What does Luke Chapter 10 mean?
Books like the gospel of Luke were originally written without division into chapters or verses. Such labels help modern readers locate specific passages quickly. However, they can also imply separations which are not intended by the author. Recently in Luke’s account (Luke 9:51), Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” This begins a large segment sometimes referred to as “The Travelogue of Jesus.” A “travelogue” is an extended description of one’s journeys; in this case, Luke’s record of Jesus’ experiences runs until just before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28). The text in between shows Jesus transitioning from His public ministry to training His disciples, including a larger group than just the Twelve. He guides them to know how to follow Him more faithfully and to build His church after His ascension. The first events of this account are rough, highlighting the disciples’ presumption of power and misunderstanding of the sacrifices they must make (Luke 9:52–62).
In Luke 10, several disciples learn to prioritize their blessings. A lawyer learns his actions are determined by his character. Jesus praises Mary for choosing Him and rejecting what the culture says she should be.
Luke 10:1–12 opens the chapter with Jesus commissioning seventy-two of His disciples to prepare villages for His coming by healing and preaching the kingdom of God. If the towns accept them, the disciples should receive their hospitality. They are to heal the sick, which would validate their claims about the kingdom. If the town rejects them, they are to leave, still proclaiming the kingdom of God has come near. Jesus’ instructions are like those He gave to the Twelve (Luke 9:1–6), but the scope is greater.
In Luke 10:13–16, with grief, Jesus pronounces judgment on the cities and towns that reject His message. Despite seeing Him perform many miracles, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum will reject Him. Ironically, if Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon had witnessed Jesus’ power, they would have listened to Him. Matthew 11:20–24 gives the same warning.
When the seventy-two return, they are ecstatic that they were able to cast out demons. Jesus reorients their point of view: Satan is and was already defeated. Their real triumph is that they have eternal life (Luke 10:17–20).
Finally, Jesus gives thanks that God has chosen to reveal the truth about Him to these humble followers instead of those who think they know everything (Luke 10:21–24). Because these followers know Jesus, they know God, and that is the greatest blessing they could receive. Matthew 11:25–27 and 13:16–17 place Jesus’ words in different contexts.
The next section presents a conversation about the limits of the Law. A lawyer asks Jesus how he can inherit eternal life. Jesus leads him to the Mosaic law and the overall commands to love God and love one’s neighbor (Luke 10:25–28). While Matthew 22:34–40 and Mark 12:28–34 record a similar conversation during Passion Week, Luke uses this lawyer to introduce the parable of the good Samaritan.
The parable of the good Samaritan is Jesus’ answer to the lawyer who asks who his “neighbor” is. This comes in the context of wishing to know specifically how he can acquire eternal life. Jesus shows that nationality, position, and righteousness do not mean that someone loves. Anyone can love, thus showing they know what kind of character God seeks (Luke 10:29–37).
Luke finishes the chapter with an example of a disciple who understands both the sacrifices and blessings implied by following Christ. Mary of Bethany sits at Jesus’ feet, absorbing everything Jesus says. Meanwhile, her sister Martha is in the back of the house, serving as the culture demands. Jesus praises Mary for setting her priorities on what will last (Luke 10:38–42).
This first section of the travelogue ends with Jesus teaching the disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1–13). Next, the Pharisees reject Jesus (Luke 11:14–54) and Jesus directs the disciples away from earthy leaders and toward God’s kingdom (Luke 12:1—13:9). Following are four sections, each including a miracle and teachings about the kingdom and salvation with an intermission to warn against anti-kingdom attitudes (Luke 13:10—19:27). Then, Jesus enters Jerusalem (Luke 19:28).
Chapter Context
Luke 10 provides the bulk of the first section of what some refer to as Jesus’ travelogue (Luke 9:51—19:27). In this extended description of travels and events, Jesus draws away from public ministry and theological debates. His focus is preparing His disciples for what will happen in Jerusalem, by teaching them about the kingdom of God. In Luke 9:51—11:13, the disciples gradually learn how to properly follow Jesus. Next, the Pharisees will reject Jesus (Luke 11:14–54) and Jesus will teach more about the kingdom (Luke 12:1—19:27). After the travelogue, Jesus will enter Jerusalem and face crucifixion.
Verse by Verse
Verse 1. After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
Before, Jesus sent out the twelve primary disciples to heal, cast out demons, and preach that the kingdom of God is coming (Luke 9:1–6). It’s not clear if the Twelve went to towns to prepare for Jesus’ coming, but Jesus did send messengers into towns in Samaria (Luke 9:51–56). Their work reflects that of John the Baptist (Luke 1:17, 76; 3:4). Later He sends Peter and John to prepare for Passover (Luke 22:8).
Now, Jesus invites seventy-two additional followers to join this work. The instructions are similar: they are to take no bag and no extra sandals (Luke 9:3; 10:4). They are to stay at the first home that welcomes them (Luke 9:4; 10:7), and if no one welcomes them they are to shake the dust off their feet (Luke 9:5; 10:11). In both cases, the messengers go out in pairs, reflecting the requirement for witnesses in the Mosaic law (Mark 6:7; Deuteronomy 19:15).
Luke doesn’t reveal where they are. Some think this setting is a chronological progression from Samaria to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51–52). It’s possible they’re in Samaria, but it’s important to remember that the so-called “travelogue of Jesus” (Luke 9:51—19:27)—which outlines Jesus’ progression from Galilee to Jerusalem—is a journey of spiritual formation, not necessarily geography. Jesus is teaching His disciples what they need to know to build the church. Jesus talks about Sodom, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, Tyre, and Sidon (Luke 10:12–15). Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum are in Galilee and Tyre and Sidon are farther north. None of these towns are in Samaria.
Scholars debate as to whether Jesus sent out seventy-two messengers or seventy. Of the various ancient manuscripts of Luke’s gospel, slightly more say seventy-two. Scholars try to determine the original number by considering why it would have been changed.
One possibility is that Luke originally said seventy-two, only for a later scribe to change it to seventy. This might have been an effort to connect with Moses’ elders (Exodus 24:1, 9; Numbers 11:16–17, 24–25), the number of members of the Sanhedrin, the seventy nations listed in Genesis 10, and an old Jewish belief that Moses’ commandments were translated into seventy languages.
Another option is that the original number was seventy, and an Israeli transcriber changed it to seventy-two: the number of nations in Genesis 10 in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Perhaps this was meant to emphasize the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles. Another hint that the number may have been changed to be more Gentile-friendly is that the seventy-two are not restricted from preaching to Samaritans and Gentiles as were the Twelve (Matthew 10:5–6). The problem with using this as a justification is that Luke’s account of Jesus’ instructions to the Twelve does not include the restriction to only preach to the Jews (Luke 9:1–6). Luke is not trying to make a distinction of the intended audience.
The original number is likely literally seventy-two and no symbolism is intended.
Context Summary
Luke 10:1–7 comes after Jesus sent out the Twelve apostles to heal, expel demons, and preach that the kingdom of God is near (Luke 9:1–6). Now, He commissions a larger number of disciples to prepare towns for His arrival. The instructions for the seventy-two are more detailed than for the Twelve (Luke 9:3–5). Jesus follows these instructions with a warning. The disciples will be rejected (Luke 10:10–12), implying judgment on those who do not listen (Luke 10:13–16). The disciples report back (Luke 10:17–20) and receive Jesus’ blessing (Luke 10:21–24). Luke is the only Gospel writer who includes this story.
Verse 2. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
As Jesus prepares seventy-two disciples to heal and preach that the kingdom of God has come, He tells them to pray for even more messengers. Jesus is not just looking for students; He wants emissaries who will invite others into a relationship with Him. John the Baptist’s work was true, but only a preparation. Despite having gone from one—Jesus—to twelve, to more than seventy, the kingdom message needs even more couriers. Like their food, shelter, and clothing, only God can provide partners for the mission (Luke 10:4–7). Many will reject their message, but the message needs to get out to those who will hear and understand (Luke 10:13–15; Romans 10:14).
As Israel was largely a nation of farmers, Jesus often used parables that referenced plants and crops. The most well-known is probably the parable of the sower, where Jesus compared the gospel to seed and the hearts of the hearers to different soils (Luke 8:4–8). Other agriculture-driven parables in Luke include the tree and its fruit (Luke 6:43–45), the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6–9), the mustard seed (Luke 13:18–20), and the wicked vine dressers (Luke 20:9–18).
Jesus’ metaphor here reflects the nature of harvest. Crops are ready for harvest at specific times. At that time, extra workers are needed. Jesus’ short earthly ministry is nearing its end, and messengers are needed to encourage people to respond. We experience this today; when a natural disaster or other tragedy occurs, people are often more open to the gospel. Believers need to be ready to give hope when people are ready to receive it.
Matthew 9:37–38 parallels this verse but in a section that gives an overall summary of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee.
Verse 3. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
Luke built up gently towards this warning. Jesus first cautioned against pride (Luke 9:46–48), elitism (Luke 9:49–50), and distractions (Luke 9:57–62). He also illustrated how to peacefully respond to rejection (Luke 9:51–56). But Luke began that series of warnings right after Jesus said—again—that in Jerusalem the religious leaders will betray and kill Him (Luke 9:44–45).
This is the only place in the New Testament using the Greek root word arēn for “lamb.” The term refers to a ceremonially clean male lamb ready for slaughter, but also infers personal weakness.
“Wolves” in Scripture refer to abusive authorities. Ezekiel says the “princes” of Israel during his day—political leaders—tear their prey, shed blood, and destroy lives for dishonest gain (Ezekiel 22:27). Zephaniah compares dishonest, greedy judges to ravenous wolves (Zephaniah 3:3). Jesus says false prophets are wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). They appear safe to a careless observer but are lethally dangerous. Paul warns the church leaders in Ephesus that wolfish false teachers will come, “speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29–30).
