVENTYBY PAIRS.
II. OUR BLESSED LORD FAIRLY AND FAITHFULLY WARNED THE
SEVENTYOF THE DIFFICULTYAND DANGER OF THE CHARGE
WHICH THEY WERE UNDERTAKING.
III. OUR LORD CAUTIONS HIS MISSIONARIES AGAINST AN OVER
CURIOUS AND MINUTE REGARD TO ACCOMMODATION

PREPARATORYTO THEIR ENTERING ON THEIR MISSION, AND
WHILE EMPLOYED IN EXECUTING THE BUSINESS OF IT.
IV. OUR LORD RECOMMENDSTO THE DISCIPLES UNDIVIDED,
UNDEVIATING ATTENTION TO WHAT WAS SPECIALLY
COMMITTEDTO THEM.
V. OUR LORD'S INSTRUCTIONSTO THE SEVENTYRESPECTING
THEIR WORK AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE TO
PERFORMIT.
VI. CHRIST ENCOURAGES HIS DISCIPLES WITH THE ASSURANCE
THAT HE SHOULD CONSIDERTHE RECEPTIONWHICH THEY MET
WITH, AS GIVEN TO HIMSELF.
(H. Hunter, D. D.)
Two and two
Two and two before His face
Bishop F. D. Huntington.
Yet questions of high interest immediately arise. Why should there be any
forerunners? What were they sentto do? In order to the full, personal
influence and reign of Christ anywhere, there is a law of necessary
preparation. Very impressive it is to see that God, when He has any greatgift
to communicate, proceeds by pre-arrangement. He never bursts into His
family with thunders of revelationtoo sudden or loud for them to bear. Take
the one signal event which stands in the centre of all history, — the personal
coming of the Sonof Godon the earth. The prophetic spirit of His nation had

been looking out for Him, as nightly watchers onMount Moriah lookedout
for the dawn toward Hebron, two thousand years. In fact, to eyes that see the
divinity in the Saviour's face at all, it is not difficult to discern, all along those
earlier ages,heralds like "the other seventy also," going before that Face into
the places whither He Himself was afterward to come. Now on that greatscale
of time and space we have a picture, in colossalproportions, of what goes on
in every one of our own breasts. Consciousofit or not, agenciesare at work in
us to make ready, if we only will for the entrance of the Lord of the heart into
His home and dwelling-place there. Having createdus for Christian service, as
the true end and real glory of our being, our Father takes pains to fit and to
fashion us for that destiny, with all its honour and all its joy. By secret
influences, untraceable as the wind that bloweth where it listeth, silently
pressing on the springs of feeling and principle within us; by strange sorrows
and misgivings there. That we may become wise and strong and pure in our
grief, this process ofpersonal preparation is in continual operation. The
heralds are out, sent by Him who is coming after them. The "other seventy"
are proceeding on their errand. We ourselves are the cities and places whither
He would come. Again, it appears from the Lord's sending of the seventy that
all personal efforts and public movements for extending truth and increasing
righteousness in the world are really parts of His work, and are dependent on
His spiritual power. Christendom everywhere is full of beneficent activities.
The benefactions ofthis late age, half-blind though they may be, or forgetful
of their Author, were born at Bethlehem, and grew in stature at Nazareth,
and conqueredtheir enemies — selfishness andpride and wrath — at
Calvary, and went out among the nations with the apostles, ifwe had seenone
of the seventy walking in some by-way of Jericho or Bethany, we might have
seenno badge of Christ upon him, and wonderedat his eagergaitor absorbed
expression. But he was going where the Mastersent him, and the Master's
mantle was on him, and the Master's secretin his soul. Thither, after him, the
MasterHimself would come, to reaffirm and fulfil his words, to deepen,
sanction, complete his work.
(Bishop F. D. Huntington.)

COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
X.
(1) After these things the Lord appointed other seventyalso.—Some MSS.of
importance give “seventy-two,” but the evidence preponderates in favour of
the reading “seventy.” The number had a threefold significance. (1) Seventy
elders had been appointed by Moses to help him in his work of teaching and
judging the people (Numbers 11:16), and to these the spirit of prophecy had
been given that they might bear the burden with him. In appointing the
Seventy our Lord revived, as it were, the order or “school” ofprophets which
had been so long extinct. The existence of such men in every Church is implied
in well-nigh every Epistle (e.g., Acts 13:1; Acts 15:32;1Corinthians 12:28;
1Corinthians 14:29; 1Thessalonians5:20), and the fact that St. Paul and
others join togetherthe “Apostles and Prophets” as having been jointly the
foundation on which the Church was built (Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 3:5;
Ephesians 4:11; 2Peter3:2), makes it probable that the latter words, no less
than the former, pointed in the first instance to a knownand definite body.
The Seventy presentedsuch a body. They, though not sharers in the special
authority and functions of the Twelve, were yet endowedwith like prophetic
powers, and the mysteries of the kingdom were revealedto them (Luke 10:21).
(2) As the Sanhedrin or great Council of scribes and priests and elders
consistedof seventymembers besides the president, the number having been
fixed on the assumption that they were the successorsofthose whom Moses
had chosen, our Lord’s choice of the number could hardly fail to suggestthe
thought that the seventy disciples were placed by Him in a position of direct
contrastwith the existing Council, as an assemblyguided, not by the
traditions of men, but by direct inspiration. (3) But the number seventy had
come to have another symbolical significance whichcould not fail to have a
specialinterest. Partly by a rough reckoning of the names of the nations in
Genesis 10, partly on accountof the mystical completeness ofthe number

itself, seventy had come to be the representative number of all the nations of
the world; and so, in the FeastofTabernacles,whichin any harmonistic
arrangementof the Gospelnarrative must have almost immediately preceded
the missionof the Seventy (see Note on John 7:2), a greatsacrifice ofseventy
oxen was offeredas on behalf of all the non-Israelite members of the great
family of mankind (Lightfoot, Hor. Hebr. in Joann. 7). Bearing this in mind,
and remembering the words that our Lord had spokenduring that feastas to
the “othersheep, not of that fold” (John 10:16), which He had come to gather,
we may see in what is here recordeda step full of meaning, a distinct and
formal witness of the future universality of the Church of Christ. The
omission, in the charge addressedto them, of the command given to the
Twelve againstentering into the way of the Gentiles or any city of the
Samaritans (Matthew 10:5) is on this view full of interest.
The question, of course, occurs to us how it was that such a mission should
have been omitted by St. Matthew and St. Mark. To this, only partial answers
can be given. (1) The mission belongedto the last period of our Lord’s
ministry, where their records are comparativelyscanty, and was confined to
the region, apparently of Peræa and Judæa, which He was then about to visit.
(2) It was one in which, from the nature of the case, the Twelve were not
sharers, and which, therefore, naturally came to occupy a less prominent
place in the recollections ofthose from whom the narratives of the first two
Gospels were primarily derived.
MacLaren's Expositions
Luke
CHRIST’S MESSENGERS:THEIR EQUIPMENT AND WORK
Luke 10:1 - Luke 10:11, Luke 10:17 - Luke 10:20.

The mission of the Seventy is clearly distinguished from and contrastedwith
that of the Twelve by the word ‘others’ in verse 1, which points back to Luke
9:1. The Twelve were prohibited from going beyond Jews;the Seventy were
under no such restriction, and were probably sent to the half-Gentile districts
on the eastof Jordan. The number of twelve had reference to the number of
the tribes; that of seventy may have referred to the number of the elders, but
it has also been suggestedthat its reference is to the supposed number of the
nations. The appointment of the Twelve was to a permanent office;that of the
Seventy to a transitory mission. Much of the charge given to either is given to
both, as is most natural, since they had the same message, and both were sent
to prepare for Christ’s personalministry. But though the Seventy were sent
out but for a short time, permanent principles for the guidance, not only of
Christian workers, but of all Christian lives, are embodied in the charge
which they received.
We note, first, that all personalservice should be precededby intense
realisationof the immense field, and of the inadequacy, of Christian effort,
which vision will culminate in prayer for more toilers to be ‘sent forth.’ The
word implies a certain measure of compulsion, for an overmastering impulse
is always neededto overcome human reluctance and laziness. No man has
ever done large service for God who has not felt that, like the prophet, he was
laid hold of by the Spirit, and borne away, whether he would or no. ‘I must
speak,’is felt by every true messengerofGod. The prayer was answeredby
the sending of the pray-ers, as it often is. Note how Jesus implies that He is
Lord of the harvest, in that His sending them is the answerto the petition.
Note, too, the authority which He claims to exercise supreme sovereigntyover
the lives of men. He has the right to fling them into deadly peril for no other
purpose than to proclaim His name. Lambs, ringed round by wolves with
white, gleaming teeth, have little chance of life. Jesus gives His servants full
warning of dangers, and on the very warning builds an exhortation to quiet
confidence;for, if the sentence ends with ‘lambs in the midst of wolves,’it
begins with ‘I send you forth,’ and that is enough, for He will defend them

