Bible Commentaries

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.

Ver. 1. Other seventy also] As his heralds, to foreshow his coming to Jerusalem, and to proclaim the true Jubilee.

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.

Ver. 2. See Matthew 9:37.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

Ver. 3. Go your ways] Christ had no sooner bidden them pray, but he answers their prayers. When we bid our children ask us for this or that, it is because we mean to give it to them.

As lambs among wolves] Sed sollicitudo pastoris boni effici ut lupi in agnos audere nil possint saith Ambrose. The care of the good shepherd is the safety of the flock.

4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

Ver. 4. Salute no man] For that your task is long, your time is little.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

Ver. 5. See Matthew 10:11-15.

6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

Ver. 6. See Matthew 10:11-15.

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.

Ver. 7. See Matthew 10:11-15.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

Ver. 8. Such things as they set before you] Not seeking after dainties. It becomes not a servant of the Highest to be a slave to his palate. Epicurei, dum palate prospiciunt, coeli palatium non suspiciunt, saith the heathen. (Cicero).

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Ver. 9. See Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17.

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

Ver. 10. See Matthew 10:14; Acts 13:51;

11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Ver. 11. That the kingdom of God] There is in unbelief an odious unthankfulness; such judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, Acts 13:44; they are condemned already, John 3:18.

12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

Ver. 12. See Matthew 11:24.

13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Ver. 13. See Matthew 11:21.

14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

Ver. 16. He that despiseth you] Julius Pflugius, complaining to the emperor of wrong done to him by the duke of Saxony, received this answer from him, Tua causa erit mea causa; so saith Christ to all his servants. Causa ut sit magna, magnus est actor et author eius; neque enim nostra est, saith Luther to Melancthon.

17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Ver. 17. And the seventy returned again with joy] We are all naturally ambitious, and desirous of vain glory. A small wind blows up a bubble. Pray down this vanity.

18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Ver. 18. Fall from heaven] That is, from men’s hearts, which he accounts his heaven; but is cast out by the mighty gospel.

19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Ver. 19. To tread on serpents] {See Trapp on "Mark 16:18"} Good ministers tread so hard on the old serpent’s head, that it is no wonder he turns again, and nibbleth at their heels.

20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Ver. 20. That your names are written] That you are enrolled burgesses of the new Jerusalem. Paul by his privilege of being a Roman escaped whipping; we by this escape damnation. The sinner engrosseth his name in the book of perdition.

21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Ver. 21. I thank thee, O Father, &c.] With this prayer the Anabaptists of Germany usually began their sermons, thinking thereby to excuse their lack of learning. (Scultet. Annal.) And then protested that they would deliver nothing but what was revealed to them from above.

22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

Ver. 22. See Matthew 28:18; John 3:35.

23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

Ver. 23. Blessed are the eyes, &c.] How blessed, then, are they that hear this arch-prophet in heaven. Moses and Elias, conversing with Christ on the mount, could much better discourse about his decease, and other divine doctrines, than ever they could while here upon earth. An infant of one day there is much beyond the deepest doctor here.

24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Ver. 24. Many prophets and kings] Many righteous, saith Matthew, Matthew 13:17. Righteous persons are kings.

25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Ver. 25. See Matthew 22:35.

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Ver. 27. With all thy heart, and, &c.] Serviendum Deo toto corde; id est, amore summo, more vero, ore fideli re omni: Hoc non sit verbis. Marce, ut ameris, ama. (Martial.)

Here some weak Christians are troubled, as conceiting that they love their children, friends, &c., better than God. But it is answered, 1. When two streams run in one channel (as here nature and grace do) they run stronger than one stream doth. When a man loves God and the things of God, grace is alone; nature yields nothing to that. 2. We must not judge by an indeliberate passion. (Dr Sibbs on 1 Corinthians 2:9) The love of God is a constant stream; not a torrent, but a current, that runs all our lifetime, but runs still, and without noise, as the waters of Shiloh and of Nile, nullas confessus murmure vires, that runs smoothly. (Claudian.)

With all thy strength] That is, saith a divine, in our particular places. A magistrate must execute justice for God’s sake, &c.

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Ver. 28. See Matthew 19:17.

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Ver. 29. Who is my neighbour?] They counted no man their neighbour but their near friends.

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Ver. 30. And Jesus answering] Gr. υπολαβων. Taking the tale out of his mouth, being ready with his answer. For he is that Palmoni Hammedabber, in Daniel 8:13, that prime prolocutor.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Ver. 31. And by chance] Indeed by the providence of God overruling the matter, as it doth in things that to us are merely casual and contingent.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

Ver. 32. Passed by on the other side] αντιπαρηλθεν. For fear of legal pollution. But two duties never meet so as to cross one another; the one of them yields, and the execution of the yielding duty for the present hath reason of an offence. This Levite’s legal strictness was here a vice; he should rather have showed mercy to his brother in misery. So that the rule, negatives always bind, intends not that they are of an indispensable nature; but that every particular instant of time is to be observed for their obedience, while and where they stand of force. (Huet. of Cons.)

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

Ver. 33. A certain Samaritan] Turnebus dictos putat Parabolanos, quasi aemulos Samaritani. Hoc autem nomine vocabantur, qui curandis debilium corporibus deputabantur. Those who looked to sick people were hence called Parabolanes, or Samaritans. This Samaritan is Christ. So they called him, John 8:48, but in a worse sense. {See Trapp on "John 8:48"}

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Ver. 34. Pouring in oil and wine] Wine to search, and oil to supple. Wine signifies the sharpness of the law (saith Melancthon), oil the sweetness of the gospel. Now, so great is the natural sympathy and harmony between the vine and the olive; that the olive being grafted into the vine, brings forth both grapes and olives.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Ver. 35. Two pence] The Old and New Testament, say Optatus and Ambrose.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

Ver. 36. {See Trapp on "Luke 10:29"} God delights to make men their own judges, that they may be self-condemned, αυτοκατακριτοι.

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Ver. 37. Go, and do thou likewise] Help him that hath need of thee, though he be a stranger; yea, or an enemy.

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

Ver. 38. A certain village] viz. Bethany, John 11:1. {See Trapp on "John 11:1"}

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

Ver. 39. Sat at Jesus’ feet] As his disciples, Acts 22:3. So the children of the prophets of old, whence that expression, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today?" 2 Kings 2:3.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

Ver. 40. Martha was cumbered] Diversely distracted, περιεσπατο. In multitude of worldly business, the soul is like a mill, where one cannot hear another, the noise is such as taketh away all intercourse. We should look at the world but only cut at the eye’s end, as it were.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

Ver. 41. Thou art careful] Christ prefers attention before attendance. To hearken is better than the fat of rams, 1 Samuel 15:22.

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Ver. 42. But one thing is necessary] That bonum hominis, good of humanity, Micah 6:8, that totum hominis, Ecclesiastes 12:13; the happiness, the whole of a man, viz. to hear the word of God and keep it. The original hath it thus, there is need of one thing; that is, say some, of one dish only: but the other sense is the better.

That good part] Non tu malam, sed illa meliorem, saith Augustine. Thou hast done well, but she better.