Jesus expects His messengers to be pure, spiritually clean, and ready to sacrifice. This is crucial to distinguish them from lying, selfish civil and religious leaders who abuse people for their own gain.
But the messengers are not alone; God also protects the sheep. Ezekiel 34 is a powerful promise that God will call out His sheep and judge the corrupt leaders. Isaiah writes, “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11). Jesus promises to seek out and rescue the lost sheep (Luke 15:1–7). Someday, the wolf and the lamb will graze together in peace (Isaiah 65:25).
Verse 4. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.
Jesus is sending out seventy-two disciples—not including the Twelve (Matthew 10:2–4)—to prepare towns for His arrival. They will heal, cast out demons, and announce that the kingdom of God is coming (Luke 10:1–3, 9, 17). Earlier, when Jesus sent out the Twelve, He told them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics” (Luke 9:3). The instructions for the seventy-two are basically the same: take only the clothes they’re wearing and leave behind everything else they may need.
Their lack of moneybag differentiates them from the traveling teachers and magicians who expect to be paid for their services. These men also take knapsacks to hold supplies as they travel from town to town. “No sandals” may mean the disciples are to go barefoot, but likely means they are not to take a backup pair; like the children of Israel who traveled through the wilderness for forty years, they need to trust that God will ensure their clothes will not wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5).
In fact, their entire mission is to be characterized by a dependence on God, starting with the prayer that God will send more messengers (Luke 10:2). The protection and provision of God gives a visible example of God’s coming kingdom.
The command to not greet anyone on the road is not unique. An Old Testament prophet was told not to stop along the way; when he did, he was killed by a lion (1 Kings 13:11–25). God often has specific plans for His followers. In this case, Jesus wants the towns prepared; stopping to talk to other travelers takes time away from the mission (Luke 9:59–62). We need to be mindful when we’re being called away from the work Jesus is calling us to do.
During the Last Supper, Jesus will update the instructions. When they travel after His ascension, they are to take money, a bag—perhaps with extra tunics and shoes—and a sword (Luke 22:36). The time of training will be over and they will need to trust in God for far much more than meals and shoes.
Verse 5. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’
As Jesus’ seventy-two disciples prepare towns for His arrival, they are to find homes that will accept both the messengers and the message. The Hebrew term sālom’, or shalom, is typically translated as “peace” and was used in ancient greetings and farewells, much as the Hawaiian word aloha. Shalom can mean the opposite of war, but it also refers to completeness, soundness, and welfare; it includes a sense of calm security in circumstances and relationships. In an Israelite context, wishing someone shalom means to say, “May God be with you.” The equivalent word in Luke’s New Testament Greek is the root word eirēnē. By “house,” Jesus means all the people in the home.
The messengers are people who follow an itinerant, unofficial Jewish rabbi who regularly argues with well-respected religious leaders such as Pharisees and lawyers. This rabbi eats with cultural outcasts, people considered immoral, and allows unclean and sinful women to touch Him (Luke 5:27–32; 7:36–39; 8:43–48). The message is that the kingdom of God is coming. If they are in Samaria, they also must overcome the cultural hatred between Jews and Samaritans. There are many reasons for people to reject the messengers and the message.
Whether or not the people give their peace determines how they will experience the kingdom of God. Those who receive the message peacefully will receive blessings. Those who do not reciprocate the disciples’ peace will face judgment. In fact, if they witness the healing miracles of the disciples and still reject their message, they will face greater judgment than pagan Gentiles from Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon (Luke 10:12–15).
Verse 6. And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
Jesus has appointed seventy-two of His disciples to go into different villages, preparing the people for Jesus’ arrival. He indicates that God will take care of their physical needs (Luke 10:4). Under Jesus’ authority, they will have the power to heal and cast out demons, giving credibility to their message that the kingdom of God is near (Luke 10:1, 9, 17).
When they enter a village, they are to go to one house and stay there for the duration of their visit (Luke 10:7). First, they are to offer a blessing of peace (Luke 10:5). “Peace” most literally means an absence of conflict. It also refers to a more general welfare. In Hebrew, the term is shalom, and in Greek it is eirēnē. Here, it largely means a friendly acceptance of the message the disciples are to share. If the people hear the ramifications of God’s coming kingdom with acceptance and anticipation, they will experience the blessings of the kingdom. If they reject the message, they will face an even worse judgment than the pagan Gentiles who worship false gods but do not have the advantage of witnessing miracles to draw them to God (Luke 10:12–15).
The authority of the disciples to declare God’s peace on people is a theme in the church. Jesus gave Peter authority to reveal how to enter the kingdom of God, which he did at Pentecost (Matthew 16:19; Acts 2). Jesus also gave the disciples, and later the church leaders, authority to discipline and excommunicate unrepentant sinners in their community (Matthew 18:15–20).
The criterion for godly fellowship has nothing to do with age, gender, nationality, ethnicity, financial status, social status, marital status, political party, language, region of origin, physical traits—nothing that humans use to categorize each other (Galatians 3:27–29). It is this: does the person accept and return the peace of God? Do they show shalom?
Verse 7. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
Jesus is explaining to a large group of disciples how their work proclaiming the kingdom qualifies them to receive food and housing from those with whom they share the message, but little else.
Jewish magicians preyed on Gentiles tired of demanding Greco-Roman gods and longing for meaningful spirituality. The Greeks and Romans were intrigued by the idea of a single invisible God. Financially opportunistic scoundrels took advantage. Similarly, “physicians” made their patients undergo ridiculous, humiliating, and useless practices while draining all their funds (Mark 5:25–26).
Jesus, however, ministers as if He is a hired laborer. He expects His disciples to do the same. The hired laborer was paid the day he or she worked (Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14–15). In this case, the payment is merely housing and food. The seventy-two are not to seek better accommodations or food. Even though their message and ability to heal are authentic, effective, and powerful, they are there to serve, not be served.
Paul will go further. In Corinth, he will work as a tentmaker (Acts 18:1–4) and rely on support from other churches (2 Corinthians 11:8) rather than distract the Corinthians from the gospel message (1 Corinthians 9:6–14). He will later tell Timothy that church elders who preach and teach deserve financial support (1 Timothy 5:17–18).
There are many today who have a hard time accepting this teaching. They think that since salvation is a free gift of God, human teachers and pastors should also provide their services for free. They believe Bibles and theology books should cost nothing, and Bible schools and seminaries should not charge. Such a belief is not only irrational, but also unbiblical. Paul charges the Corinthians, “If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?” (1 Corinthians 9:11). Teachers, pastors, and writers who study hard and present biblical truths to growing believers still must pay for food, housing, transportation, and all the other expenses of life. Even resources offered for “free” to users, such as this site, must be paid for somehow. Like most ministries, this is dependent on gracious donors.
Verse 8. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.
Seventy-two followers of Jesus receive these instructions as they prepare to travel. Jesus sends them to towns and villages, healing, casting out demons, and preaching that the kingdom of God is near. God will provide for their needs. When they enter a city, they are to find a family open to their message and stay until they leave that city. That family will provide them food (Luke 10:1–7).
The meaning of “eat what is set before you” is not exactly clear. It may mean that they should eat even if the food blatantly does not comply with the regulations on clean food, what we would call kosher (Leviticus 11). This probably isn’t the case since Jesus won’t lift the kosher law until Acts 10:9–16. More likely, it means that the disciples shouldn’t worry if the food does not fit the standards given by the extra-biblical writings that the Pharisees enforce. Additionally, the disciples must accept whatever humble meal they are given and not try to win invitations to different homes with better food, as traveling teachers and magicians might.
In addition, Jesus may be speaking about the company at the meal. He dined with tax-collectors and sinners, and presumably Samaritans. His disciples should, too, but it will take them a long time before they feel comfortable about it (Galatians 2:11–14).
Luke 10:8–9 has the same pattern as verses 10–11: the disciples enter a town, determine the town’s reception, and respond accordingly, then God determines His response: blessing or judgment.
Context Summary
Luke 10:8–12 records Jesus’ instructions to seventy-two of His followers as they prepare towns for His coming. He has explained they are to stay in the homes of those who respond in peace (Luke 10:5–7). Now, He explains how a town’s reception will determine their experience of the coming of the kingdom of God. If they accept the message, they will see the healing power of the kingdom (Luke 10:8–9). If they reject the message, they will be warned of coming judgment (Luke 10:10–12). Next, Jesus mourns that Jewish cities will be more likely to reject His message than Gentile cities (Luke 10:13–16).
Verse 9. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
Jesus is preparing seventy-two of His disciples to visit towns and prepare them for His arrival. To do so, they will heal the sick, cast out demons (Luke 10:17), and explain the approach of the kingdom of God (Luke 10:1, 9). The Greek verb tense used here implies God’s kingdom “has” come near; the text indicates that it will continue and build in strength.
“The kingdom of God” is any environment or situation in which God’s power and sovereignty are shown. It is specifically reflected in the saving power of Jesus. Jesus says it is “near,” meaning it did not come fully at the point He sent out these seventy-two followers. In fact, the beginning of the kingdom of God, called its inauguration, arrived at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Another significant marker was when Jesus saw Satan fall from heaven (Luke 10:18) and yet another was Pentecost, the birth of the church wherein the Holy Spirit indwelt Jesus’ followers (Acts 2). The kingdom will not be completely manifest until Jesus returns to earth to rule (Revelation 20—22).