when He seeththe wolf coming. Notonly so, but He will also provide for all
their needs, so they want no baggagenormoney, nor even a staff. A traveller
without any of these would be in poor case, but they are not to carry such
things, because they carry Jesus. He who sends them forth goes with them
whom He sends. Now, this precept, in its literal form, was expressly abolished
afterwards {Luke 22:36}, but the spirit of it is permanent. If Christ sends us,
we may trust Him to take care of us as long as we are on His errands.
Energetic pursuit of their work, unimpeded by distractions of social
intercourse, is meant by the prohibition of saluting by the way. That does not
mean churlish isolation, but any one who has ever seentwo Easterns ‘saluting’
knows what a long-drawn-out affair it is. How far along the road one might
have travelled while all that empty ceremony was being gotthrough! The time
for salutations is when the journey is over. They mean something then. The
greateffectof the presence of Christ’s servants should be to impart the peace
which they themselves possess. We should put reality into conventional
courtesies.All Christians are to be peacemakersin the deepestsense, and
especiallyin regardto men’s relations with God. The whole scope ofour work
may be summed up as being to proclaim and bring peace with God, with
ourselves, with all others, and with circumstances. The universality of our
messageis implied in the fact that the salutationis to be given in every house
entered, and without any inquiry whether a ‘son of peace’is there. The reflex
blessednessofChristian effort is taught in the promise that the peace, vainly
wished for those who would not receive it, is not wastedlike spilt water, but
comes back like a dove, to the hand of its sender. If we do no other person
good, we bless ourselves by all work for others.
The injunctions as to conduct in the house or city that receives the messengers
carry two principles of wide application. First, they demand clear
disinterestedness andsuperiority to vulgar appetites. Christ’s servants are not
to be fastidious as to their board and lodging. They are not to make demands
for more refined diet than their hosts are accustomedto have, and they are

not to shift their quarters, though it were from a hovel to a palace. The
suspicionthat a Christian workeris fond of goodliving and sensuous delights
robs his work of power. But the injunction teaches also thatthere is no
generosityin those who hear the message giving, and no obligationlaid on
those who deliver it by their receiving, enough to live and work on. The less
we obviously look for, the more shall we probably receive. A high-minded
man need not scruple to take the ‘hire’; a high-minded giver will not suppose
that he has hired the receiverto be his servant.
The double substance of the work is next briefly stated. The order in which its
two parts stands is remarkable, for the healing of the sick is put first, and the
proclamation of the nearness of the kingdom second. Possiblythe reasonis
that the power to heal was a new gift. Its very priority in mention may imply
that it was but a means to an end, a part of the equipment for the true and
proper work of preaching the coming of the kingdom and its King. At all
events, let us learn that Jesus wills the continual combination of regard to the
bodily wants and sicknesses,and regardto the spiritual needs of men.
The solemninstructions as to what was to be done in the case ofrejection
breathe a spirit the reverse of sanguine. Jesus had no illusions as to the
acceptanceofthe message, andHe will send no man out to work hiding from
him the difficulties and opposition probably to be encountered. Much wisdom
lies in deciding when a field of labour or a method of work should be
abandoned as hopeless-forthe present and for the individual worker, at all
events. To do it too soonis cowardice;to delay it too long is not admirable
perseverance,but blindness to plain providences. To shake off the dust is
equivalent to severing all connection. The messengerwill not bring awaythe
leastthing belonging to the city. But whatevermen’s unbelief, it does not
affectthe fact, but it does affecttheir relation to the fact. The gracious
messagewas atfirst that ‘the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you,’ but the
last shape of it leaves out ‘unto you’: for rejectionof the word cuts off from

beneficialshare in the word, and the kingdom, when it comes, has no blessing
for the unbelieving soul.
The return of the Seventy soonfollowedtheir being sent forth. They came
back with a childish, surprised joy, and almost seemto have thought that
Jesus would be as much astonishedand excited as they were with the proof of
the powerof His name. They had found that they could not only heal the sick,
but castout demons. Jesus’answeris meant to quiet down their excitement by
teaching them that He had known what they were doing whilst they were
doing it. When did He behold Satan fall from heaven? The context seems to
require that it should be at the time when the Seventy were casting out
demons. The contestbetweenthe personalSource of evil and Jesus was fought
out by the principals, not by their subordinates, and it is already victoriously
decided in Christ’s sight. Therefore, as the sequelof His victory, He enlarges
His gifts to His servants, couching the charter in the words of a psalm {Psalm
91:1 - Psalm91:16}. Nothing can harm the servant without the leave of the
Master, and if any evil befall him in his work, the evil in the evil, the poison on
the arrow-head, will be wiped off and takenaway. But greatas are the gifts to
the faithful servant, they are less to be rejoicedin than his personalinclusion
among the citizens of heaven. Gifts and powers are good, and may legitimately
be rejoicedin; but to possess eternallife, and to belong to the mother-city of
us all, the New Jerusalem, is better than all gifts and all powers.
BensonCommentary
Luke 10:1. The Lord appointed other seventy also — Or rather, seventy
others, as ετερους εβδομηκοντα,should certainly be translated; for the
expression, other seventy, implies that seventyhad been sent before, which
certainly was not the fact, (those sent before being no more than twelve,)nor
is it implied in the Greek. So inconsiderable a difference in the words makes a
greatalteration in the sense. “The scene ofChrist’s ministry being, from this
time forth, to lie in Judea, and the country beyond Jordan, it was expedient
that his way should be prepared in every city and village of those countries
whither he was to come. He therefore sent out seventy of his disciples on this

work, mentioning the particular places which he intended to visit, and in
which they were to preach;whereas, the twelve had been allowedto go where
they pleased, provided they confined their ministry to the lostsheep of the
house of Israel.” Luke is the only evangelistwho has given us this accountof
Christ’s sending out the seventy; and it is the less to be wonderedat, that he
should do it so particularly, if the ancient tradition be true, which Origen and
Epiphanius have mentioned, that he was himself one of the number. It is
remarkable that our Lord assigns the same reasonfor the mission of the
seventy which he had assignedfor the missionof the twelve disciples. The
harvest was plenteous in Judea and Perea, as wellas in Galilee, and the
labourers there also were few. Hence his exhortation, Pray ye therefore the
Lord of the harvest that he would send forth (Greek, εκβαλλη, thrust out)
labourers. For God alone can do this: he alone canqualify and commission
men for this work, and incline them to undertake it.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
10:1-16 Christ sent the seventydisciples, two and two, that they might
strengthen and encourageone another. The ministry of the gospelcalls men to
receive Christ as a Prince and a Saviour; and he will surely come in the power
of his Spirit to all places whither he sends his faithful servants. But the doom
of those who receive the grace of God in vain, will be very fearful Those who
despise the faithful ministers of Christ, who think meanly of them, and look
scornfully upon them, will be reckonedas despisers ofGod and Christ.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
After these things - After the appointment of the twelve apostles, andthe
transactions recordedin the previous chapters.
Other seventy - Seventy others besides the apostles. Theywere appointed for a
different purpose from the apostles. The apostles were to be with him; to hear
his instructions; to be witnesses ofhis miracles, his sufferings, his death, his
resurrectionand ascension, that they might "then" go and proclaim all these
things to the world. The seventy were sent out to preachimmediately, and
chiefly where he himself was about to come. They were appointed for a
temporary object. They were to go into the villages and towns, and prepare

the wayfor his coming. The number "seventy" was a favorite number among
the Jews. Thus, the family of Jacobthat came into Egypt consistedofseventy,
Genesis 46:27. The number of elders that Moses appointedto aid him was the
same, Numbers 11:16, Numbers 11:25. The number which composedthe great
Sanhedrin, or councilof the nation. was the same. It is not improbable that
our Saviour appointed this number with reference to the fact that it so often
occurredamong the Jews, orafter the example of Moses, who appointed
seventy to aid him in his work; but it is evident that the office was
"temporary" - that it had a specific design - and of course that it would be
improper to attempt to find now a "continuation" of it, or a parallel to it, in
the Christian ministry.
Two and two - There was much wisdom in sending them in this manner. It
was done, doubtless, that they might aid one another by mutual counsel, and
that they might sustain and comfort one another in their persecutions and
trials. Our Lord in this showedthe propriety of having "a religious friend,"
who would be a confidant and help. Every Christian, and especiallyevery
Christian minister, needs such a friend, and should seek some one to whom he
can unbosom himself, and with whom he can mingle his feelings and prayers.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
CHAPTER 10
Lu 10:1-24. Missionofthe Seventy Disciples, andTheir Return.
As our Lord's end approaches, the preparations for the establishment of the
coming Kingdom are quickenedand extended.
1. the Lord—a becoming title here, as this appointment was an acttruly lordly
[Bengel].

other seventy also—rather, "others (also in number), seventy";probably with
allusion to the seventy elders of Israelon whom the Spirit descendedin the
wilderness (Nu 11:24, 25). The mission, unlike that of the Twelve, was
evidently quite temporary. All the instructions are in keeping with a brief and
hasty pioneering mission, intended to supply what of generalpreparation for
coming events the Lord's own visit afterwards to the same "cities and places"
(Lu 10:1) would not, from want of time, now suffice to accomplish;whereas
the instructions to the Twelve, besides embracing all those to the Seventy,
contemplate world-wide and permanent effects. Accordingly, after their
return from this single missionarytour, we never againread of the
Seventy.Luke 10:1-12 Christ sendeth out the seventy disciples to work
miracles and to preach.
Luke 10:13-16 He pronounces a woe againstChorazin, Bethsaida, and
Capernaum.
Luke 10:17-20 The seventy return with joy; Christ showeththem
wherein to rejoice.
Luke 10:21,22 He thanks his Father for having revealedhis gospel
to the simple only.

