Matthew Henry's
Commentary on the Gospel (Luke 10:1-7)
The Mission of the Seventy.
1 After 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. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is
great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways:
behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither purse, nor
scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 5 And into whatsoever
house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 6 And if the son of
peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you
again. 7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as
they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to
house.
We have here the sending forth of seventy disciples, two and two,
into divers parts of the country, to preach the gospel, and to work miracles
in those places which Christ himself designed to visit, to make way for his
entertainment. This is not taken notice of by the other evangelists: but the
instructions here given them are much the same with those given to the
twelve. Observe,
I. Their number: they were seventy. As in the choice of twelve
apostles Christ had an eye to the twelve patriarchs, the twelve tribes, and
the twelve princes of those tribes, so here he seems to have an eye to the
seventy elders of Israel. So many went up with Moses and Aaron to the
mount, and saw the glory of the God of Israel (Exod.
xxiv. 1, 9), and so many were afterwards chosen to assist Moses in the
government, in order to which the Spirit of prophecy came unto them,
Num. xi. 24, 25. The twelve wells of water and the seventy
palm-trees that were at Elim were a figure of the twelve apostles
and the seventy disciples,
Exod.
xv. 27. They were seventy elders of the Jews that were employed by
Ptolemy king of Egypt in turning the Old Testament into Greek, whose
translation is thence called the Septuagint. The great sanhedrim
consisted of this number. Now,
1. We are glad to find that Christ had so many followers fit to be
sent forth; his labour was not altogether in vain, though he met with much
opposition. Note, Christ's interest is a growing interest, and his
followers, like Israel in Egypt, though afflicted shall multiply.
These seventy, though they did not attend him so closely and
constantly as the twelve did, were nevertheless the constant hearers
of his doctrine, and witnesses of his miracles, and believed in him. Those
three mentioned in the close of the foregoing chapter might have been of
these seventy, if they would have applied themselves in good earnest to
their business. These seventy are those of whom Peter speaks as "the men
who companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among
us," and were part of the one hundred and twenty there spoken of,
Acts i. 15, 21. Many of those that were the companions of the apostles,
whom we read of in the Acts and the Epistles, we may suppose, were of these
seventy disciples.
2. We are glad to find there was work for so many ministers,
hearers for so many preachers: thus the grain of mustard-seed began to
grow, and the savour of the leaven to diffuse itself in the meal, in
order to the leavening of the whole.
II. Their work and business: He sent them two and two, that
they might strengthen and encourage one another. If one fall, the other
will help to raise him up. He sent them, not to all the cities of
Israel, as he did the twelve, but only to every city and place
whither he himself would come (v.
1), as his harbingers; and we must suppose, though it is not recorded,
that Christ soon after went to all those places whither he now sent them,
though he could stay but a little while in a place. Two things they were
ordered to do, the same that Christ did wherever he came:-- 1. They must
heal the sick (v.
9), heal them in the name of Jesus, which would make people long
to see this Jesus, and ready to entertain him whose name was so powerful. 2.
They must publish the approach of the kingdom of God, its approach to
them: "Tell them this, The kingdom of God is come nigh to you,
and you now stand fair for an admission into it, if you will but look about
you. Now is the day of your visitation, know and understand it." It
is good to be made sensible of our advantages and opportunities, that we may
lay hold of them. When the kingdom of God comes nigh us, it concerns
us to go forth to meet it.
III. The instructions he gives them.
1. They must set out with prayer (v.
2); and, in prayer, (1.) They must be duly affected with the necessities
of the souls of men, which called for their help. They must look about,
and see how great the harvest was, what abundance of people there
were that wanted to have the gospel preached to them and were willing to
receive it, nay, that had at this time their expectations raised of the
coming of the Messiah and of his kingdom. There was corn ready to shed and
be lost for want of hands to gather it in. Note, Ministers should apply
themselves to their work under a deep concern for precious souls,
looking upon them as the riches of this world, which ought to be secured for
Christ. They must likewise be concerned that the labourers were so few.
The Jewish teachers were indeed many, but they were not labourers; they did
not gather in souls to God's kingdom, but to their own interest and party.
Note, Those that are good ministers themselves wish that there were more
good ministers, for there is work for more. It is common for tradesmen not
to care how few there are of their own trade; but Christ would have the
labourers in his vineyard reckon it a matter of complaint when the
labourers are few. (2.) They must earnestly desire to receive their
mission from God, that he would send them forth as labourers into
his harvest who is the Lord of the harvest, and that he would
send others forth; for, if God send them forth, they may hope he will go
along with them and give them success. Let them therefore say, as the
prophet (Isa.
vi. 8), Here I am, send me. It is desirable to receive our
commission from God, and then we may go on boldly.
2. They must set out with an expectation of trouble and
persecution: "Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves; but
go your ways, and resolve to make the best of it. Your enemies will be
as wolves, bloody and cruel, and ready to pull you to pieces; in
their threatenings and revilings, they will be as howling wolves to
terrify you; in their persecutions of you, they will be as
ravening wolves to tear you. But you must be as lambs,
peaceable and patient, though made an easy prey of." It would have been very
hard thus to be sent forth as sheep among wolves, if he had not
endued them with his spirit and courage.