This view of the kingdom is called “now and not yet.” The kingdom has been inaugurated but has not come to fulfillment. The blessing of the kingdom in the “now” in this text is healing, to include both physical ailments and those caused by demons (Luke 10:9, 17).
Verse 10. But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say,
Jesus is commissioning seventy-two of His disciples to enter villages and prepare the people for His coming. To validate their claims, Jesus has given them the authority to heal, cast out demons, and preach that the kingdom of God is near (Luke 10:9, 17). If the villagers reject their message, the disciples are to publicly reject the villagers. This is done by wiping the dust from their feet and warning them that God’s kingdom will come with judgment (Luke 10:11).
To reject the messengers is to reject Jesus (Luke 10:16). In the eyes of that culture, townspeople would have reasons to reject Jesus. He eats with people their culture deems immoral and traitorous (Luke 5:27–32). He befriends women who are unclean and known to be sinners (Luke 7:36–50; 8:43–48). He does not follow the strict Sabbath laws established by lawyers and enforced by Pharisees (Luke 6:1–11). Even the half-Jewish Samaritans have reason to be offended: Jesus refuses to validate their modified worship of God in their territory; He insists God chose Jerusalem for His center of faith (2 Chronicles 6:6; Luke 9:51–56). The people may want a kingdom that includes healing and freedom from demons, but not all are willing to sacrifice their cultures, traditions, or family (Luke 9:57–62; Matthew 10:34–37).
Jesus instructed the Twelve to do the same thing before their mission (Luke 9:5). James and John had a problem with Jesus’ mild response. When a Samaritan town refused to host Jesus, they offered to call down fire from heaven. Jesus rebuked them and led them to another village (Luke 9:51–56). They didn’t understand the seriousness of the judgment those cities would face by rejecting Jesus.
“Go into its streets” doesn’t mean the disciples have to walk around the entire town. “Street” is from the Greek for a wide road. The disciples need to go to a well-traveled, public area so as many people as possible can hear.
Verse 11. ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’
Again, Jesus reiterates the same instructions He previously gave the Twelve (Luke 9:5). In Luke 10:4–6, Jesus describes the messengers’ accommodations. He does not tell them to only stay in homes of Jews who practice the Law. He tells them to stay with those who respond in peace. Similarly, they are not to worry about the ceremonial cleanness of the food their hosts give them (Luke 10:8).
Now, Jesus says something similar for the whole town. To shake the dust off their feet is a sign the town is unclean. The power in the action is not that the disciples would make themselves purified from the uncleanness of the village but the declaration, itself, that the village is unclean—a pronouncement of shame. No matter their response, they will see the kingdom of God. If they respond in peace, they will receive healing—a blessing of God’s kingdom. If they reject the message, they will receive judgment.
Jesus also tells the disciples to affirm that the kingdom of God has come near. When someone accepts their words, they are to say “The kingdom of God has come near to you” [emphasis added] (Luke 10:9). If they reject their message, the kingdom will still come, but not to their benefit. They will be judged even more harshly than the Gentiles who do not claim to worship God and do not receive the signs of God’s kingdom (Luke 10:12–15).
Of course, if the town repents later, they will be blessed. The problem is, the villagers are not rejecting the disciples, they are rejecting the message the disciples share, which means they reject Jesus (Luke 10:16). The villagers could repent, but it’s unlikely they will. When Jesus told the Twelve to follow this practice, James and John preferred to call fire down from heaven, instead (Luke 9:51–56). Paul and Barnabas, however, find this act gets the message across so well that those they judge in one city follow them to another and try to stone Paul to death (Acts 13:50–52; 14:19).
Verse 12. I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
To carry Jesus’ message into surrounding villages and towns, seventy-two followers receive His instructions. If the townspeople reject His message, the commissioned messengers are to go to a public place, shake the dirt off their feet, and announce that the kingdom of God will come with judgment (Luke 10:1–11). The eternal judgment is severe (Zephaniah 1:14–18). “That day” is the “day of the Lord” when God will remove rebellious people from His presence for eternity, much like the dust falling from the disciples’ feet.
Though short, this verse includes details which can become distracting.
Sodom’s characteristic sin, traditionally, was sexual immorality. Besides the story of Lot (Genesis 19:1–29), this sin is mentioned in Jude 1:7, the non-canonical Book of Jubilees, and the writings of the Jewish philosopher Philo. In this context, however, coming right after a promise of judgment on towns that reject Jesus’ disciples, Jesus is most likely referring to arrogance that made them unafraid of judgment (Ezekiel 16:49). The angels came to Sodom to rescue Lot, a man of peace (Luke 10:5–6) but the rest of the city refused to show them a proper welcome.
The second theological implication is the phrase “more bearable on that day.” “That day” refers to the coming of the kingdom of God. Here, it specifically means the day of judgment. Salvation is a yes-or-no condition; either you are saved and you are going to heaven, or you are not saved and you are going to hell (John 3:16–18, 36). “More bearable” seems to say that there are different levels of punishment in hell. This is a common aspect of cultural depictions of hell, most famously The Divine Comedy by Dante. However, the basic idea is affirmed in Scripture (Revelation 20:11–15). Every person who is not saved will meet God’s judgment at the Great White Throne. The sheep and goats will have already been separated, so the judgment doesn’t determine if these people will go to hell. Instead, Jesus opens books and “the dead [are] judged by what was written in the books, according to what they [have] done” (Revelation 20:12). Based on this, it appears eternity holds different levels of punishment depending on a person’s choices in life (John 19:11).
Why, then, would the people of infamously depraved Sodom experience less torture than these towns? In His parable exhorting the Twelve to be ready for His second coming, Jesus says, “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:47–48). Towns during Jesus’ earthly ministry experienced power and preaching more than others. If the people in those towns refuse to repent, they will be judged more harshly than the people of Sodom who sinned egregiously but had a less-direct opportunity to hear the truth.
That doesn’t mean Sodom is not culpable. Romans 1:18–23 explains that God displays His “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature” in His creation. Even so, Sodom—like every other person who did not receive special revelation from God—rebelled against what little they knew and worshiped creation instead of the Creator. That choice alone condemned them.
Jesus goes on to compare cities He ministered to with those He didn’t. Chorazin and Bethsaida, in Galilee, witnessed Jesus’ power and teaching first-hand, yet did not repent. If Jesus had given such signs to Tyre and Sidon, the Gentiles there would have mourned their sins and begged for forgiveness (Luke 10:13–14). Capernaum, too, is judged (Luke 10:15). Matthew’s account compares Sodom to Capernaum (Matthew 11:23–24). It’s a sober warning that the city in which Jesus ministered most will be judged more harshly than the city held as the pinnacle of sinfulness.
Verse 13. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
While preparing seventy-two disciples to heal, cast out demons, and announce the coming of the kingdom of God (Luke 10:1–9, 17), Jesus takes a moment to express grief. He mourns local cities which had every chance to accept His message but refused. The places He mentions are specific, but they are representative of any town that rejects the call to repentance, as seen in the vagueness of “a town” and “that town” (Luke 10:8, 12).
The region around Chorazin and Bethsaida was largely filled with Jews who should recognize Jesus is the Messiah based on the prophecies in their Scriptures. Conversely, the Gospels only record Jesus going to Tyre and Sidon when He wanted time away from the crowds to teach His disciples, and He only performed one miracle there (Mark 7:24–30). And yet, He asserts, the idolatrous, pagan, Gentiles—had they seen His miracles—would have repented of their sins and mourned in the traditional manner of sackcloth and ashes.
Jesus did minister to people who came from Tyre and Sidon (Luke 6:17), but why didn’t He spend more time with them? His ministry was primarily for the Jews. God promised Abraham that his descendants would bless the world. They did, by providing Jesus, but they were supposed to accept Jesus as their Messiah and introduce salvation through Him to the world. Instead, they led the Gentiles to kill Jesus. At this point, however, God gave the Jews a chance. Just as God gave the Amorites time to decide whether to repent or fulfill their potential for sin (Genesis 15:16), so He gave the Jews the chance to choose.
Historians are unsure as to Chorazin’s exact location. It is only mentioned here and in Matthew’s parallel passage (Matthew 11:21). Bethsaida is on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Peter, Andrew, and Philip were from Bethsaida, and it’s near where Jesus miraculously fed thousands (John 1:44; Luke 9:10). Other than that, we only know that Jesus healed a blind man there (Mark 8:22). Apparently, however, the residents had seen enough miracles that they had no excuse for their rejection of Jesus.
Tyre and Sidon were two cities on the coast of Phoenicia, north of Galilee. These regions had a love/hate relationship with Israel. During the time of David and Solomon, they had a good relationship, even providing lumber for both Solomon’s temple and the post-exilic temple (1 Chronicles 22:4; Ezra 3:7). They also had less-noble moments. Tyre sold Israelite slaves to Edom (Amos 1:9) and Sidon was the hometown of the evil queen Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31). In judgment, God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to conquer the inland city of Tyre and Alexander the Great to destroy the island (Ezekiel 29:17–20). “Tyre and Sidon” are often mentioned together to represent the geographic area. There’s no great indication that the people of Tyre and Sidon came to follow Jesus, but at least one woman did: the Syrophoenician woman with the demonized daughter (Mark 7:24–30).
Here, Jesus says that two pagan, Gentile cities would have reacted more favorably to His miracles and message than two cities with a heavy Jewish population. Later, He will make a similar comparison between the Jewish religious leaders who keep insisting on signs and the Queen of Sheba who believed because she saw the wisdom of Solomon. Even more shocking, the evil, vicious, cruel men of Nineveh repented because of Jonah’s message, but the Jews who have every advantage refuse to (Luke 11:29–32).