Luke 10:23,24 He showeththe blessednessofthose that were called
into his church.
Luke 10:25-37 He teachetha lawyerhow to attain eternal life; and
by the parable of the goodSamaritanshowethwhom we
are to consideras our neighbour.
Luke 10:38-42 He commendeth Mary’s attention to his doctrine in
preference to Martha’s busy care to entertain him.
We heard before of Christ’s first electing, then sending out, twelve, Luke 6:13-
16 9:1-6; and we heard of their return, and giving an accountof their trust to
their Lord, Luke 10:10. What their particular accountwas we no where read,
but it was suchas our Saviour judged the harvesttoo greatfor the hands of
the labourers. He therefore now resolves to send out seventy more. The names
of these we have not in the evangelist, only that Christ sent them out, and that
he sent them
two and two, which might be for their better mutual assistance ofeachother,
and also for their mutual testimony one for another. When Godsent out the

first conductors, and governors of his people, he sent two, Moses andAaron.
John Baptist sent two of his disciples to Christ. Christ sent two of his disciples
to prepare the passover, Luke 22:8. There seemethto be nothing mysterious
in this. Man is a sociable creature, andit is not goodfor him to be alone. We
cannot determine that our Saviour had any regard to the numbers of twelve
and seventy; though it is certainthat both those numbers amongstthe Jews
seemto have had a more than ordinary character, twelve being the number of
the tribes of Israel, according to the promise, Genesis 17:20 49:28;at Elim
they found twelve wells of water, Exodus 15:27;according to the number of
the tribes were the twelve pillars, Exodus 24:4, and the twelve stones in the
breastplate of judgment, Exodus 28:21; and the number of the cakesforthe
shew bread was to be twelve, Leviticus 24:5. The princes of Israelwere twelve,
Numbers 1:44; and twelve men were sentto spy out the land of Canaan, Deu
1:23. So we shall observe that in a multitude of things they kept to the number
of twelve: John in his description of the new Jerusalem, which he saw in his
vision, says, it had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the
gates were the names of the twelve tribes, Revelation21:12. And the wallhad
twelve foundations, &c., Luke 10:14. And for the number of seventy: Jacob’s
family, when they went down into Egypt, were seventysouls, Genesis 46:27;
they mourned for Jacobseventydays, Genesis 50:3;at Elim they met with
seventy palm trees, Numbers 33:9; the posterity of Jacobwas in Babylon
seventy years. The Jewishsanhedrim, or greatcourt chosenupon the advice
of Jethro, is saidto have consistedfirst of seventy, then of seventy-two
persons. So as the numbers of twelve and seventyseemto have been numbers
to which the Jews had some respect. Whether our Saviour, in the choice of
those whom he first sent to preach the gospel, had any respector not to the
Jewishvalue for those numbers, or designedby it to show them, that he was
about to setup a new kingdom and government, which, though differing from
what they had exercisedformerly, yet in some little things should have some
conformity to them, we cannot determine. We shall find the same powers and
authority given to these seventy as to the twelve, and the same instructions:
how some come to imagine a difference of order betwixt them I cannot tell; no
such thing appeareth from the instructions given the one or the other upon
their first sending out.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
After these things,.... After the calling and mission of the twelve apostles, and
giving them their powers, commissions,and instructions, with other things
that followedthereon; Luke 9:1
the Lord appointed other seventy also;not that he had appointed before
seventy, and now made an appointment of seventy more; but as the Syriac
version renders it, "Jesus separatedout of his disciples, seventyothers" that
is, besides the twelve, whom he chose and calledout, from among the
multitude of the disciples, and ordained them apostles, he selectedand
ordained seventy others, in allusion to the seventy elders of Israel, Numbers
11:16. The Vulgate Latin and Persic versions read, "seventytwo", and so does
Epiphanius (x). The Jewishsanhedrim is sometimes said to consistof seventy
one (y), and sometimes ofseventy two (z); though commonly said to be of the
round number seventy, as these disciples might be. The above mentioned
ancient writer gives the names of some of them, as the sevendeacons;Stephen,
Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas;togetherwith
Matthias, Mark, Luke, Justus, Barnabas, Apelies, Rufus, and Niger. The
names of all these disciples, according to ancient traditions, though not to be
depended on, are given in an alphabeticalorder, with the places where they
afterwards presided as bishops, or pastors, by a late learnedwriter (a), and
are as follow, viz. Agabus, the prophet; Amphias, of Odyssus, sometimes
calledAmphiatus; Ananias, who baptized Paul, bishop of Damascus;
Andronicus, of Pannonia, or Spain; Apelies, of Smyrna, or, according to
others, of Heraclea;Apollo, of Caesarea;Aristarchus, of Apamea;
Aristobulus, of Britain; Artemas, of Lustra; Asyncritus, of Hyrcania;
Barnabas, ofMilgin; Barnabas, of Heraclea;Caesar, ofDyrrachium; Caius,
of Ephesus; Carpus, of Berytus, in Thracia;Cephas, bishop of Konia;
Clemens, of Sardinia; Cleophas, of Jerusalem;Crescens, ofChalcedon, in
Galatia;Demas, a priest of idols; Epaenetus, of Carthage;Epaphroditus, of
Andriace; Erastus, ofPaneas, or, according to others, of the Philippians;
Evodus, of Antioch; Hermas, of Philippi, or Philippolls; Hermes, of Dalmatia;
Hermogenus and Phygellus, who followedSimon Magus;Hermogenus, bishop

of the Megarenes;Herodion, of Tarsus;James, the brother of our Lord, of
Jerusalem;Jason, ofTarsus;Jesus Justus, bishop of Eleutheropolis:Linus, of
Rome; Luke, the evangelist:Lucius, of Laodicea, in Syria; Mark, who is also
John, of Biblopohs, or Byblus; Mark the evangelist, bishop of Alexandna;
Mark, the sister's sonof Barnabas, bishop of Apolloma; Matthias, added to
the apostles;Narcissus,ofAthens; Nicanor, he died when Stephen suffered
martyrdom; Nicolaus, ofSamaria; Olympius, a martyr at Rome;
Onesiphorus, bishop of Corone;Parmenas, ofthe Soli, Patrobulus, the same
with Patrobas, in Romans 16:14 of Puteoli, or as others, of Naples;Philemon,
of Gaza; Philemon (in the Acts he is called Philip), by whom the eunuch of the
queen of Ethiopia was baptized, of Trallium, of Asia; Philologus, of Sinope;
Phlegon, bishop of Marathon;Phygellus, of Ephesus;Prochorus, of
Nicomedia, in Bithynia; Pudens; Quartus, of Berytus; Rhodion, a martyr at
Rome; Rufus, of Thebes;Silas, of Corinth; Sylvanus, of Thessalonica;
Sosipater, ofIconium; Sosthenes, ofColophon; Stachys, ofByzantium;
Stephen, the first martyr; Tertius, of Iconium; Thaddaeus, who carried the
epistle of Jesus to Edessa, to Abgarus; Timon, of Bostra, ofthe Arabians;
Trophimus, who suffered martyrdora with the Apostle Paul; Tychicus, bishop
of Chalcedon, of Bithynia; Tychicus, of Colophon; Urbanus, of Macedonm;
and, Zenas, of Diospolis. According both to this account, and Epiphanius,
Luke was one of these seventy, and he is the only evangelistthat makes
mention of the appointment of them:
and sent them two and two before his face:as he did the twelve before, to be
his harbingers and forerunners:
into every city and place, whither he himself would come:which he intended
to visit: he sentthem beforehand to acquaint the inhabitants of it; and
prepare them by their ministry, for the reception of him; as John the Baptist,
who was in a more eminent sense the harbinger and forerunner of Christ,
went before him in his ministry, and prepared the wayfor him.

(x) Contr. Haeres. haeres.20. (y) Maimon. Hilchot Sanhedrim, c. 1. sect. 3.((z)
Misn. Yadim, c. 3. sect. 5. Aben Ezra in Numbers 11. 25. (a) Fabricii lux
Evangelii, p. 115, 116, &c.
Geneva Study Bible
After {1} these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them
two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself
would come.
(1) The seventy are sentas the secondforewarners ofthe coming of Christ.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Luke 10:1. The appointment and mission of the Seventy are transferred by
Luke to this last journey of Christ, and are narrated as if they were supposed
by the author to have some reference to Luke 9:52 (ἀπέστειλεν … αὐτοῦ).
Hence: καὶ ἑτέρους, which does not refer to the Twelve (Bleek and others), but
to the intimation, which is nearerto it, both in place and meaning, in Luke
9:52; and μετὰ ταῦτα, which points back to Luke 9:57-62, althoughde Wette
regards the reference as obscure and inappropriate. With arbitrary
erroneousnessOlshausensays that in this communication there is adopted a
fragment from an earlierperiod, and that μετὰ ταῦτα is not chronological
(after this, see Luke 5:27, Luke 18:4), but besides (following Schleiermacher,
p. 169).
ἀνέδειξεν] renuntiavit, He announced them as nominated, Acts 1:24; 2Ma
9:25; 2Ma 10:11; 2Ma 14:26;2 Maccabees3 Esdr. Luke 1:37, Luke 2:3;
occurs often in the classicalwriters;comp. ἀνάδειξις, Luke 1:80.

ἑβδομήκοντα]In accordance withthe apostolic number of twelve, so far as
this had reference to the tribes of the people, it is probable that Jesus had in
view the ancientHebrew analogue of the seventy (originally seventy-two)
elders of the people (see Ewald, Alterth. p. 284 f.; Saalschütz, Mos. R. p. 39). It
is unlikely that there is any reference to the Gentile nations numbering
seventy, according to Genesis 10. (Eisenmenger, Entdeckt. Judenthum, II. p.
3, 736 f.; Gieseler, Versuch, p. 128), since there is no mention at all of any
destination for the Gentiles (a subject on which Luke, leastof all, would have
been silent; in oppositionto Olshausen, de Wette, Bleek, Gieseler, and others,
especiallyBaur and his school, Köstlin also);nay, according to Luke 9:53-56,
and according to the particulars of the journey, Samaria should not at all be
regarded(in oppositionto Wieseler, p. 326 f., Baur, and others)as the theatre
of their ministry. Moreover, no reference is to be assumed(as with
Theophylact, Euthymius Zigabenus, Valla, and others) to the seventy palm-
trees of Exodus 15:27.
οὗ] see Winer, p. 419 [E. T. 592]. Lange, II. p. 1057 f., is wrong in explaining:
into the places which He had Himself previously designedto visit; that Jesus,
namely, sent the Seventy through Samaria;that He Himself did not make this
circuit, but that, nevertheless, He was not willing to give up the Samaritan
people (as representatives ofthe seventy Gentile nations), and therefore
determined to convey the gospelto them by means of the Seventy. Against this
invention of a “generous revenge,”πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ and the imperfect
ἤμελλεν are decisive. In generalit is a mistake to assume that the mission of
the Seventywent beyond the bounds of Judaism—onwhich assumption Baur
and his schoolbase the supposed Pauline tendency of the narrative. The
regionof the Samaritans is scarcelytrodden before it is againforsaken, Luke
9:56, prior to the appointment of the Seventy. Weiss in the Stud. u. Krit. 1861,
p. 711, is right in saying:“Of any appointment of the seventy disciples for
Samaria, or for the heathen world at all, there is not a single word said.”
Comp. Holtzmann, p. 393.

