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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 10:17 mean?

Explanation

Luke 10:17 recounts the return of the seventy (or seventy-two in some manuscripts) disciples whom Jesus had sent out to preach the Gospel and heal the sick.

The verse captures their excitement and amazement at the authority they had over demons in Jesus' name.

Their successful mission demonstrates the power and authority Jesus conferred upon his followers, as well as the spiritual authority inherent in his name.

The disciples’ joy reveals that their mission had a profound impact, not only on the communities they served but also on their own faith and understanding of Jesus' ministry.

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Historical Context

This verse occurs in the context of Jesus' ministry in the first century.

He had appointed seventy disciples, in addition to the twelve apostles, to go out in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

This action mirrors the appointment of the seventy elders of Israel by Moses as described in Numbers 11:16-17.

Jesus' followers were charged with spreading the message of the Kingdom of God and healing the sick.

The number seventy may symbolize the nations of the world, derived from Genesis 10 where seventy nations are listed, indicating that Jesus’ message is intended for all peoples.

This mission precedes the more formal Great Commission that occurs after Jesus' resurrection, where he sends his followers to all nations.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse speaks to several key concepts:

The authority of Jesus: The disciples attribute their power to overcome evil spirits to Jesus' name, reflecting their belief in his divine authority.
The spread of the Gospel: The successful mission of the seventy indicates the effectiveness and Divine backing of the early missionary work.
Spiritual warfare: The subjection of demons suggests that Jesus' ministry involved a spiritual struggle against evil forces.
The power of faith: The disciples' success illustrates the power of faith in Jesus' name.

From a predestination viewpoint, the success of the disciples could be seen as a fulfillment of God's plan.

A more charismatic interpretation might focus on the empowerment of believers through the Holy Spirit.

Meanwhile, a cessationist might say that such overt spiritual battles were unique to the apostolic age, whereas a continuationist would argue that Christians continue to have this authority.

Practical Applications

In a modern context, believers might draw inspiration from this verse in several ways:

Emphasizing faith: Trust in the authority of Jesus Christ over spiritual forces can be reassuring to those facing difficulties.
Missionary work: The passage can motivate Christians to engage in missionary and evangelistic efforts, trusting in the power of Jesus' name to overcome opposition.
Spiritual empowerment: Christians might find encouragement to exercise their faith in practical ways, through prayer, community service, and proclaiming the Gospel.

Cross-References

Mark 6:7 - "And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;"
Luke 9:1 - "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases."
Matthew 28:18-20 - "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them..."

Language Study

"Devils" (δαιμόνια - daimonia): In the Greek, this word is used for demons or unclean spirits, which are considered evil spiritual beings.
"Subject" (ὑποτάσσω - hypotassō): This Greek verb means to arrange under, to submit to, or be subordinated.
"Through thy name" (ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί - en tō onomati): This phrase indicates the power and authority associated with the person and identity of Jesus.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparisons with other ancient religions might involve the common theme of exorcism and authority over spirits.

In several ancient cultures, the naming of a deity conveyed power, similar to how the disciples invoked Jesus’ name to exert authority over demons.

This concept is evident in various Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Greco-Roman religious practices.

Scientific Perspectives

Science does not typically address metaphysical entities like demons.

However, psychological explanations might analyze the disciples' experiences of casting out demons in terms of the placebo effect or suggest that believed spiritual encounters could have tangible effects on individuals' mental states.

It's important to note that the scientific method does not account for supernatural occurrences, as they fall outside the realm of empirical measurement.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests that the joy the disciples experienced was not only because of the success in their ministry but also because they saw the kingdom of Satan falling and the kingdom of Christ advancing.
The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes the practical lessons for Christian workers in similar spiritual endeavors and warns against pride that might result from such accomplishments.
William Barclay's Daily Study Bible acknowledges the disciples’ power over evil as a sign of the ultimate victory of Jesus and his followers over darkness and the coming of the Kingdom of God.

Luke 10

Luke 10

What does Luke 10:17 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 10:17 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?