Context Summary
Luke 10:13–16 expands on Jesus’ comment that rejecting His messengers would result in even harsher judgment than handed down to Sodom (Luke 10:12). Jesus laments that pagan Gentiles would accept the signs of the coming kingdom of God when Jewish cities wouldn’t (Luke 10:13–16). Next, Jesus puts the disciples’ success in proper context (Luke 10:17–24). Matthew 11:20–24 records a similar judgment but places it after Jesus’ affirmation of John the Baptist (Luke 7:18–35).
Verse 14. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
Jesus is comparing how Gentiles would respond to His miracles to how Jewish cities did respond. Chorazin and Bethsaida witnessed extensive miracles of healing, exorcisms, and even the feeding of thousands of people with a tiny meal. Yet, for the most part, the people reject Jesus’ call to repentance. If He had performed those same miracles in Tyre and Sidon, “they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes” (Luke 10:13).
Tyre and Sidon are significant port cities on the coast of the Mediterranean. Bethsaida is on the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee near where Jesus fed thousands; Chorazin is likely near Capernaum where Jesus lived. Jesus pairs the cities to represent geographic areas. Jesus’ point is that He spent a great deal of time ministering in and around Capernaum and Chorazin and almost no time in Tyre and Sidon. In fact, He only went to Tyre and Sidon because He wanted a quiet place in which to teach the disciples, and only one miracle is recorded (Mark 7:24–30).
The unpopular fact of human sin means those who do not accept Jesus as their savior will go to hell (John 3:16–18, 36). This verse, however, indicates there are different levels of punishment in hell. The more an unbeliever knows about God, Jesus, and the offer of salvation (Romans 1:18–21) and chooses to reject that offer (Matthew 7:7–8), the more they are culpable for their sin of rebellion. Chorazin and Bethsaida—and especially Capernaum (Luke 10:15)—saw Jesus’ miraculous powers and heard Him teach. The people around Tyre and Sidon witnessed comparatively little. Consequently, the people of northeastern Galilee will face a much harsher judgment in eternity than the Gentiles of Phoenicia.
If, however, He had ministered to Tyre and Sidon as much as He had in northeast Galilee, the pagan Gentiles would have repented and mourned their sin (Luke 10:13). So, why didn’t He?
God chose the Jews as His people. Not just to reveal to the world God’s power and authority, but to invite the world to worship God. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would bless the “families of the earth” (Genesis 12:2–3). Although Jesus ministered to Gentiles when they found Him, His mission was to invite the Jews to accept Him as their Messiah so they could start the work of converting the world (Romans 1:16). As a nation, they refused. And so, the Jews have temporarily lost their favored position until the “times of the Gentiles” is complete (Luke 21:24).
Verse 15. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.
Seventy-two of Jesus’ disciples receive His instructions before they scatter into towns and villages. On their journey, they are commissioned to heal, cast out demons, and prepare the people for Jesus’ message of God’s coming kingdom. If the towns do not accept their message, the disciples are to simply shake the dust off their feet and warn the people that God’s kingdom is coming whether they like it or not (Luke 10:1–11, 17). Now, Jesus describes the reception that predominantly Jewish cities are giving to His signs and teaching compared to the theoretical reactions Gentile cities would have given had they witnessed the same evidence.
He begins by comparing the towns that will reject the disciples with Sodom (Luke 10:12). Then He compares Chorazin and Bethsaida, in northeast Galilee, with the Gentile Tyre and Sidon in Phoenicia (Luke 10:13–14). Now, He talks about Capernaum, His base of operations and the home of Andrew, Peter, James, and John.
Matthew combines Luke 10:12 and 15 in a way which more clearly parallels Luke 10:13–14:
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you. (Matthew 11:23–24)
Capernaum probably witnessed more healings and other miracles than any other city on earth. And many did repent and choose to follow Jesus. But as a city, they did not; nor did the religious leaders.
“Hades” is a general term for the realm of the dead. Jesus uses it to mean the temporary place where unbelievers will go between their deaths and final judgment. The comparison with heaven and the mention of “judgment” (Luke 10:14) makes it clear that Jesus means a place of torment.
Verse 16. “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
This is the summary statement of the first half of the chapter: it’s about God, not us. Jesus is sending seventy-two disciples to preach the kingdom of God and call the people to repentance. They go to prepare cities He will visit. The disciples are to pray God will provide more messengers to reach those ready to listen. As they go, God will provide housing and food and make sure their personal needs are taken care of. If a town accepts their message, the disciples are to provide physical and spiritual restoration commensurate with God’s kingdom, as empowered by Jesus, God the Son. If the cities don’t accept them, God will judge them (Luke 10:1–15).
The disciples are messengers, just as we are. If we spread the gospel of the Bible under the power and instruction of the Holy Spirit, those we speak to will react to God. If we rely on our own charisma and/or preach a gospel that does not align with what is in Scripture, our audience will follow or reject us. That’s the goal of cult leaders, but it doesn’t help anyone. We can’t save. Only God can.
Many people today claim that they would follow Jesus if only they could see Him personally. His ministry on earth proves otherwise. Few people saw Jesus more than the people of Capernaum. Few witnessed more miracles of healing or saw more demons cast out. And yet, people still refused to accept Him as the Messiah. There is no reason to think the world would be different, today. We know it won’t; Jesus will literally, physically reign from the throne in Jerusalem, and yet a great army from around the world will congregate and try to depose Him (Revelation 20:7–10). There is no proof great enough to convince everyone to follow Christ.
Verse 17. The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
Seventy-two of Jesus’ disciples have returned from their mission. Jesus sent them to visit towns and cities He planned to visit. The disciples’ role was to determine if the town was ready to hear Jesus’ message about the kingdom of God. They would heal and expel demons in the cities that welcome them (Luke 10:9). They are especially impressed that demons submit to them.
It’s unclear why there appears to be so much demonic activity during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Demons are rarely mentioned in the Old Testament. It may be that they are involuntarily drawn to Jesus (Mark 5:6) or that they are called to attempt to thwart His work. That this secondary-tier of disciples—which do not include the Twelve—can use Jesus’ authority to vanquish the spiritual enemy shows the power of God’s kingdom and Jesus’ place in it.
Later, religious leaders will cast doubt on the source of Jesus’ authority over demons. His critics speculate it comes from the prince of demons, Beelzebul, rather than God. Jesus will point out how their argument is irrational—if Satan sent Him to cast out demons, he would be fighting against his own cause. Jesus has power over demons because His power comes from God who is infinitely stronger than Satan (Luke 11:14–22).
In the culture of the time, one’s “name” did not mean just the sounds used to identify the person. It referred to the person’s reputation, in particular their authority and power. A modern parallel is when someone acts “in the name of” some person or group. They are acting on behalf of that person or group and with that person or group’s authority. For example, a law enforcement officer who commands someone to “stop, in the name of the law!” is evoking the authority of the law. In the patron-and-client system of the Roman Empire, the rich and powerful patron would use resources to do favors for the client. In return, the client would do smaller favors and pass on the patron’s messages, thereby acting in the patron’s name.
The disciples’ use of “Lord” and “in your name” show they are loyal followers of Jesus. Jesus confirms this by saying their “names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Even so, they don’t yet completely understand who He is or what He has come to do. Their words also show they know their power is not their own; every miracle they have performed is empowered by Jesus.
As in Luke 10:1, some ancient sources number the disciples at seventy while the slight majority say seventy-two. Since both numbers are in ancient sources, scholars consider whether scribes would have felt more justified changing seventy-two to seventy or seventy to seventy-two. Seventy-two is not an important number in Judaism or the New Testament. Seventy, however, is the number of the elders Moses commissioned as well as the number of men on the Sanhedrin (Exodus 24:1, 9; Numbers 11:16–17, 24–25).
The primary argument for changing seventy to seventy-two is to tie it to the mission to the Gentiles. In the Hebrew Old Testament, Genesis 10 lists seventy nations, but in the Greek Septuagint, the list is seventy-two. Luke is the only gospel writer who includes this story; he does not mention any restrictions on the audience to which Jesus sends His messengers. When Jesus sent out the Twelve earlier, He did tell them to go only to the Jews (Matthew 10:5–6). The argument is weak, however. Luke didn’t include the restriction on the Twelve in his account (Luke 9:1–6), and he doesn’t emphasize the mission to the Gentiles until Acts 8. It seems likely Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples and a few scribes changed it to seventy seeking to make the number connect to Jewish elders.
Context Summary
Luke 10:17–20 describes the return of seventy-two disciples, after a mission of healing and preaching about the kingdom of God (Luke 10:1–12). They celebrate their victories over demons. Jesus gives them an even wider perspective: Satan is already defeated. Their victory is not that demons listen to them but that they have eternal life. Only Luke records these words from Jesus.
Verse 18. And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Jesus sent out seventy-two of His larger group of disciples to prepare towns for His coming. Their arrival was a test of the city’s openness to the gospel: would the townspeople welcome emissaries from a poor rabbi who ate with sinners and associated with disreputable women? If so, the messengers were to declare that God’s kingdom was near. As a sign, they provided restoration with healing and exorcisms (Luke 10:1–12).
The exorcisms are what surprise the disciples the most. When they return, they exclaim, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10:17). This suggests the disciples don’t quite understand that using Jesus’ authority to cast out demons means using the power of God. And God has ensured that Satan is already defeated. The act of casting out demons is testament to this. Healing, casting out demons, and encouraging others to repent are all attacks against Satan’s power and steps toward restoration.