3. They must not encumber themselves with a load of provisions, as
if they were going a long voyage, but depend upon God and their friends to
provide what was convenient for them: "Carry neither a purse for
money, nor a scrip or knapsack for clothes or victuals, nor new
shoes (as before to the twelve,
ch.
ix. 3); and salute no man by the way." This command Elisha gave
to his servant, when he sent him to see the Shunamite's dead child,
2
Kings iv. 29. Not that Christ would have his ministers to be rude,
morose, and unmannerly; but, (1.) They must go as men in haste, that
had their particular places assigned them, where they must deliver their
message, and in their way directly to those places must not hinder or retard
themselves with needless ceremonies or compliments. (2.) They must go as
men of business, business that relates to another world, which they must
be intent in, and intent upon, and therefore must not entangle themselves
with conversation about secular affairs. Minister verbi est; hoc age--You
are a minister of the word; attend to your office. (3.) They must go as
serious men, and men in sorrow. It was the custom of mourners,
during the first seven days of their mourning, not to salute any,
Job
ii. 13. Christ was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and it
was fit that by this and other signs his messengers should resemble him, and
likewise show themselves affected with the calamities of mankind which they
came to relieve, and touched with a feeling of them.
4. They must show, not only their goodwill, but God's
good-will, to all to whom they came, and leave the issue and success to
him that knows the heart,
v. 5, 6.
(1.) The charge given them was, Whatsoever house they
entered into, they must say, Peace be to this house. Here, [1.]
They are supposed to enter into private houses; for, being not
admitted into the synagogues, they were forced to preach where they could
have liberty. And, as their public preaching was driven into houses, so
thither they carried it. Like their Master, wherever they visited,
they preached from house to house,
Acts v. 42; xx. 20. Christ's church was at first very much a church
in the house. [2.] They are instructed to say, "Peace be to this
house, to all under this roof, to this family, and to all that belong to
it." Peace be to you was the common form of salutation among the
Jews. They must not use it in formality, according to custom, to
those they met on the way, because they must use it with solemnity to
those whose houses they entered into: "Salute no man by the way in
compliment, but to those into whose house ye enter, say, Peace be to you,
with seriousness and in reality; for this is intended to be more than a
compliment." Christ's ministers go into all the world, to say, in Christ's
name, Peace be to you. First, We are to propose peace
to all, to preach peace by Jesus Christ, to proclaim the gospel of
peace, the covenant of peace, peace on earth, and to invite the
children of men to come and take the benefit of it. Secondly, We are
to pray for peace to all. We must earnestly desire the salvation of
the souls of those we preach to, and offer up those desires to God in
prayer; and it may be well to let them know that we do thus pray for them,
and bless them in the name of the Lord.
(2.) The success was to be different, according to the different
dispositions of those whom they preached to and prayed for. According as the
inhabitants were sons of peace or not, so their peace should or should not
rest upon the house. Recipitur ad modum recipientis--The quality of the
receiver determines the nature of the reception. [1.] "You will meet
with some that are the sons of peace, that by the operations of
divine grace, pursuant to the designations of the divine counsel, are ready
to admit the word of the gospel in the light and love of it, and have their
hearts made as soft wax to receive the impressions of it. Those are
qualified to receive the comforts of the gospel in whom there is a good work
of grace wrought. And, as to those, your peace shall find them out
and rest upon them; your prayers for them shall be heard, the
promises of the gospel shall be confirmed to them, the privileges of
it conferred on them, and the fruit of both shall remain and continue
with them--a good part that shall not be taken away." [2.] "You will
meet with others that are no ways disposed to hear or heed your message,
whole houses that have not one son of peace in them." Now it is
certain that our peace shall not come upon them, they have no
part nor lot in the matter; the blessing that rests upon the sons of
peace shall never come upon the sons of Belial, nor can any expect the
blessings of the covenant that will not come under the bonds of it. But it
shall return to us again; that is, we shall have the comfort of
having done our duty to God and discharged our trust. Our prayers like
David's shall return into our own bosom (Ps.
xxxv. 13) and we shall have commission to go on in the work. Our peace
shall return to us again, not only to be enjoyed by ourselves, but to be
communicated to others, to the next we meet with, them that are sons of
peace.
5. They must receive the kindnesses of those that should
entertain them and bid them welcome,
v. 7, 8. "Those that receive the gospel will receive you that preach
it, and give you entertainment; you must not think to raise estates, but you
may depend upon a subsistence; and," (1.) "Be not shy; do not suspect
our welcome, nor be afraid of being troublesome, but eat and drink
heartily such things as they give; for, whatever kindness they show
you, it is but a small return for the kindness you do them in bringing the
glad tidings of peace. You will deserve it, for the labourer is
worthy of his hire, the labourer in the work of the ministry is so, if
he be indeed a labourer; and it is not an act of charity, but of
justice, in those who are taught in the word to communicate to those that
teach them" (2.) "Be not nice and curious in your diet:
Eat and drink such things as they give (v.
7), such things as are set before you,
v.
8. Be thankful for plain food, and do not find fault, though it be not
dressed according to art." It ill becomes Christ's disciples to be
desirous of dainties. As he has not tied them up to the Pharisees'
superstitious fasts, so he has not allowed the luxurious feasts of the
Epicureans. Probably, Christ here refers to the traditions of the elders
about their meat which were so many that those who observed them were
extremely critical, you could hardly set a dish of meat before them, but
there was some scruple or other concerning it; but Christ would not have
them to regard those things, but eat what was given them, asking no
question for conscience' sake.
