(This event is unique to Luke's Gospel. Cf. Mat 10:1-42)
1. After these things the Lord appointed other seventy {ie., seventy others} also, {cp. Luk 9:1-6,10} 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. {cp. Joh 4:35-38}
3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: {cf. Luk 22:35-37} 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 {lit., 'a son', ie., a person} of peace be there, {Jam 3:18} your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. {cp. Psa 35:12-13}
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.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: {eg., Acts 13:50,51} notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
These seventy disciples were sent on a mission, very much like the mission previously assigned to the twelve (Luk 9:1-6; Mat 10:1-42). These instructions apply (primarily) to the period of Christ's earthly ministry (not to the Church Age). See the Book Notes on Mat 10:1-42.
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.
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.
Much of Jesus' ministry in Galilee was spent in and around these three cities, located at the north end of the Sea of Galilee. Yet, they had failed to heed Him who is the Light of the world. Mat 4:13-16; Joh 12:37
16 He that heareth you heareth me; {Joh 13:20} and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. {Joh 5:22,23}
17. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils {demons} are subject unto us through thy name.
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. {Rev 12:7-9}
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.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. {Php 4:3; Heb 12:23; Rev 20:15}
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: {Mark 10:15; 1Cor 1:27-29; 2:6-8} even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
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]. {Joh 1:18; 2Cor 4:6; 1Joh 5:20}
23 And he turned him unto [his] disciples, and said privately, Blessed [are] the eyes which see the things that ye see:
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]. {Mat 13:16,17; 1Pet 1:10-12}
Although the cities of Galilee and the nation at large (its political leaders, religious rulers, and general populace) had not received the Word of God, in the Person of Jesus the Christ, there was a remnant who believed, as there had been at the time of His birth (eg., Luk 2:25-26,38), and as there is today (Rom 11:5).
25. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted {tested} him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love {GK=agapao, selfless love which spares no cost to benefit its object} the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; {Deu 6:5} and thy neighbour as thyself. {Lev 19:18}
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. {Lev 18:5; cp. Gal 3:12; Rom 3:19,20}
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Parable of the good Samaritan.
(Only Luke records this parable, which answers the lawyer's question.)
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.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked [on him], and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion [on him],
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.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence {GK=denarion; one denarius was a day's wage, Mat 20:2}, 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.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
The Priest and the Levite, who were representatives of God and His Law, avoided contact with the man of Israel, who fell among thieves. Perhaps they feared thieves still lurked nearby. Perhaps the urgency of their business did not allow delay along the way. Perhaps they did not want to soil their garments in tending to the bloodied victim. In any case, neither of them had 'loved their neighbor,' and therefore, did not fulfill the requirement of the Law.
Jews and Samaritans were not friendly toward each other, due to political and religious differences. Yet, the Samaritan, moved with compassion for the fallen Jew, demonstrated godly selfless love (v.27), by willingly endangering and inconveniencing himself, to meet a stranger's need, at his own expense.
How it must have stung this self-righteous lawyer: to think that a despised Samaritan might fulfill the Law, while he looked for ways to narrow the definition of 'my neighbor' (v.29)!
But it was not for him only, that the Lord said, "Go, and do thou likewise."
Mary and Martha in contrast.
(This encounter is unique to Luke's Gospel.)
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.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, {the position of a student, cp. Luk 2:46; Acts 22:3} and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered {distracted, over-occupied} about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid {tell} her therefore that she help {partake in the work with} me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful {anxious} and troubled {disturbed} about many things: {cp. Mark 4:19; 21:34}
42 But one thing is needful {necessary}: {Job 23:12; Psa 27:4; Joh 17:3} and Mary hath chosen that good part {portion}, {Psa 16:5,6} which shall not be taken away from her. {Luk 8:18; Joh 10:27,28}
Food is necessary, but God's Word is more so. Martha was anxious to provide the finest banquet for her esteemed guest. If she had been content to fix a simple meal, she would have been free to feast at Jesus' feet. Isa 55:1-3; Rev 3:20