The circumstances of Satan falling from heaven are vague. We know Satan had access to heaven at the time of Job (Job 1:6). Isaiah recounts the fall of the king of Babylon which many think also refers to Satan (Isaiah 14:12). Satan’s fall is described in Revelation 12:7–12, but the dating is unclear. Early in the week leading to His execution, Jesus speaks of His crucifixion as the point of Satan’s fall (John 12:31).
In the context of Luke 10:1–24, Jesus is continuing the motif of judgment against those who refuse the coming kingdom of God. The people of towns like Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, who have personally witnessed God’s power and yet reject His message, will be judged severely (Luke 10:12–15). Satan will face an even greater judgment since he has seen God’s majesty first-hand.
Jesus continues the thematic wrap-up by reminding the disciples why they are safe. It is because God has made them so (Luke 10:3–4, 19). He then transitions to the real blessing: not safety from spiritual forces or healing from physical maladies but a place in God’s coming kingdom (Luke 10:20–24).
Verse 19. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
Seventy-two of Jesus’ disciples have returned from spreading the message that the kingdom of God is near. To validate their message, Jesus gave them power to heal diseases and injuries, but they are especially amazed that demons submitted to their word under Jesus’ name. Jesus explains that those victories are a sign that God has already defeated Satan (Luke 10:9, 17–18).
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, Jews thought He had come to return their political independence by driving out the Romans. After John the Baptist was born, his father, who was a priest, prophesied that the Jews would be “saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us” (Luke 1:71). Jesus reveals that the enemies are not the Romans, but “serpents and scorpions,” or the powers of the enemy Satan—Satan-as-snake being linked to Genesis 3:14–15. As Jesus speaks to these selected followers, God’s rescue is simultaneously full and has also just begun.
In the case of the disciples, the blessing also seems to be literal. When Paul was on the island of Malta, a viper bit him on the hand. While the locals stared, waiting for him to die, he merely shook the snake into the fire (Acts 28:3–6). Just as expelling demons is a sign that Satan is defeated, protection from snakes and scorpions act as a hint of the restored dominion over creation that humanity lost at the fall (Genesis 1:28). This does not mean, however, that snake-handling is a wise thing to do. Jesus gave this promise to those followers as a sign that verified His message. It does not apply to us, today.
In Mark 16:18, Jesus says something similar when giving the Great Commission after the resurrection: “…they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:9–20, however, is not found in the earliest manuscripts of Mark’s gospel and is not thought to be a true part of his gospel.
Verse 20. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Various cities and towns experienced visits from seventy-two of Jesus’ disciples. They arrive announcing the coming kingdom of God. If a town accepted their message, they stayed and performed miracles of healing (Luke 10:1–12). They are especially impressed that, with Jesus’ power and authority, they were able to cast out demons (Luke 10:17–18). Jesus put the situation into perspective. Those exorcisms revealed that God has already ensured the total defeat of Satan and all forces that work against God’s plan (Luke 10:19).
Even the destruction of Satan is a secondary issue, however. Whatever mayhem Satan can do does not compare to the greatness of reconciliation with the God of the universe. Authority in the fallen world is nothing compared to eternal life with the Creator. God knows them individually, and nothing can take that away (Romans 8:38–39).
Faced with the hardships—both natural consequences of a fallen world and spiritual attack—we easily lose sight of this. Understandably, we become overwhelmed when faced with sickness and hardships. When God sends relief, we rejoice. We forget that the ultimate restoration of our bodies and spirits is yet to come. So, Paul says:
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).
And
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18).
Those who accept Jesus’ message of the kingdom of God and repent look forward to the full healing of our bodies and the eternal defeat of evil.
Verse 21. In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
Jesus thanks God the Father for the work He has done in the lives of the disciples. Jesus is not thankful for the disciples’ ability to heal and cast out demons, but for their salvation and their God-given understanding of the Father, the Son, and their relationship (Luke 10:17–20).
Jesus’ description of His faithful followers as children in contrast to those who are “wise” or have “understanding” can be confusing. “Wise,” in a biblical context, means knowing how to practically apply godly knowledge (Proverbs 1:1–7). “Understanding” means to have good sense, and the ability to pass wisdom to others. Consistently in Scripture, God tells us to be wise and understanding (Psalm 94:8; Proverbs 1:5). So, why would Jesus be happy that His disciples are unwise, misunderstanding children?
Context is key: the wisdom and understanding Jesus dismisses are referenced with irony, or even sarcasm. He refers to the wisdom of the world and the understanding of religion twisted by men. The leaders of Jesus’ time adhered to religious beliefs placing unnecessary burdens on people and taking them away from God’s love and grace. Their worldly understanding incited them to reject their Messiah to hold on to their earthy authority.
In contrast, the disciples are “children” who accept Jesus humbly, with no pretense (Mark 10:15). Because their hearts are not filled with religious pride, they are better able to accept God’s revelation about His kingdom and the need for repentance. They also have eyes to see Jesus’ relationship with God the Father (Luke 10:22–24).
This is the plan the sovereign God decided in heaven and manifested on earth. In the disciples’ past, kings and prophets looked forward to God’s future revelation. It is that very revelation of the Son which the disciples get to experience (Luke 10:24). That understanding is far more important than either academic learning or miracles. That doesn’t mean academic learning is useless but that learning must submit to the context of the more important truths about our sinfulness, the Father’s love, and the Son’s sacrifice.
When Peter and John are called before the Sanhedrin, the leaders consider them “uneducated, common men.” Even so, the council members are “astonished” that the pair could argue so eloquently (Acts 4:13). The disciples are given understanding of God’s truth through the Holy Spirit. They accept what Jesus says and do not rely on their own understanding or human speculation. They know it is better to be foolish in the world’s eyes (1 Corinthians 1:18) but know our “names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
This verse is one of many that mentions all three Persons of the Trinity. Critics sometimes claim the Trinity is not explicitly found in the Bible. It is true the word “Trinity” is not in the Bible, but the three Persons are mentioned together in over one hundred passages in the New Testament (Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9–11; John 14:16–17; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:6; Hebrews 2:2–4; 1 Peter 1:2).
Context Summary
Luke 10:21–24 records Jesus’ praise to God the Father and a celebration of the salvation offered to believers. Jesus told seventy-two returning disciples that Satan is already defeated and their real victory is that God has given them salvation (Luke 10:17–20). Now, Jesus praises God the Father for their salvation (Luke 10:21–24). Matthew records the same words but places them in different contexts (Matthew 11:25–27; 13:16–17).
Verse 22. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Jesus is further explaining to His disciples the relationship between Himself and God the Father.
“All things” are responsibilities related to salvation and judgment. This includes what Jesus does and says (John 5:19; 12:49); the souls of the saved (John 10:29); and the right to judge the redeemed (2 Corinthians 5:10), the wicked (Revelation 6—16), and the nations (Luke 10:13–16; Matthew 25:31–46). The Father also gives the Son the authority to send the Holy Spirit (John 15:26), initiate the church to spread the gospel (Acts 1:8), and restrain evil through the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:6). Most relevant to the passage is that the Father authorizes the Son to inaugurate the kingdom of God (Luke 10:9).
The Father gives these things to the Son. The wording reveals that the Son is in submission to the Father. So, how can they both be God? In their being, the three Persons of the Trinity have the same essence. In their relationship, they have distinct roles. This is called “the economic Trinity.” They exist in mutual love and unity and they have the same nature, and they choose to interact in distinct ways. That submission can exist in the Trinity, where there is no inferior or superior Person, shows that the same can be true in human relationships.
God the Father also provides the Son with authority to reveal Himself to the Son’s followers. Since the Father and the Son have the same essence, the Son reveals the Father by being Himself. The Son is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). In the Upper Room, Philip says, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us” (John 14:8). Jesus replies, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” (John 14:9–10).
Hebrews 1:1–2 explains, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” In the Old Testament, God did reveal Himself, but He spoke to very few people directly. While He manifested Himself visibly from time to time, including what seem to be pre-incarnate appearances of the Son, that was relatively rare (Genesis 12:7–9; 18:1–33; 32:22–30; Exodus 3:2—4:17; 13:21–22; Deuteronomy 31:14–15). Moses, Aaron, two of Aaron’s sons, and seventy of Israel’s elders “saw the God of Israel” and even ate and drank there (Exodus 24:9–11). Moses saw a veiled display of the Father’s glory, poetically referred to as God’s back (Exodus 33:18–23). After powerful displays of wind, an earthquake, and fire, Elijah heard God in a low whisper (1 Kings 19:9–18). Isaiah (Isaiah 6), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1), and Daniel (Daniel 7) saw visions of God in heaven. But the disciples have a personal knowledge of the Father because they know Jesus.
The verse says that only the Father knows the Son and only the Son knows the Father. Does this mean the Holy Spirit does not know either? First Corinthians 2:11 says, “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” The Holy Spirit, the Father, and the Son are of the same essence and know each other perfectly. In this passage, Jesus is comparing the knowledge of the Father the disciples receive through Jesus to the ignorance of the “wise” religious leaders (Luke 10:21).
Verse 23. Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!
Jesus has finished His prayer thanking the Father that He has chosen to reveal the truth about the Father and the Son to the larger group of disciples (Luke 10:21–22). Now, Jesus emphasizes to the disciples how blessed they are that they receive this privilege. By “see,” Jesus means more than simply perceiving with one’s eyes. He means to witness, understand, and accept (Matthew 13:15). This is much the same as a person speaking modern English saying, “I see your point” or “I see what you mean.”
What the disciples see isn’t specifically that they have power over illness and demons (Luke 10:9, 17). Several local cities have seen that power and remain unmoved (Luke 10:13–15). Jesus is more thankful that they understand that Jesus is the Son of God who gave them that power. Also, that Satan has already been conquered and they are ultimately safe from any of the enemy’s schemes (Luke 10:17–19). Basically, they see the presence of the kingdom of God in human history (Luke 10:9).