REMARK.
The narrative of the Seventy has been relegatedinto the unhistorical domain
by Strauss, de Wette, Gfrörer (Jahr. d. Heils, II. p. 371), Theile (z. Biogr. J. p.
51 f.), von Ammon (L. J. II. p. 355 ff.), Baur (Evang. p. 498 ff.), Schwegler,
Bruno Bauer, Köstlin, Zeller, Ritschl, and others. But (1) as they acceptthe
position that this was only a temporary and specialappointment for the
present journey, and not a permanent function, Luke 10:1, the silence ofthe
rest of the evangelists,who indeed have not in generalthe detailed thread of
this journey, as wellas the silence of the subsequent history about their
doings, is very easyto understand.—(2) That Jesus in generalhad around
Him a largercircle of constantdisciples, besides the Twelve, from whom He
could appoint seventy for a specialcommission, is in itself, and from the
evidence of such passagesas Acts 1:15; Acts 1:21, 1 Corinthians 15:6, as well
as John 6:60, not to be doubted.—(3) The tradition would hardly have
restrained itself within these narrow limits, but would have gone further than
simply to allow the Seventy to be appointed and sent forth, and then to return
and vanish; and would especiallyhave passedover into the apostolic
history.—(4) That Jesus gave them a commissionsimilar to that which He
gave the Twelve, arosefrom the similar characterof their temporary relation,
in respectwhereof, moreover, it is to be concededthat the tradition
involuntarily mingles elements out of the two commissions.[126](5)If the
narrative had been, as has been supposed(see especiallyBaur, Evang. p. 435
ff., 498 ff.), an invention of the author, intended typically to keepthe apostolic
call of Paul in incessantcontrastwith that of the Twelve, it would have been
just as necessaryas it was easyto the inventor to relate what they did, or at
leastto inweave into the commissioncharacteristicreferencesto the ministry
of Paul, yet these are entirely wanting (comp. rather Luke 24:47 f.; Acts 1:8);
moreover, the Acts of the Apostles would not have been perfectly silent about
the Seventy. In like manner as Baur, Köstlin also, p. 267 f., judges, deriving
the narrative, as an accounttypically prefiguring the mission to the
heathen,[127]from the supposedGospelof Peter, without, however,
acquiescing in the opposition to the Twelve assertedby Baur. Ewald (Evang.
p. 285, Gesch. Chr. p. 349), with whom in substance Holtzmann, p. 392 f.,

agrees,refers the narrative to a later period, in which the gradual
disappearance ofthe Twelve gave to the Lord’s remaining companions so
much more importance, that what was at first true only of the Twelve was
involuntarily transferred to a wider circle;comp. also Weizsäcker, p. 161 f.,
409 f. But againstthis also the reasons specifiedunder 1–4 hold good. Ewald,
in his Gesch. d. Apost. Zeitalt. p. 158, supposes thatthey belongedto the
hundred and twenty persons mentioned in Acts 1:15.
The purpose of the missionwas not in any way to further the personalfaith of
those who were sent (Hase, p. 200;Krabbe, p. 306), but, as is evident from the
commissionitself (see especiallyLuke 10:9), to prepare, by miraculous cures
and by preaching, for the imminent advent of the Messiah. This entire
journey of Jesus was intended to afford the people an opportunity for a final
decisionbefore the Lord’s departure from what had up to this time been His
field of action, and to be in every quarter that Messianic entrywhich
culminated in the final entry into Jerusalem. This function of forerunners,
which, according to Luke 10:1, was held in that respectby the Seventy, is at
variance neither with Luke 10:7, which assumes no relatively long sojourn,
but only forbids the change of quarters, nor with the return at Luke 10:17,
which was necessaryfor pointing out the route of the journey.
The source from which Luke derived the sectionis none other than that of the
entire narrative of the journey (see on Luke 9:51). That he gave to a fragment
of the Logia “an expansionof the original title, from a mere calculationof
what was probable,” is too hastily concluded by Holtzmann, p. 146.
[126]According to Baur, elements of the commissiongiven to the Twelve are
transferred tendentially by the evangelistto the discourse to the Seventy, in
order to give the preference to the latter, as being the true and genuine
disciples. Comp. also Baur, Das Christenthum der drei ersten Jahrh. p. 76 f.;
Hilgenfeld, Evang. p. 183 ff. See, in general, againstsuchsupposed tendencies

of Luke in regardto the primitive apostles, Holtzmann, p. 394 f.; Weiss, p. 709
ff. Weizsäcker, p. 163, rightly emphasizes the factthat it is just these sayings
which, in an eminent measure, must have been the common property of
tradition.
[127]Comp. Weizsäcker, p. 409.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 10:1-12. The Seventy sent forth, peculiar to Lk. Many questions have
been raisedas to this narrative, e.g., as to its historicity, as to the connection
betweenthe instructions to the new missionaries and those to the Twelve, and
as to the time and place of their election, and the sphere of their mission. On
these points only the briefest hints can be given here. As to the first, the saying
about the paucity of labourers, found also in Mt. (Matthew 9:38), implies that
Jesus was constantlyon the outlook for competent assistants, andthat He
would use such as were available. The cases mentionedin the closing section
of last chapter confirm this inference. Whether He would send them out
simultaneously in large numbers, twelve, or seventy, or piecemeal, one or
more pairs now, and another small group then, is a matter on which it is
precarious to dogmatise, as is done by W. Grimm when he says (Das
Proemium des Lucas-Evang.)that Jesus did not send out twelve all at once,
but two and two now and then, and besides the Twelve others of the second
order, and that these piecemealmissions consolidatedin the tradition into two
large ones of twelve and seventy. As to the instructions: there would be such in
every instance, and they would be substantially the same whether given once,
twice, or twenty times, summed up in a few compactsentences,so racyand
memorable as to be easilypreservable even by oral tradition. It is, however,
quite probable that versions of these instructions were to be found in
documents, say in Mk. and in Mt.’s Logia; and Lk., as Weiss suggests,may
have takenthe instructions to the Twelve from the former, and those to the
Seventy from the latter. Finally, as to time, place, and sphere, nothing certain
can be determined, and there is room for various conjectures. Hahn, e.g.,
suggests, as the place of the appointment, Jerusalem;the time, the feastof

tabernacles, mentionedin John 7:2; and the sphere of the mission, the towns
and villages of Judaea or southern Palestine. There was certainlyneed for a
mission there. The mission of the Twelve was in Galilee.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
Luke 10:1-24. The Missionof the Seventy.
1. After these things] i.e. after finally leaving Galilee, and starting on His great
Peraeanprogress.
other seventy also]Rather, also others (besides the Twelve)seventy in
number. Some MSS. read seventy-two (B, D, M, &c.). The number had
evident reference to the Elders of Moses(Numbers 11:16), where there is the
same variation; the Sanhedrin; and the Jewishbelief (derived from Genesis
10) as to the number of the nations of the world. The references to Elim with
its 12 wells and 70 palm-trees are mere plays of allegoric fancy.
two and two] The same merciful provision that we see in the brother- pairs of
the Twelve.
into every city, &c.] Clearly with the same object as in Luke 9:52. It may have
been all the more necessarybecause hitherto He had workedless in the
Transjordanic regions.
Bengel's Gnomen
Luke 10:1. Μετὰ ταῦτα, afterthese things) i.e. after proving those who were
fit for the embassyor the contrary, of whom three are mentioned in ch. Luke
9:57, et seqq.—ἀνέδειξεν, declaredor designated)as His ambassadors [Engl.
Vers. appointed].—ὁ Κύριος, the Lord) There is described in this passagean
act truly worthy of the Lord [Luke 10:2-3;Luke 10:9; Luke 10:11].—ἐτέρους,

others) [of whom the embassywas not indeed of loner continuance, but yet
was of such a nature as to be very nearly approximating to the apostolical
office, so as that also not a few of them might be able in subsequenttimes to
establishthe testimony concerning Jesus Christ. Nay, indeed, individuals
among them, who had seenand heard Jesus, as wellas also through the faith
which they entertained towards Him, testified concerning Him, had something
analogous, according to their position (in their ownsphere), to the eminence
of the apostles themselves.—Harm., p. 391]. The kingdom of God is always
acquiring more strength, and goodundertakings have a tendency to growth:
especiallythe prophetical office of Christ was not without speedy fruits
appearing. The number increasedfrom twelve to seventy, then to five
hundred and more; see 1 Corinthians 15:6.—ἑβδομήκοντα,seventy)L. Valla
remarks:“We observe the number both of the apostles and of the disciples
prefigured by the Lord in the books ofMoses, by the twelve fountains and
seventy palms in the desert[Exodus 15:27]. Therefore we ought to read here
seventy [not seventy-two]:which was also the number of those upon whom
God bestoweda portion of the spirit which was in Moses [Numbers 11:16-
17].” Valla finds fault with the Latin of the Vulgate, which has “septuaginta
duos.” The word δύο follows within four words after ἑβδομήκοντα, [ἀνὰ δύο.]
It would seemthat some very ancienttranscriber hastily transferred the word
δύο from thence to this place. Or else Luke wrote the accurate number,
seventy-two, in the first verse, and then in the seventeenthverse wrote in
round numbers seventy: and so others set down in both verses either seventy
or seventy-two.[91]—[καὶ ἀπέστειλεν, and sent them) It is not said that power
was granted to these, as to the Twelve, to heal the sick and to castout demons
(comp. Luke 10:17, note).—V. g.]—ἀνὰ δύο, two by two) There were thus
thirty-five or else thirty-six pairs.—οὗ ἔμελλεν αὐτὸς ἔρχεσθαι, whither He
Himself was about to come) So, when the apostles precededthe Lord, those
who wished to hear and to be healed, were able to flock togetherto Christ
from the localities onboth sides, adjoining the route through which they were
directing their journey.—[δεήθητε οὖν, pray ye then) By this precept Jesus
forthwith provoked the longing desires of the workmen, as also their prayers,
and satisfiedthose prayers.—V. g.]

