Luk 10:1-16 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 1. After these things . After the appointment of the twelve apostles, and the transactions recorded in the previous chapters. Verse 1. Other seventy . Seventy others besides the apostles. They were appointed for a different purpose from the apostles. The apostles were to be with him; to hear his instructions; to be witnesses of his miracles, his sufferings, his death, his resurrection and ascension, that they might there go and proclaim all these things to the world. The seventy were sent out to preach immediately, 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 way for his coming. The number seventy was a favourite number among the Jews. Thus the family of Jacob that came into Egypt consisted of seventy, . The number of elders that Moses appointed to aid him was the same, . The number which composed the great Sanhedrim, or council of the nation, was the same. It is not improbable that our Saviour appointed this number with reference to the fact that it so often occurred among the Jews, or after 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 showed the propriety of having a religious friend , who would be a confidant and help. Every Christian, and especially every 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.

Luke 10:1-16

Verse 1. After these things. After the appointment of the twelve apostles, and the transactions recorded in the previous chapters.

Verse 1. Other seventy. Seventy others besides the apostles. They were appointed for a different purpose from the apostles. The apostles were to be with him; to hear his instructions; to be witnesses of his miracles, his sufferings, his death, his resurrection and ascension, that they might there go and proclaim all these things to the world. The seventy were sent out to preach immediately, 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 way for his coming. The number seventy was a favourite number among the Jews. Thus the family of Jacob that came into Egypt consisted of seventy, Gen 46:27. The number of elders that Moses appointed to aid him was the same, Nu 11:16,25. The number which composed the great Sanhedrim, or council of the nation, was the same. It is not improbable that our Saviour appointed this number with reference to the fact that it so often occurred among the Jews, or after 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 showed the propriety of having a religious friend, who would be a confidant and help. Every Christian, and especially every 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. Verse 2. Mt 9:36; Mt 9:37

(b) "The harvest truly is great" Mt 9:37, Jn 4:35 (c) "the labourers are few" 1Cor 3:9, 1Timm 5:17 Verse 3. Mt 10:16 Verse 4. Purse--scrip--shoes. Mt 10:10.

Salute no man by the way. Salutations among the Orientals did not consist, as among us, of a slight bow or an extension of the hand, but was performed by many embraces and inclinations, and even prostrations of the body on the ground. All this required much time; and as the business on which the seventy were sent was urgent, they were required not to delay their journey by long and formal salutations of the persons whom they met. "If two Arabs of equal rank meet each other, they extend

to each other the right hand, and having clasped,

they elevate them as if to kiss them. Each one then

draws back his hand and kisses it instead of his friend's,

and then places it upon his forehead. The parties then

continue the salutation by kissing each other's beard.

They give thanks to God that they are once more

permitted to see their friend--they pray to the Almighty

in his behalf. Sometimes they repeat not less than ten

times the ceremony of grasping hands and kissing."

It may also be added, in the language of Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. i. p. 534), that "there is such an amount of insincerity, flattery, and

falsehood in the terms of salutation prescribed by

etiquette, that our Lord, who is truth itself, desired

his representatives to dispense with them as far as

possible, perhaps tacitly to rebuke them. These

'instructions' were also intended to reprove another

propensity which an Oriental can scarcely resist, no

matter how urgent his business. If he meets an

acquaintance, he must stop and make an endless number

of inquiries and answer as many. If they come upon men

making a bargain or discussing any other matter,

they must pause and intrude their own ideas, and enter

keenly into the business, though it in no wise concerns

them; and more especially, an Oriental can never resist

the temptation to assist where accounts are being settled

or money counted out. The clink of coin has a positive

fascination to them. Now the command of our Saviour

strictly forbade all such loiterings. They would

waste time, distract attention, and in many ways hinder

the prompt and faithful discharge of their important

mission."

The salutation of friends, therefore, was a ceremony which consumed much time; and it was on this account that our Lord on this occasion forbade them to delay their journey to greet others. A similar direction is found in 2Kgs 4:29.

(d) "Carry neither" Lk 9:3 (e) "salute no man" Gen 24:33,56, 2Kgs 4:29, Prov 4:25 Verse 5. Mt 10:13 Verse 6. The son of peace That is, if the house or family be worthy, or be disposed to receive you in peace and kindness. Mt 10:13. The son of peace means one disposed to peace, or peaceful and kind in his disposition. Comp. Mt 1:1.

(f) "son of peace" Is 9:6 (g) "your peace shall rest" Gen 24:33,65, 2Kgs 4:29, Prov 4:25 Verse 7. Mt 10:11. On this passage Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. i. p. 534) remarks: "The reason [for the command, 'Go not from house to house']

is very obvious to one acquainted with Oriental customs.

When a stranger arrives in a village or an encampment,

the neighbours, one after another, must invite him to

eat with them. There is a strict etiquette about it,

involving much ostentation and hypocrisy, and a failure

in the due observance of this system of hospitality is

violently resented, and often leads to alienations and

feuds among neighbours; it also consumes much time,

causes unusual distraction of mind, leads to levity,

and every way counteracts the success of a spiritual

mission."

(h) "the labourer is" 1Cor 9:4-14, 1Timm 5:18 (i) "Go not from house" 1Timm 5:13 Verses 8-12. Mt 10:14, Mt 10:15.

Verse 8.

(k) "eat such things as are set before you" 1Cor 10:27. Verses 8-12. Mt 10:14, Mt 10:15.

Verse 9.

(l) "The kingdom of God" Mt 3:2. Verses 8-12. Mt 10:14, Mt 10:15.

Verse 10. Verses 8-12. Mt 10:14, Mt 10:15.

Verse 11.

(m) "the very dust of your city" Lk 9:5. Verses 8-12. Mt 10:14, Mt 10:15.

Verse 12. Verses 13-15. Mt 11:21; Mt 11:22 Mt 11:23.

Verse 13.

(n) "Woe" Mt 11:21 (o) "if the mighty works" Eze 3:6 Verses 13-15. Mt 11:21; Mt 11:22 Mt 11:23.

Verse 14. Verses 13-15. Mt 11:21; Mt 11:22 Mt 11:23.

Verse 15.

(p) "which are exalted to heaven" Eze 26:20, 31:18 (r) "shalt be thrust down to hell" Jn 13:20 Verse 16. Mt 10:40.

(r) "He that heareth you" Jn 13:20 (s) "he that despiseth you" Acts 5:4 (t) "he that despiseth me" Jn 5:23