Finally, they see God the Father because they see the Son. Religious leaders in the disciples’ time see the Son and declare His power comes from Satan (Mark 3:22). Prophets and kings from long ago longed to see God’s work of salvation and had only promises (Hebrews 11; 1 Peter 1:10–12). The author of Hebrews wrote of the Old Testament saints, “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39–40).
The reference to eyes that see is part of a larger illustration that runs throughout the history of Israel. The Israelites who were delivered from Egypt and their children witnessed God’s miraculous provision, but still didn’t understand what it meant (Deuteronomy 29:2–4). In Isaiah’s day, God warned Judah that because of their refusal to live as if He is their God, they would continue to see and hear but not understand. It was past time for them to repent, and judgment, in the form of the Babylonian exile, was inevitable (Isaiah 6:9–10). The hardships of judgment continued during the exile in both Jerusalem and Babylon (Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2).
The same type of hardened hearts led Jesus to speak in parables. Only those who really listened and trusted Him would discover the meaning of His teaching (Matthew 13:10–17). God chose the meek of the world who did not rely on their own understanding to reveal the truth (Luke 10:21–22).
Verse 24. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
Seventy-two of Jesus’ disciples prepared towns for His ministry (Luke 10:1–12). They were given the authority to heal, cast out demons, and declare that the kingdom of God is near. Even so, it was clear many would not listen to their message even when faced with miracles (Luke 10:13–16). After their return, Jesus refocused the disciples’ attention from miracles back to the kingdom. The crucial issue is not that they can heal and cast out demons, but that God the Father has chosen them to know the truth and experience His kingdom (Luke 10:17–23). As a last comment, Jesus reminds the disciples that many faithful Jews throughout history have longed to see what they are witnessing.
The first Old Testament characters who longed to see God’s kingdom were Adam and Eve: sinful, shamed, and covered in hastily assembled fig leaves. They heard God promise that Eve’s offspring would defeat the deceitful serpent, but they did not know when or what that would look like (Genesis 3:14–15).
The king who most exemplified a desire for God’s kingdom was David. Many psalms attest to his love of and devotion to God. Despite his egregious sins, he remained the man after God’s own heart because of his readiness to repent.
The prophet who most wanted to see God’s kingdom was probably Jeremiah. He had to stay in Jerusalem as it burned around him. Unlike Ezekiel who only learned of the destruction of the temple, Jeremiah witnessed it. Then he was kidnapped and likely murdered in Egypt (Hebrews 11:37).
The last Old Testament-era prophet to long for the kingdom of God was John the Baptist. While in prison, he sent messengers to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:20).
Countless others in the disciples’ past longed to see God fulfill His promises (Hebrews 11). They heard of the coming salvation and they had faith in God. Yet they did not see God the Son incarnate and understand what He represents. They did not see in Him the authority over sickness, the destruction of Satan, or the judgment of blind, hard-hearted cities. And they were never able to look at Him and see “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).
It is said that John the Baptist is the last of the Old Testament-era prophets. Simeon and Anna may be the first of the New Testament prophets. They took one look at the infant Jesus and knew they had found the Messiah. Many prophets longed to see the coming of the kingdom of God. Simeon and Anna lived to see and had the hearts to understand (Luke 2:25–38).
Verse 25. And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Ancient writers did not always arrange stories in chronological order. As a result, we can’t say for sure whether this event directly follows the previous. Yet by stacking the stories in this way, Luke makes an interesting contrast. He has just completed the extended story of seventy-two disciples sent to declare the coming of the kingdom of God with verifying miracles (Luke 10:1–17). To put the disciples’ experience in context, Jesus teaches them that the real blessing of God’s kingdom is not healing or casting out demons but eternal life (Luke 10:18–20). Jesus then thanks God the Father for choosing the meek who are not sophisticated in human or religious knowledge to reveal the truth about His kingdom (Luke 10:21–24).
Now, Luke introduces a religiously sophisticated lawyer. The man wants to know what he should do to grasp this kingdom blessing. Jesus leads the lawyer to understand that his obligation is to love God and love his neighbor.
The Jewish understanding of eternal life was to experience the kingdom of God in the resurrection. Daniel learned, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). When Jesus sent out the seventy-two disciples, He revealed that those who reject the message of the kingdom of God will be judged and those who repent will be saved (Luke 10:10–12, 20).
“Lawyer” is Luke’s term for a scribe of the law. The fact that the man asks about eternal life reveals he is a Pharisee; Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead while Sadducees did not. Pharisees were experts not only in the Mosaic law, but in the extra Oral Law that they followed and tried to enforce on others (Matthew 23:2–4). That the lawyer tries to “put him to the test” reflects the antagonistic relationship Jesus had with lawyers and Pharisees.
Only one other person is recorded asking Jesus this question: the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18–30). Both men were respected by their communities and devoutly religious. The ruler seems to be asking if his devotion to God is enough. The lawyer seems to want to start a debate, which was normal among teachers and students. Peter also faces the question of what one should do for salvation on Pentecost, as does Paul in a Philippian jail (Acts 2:37; 16:30).
This does not seem to be the same event that occurs during the Passion Week, although a discussion between Jesus and a lawyer about the greatest commandment is featured in both (Mark 12:28–34).
Directly after Jesus’ interaction with the lawyer is the account of Mary and Martha. The lawyer wants to test Jesus. Martha wants to serve Him. Mary, however, wants to sit at His feet and learn all she can about Him. She exemplifies the little child who sees and hears (Luke 10:38–42).
Context Summary
Luke 10:25–28 is an example proving that God reveals the blessings of His kingdom to those who are humble and repentant, not necessarily the religiously educated or culturally sophisticated. A religious lawyer wants the qualifications for eternal life explained precisely. In the Passion Week, Jesus has a similar but different conversation with a scribe about loving God and others (Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–34).
Verse 26. He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
A lawyer has asked Jesus how he can “inherit eternal life” (Luke 10:25). Jesus in turn asks the lawyer about the Mosaic law; He likely does so for a couple of reasons. First, Jesus proves He is also a devout Jew who honors the Mosaic law. He’s not trying to turn Judaism into anything God didn’t intend.
Second, this lawyer is a Pharisee, as shown by his question about eternal life, which the Sadducees did not believe in. While Sadducees followed only the written Mosaic law—the Pentateuch—Pharisees included the “Oral Law,” which is extra regulations they claimed God gave to Moses to supplement the written law. The Pharisees try to force the Jews to follow the Oral Law as well. Jesus says, “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger” (Matthew 23:4).
The Oral Law wasn’t written down until about AD 200 when the Jewish teachers wanted a standard for the Jews in the Diaspora. By asking what is written in the Law and how does the lawyer read it, Jesus is turning the lawyer back to the written Mosaic law and away from any extra-scriptural teachings (1 Corinthians 4:6).
Verse 27. And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
An expert in the Mosaic and Oral Laws in the tradition of the Pharisees has asked Jesus how to attain eternal life (Luke 10:25). Jesus and the Pharisees have an antagonistic relationship, and the lawyer is putting Jesus “to the test.” It was common for teachers and students to debate about theology, so the lawyer isn’t necessarily attacking Jesus.
Jesus turns the question around on the lawyer (Luke 10:26), asking him “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” By doing so, Jesus challenges the lawyer to find the answer in the written Mosaic law, not the Oral Law that the Pharisees try to force the people to follow. This echoes the biblical principle that God’s written Word is the ultimate guideline for faith (1 Corinthians 4:6).
The lawyer answers with the introduction of the Mosaic law. Deuteronomy 6:4 is the call to listen. Deuteronomy 6:5, which the lawyer quotes, is the first command. As is tradition, the lawyer combines Deuteronomy 6:5, which is the commandment to love God, with Leviticus 19:18, which says to love one’s neighbor. Jesus responds that if the lawyer does this, he will attain eternal life (Luke 10:28).
The lawyer mentions heart, soul, strength, and mind; Deuteronomy 6:5 only mentions heart, soul, and might. While the phrasing varies, the meanings are the same. The point isn’t to identify specific aspects of a human or even recite the wording perfectly, but to represent the whole being. It is interesting that a lawyer adds “mind”—it shows how he values his own intellect.
Days before Jesus’ death, the Pharisees and their lawyers will challenge Jesus by asking about the greatest commandment. Jesus will start with the shema (Deuteronomy 6:4). He replies to their question: “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lᴏʀᴅ our God, the Lᴏʀᴅ is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29–31). Matthew’s account includes Jesus saying, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40). The lawyer will respond that these commandments are “much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). Jesus will say, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34).
Verse 28. And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
A lawyer has asked Jesus how to attain eternal life. Jesus gets the lawyer to describe what the Mosaic law says: to love God and love his neighbor (Luke 10:25–27). Jesus responds that doing so will, indeed, lead to eternal life. Does this mean that Jesus is telling the lawyer he can earn salvation? Not at all.
Salvation has always been by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9) as Hebrews 11 proves. The greatest commandment—to love God and love one’s neighbor—is the summarization of God’s intent for the Mosaic law. The specific rules in the Law are examples of what it looked like for the Israelites to love God and others.
The purpose of the Mosaic law was to act out faith in God and His promises. In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, God lays out the terms of His relationship with the ancient Israelites: if they obey His Law, He will bless them; if they disobey, He will discipline them. Obeying His Law is the exterior proof that they follow Him; following Him is proof that they have faith that He is their God, they are His people, and He will fulfill His promises. Loving God and others is the worldview and heart attitude necessary to act out their faith.