[91] The δύο, which Lachm. brackets, and Tisch. omits, is supported by
BDacd, Amiat. the oldestMS. and other MSS. of Vulg. and Hil. But Ab and
Cod. Fuldensis of the Vulg. Iren. 200, and, in express words, 146, support
ἑβδομήκονταwithout δύο. In Luke 10:17, all the best MSS. of Vulg. have the
‘duo.’ But otherwise the same authorities respectivelysupport the opposite
readings.—ED.and TRANSL.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 1-24. - The mission of the seventy. The Lord's words to them of
instruction and direction and warning. Verse 1. - After these things the Lord
appointed other seventy also. Thatis to say, after the events just relatedwhich
had takenplace in the north of the Holy Land. "Alter these things" formally
beganthe solemn marches in the direction of Jerusalem, which ended, as we
have stated, in the last Passover. Roughlyspeaking, the seventy were first sent
out about the Octoberof the last year of the public ministry. The manuscripts
vary betweenseventy and seventytwo. The preponderance of authority is in
favour of seventy. The Sanhedrin numbered seventy-one. The elders
appointed by Moses were seventy. There was a Jewishsaying also that the
number of peoples on earth were seventyor seventy-two. Fourteendescended
from Japhet, thirty from Ham, twenty-six from Shem. In the 'Clementine
Recognitions,'a writing of the first half of the third century, the number of
peoples is given as seventy-two. The Fathers dwell on the sacredsymbolism of
the desert-wanderings especiallymentioned at Elim - "twelve wells and
seventy palm trees," alluding to the two groups of Christ-sent missionaries,
the twelve apostles and the "seventy" here mentioned. Two and two. As in the
case ofhis apostles sentforth previously, for mutual help and comfort. Before
his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. By their
means, as the time left him was now so short, all the needful preparations
should be made before he personally visited the place. Villages and towns, too,
where his presence was found, as in the case ofthe Samaritanvillage,
unwelcome, would be thus carefully noted, and no time would needlesslybe
lost.
Vincent's Word Studies

Appointed (ἀνέδειξεν)
Used by Luke only. Lit., to lift up and shew, as Acts 1:24 : "Shew which one
thou hast chosen." Hence to proclaim any one electedto an office. See on the
kindred noun, shewing, Luke 1:80.
Other seventy
Wrong; for he had not appointed seventy previously. Rev., rightly, seventy
others, with reference to the twelve.
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
The Lord appointed other seventy - Rather, seventy others, not other seventy,
as our translation has it, which seems to intimate that he had appointed
seventy before this time, though, probably, the word other has a reference to
the twelve chosenfirst: he not only chose twelve disciples to be constantly with
him; but he chose seventyothers to go before him. Our blessedLord formed
every thing in his Church on the model of the JewishChurch; and why?
Becauseit was the pattern shown by God himself, the Divine form, which
pointed out the heavenly substance which now beganto be establishedin its
place. As he before had chosentwelve apostles, in reference to the twelve
patriarchs, who were the chiefs of the twelve tribes, and the heads of the
JewishChurch, he now publicly appointed (for so the word ανεδειξεν means)
seventy others, as Moses did the seventy elders whom he associatedwith

himself to assisthim in the government of the people. Exodus 18:19;Exodus
24:1-9. These Christ sent by two and two:
To teach them the necessityof concordamong the ministers of righteousness.
That in the mouths of two witnesseseverything might be established. And,
That they might comfort and support eachother in their difficult labor. See
on Mark 6:7; (note).
SeveralMSS. and versions have seventy-two. Sometimes the Jews chose six
out of eachtribe: this was the number of the greatSanhedrin. The names of
these seventy disciples are found in the margin of some ancient MSS., but this
authority is questionable.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/luke-
10.html. 1832.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
After these things - After the appointment of the twelve apostles, and the
transactions recordedin the previous chapters.
Other seventy - Seventy others besides the apostles. Theywere appointed for a
different purpose from the apostles. The apostles were to be with him; to hear

his instructions; to be witnesses ofhis miracles, his sufferings, his death, his
resurrectionand ascension, that they might “then” go and proclaim all these
things to the world. The seventy were sent out to preachimmediately, and
chiefly where he himself was about to come. They were appointed for a
temporary object. They were to go into the villages and towns, and prepare
the wayfor his coming. The number “seventy” was a favorite number among
the Jews. Thus, the family of Jacobthat came into Egypt consistedofseventy,
Genesis 46:27. The number of elders that Moses appointedto aid him was the
same, Numbers 11:16, Numbers 11:25. The number which composedthe great
Sanhedrin, or councilof the nation. was the same. It is not improbable that
our Saviour appointed this number with reference to the fact that it so often
occurredamong the Jews, orafter the example of Moses, who appointed
seventy to aid him in his work; but it is evident that the office was
“temporary” - that it had a specific design - and of course that it would be
improper to attempt to find now a “continuation” of it, or a parallel to it, in
the Christian ministry.
Two and two - There was much wisdom in sending them in this manner. It
was done, doubtless, that they might aid one another by mutual counsel, and
that they might sustain and comfort one another in their persecutions and
trials. Our Lord in this showedthe propriety of having “a religious friend,”
who would be a confidant and help. Every Christian, and especiallyevery
Christian minister, needs such a friend, and should seek some one to whom he
can unbosom himself, and with whom he can mingle his feelings and prayers.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Luke 10:1". "Barnes'Notes onthe Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/luke-10.html.
1870.
The Biblical Illustrator
Luke 10:1
The Lord appointed other seventy
Our Lord’s instructions to the severity
I.
CHRIST SENT OUT THE SEVENTYBY PAIRS.
II. OUR BLESSED LORD FAIRLY AND FAITHFULLY WARNED THE
SEVENTYOF THE DIFFICULTYAND DANGER OF THE CHARGE
WHICH THEY WERE UNDERTAKING.
III. OUR LORD CAUTIONS HIS MISSIONARIES AGAINST AN OVER
CURIOUS AND MINUTE REGARD TO ACCOMMODATION

PREPARATORYTO THEIR ENTERING ON THEIR MISSION, AND
WHILE EMPLOYED IN EXECUTING THE BUSINESS OF IT.
IV. OUR LORD RECOMMENDSTO THE DISCIPLES UNDIVIDED,
UNDEVIATING ATTENTION TO WHAT WAS SPECIALLY
COMMITTEDTO THEM.
V. OUR LORD’S INSTRUCTIONSTO THE SEVENTYRESPECTING
THEIR WORK AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE TO
PERFORMIT.
VI. CHRIST ENCOURAGES HIS DISCIPLES WITH THE ASSURANCE
THAT HE SHOULD CONSIDERTHE RECEPTIONWHICH THEY MET
WITH, AS GIVEN TO HIMSELF. (H. Hunter, D. D.)
Two and two
Two and two before His face
Yet questions of high interest immediately arise. Why should there be any
forerunners? What were they sentto do? In order to the full, personal
influence and reign of Christ anywhere, there is a law of necessary
preparation. Very impressive it is to see that God, when He has any greatgift
to communicate, proceeds by pre-arrangement. He never bursts into His

family with thunders of revelationtoo sudden or loud for them to bear. Take
the one signal event which stands in the centre of all history,--the personal
coming of the Sonof Godon the earth. The prophetic spirit of His nation had
been looking out for Him, as nightly watchers onMount Moriah lookedout
for the dawn toward Hebron, two thousand years. In fact, to eyes that see the
divinity in the Saviour’s face at all, it is not difficult to discern, all along those
earlier ages,heralds like “the other seventy also,” going before that Face into
the places whither He Himself was afterward to come. Now on that greatscale
of time and space we have a picture, in colossalproportions, of what goes on
in every one of our own breasts. Consciousofit or not, agenciesare at work in
us to make ready, if we only will for the entrance of the Lord of the heart into
His home and dwelling-place there. Having createdus for Christian service, as
the true end and real glory of our being, our Father takes pains to fit and to
fashion us for that destiny, with all its honour and all its joy. By secret
influences, untraceable as the wind that bloweth where it listeth, silently
pressing on the springs of feeling and principle within us; by strange sorrows
and misgivings there. That we may become wise and strong and pure in our
grief, this process ofpersonal preparation is in continual operation. The
heralds are out, sent by Him who is coming after them. The “other seventy”
are proceeding on their errand. We ourselves are the cities and places whither
He would come. Again, it appears from the Lord’s sending of the seventy that
all personal efforts and public movements for extending truth and increasing
righteousness in the world are really parts of His work, and are dependent on
His spiritual power. Christendom everywhere is full of beneficent activities.
The benefactions ofthis late age, half-blind though they may be, or forgetful
of their Author, were born at Bethlehem, and grew in stature at Nazareth,
and conqueredtheir enemies--selfishnessand pride and wrath--at Calvary,
and went out among thenations with the apostles, if we had seenone of the
seventy walking in some by-way of Jericho or Bethany, we might have seenno
badge of Christ upon him, and wonderedat his eagergaitor absorbed
expression. But he was going where the Mastersent him, and the Master’s
mantle was on him, and the Master’s secretin his soul. Thither, after him, the
MasterHimself would come, to reaffirm and fulfil his words, to deepen,
sanction, complete his work. (Bishop F. D. Huntington.)

Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Luke 10:1". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/luke-10.html. 1905-1909.
New York.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
With this chapter begins the greatbody of material unique to Luke,
comprising some of the most glorious teachings the Saviour delivered to
mankind, and making this some of the most interesting writings in the sacred
Scriptures. The sending forth of the seventy (Luke 10:1-16), their return
(Luke 10:17-20), the rejoicing of Jesus (Luke 10:21-24), the accountof the
goodSamaritan (Luke 10:25-37), and an incident in the home of Martha and
Mary (Luke 10:38-42)are narrated in Luke 10.
THE SENDING OF THE SEVENTY
Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sentthem two
and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was
about to come. (Luke 10:1)

Seventy others ... It is of no consequence thatsome ancient authorities add
"and two," making this place read "seventyand two";the teaching is not
altered by such a slight variation.
Others ... This word derives from [@heterous], meaning "others of a different
kind,"[1] thus distinguishing this group from the Twelve.
Two by two ... This plan provided courage, companionship, and credibility on
the part of those delivering the message, andalso afforded protection for the
messengersfrom both physical and moral dangers.
Every city and place ... The time for the crucifixion of Christ was rapidly
approaching; there were many places which Jesus had not been able to visit;
and the sending of this group provided an extension of his ministry possible in
no other way. Also, Dummelow thought, "He wished to train his followers to
act alone after his departure."[2] It is significant that Jesus was able to
command such a large group of men in such a mission, indicating the power
his ministry had already generated. Jesus followedup their visits by going
personally to all those places.
The number sent on this mission (whether seventy or seventy-two)had
spiritual and symbolic overtones. The Jews held that the Gentiles were made
up of seventynations; and at their feastof Tabernacles, "seventybullocks
were offered on behalf of the Gentile nations ... to make atonement for
them."[3] The cities and places to which these seventy were dispatchedwere
in Trans-Jordan[4]where Gentile population predominated.
[1] Herschel H. Hobbs, An Exposition of the Gospelof Luke (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: BakerBook House, 1966), p. 178..

[2] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The
Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 751.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospelof Luke (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1952), p. 299.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/luke-10.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
After these things,.... After the calling and mission of the twelve apostles, and
giving them their powers, commissions,and instructions, with other things
that followedthereon; Luke 9:1

the Lord appointed other seventy also;not that he had appointed before
seventy, and now made an appointment of seventy more; but as the Syriac
version renders it, "Jesus separatedout of his disciples, seventyothers" that
is, besides the twelve, whom he chose and calledout, from among the
multitude of the disciples, and ordained them apostles, he selectedand
ordained seventy others, in allusion to the seventy elders of Israel, Numbers
11:16. The Vulgate Latin and Persic versions read, "seventytwo", and so does
EpiphaniusF24. The Jewishsanhedrim is sometimes said to consistof seventy
oneF25, andsometimes of seventy twoF26;though commonly said to be of the
round number seventy, as these disciples might be. The above mentioned
ancient writer gives the names of some of them, as the sevendeacons;Stephen,
Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas;togetherwith
Matthias, Mark, Luke, Justus, Barnabas, Apelies, Rufus, and Niger. The
names of all these disciples, according to ancient traditions, though not to be
depended on, are given in an alphabeticalorder, with the places where they
afterwards presided as bishops, or pastors, by a late learnedwriterF1, and are
as follow, viz. Agabus, the prophet; Amphias, of Odyssus, sometimes called
Amphiatus; Ananias, who baptized Paul, bishop of Damascus;Andronicus, of
Pannonia, or Spain; Apelies, of Smyrna, or, according to others, of Heraclea;
Apollo, of Caesarea;Aristarchus, of Apamea; Aristobulus, of Britain;
Artemas, of Lustra; Asyncritus, of Hyrcania; Barnabas, ofMilgin; Barnabas,
of Heraclea;Caesar, ofDyrrachium; Caius, of Ephesus;Carpus, of Berytus,
in Thracia;Cephas, bishop of Konia; Clemens, of Sardinia; Cleophas, of
Jerusalem;Crescens, ofChalcedon, in Galatia;Demas, a priest of idols;
Epaenetus, of Carthage;Epaphroditus, of Andriace; Erastus, of Paneas, or,
according to others, of the Philippians; Evodus, of Antioch; Hermas, of
Philippi, or Philippolls; Hermes, of Dalmatia;Hermogenus and Phygellus,
who followedSimon Magus;Hermogenus, bishop of the Megarenes;
Herodion, of Tarsus;James, the brother of our Lord, of Jerusalem;Jason, of
Tarsus;Jesus Justus, bishop of Eleutheropolis:Linus, of Rome;Luke, the
evangelist:Lucius, of Laodicea, in Syria; Mark, who is also John, of
Biblopohs, or Byblus; Mark the evangelist, bishop of Alexandna; Mark, the
sister's sonof Barnabas, bishopof Apolloma; Matthias, added to the apostles;
Narcissus,ofAthens; Nicanor, he died when Stephen suffered martyrdom;
Nicolaus, ofSamaria;Olympius, a martyr at Rome; Onesiphorus, bishop of

Corone;Parmenas, ofthe Soli, Patrobulus, the same with Patrobas, in
Romans 16:14 of Puteoli, or as others, of Naples;Philemon, of Gaza;
Philemon (in the Acts he is calledPhilip), by whom the eunuch of the queen of
Ethiopia was baptized, of Trallium, of Asia; Philologus, of Sinope; Phlegon,
bishop of Marathon; Phygellus, of Ephesus;Prochorus, of Nicomedia, in
Bithynia; Pudens; Quartus, of Berytus; Rhodion, a martyr at Rome; Rufus, of
Thebes;Silas, of Corinth; Sylvanus, of Thessalonica;Sosipater, ofIconium;
Sosthenes,ofColophon; Stachys, of Byzantium; Stephen, the first martyr;
Tertius, of Iconium; Thaddaeus, who carried the epistle of Jesus to Edessa, to
Abgarus; Timon, of Bostra, ofthe Arabians; Trophimus, who suffered
martyrdora with the Apostle Paul; Tychicus, bishop of Chalcedon, of
Bithynia; Tychicus, of Colophon;Urbanus, of Macedonm;and, Zenas, of
Diospolis. According both to this account, and Epiphanius, Luke was one of
these seventy, and he is the only evangelistthat makes mention of the
appointment of them:
and sent them two and two before his face:as he did the twelve before, to be
his harbingers and forerunners:
into every city and place, whither he himself would come:which he intended
to visit: he sentthem beforehand to acquaint the inhabitants of it; and
prepare them by their ministry, for the reception of him; as John the Baptist,
who was in a more eminent sense the harbinger and forerunner of Christ,
went before him in his ministry, and prepared the wayfor him.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.

A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". "The New John Gill Expositionof
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/luke-
10.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible
After 1 these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two
and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would
come.
(1) The seventy are sentas the secondforewarners ofthe coming of Christ.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Luke 10:1". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/luke-10.html.
1599-1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Luke 10:1-24. Missionof the seventy disciples, and their return.
As our Lord‘s end approaches, the preparations for the establishment of the
coming Kingdom are quickenedand extended.
the Lord — a becoming title here, as this appointment was an act truly lordly
[Bengel].
other seventy also — rather, “others (also in number), seventy”; probably
with allusion to the seventyelders of Israelon whom the Spirit descendedin
the wilderness (Numbers 11:24, Numbers 11:25). The mission, unlike that of
the Twelve, was evidently quite temporary. All the instructions are in keeping
with a brief and hasty pioneering mission, intended to supply what of general
preparation for coming events the Lord‘s own visit afterwards to the same
“cities and places” (Luke 10:1) would not, from want of time, now suffice to
accomplish;whereas the instructions to the Twelve, besides embracing all
those to the Seventy, contemplate world-wide and permanent effects.
Accordingly, after their return from this single missionarytour, we never
againread of the Seventy.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography

Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Luke 10:1". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/luke-10.html. 1871-8.
John Lightfoot's Commentary on the Gospels
1. After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two
come.
[Seventy.] Why the Vulgar should have seventy-and-two, they themselves, I
suppose, are able to give no very good reason:much less the interpreter of
Titus Bostrensis, whenin the Greek copybefore him he saw only seventy, why
he should render it seventy-two.
Aben Ezra upon the story of Eldad and Medadhath this passage:"The wise
men say, That Moses took sixout of every tribe, and the whole number
amounted to seventy-and-two:but whereas the Lord had commanded only
seventy, the odd two were laid aside." Now if Godlaid aside two of those who
had been enrolled, and endowed with the Holy Spirit, that so there might be
the just number of seventyonly, we can hardly imagine why our Saviour
should add two, to make it seventy-two and not seventy. "It was saidto Moses
at Mount Sinai, Go up, thou and Aaron, and Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of
the elders of Israel: so will the holy blessedGod ordain to himself in the world
to come a council of elders of his own people." Now the number of this
consistory, the doctors determine to be no other than seventy. A council of
seventy-two was never heard of amongstthe Jews, but once only at Jabneh.

