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Luke 10

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

What does Luke 10:12 mean?

Explanation

The verse Luke 10:12 speaks to the severity of judgment that awaits cities or people who reject the message of Jesus Christ.

Here, Jesus is addressing His disciples as He sends them out to preach and heal in His name ([Luke 10:1-11](/new-testament/luke/10/1/what-does-luke-10-1-mean)).

When Jesus refers to "that day," it is understood as the day of judgment.

The comparison with Sodom, a city from the Old Testament that was notoriously sinful and destroyed by God because of its wickedness, highlights the grave consequences of unbelief and rejection of God's messengers.

The implication is that those who have had the opportunity to receive Christ but choose to reject Him will face a more severe judgment than even Sodom, which had not had such a direct revelation of God's grace.

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Historical Context

Luke 10:12 is part of a larger narrative where Jesus commissions seventy-two of His disciples to go ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He intended to visit (Luke 10:1).

The context is the broader ministry of Jesus within First Century Judea under Roman occupation.

At that time, Jewish communities were anticipating a messianic figure to deliver them from Roman rule.

Instead, Jesus was preaching a message of repentance and a spiritual kingdom, which many found difficult to accept.

Theological Insights

This verse has been interpreted through various theological lenses.

From a conservative evangelical perspective, it underscores the importance of receiving Christ and the dire consequences of rejecting the gospel.

In contrast, some liberal theologians might focus on the historical Jesus and His message about the urgency of accepting God's grace. Universalist perspectives might struggle with this verse due to the apparent finality of judgment it suggests.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse serves as a strong reminder for believers to earnestly share their faith, understanding the eternal implications of the reception or rejection of the gospel message.

It also calls for believers to examine their own hearts, ensuring they do not take the message of Christ for granted and live in a way that is faithful and obedient to His teachings.

Cross-References

Genesis 19:24-25: Tells the story of Sodom's destruction.
Matthew 10:15: A parallel passage where Jesus states a similar warning regarding the day of judgment.
Matthew 11:23-24: Jesus pronounces woe upon unrepentant cities, comparing their fate to Sodom.

Language Study

The key word in the original Greek text of Luke 10:12 is "tolerable" (ἀνεκτότερον, anektoteron), which is a comparative form, implying that judgment can vary in its severity.

The use of this word emphasizes the increased accountability for those who have witnessed Jesus' miracles and heard His teachings firsthand and still rejected Him.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing the judgment pronounced in Luke 10:12 to other cultures, the concept of a proportional response to offense can be found in many ancient legal codes, such as the Law of Moses or Hammurabi's Code.

Particularly within Judaism, the destruction of Sodom was a byword for great wickedness and divine judgment.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific understandings do not directly address the theological concept of divine judgment as mentioned in Luke 10:12.

The historical event of Sodom's destruction is explored through archaeological and environmental studies, but the interpretive claims of these events' significance remain a matter of faith and theology rather than empirical science.

Commentaries

Many biblical scholars and theologians have offered insight into Luke 10:12:

Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests that the comparison to Sodom's judgment is to heighten awareness of the grace presented to these cities and the resultant greater condemnation for rejecting it.
The Pulpit Commentary notes the solemnity of the rejection, stating that Sodom did not have the opportunity of the Christ-rejecting city.
William Barclay highlights the idea of relative judgment, where greater privilege involves greater responsibility and, thus, a stricter reckoning.

Luke 10

Luke 10

What does Luke 10:12 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 10:12 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?