The lawyer isn’t finished, however. Instead of accepting that “love God and love his neighbor” should be the core of his identity, he wants boundaries. He is a lawyer of the Pharisees, which means he is an expert on the Oral Law: added stipulations Pharisees enforce to stay far from breaking the Mosaic law. Jesus has asked him to restrict his answer to what is written that he can read (Luke 10:26; 1 Corinthians 4:6). The lawyer wants finer detail than Moses gave. He goes on to ask Jesus to define “neighbor” (Luke 10:29).
Instead of narrowing down the requirement, Jesus opens it up. “Love your neighbor” means “love everyone who needs it.” Even the dreaded Samaritans: half-Jews-half-Gentiles who claim to worship God but do so in ways contrary to the Mosaic law. Even more horrifying, Jesus makes a Samaritan the hero of the story. This controversial figure is the one who knows how to love as God intends (Luke 10:29–37). The lawyer wanted to know what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus teaches him who he needs to be.
This encounter resembles Jesus’ conversation in the week before He is crucified. The major difference is that here, the lawyer asks about eternal life and Jesus directs him to the greatest commandment. Later, the lawyer will ask about the greatest commandment, and Jesus will answer. Here, Jesus tells the lawyer that the key to eternal life is to love God and love one’s neighbor. Later, the lawyer will tell Jesus He has correctly identified the greatest commandments. The lawyer will then reiterate what Jesus has just said, and Jesus will tell him “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:32–34).
Verse 29. But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus is interacting with a lawyer of the Pharisees: an expert in both the Mosaic and Oral Laws. After the return from exile in Babylon, Jewish religious leaders wanted to ensure Jews would remain faithful to God and not risk another exile. They added extra regulations to the Mosaic law to guard people from coming near to breaking the Law. Over time, those were treated as mandatory and just as important as the written laws of Moses. Jesus condemns these added regulations, calling them “heavy burdens, hard to bear” (Matthew 23:4).
This lawyer asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Jesus, in turn, challenges him to find the answer in the Mosaic law. The lawyer answers correctly, saying he must love God and love his neighbor. Yet he wants minute details—implying loopholes—such as the Oral Law would give (Luke 10:25–28). He asks Jesus to define “neighbor.” He may be thinking of the laws to treat “the sons of your own people” as neighbors and the sojourner, who would obey the basics of the Mosaic law, as a native (Leviticus 19:18, 33–34). To the scribe, this may mean devout Jews and proselytes, but certainly not anyone who was not faithful to the Law.
Jesus responds in an unusual way. He has already spoken extensively on what it means to love one’s enemy (Luke 6:27–36). Now He flips it and tells the story of a Samaritan who loves his Jewish enemy. Love turns an enemy into a neighbor.
The lawyer asks this question seeking to “justify himself.” We see this with the rich ruler, as well (Mark 10:17–22). The young man asks the same question: how to inherit eternal life. Jesus replies with the second half of the Ten Commandments, which describe proper treatment of other people. The man affirms he had lived by those rules. Jesus saw it was true and “looking at him, love[s] him” (Mark 10:21). But, as with the lawyer, Jesus doesn’t let him off the hook. He tells the young man to sell everything and give to the poor. It’s not that total abandonment of material goods is required to be saved, but that a heart completely dedicated to God will be willing to sacrifice anything He asks for the sake of following Him.
In the same way, Jesus will tell the lawyer that everyone is his neighbor—even his enemies. A heart completely dedicated to God will be willing to demonstrate love even to those who oppose them. None of us naturally have such hearts, however. It’s why we need Jesus’ sacrifice. No person can justify themselves. But if we accept forgiveness from Christ, He becomes our justification (Romans 3:19–26).
Context Summary
Luke 10:29–37 contains the famous parable of the good Samaritan. A lawyer asked Jesus about salvation; Jesus asks the lawyer how he reads the Law. They agree that the core of the Mosaic law is to love God and love one’s neighbor. Seeking a loophole, the lawyer asks who he must consider a “neighbor.” In response, Jesus tells the story in this passage. The implication is that a “neighbor” is anyone in need. Luke is the only author to include this parable.
Verse 30. Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.
As an expert in the law, the lawyer to whom Jesus is speaking knows that loving God and loving one’s neighbor is the heart of the Mosaic law. But he wants specifics. Who is his neighbor (Luke 10:25–29)? Jesus tells a story that turns the question around. An unidentified man is assaulted and left for dead. Two religious leaders—a priest and a Levite—devout and educated in the Mosaic law, ignore the man. A Samaritan, however, goes out of his way to rescue him and pays for his recovery (Luke 10:31–35¬¬).
The lawyer is an expert in the written law which God gave Moses. He also knows much about the Oral Law, which scribes added later in an attempt to protect God’s law. Jesus teaches this scholar that the Law doesn’t cause someone to love one’s neighbor. Nor does it define one’s neighbor. The Law merely provides examples of how to act; love reveals that a neighbor can be anyone.
The road from Jerusalem to Jericho can be dangerous, especially for a single traveler. It is long with a large drop in elevation, rocky and lined with caves in which robbers can hide and ambush victims. The term “robber” can mean bandit, but it can also refer to an insurrectionist or guerrilla. Either would be willing to harm someone for their money. A modern parallel might be to speak of someone walking through a dark city alley in the middle of the night.
Verse 31. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
A lawyer knows he should show love to his neighbor, but he wants to restrict the command so it’s not overly difficult. He wants to know exactly who his neighbor is, so he knows to whom he is required to show love (Luke 10:25–29). Jesus begins His explanation by describing an innocent man, beaten and left for dead (Luke 10:30). Who will show him love?
“Lawyers,” in this context, are a type of religious leader. They are experts in the Mosaic law. Jesus describes the responses of other religious leaders—a priest and a Levite—people who should know the specifics of what it means to love others. These men are educated, like the lawyer; like him, they are “wise and understanding” (Luke 10:21). But their position and authority comes through both training and heritage. The culture presumes they will do the right thing. The lawyer should be able to look up to them as examples. But it is not intelligence that draws someone to God’s truth; it’s the humility of a child to see and listen. The priest “sees,” but does not understand (Matthew 13:15–16), unlike Jesus’ disciples and Mary of Bethany (Luke 10:21–24, 39–42).
Scholars have different theories for why the priest ignores the man. Some suggest the priest is afraid of becoming unclean if the man is dead (Numbers 19:11). He is traveling “down,” however, which means away from Jerusalem. Presumably, his priestly duties are complete and he is headed home. According to the Mosaic law, a priest may only make himself unclean for the death of his father, mother, brother, unmarried sister, or children (Leviticus 21:1–3). But Mishnah Nazir 7.1, written around 200 AD, states that even a high priest may bury a corpse if there is no one else around to do it.
Luke doesn’t record Jesus giving an explicit explanation. Jesus is using a story as an illustration, not reciting a factual history, and He apparently does not think the lawyer needs to know a specific motivation for the priest’s lack of care. The lawyer understands; the priest and Levite do not stop because they have no mercy for the beaten man (Luke 10:37). In other teachings, Jesus emphasizes that God never intended ceremonial laws to override compassion or mercy (Luke 14:1–6).
Verse 32. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
Jesus has maneuvered a lawyer into admitting his basic spiritual obligations. Those are to love God and love his neighbor; a person who properly exhibits those demonstrates saving faith and will gain eternal life (Luke 10:25–28). Yet the lawyer wants to know more specifically who he must love (Luke 10:29). Jesus presents a hypothetical situation in which a man is beaten, robbed, and left on the side of the road. Two religious leaders—a priest and a Levite—come across him. The lawyer is an expert in the Law, but priests and Levites are commissioned by God to teach the people how to follow the Law. The lawyer should be able to emulate their behavior. Their examples, however, do not reflect any love for this man (Luke 10:30–31). Despite seeing the man, they choose not to understand (Matthew 13:15–16). They exemplify the “shepherds of Israel” who abuse God’s sheep instead of caring for them (Ezekiel 34:1–3).
Levites are from the tribe of Levi, but not descended from Aaron, so they aren’t priests (Exodus 30:30). They handle the manual labor for the priests and maintain the temple (Numbers 1:47–54). Unlike priests, the Mosaic law does not impose any extra cleanliness regulations on Levites. They can touch and bury a dead body with the same rituals as any other Israelite. The Levite is a type of religious leader, but without the burden of exceptional cleanness he should be more willing to help the injured man.
This second example tells the lawyer what he already knows. The Mosaic law says to love one’s neighbor, but cultural Judaism—of which he is a part—would not likely act on behalf of the half-dead man. The Levite walks on for the same reason the priest did: he has no mercy (Luke 10:37).
At this point, the lawyer may feel relief. If a priest and a Levite won’t help such a man, perhaps he doesn’t have to, either. But Jesus is not finished. When a Samaritan happens by (Luke 10:33), he doesn’t hesitate. He shows love immediately and thoroughly. Not only should the lawyer have the heart of the Samaritan, he should realize that if he were the victim, he wouldn’t care who his rescuer is as long as someone showed him mercy.
Verse 33. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
Jesus is speaking to an expert in the law of Moses. They have established that to inherit eternal life, the lawyer needs to love God and his neighbor. What’s crucial is to establish what that “love” means and what it looks like in practice. The lawyer is used to arguing the finer points of the Law, so he asks Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25–29).
Jesus tells him the story of the good Samaritan. A man is beaten up, robbed, and left for dead. Two religious leaders—a priest and a Levite—see the man and pass by. Surely, if “loving your neighbor” included helping a half-dead man in distress, the leaders would respond, but they don’t (Luke 10:30–32). The lawyer may think whatever love he has shown is enough.