"R. Simeon Ben Azzai saith, I receivedit from the mouths of the seventy-two
elders, on the day when they made R. Eliezer BenAzariah one of the
Sanhedrim." Nor did they then remove Rabban Gamaliel, although he had
displeasedthem.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Lightfoot, John. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". "John Lightfoot Commentary
on the Gospels".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jlc/luke-
10.html. 1675.
People's New Testament
After these things. All that we can be certain of as to the time when the
seventy were appointed is that it was {after} the events Luke has already
related. There are reasons for thinking that it was nearthe close ofour Lord's
ministry. It is usually locatedin the country eastof the Jordan, when the Lord
beganhis last journey to Jerusalem.
Appointed seventy others. He had already sent forth the apostles (Luke 9:1),
and he now sent forth seventy preachers more. That he could find seventy
fitted for this mission shows that his teaching was making a deep impression
on the Galileans.

Sent them two and two. That eachone might have a helper, a counsellorand a
sympathizer.
Into every city and place. As the time of his earthly ministry shortened, it
increasedin earnestnessandactivity. The Lord in person visited as many
places as possible, and these messengerswere sentbefore to preachto the
people and to prepare the way.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/luke-
10.html. 1891.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Appointed (ανεδειχεν — anedeixen). First aoristactive indicative of
αναδεικνυμι — anadeiknumi an old verb, not only common, but in lxx. In the
N.T. only here and Acts 1:24. Cf. αναδειχις — anadeixis in Luke 1:80. To
show forth, display, proclaim, appoint.

Seventy others (ετερους εβδομηκοντα και — heterous hebdomēkonta kai).
The “also” (και — kai) and the “others” point back to the mission of the
Twelve in Galilee (Luke 9:1-6). Some critics think that Luke has confusedthis
report of a mission in Judea with that in Galilee, but needlesslyso. What
earthly objectioncan there be to two similar missions? B D Syr. Cur. and Syr.
Sin. have “seventy-two.” The seventyelders were counted both ways and the
Sanhedrin likewise andthe nations of the earth. It is an evenly balancedpoint.
Two and two (ανα δυο — ana duo). Forcompanionship as with the Twelve
though Mark 6:7 has it δυο — duo (vernacular idiom). B K have here ανα δυο
— ana duo a combination of the idiom in Mark 6:7 and that here.
He himself was about to come (ημελλεν αυτος ερχεσται — ēmellenautos
erchesthai). Imperfect of μελλω — mellō with present infinitive and note
αυτος — autos Jesus was to follow after and investigate the work done. This
was only a temporary appointment and no names are given, but they could
covera deal of territory.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". "Robertson'sWord Pictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/luke-10.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies

Appointed ( ἀνέδειξεν )
Used by Luke only. Lit., to lift up and shew, as Acts 1:24: “Shew which one
thou hast chosen.” Hence to proclaim any one electedto an office. See on the
kindred noun, shewing, Luke 1:80.
Other seventy
Wrong; for he had not appointed seventy previously. Rev., rightly, seventy
others, with reference to the twelve.
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Luke 10:1". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/luke-10.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
The Fourfold Gospel
Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others1, and sent them two
and two before his face into every city and place2, whither he himself was
about to come.

MISSION AND RETURN OF THE SEVENTY. (Probably in Judea, October,
A.D. 29.)Luke 10:1-24
Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others. That is, other
messengersin addition to the twelve apostles.
And sent them two and two before his face into every city and place,
whither he himself was about to come. Luke has told us of the journey
through Samaria to Jerusalem(Luke 9:52), and John has told us what
occurredat the FeastofTabernacles in Jerusalem(John 7:2). We learn from
John also that Jesus was atthe FeastofDedication(John 10:22). The first
feastwas in October and the latter in December. Jesus evidently spent the
time betweenthese feastin Judea, making a tour of that province and sending
the seventybefore him, thus thoroughly evangelizing it as he had Galilee, by
sending out the twelve.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Luke 10:1". "The
Fourfold Gospel". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/luke-
10.html. Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
Luke 10:1.And after these things the Lord appointed That the Apostles had
returned to Christ before these seventywere substituted in their room, may be

inferred from many circumstances. The twelve, therefore, were sent to
awakenin the Jews the hope of an approaching salvation. After their return,
as it was necessarythat higher expectationshould be excited, others were sent
in greaternumbers, as secondaryheralds, to spread universally in every place
the report of Christ’s coming. Strictly speaking, they receivedno commission,
but were only sentby Christ as heralds, to prepare the minds of the people for
receiving his doctrine. As to the number seventy, he appears to have followed
that order to which the people had alreadybeen long accustomed. We must
bear in mind what has been already said about the twelve Apostles, (30) that
as this was the number of the tribes when the people were in a flourishing
condition, so an equal number of apostles orpatriarchs was chosen, to
reassemble the members of the laceratedbody, that the restorationof the
Church might thus be complete.
There was a similar reasonfor these seventy. We know that Moses, finding
himself insufficient for the burden, took seventy judges to be associatedwith
him in governing the people, ( Exodus 18:22.)But when the Jews returned
from the Babylonish captivity, they had a council or συνέδριον —which was
corrupted into Sanedrin (31) —consisting of seventy-two judges. As usually
happens with such numbers, when they spoke of the council, they calledthem
only the seventy judges; and Philo assures us, that they were chosenout of the
posterity of David, that there might be some remaining authority in the royal
line. After various calamities, this was the finishing stroke, whenHerod
abolishedthat council, and thus deprived the people of a legitimate share in
the government. Now as the return from Babylon prefigured a true and
complete redemption, the reasonwhy our Lord choosesseventyheralds of his
coming appears to be, to hold out the restorationof their fallen state;and as
the people were to be united under one head, he does not give them authority
as judges, but only commands them to go before him, that he may possess the
sole power. And sent them by two and two. H e appears to have done so on
accountof their weakness. There was reasonto fear, that individually they
would not have the boldness necessaryfor the vigorous discharge of their
office;and therefore, that they may encourage one another, they are sent by
two and two

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/luke-10.html.
1840-57.
1 st. The Sending, Luke 10:1-16.
Ver. 1. The Mission.— ᾿αναδείκνυμι,to put in view; and hence, to electand
install (Luke 1:80); here, to designate. The word instituer (Crampon) would
wrongly give a permanent characterto this mission. Schleiermacherand
Meyer think that by the καὶ ἑτέρους, others also, Luke alludes to the sending
of the two messengers (Luke 9:52). But those two envoys are of too widely
different a nature to admit of being put on the same footing, and the term.
ἀνέδειξεν could not be applied to the former. The solemn instructions which
follow leave no room to doubt, that by the others also, Luke alludes to the
sending of the Twelve. The term ἑτέρους, others, authorizes the view that the
Twelve were not comprehended in this secondmission; Jesus keptthem at this
time by His side, with a view to their peculiar training for their future
ministry.
The oscillationwhich prevails in the MSS. betweenthe numbers seventy and
seventy-two, and which is reproduced in Luke 10:17, exists equally in several
other cases where this number appears, e.g., the seventy or seventy-two

Alexandrine translators of the Old Testament. This is due to the factthat the
numbers 70 and 72 are both multiples of numbers very frequently used in
sacredsymbolism—7 times 10 and 6 times 12. The authorities are in favour of
seventy, the reading in particular of the Sinaïticus. Does this number contain
an allusion to that of the members of the Sanhedrim (71 , including the
president),—a number which appears in its turn to correspondwith that of
the 70 elders chosenby Moses (Numbers 11:16-25)? In this case it would be, so
to speak, an anti-Sanhedrim which Jesus constituted, as, in naming the
Twelve, He had setover againstthe twelve sons of Jacobtwelve new spiritual
patriarchs. But there is another explanation of the number which seems to us
more natural. The Jews held, agreeablyto Genesis 10 , that the human race
was made up of 70 (or 72)peoples, 14 descendedfrom Japhet, 30 from Ham,
and 26 from Shem. This idea, not uncommon in the writings of later Judaism,
is thus expressedin the Clementine Recognitions (Luke 2:42): "God divided
all the nations of the earth into 72 parts." If the choice ofthe Twelve, as it
took place at the beginning, had more particular relation to Christ"s mission
to Israel, the sending of the seventy, carried out at a more advancedepoch,
when the unbelief of the people was assuming a fixed form, announced and
prepared for the extension of preaching throughout the whole earth.
Jesus sentthem two and two; the gifts of the one were to complete those of the
other. Besides, did not the legaladage say, In the mouth of two or three
witnesses shallevery word be established?
Lange translates οὗ ἔμελλεν, "where He should have come," as if the end of
the visit made by the seventyhad been to make up for that for which Jesus
had not time. This meaning is opposedto the text, and particularly to the
words before Him.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Godet, Frédéric Louis. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". "Frédéric Louis Godet -
Commentary on SelectedBooks".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsc/luke-10.html.
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
THE MISSION OF THE SEVENTY
‘The Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them forth two and two.’
Luke 10:1
In our Lord’s charge to the seventy observe:—
I. The importance of prayer and intercession.—This is the leading thought
with which our Lord opens His address. Before He tells His ambassadors what
to do, He first bids them to pray. ‘Pray ye the Lord of the harvestthat He
would send forth labourers into His harvest.’ Prayer is one of the best and
most powerful means of helping forward the cause of Christ in the world.
II. The perilous nature of the work in which they were about to be engaged.—
The words describe a state of things which may be seenat this very day. So

long as the Church stands, believers must expect to be like ‘lambs among
wolves.’They must make up their minds to be hated, and persecuted, and ill-
treated by those who have no realreligion. ‘All that will live godly in Jesus
Christ,’ says St. Paul, ‘shall suffer persecution’ (1 John 3:13; 1 Peter3:8).
III. The thorough devotion to their work which He enjoins upon them. They
were to abstain even from the appearance ofcovetousness,orlove of money,
or luxury: ‘Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes.’Theywere to behave
like men who had no time to waste onthe empty compliments and
conventionalcourtesies ofthe world: ‘Salute no man by the way.’
IV. The simple-minded and contentedspirit which He bade them to exhibit.—
Wherever they tarried, in travelling about upon their Master’s business, they
were to avoid the appearance ofbeing fickle, changeable,delicate livers, or
hard to please about food and lodging. They were to ‘eatand drink such
things’ as were given them. They were not to ‘go from house to house.’
Illustrations
(1) ‘The Greek word translated “appointed” is only found in one other place
in the New Testament(Acts 1:24), where it is rendered “shew.” According’to
Parkhurst, it signifies “to mark out, or, appoint to an office by some outward
sign, and is often used in this sense by profane writers and in the apocryphal
books.” Johnthe Baptist’s “shewing” to Israel (Luke 1:80) is a substantive
derived from this word.’
(2) ‘We know nothing of the names or subsequent history of these seventy
disciples. They are nowhere else mentioned in the New Testament. Most
commentators remark on the selectionofthe number seventy, and assign

reasons forit. Grotius says that they were chosenaccording to the number of
the JewishSanhedrim, and so were seventy-two, six being chosenout of every
tribe of Israel. Wordsworth remarks that “the number seventy was that of the
heads of the families of Israel (Genesis 46:27), and of the elders constituted by
Moses (Numbers 11:16;Numbers 11:25), and of the palm trees at Elim
(Exodus 15:27). And the Jews supposedthat the languagesofthe world were
seventy.”’
(3) ‘The mission of the disciples in pairs deserves remark, and ought to be
remembered in modern missionary work. “Two are better than one”
(Ecclesiastes 4:9). Cornelius à Lapide has a long and interesting note to show
the wisdomof the arrangement.’
(4) ‘The Greek expression“He would come” would be more literally rendered
“was aboutto come.”’
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon Luke 10:1". Church Pulpit Commentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/luke-10.html. 1876.
John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two
come.
Ver. 1. Other seventy also]As his heralds, to foreshow his coming to
Jerusalem, and to proclaim the true Jubilee.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/luke-
10.html. 1865-1868.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
The Captain generalof our salvation, Christ Jesus, having called,
commissioned, and sent forth his twelve apostles, as greatcommanders to
subdue his native kingom of Israelto himself, at the sixth chapterof this
Gospel;Luke 6:12-16 in this chapter he sends after them a band of seventy
auxiliary forces, to aid and assistthem: After these things the Lord appointed
other seventy disciples, and sentthem two and two before his face.

Where note, 1. The personcommissioning and sending them forth: Christ
himself.
Thence learn, that none ought to take upon them the office of preaching, or
other ministerial functions in the church, until thereunto calledby Christ
himself. The twelve apostles andseventy disciples, had an immediate mission
from Christ himself; all his ministers are now called mediately, and receive
their authority from Christ by the hands of the governors of his church.
Note, 2. The manner of their sending: two and two in a company, partly to
make their message ofmore authority, partly to testify their mutual consentin
the doctrine they taught, and partly to comfort and encourage,to help and
strengthen, to assistand support eachother.
In imitation of this example, the Jesuits sentforth their emissaries by pairs.
Learn hence, that the ministers of the gospeldo stand in greatneed of the
mutual help and comfort, of the united assistanceand encouragementof each
other, in the weighty duties of their calling and function.
Our Saviour in the next verse compares his ministers to harvest laborers, who
are to help and assistone another, the strong endeavoring to strengthenthe
hands of the weak.
But, Lord, what tears are sufficient to bewailthe want of love and unity, yea,
the prevalencyof that envy and malignity, which is found too often among the
ministers of the gospel;so that instead of going forth two by two, happy is he
that is alone in a place.

Well might Melancthonbless God, when he lay dying, that he was going to a
place where he should be freed from the implacable hatred of divines; this is,
and ought to be, for a lamentation.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". ExpositoryNotes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/luke-10.html. 1700-1703.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
1.] μετὰ ταῦτα—chronological—afterthese things, not ‘besides these things,’
as Schleiermacherand Olsh. render it.
ἀνέδ., an officialword: see reff. Bleek has observed, that ὁ κύριος, of our
Lord, in narration, is peculiar to St. Luke, and to narrations which he alone
gives. Cf. ch. Luke 7:13; Luke 11:39; Luke 12:42;Luke 13:15;Luke 17:5-6;
Luke 18:6; Luke 22:31; Luke 22:61. But this is only true of the Synoptic
Gospels. It occurs in the fragment at the end of St. Mark (Mark 16:19), and in
John (John 4:1 reff.). In the Acts, the usage is very general:see Luke 2:47;
Luke 5:9; Luke 5:14; Luke 9:1, &c.;—and in St. Paul’s Epistles:see 1
Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 6:17; 1 Corinthians 7:10, &c.

[ καὶ]ἑτ. ἑβδ., not ‘other seventy also,’but others [also], seventy in number.
The ἑτέρους may refer, either to the Twelve, ch. Luke 9:1, or perhaps, from
the similarity of their mission, to the ἄγγελοι in ch. Luke 9:52. But perhaps the
first is more probable, from the similarity of the discourses.
The number of seventy might perhaps have reference to the seventy elders of
Israel, Exodus 24:1; Numbers 11:16 :—all sorts of fanciful analogies have
been found out and insisted on (and moreoverforced into the text), which are
not worth recounting.
οὗ for οἷ,—see reff.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Luke 10:1". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/luke-10.html. 1863-1878.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
Luke 10:1. The appointment and mission of the Seventy are transferred by
Luke to this last journey of Christ, and are narrated as if they were supposed

by the author to have some reference to Luke 9:52 ( ἀπέστειλεν … αὐτοῦ).
Hence: καὶ ἑτέρους, which does not refer to the Twelve (Bleek and others), but
to the intimation, which is nearerto it, both in place and meaning, in Luke
9:52; and μετὰ ταῦτα, which points back to Luke 9:57-62, althoughde Wette
regards the reference as obscure and inappropriate. With arbitrary
erroneousnessOlshausensays that in this communication there is adopted a
fragment from an earlierperiod, and that μετὰ ταῦτα is not chronological
(after this, see Luke 5:27, Luke 18:4), but besides (following Schleiermacher,
p. 169).
ἀνέδειξεν] renuntiavit, He announced them as nominated, Acts 1:24; 2
Maccabees9:25;2 Maccabees10:11;2 Maccabees14:26;2 Maccabees 3 Esdr.
Luke 1:37, Luke 2:3; occurs oftenin the classicalwriters;comp. ἀνάδειξις,
Luke 1:80.
ἑβδομήκοντα]In accordance withthe apostolic number of twelve, so far as
this had reference to the tribes of the people, it is probable that Jesus had in
view the ancientHebrew analogue of the seventy (originally seventy-two)
elders of the people (see Ewald, Alterth. p. 284 f.; Saalschütz, Mos. R. p. 39). It
is unlikely that there is any reference to the Gentile nations numbering
seventy, according to Genesis 10. (Eisenmenger, Entdeckt. Judenthum, II. p.
3, 736 f.; Gieseler, Versuch, p. 128), since there is no mention at all of any
destination for the Gentiles (a subject on which Luke, leastof all, would have
been silent; in oppositionto Olshausen, de Wette, Bleek, Gieseler, and others,
especiallyBaur and his school, Köstlin also);nay, according to Luke 9:53-56,
and according to the particulars of the journey, Samaria should not at all be
regarded(in oppositionto Wieseler, p. 326 f., Baur, and others)as the theatre
of their ministry. Moreover, no reference is to be assumed(as with
Theophylact, Euthymius Zigabenus, Valla, and others) to the seventy palm-
trees of Exodus 15:27.

οὗ] see Winer, p. 419 [E. T. 592]. Lange, II. p. 1057 f., is wrong in explaining:
into the places which He had Himself previously designedto visit; that Jesus,
namely, sent the Seventy through Samaria;that He Himself did not make this
circuit, but that, nevertheless, He was not willing to give up the Samaritan
people (as representatives ofthe seventy Gentile nations), and therefore
determined to convey the gospelto them by means of the Seventy. Against this
invention of a “generous revenge,”πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ and the imperfect
ἤμελλεν are decisive. In generalit is a mistake to assume that the mission of
the Seventywent beyond the bounds of Judaism—onwhich assumption Baur
and his schoolbase the supposed Pauline tendency of the narrative. The
regionof the Samaritans is scarcelytrodden before it is againforsaken, Luke
9:56, prior to the appointment of the Seventy. Weiss in the Stud. u. Krit. 1861,
p. 711, is right in saying:“Of any appointment of the seventy disciples for
Samaria, or for the heathen world at all, there is not a single word said.”
Comp. Holtzmann, p. 393.
REMARK.
The narrative of the Seventy has been relegatedinto the unhistorical domain
by Strauss, de Wette, Gfrörer (Jahr. d. Heils, II. p. 371), Theile (z. Biogr. J. p.
51 f.), von Ammon (L. J. II. p. 355 ff.), Baur (Evang. p. 498 ff.), Schwegler,
Bruno Bauer, Köstlin, Zeller, Ritschl, and others. But (1) as they acceptthe
position that this was only a temporary and specialappointment for the
present journey, and not a permanent function, Luke 10:1, the silence ofthe
rest of the evangelists,who indeed have not in generalthe detailed thread of
this journey, as wellas the silence of the subsequent history about their
doings, is very easyto understand.—(2) That Jesus in generalhad around
Him a largercircle of constantdisciples, besides the Twelve, from whom He
could appoint seventy for a specialcommission, is in itself, and from the
evidence of such passagesas Acts 1:15; Acts 1:21, 1 Corinthians 15:6, as well
as John 6:60, not to be doubted.—(3) The tradition would hardly have
restrained itself within these narrow limits, but would have gone further than

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