The story continues. It is not the religious Jews who stop to help. Instead, rescue for the injured man comes from someone seen as an enemy: a Samaritan. Centuries before, the northern kingdom of Israel practiced such great idolatry that God allowed Assyria to take them into exile. The Samaritans in Jesus’ time were descendants of the poorest of the Jews and the pagan immigrants the Assyrians implanted from other conquered nations. Samaritan religion was a mix of pagan religion and God-worship (2 Kings 17). Jews of Jesus’ era hated them for their mixed ethnicity and their polluted version of Judaism. Not only that, but there was also political friction. When the Jews rebuilt the temple and walls around Jerusalem in Ezra and Nehemiah’s day, there was strife (Ezra 4; Nehemiah 6:1–9; 13:28–29), leading to the Samaritans building their own temple on Mount Gerizim. About a century-and-a-half prior to Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Hasmoneans destroyed that Samaritan temple, along with much of their land. The Samaritans sided with the Romans when they conquered Judea around 63 BC, and later Herod the Great did much to rebuild. It seems some Jews and Samaritans intentionally incited one another. For example, it is believed that some Samaritans defiled the Jewish temple with bones just a few decades prior Jesus’ public ministry. During Jesus’ ministry, a Samaritan town refused hospitality to Jesus and His followers; James and John offered to call down fire to destroy the town (Luke 9:51–56). Clearly the animosity was real.
Shortly before this interaction between Jesus and the lawyer, Jesus prayed to God, thanking Him that He hid His truths from “the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children” (Luke 10:21). This lawyer is the pinnacle of Jewish wisdom and understanding, as are the priest and Levite in the story. The Samaritan, on the other hand, doesn’t even accept the proper worship of God; yet he knows how to love.
When the lawyer said he knew he needed to love God and others, he used the Greek word agape which means a self-giving love that sees to the needs of others. Jesus uses “compassion” which means sympathy or pity. Later, the lawyer will say the Samaritan showed “mercy” to the victim: kindness for someone in need (Luke 10:37). Jesus teaches the lawyer that to love your neighbor is to compassionately act on their behalf, even if they hate you (Luke 10:27–37).
The lawyer is not the only person listening to Jesus; the disciples are there, too. They have seen some Samaritans welcome Jesus and other reject Him (Luke 9:51–56). Soon after they establish the church, Peter and John will witness a great number of Samaritans accept Jesus as their savior (Acts 8:4–8, 14–17). In this section (Luke 9:51—19:47), Jesus prepares the disciples for their future work. They make many missteps, but their eventual acceptance of the Samaritan believers is a credit to them and God’s unifying work in His church (Galatians 3:25–29; Ephesians 2:11–22).
Verse 34. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
A Jewish lawyer knows he needs to love God and love his neighbor to inherit the gift of eternal life. These two commands encompass the spirit of the Mosaic law. Ever ready to debate, the lawyer wants to know who he is supposed to show his love to. Who is his neighbor (Luke 10:25–29)?
Jesus turns the question around. Israelites of that era despised Samaritans for their mixed heritage, corrupted religion, and centuries of political strife. By making the Samaritan the one who shows love—surpassing that of Jewish religious leaders—Jesus explains that showing love is not merely a task. It should be a natural expression of one’s character. God expects us to be people of love, not merely people who love.
The Samaritan’s initial ministrations are selfless. He shares his own supply of oil and wine and may have had to tear his own clothes to make bandages. Oil keeps the skin soft so it won’t dry out; wine is the first medication and prevents infection. Jesus does not include in His story whether the Samaritan was riding the animal, and now must walk, or if he was using it as a pack animal and now needs to carry his cargo. The point Jesus is making is that the Samaritan freely shares his own supplies, and goes out of his way, to care for the wounded man. The Samaritan pays for a room and tends to the victim all night. When he leaves the next morning, he pays two days’ wages. That likely would have covered more than three weeks of room and board. When he leaves, he promises to return and compensate the innkeeper for any other expenses (Luke 10:35).
Verse 35. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’
Jesus continues His story, explaining the kind of love that God expects from His followers. It’s not a theoretical love that identifies a need but maintains distance in service of some “more important” task. Nor is it a love that remains within cultural boundaries and will not extend to a hated enemy. It is a compassionate love that sees someone in need and sacrifices to ease their hardship.
Two denarii was two day’s wages in that era. At a simple inn, this was probably enough for more than three weeks of room and board. It is certainly enough for the innkeeper to check up on the victim and dress his wounds. The Samaritan is emphatic that he will cover the expenses; the victim is not obligated to anything.
Some scholars attempt to allegorize the story, saying the Samaritan is Jesus, the victim is us, the inn is the church, and the oil and wine are the sacraments. While some of Jesus’ parables have layered meaning, they are not meant to be so obscure nor so convoluted. Jesus’ parables are generally intended to make one main point. Extravagant interpretations are not needed and can easily introduce error. The story is more reminiscent of Jesus’ explanation that those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and imprisoned are credited with showing the same type of love to Jesus (Matthew 25:35–40).
Verse 36. Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”
A lawyer has asked Jesus how he can inherit eternal life from God. Perhaps he is thinking of Daniel 12:2 which describes the fate of Jews at the last judgment: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” The lawyer knows what the answer is, but he wants to know what Jesus thinks. Jesus expertly turns the question around and asks the lawyer what the written Mosaic law says—not the extra-biblical Oral Law or the countless rabbinical arguments. The lawyer responds that the greatest commandment, requiring love for God and one’s neighbor, covers the entirety of the Mosaic law. After Jesus affirms his answer, the lawyer asks, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25–29).
Jesus replies with the parable of the good Samaritan. A man is beaten, robbed, and left for dead. Two religious leaders—a priest and a Levite—walk past. For whatever reasons, they choose to do nothing in response to the man’s dire need. A Samaritan, culturally hated and a social enemy of the Jews, goes to great pains to rescue the man and ensure he recovers. He, rather than the exemplars of Judaism, follows the law of Moses.
The illustration must have cut the lawyer. He is a type of religious leader; he is a scholar specializing in Mosaic law. He does not have the reputation of a priest or Levite, however. He must know that Jesus is speaking the truth; if he were the victim of a brutal robbery and assault, priests and Levites would pass him by rather than risk becoming unclean and jeopardizing their duties.
Jesus may as well ask, “If you were this man, who would be a neighbor to you?” The lawyer knows it is the man who acted out of the love in his heart, not the men who knew the Law but did not live it out. Jesus’ wording is also poignant. The Samaritan didn’t try to define who was his neighbor, and he didn’t care about the nationality, ethnicity, color, status, or cleanness of the victim. He was the neighbor and that’s what counted.
Verse 37. He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Jesus finishes His conversation with the lawyer. They are discussing how someone can be judged righteous at the resurrection and enter God’s kingdom. The lawyer knows that loving God and neighbor is the culmination of the Mosaic law. But he wants to know who his neighbor is—to which people must he show love (Luke 10:25–29)?
Jesus proceeds to tell the parable of the good Samaritan. A man is beaten up and left for dead. A priest and a Levite pass by without stopping. A Samaritan cares for the man, even paying two days’ wages to ensure an innkeeper sees to his needs. Jesus asks the lawyer to identify which man was a neighbor to the victim (Luke 10:30–36). Dr. Darrell Bock suggests that by responding with, “the one who showed him mercy” instead of identifying the story’s hero as “the Samaritan,” the lawyer betrays a cultural prejudice. That may be, but it also affirms that anyone can be a neighbor to anyone else, regardless of religion, ethnicity, nationality, or conflict.
In the story, Jesus shows that “Who is my neighbor?” is the wrong question. He goes back to the lawyer’s original question: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25). The answer is: be a neighbor; love like a neighbor. We shouldn’t ask, “Who are we supposed to love?” We’re supposed to ask, “How do we become a loving person?” The priest and the Levite—like the lawyer—have head-knowledge of the Law, but no love. The Samaritan, an enemy of the Jews, is a loving person and so he loves the victim and through that love, the two become neighbors. The point here is not that good deeds lead to eternal life, but that the faith that secures eternal life expresses itself in godly love.
Verse 38. Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.
Twice, Jesus has told His disciples to enter towns, find a host who welcomes their message of the kingdom of God, and stay in that host’s home. If no one accepts their message, the disciples are to leave while giving a sign of judgment against the town (Luke 9:4–5; 10:5–11). Luke gave an example of the latter; a Samaritan village refuses to host Jesus “because his face was set toward Jerusalem” (Luke 9:53). That is, He affirmed that the God they should worship is the God of the Jews and that He established right worship in Jerusalem, not the altar built in Samaria. When they rejected the message, they rejected Jesus and His blessings.
The story of Mary and Martha gives more nuance to the conversation. Martha appears receptive to Jesus’ message. She invites Jesus to her home, and He accepts. The issue is that her priorities are unbalanced. She gives more weight to hosting Jesus than listening to Him (Luke 10:39–40). Mary submits entirely to Jesus and His message.
Martha bases her actions on the culture of her era, where hospitality was among the most important social expectations. Further, in that culture, women were expected to serve, not to learn. Some traditional Jewish writers suggested women shouldn’t be taught to read at all, because women learning to read the Torah would be useless and dangerous. Mary senses that Jesus is not a traditional rabbi, however, and wants to know her true place in God’s kingdom.
The Christian life is similar. Once the Holy Spirit makes His home in us, He will not leave. That doesn’t instantly adjust our priorities into proper focus. We can echo Martha’s well-meaning error, spending too much energy on the external, simplistic aspects of welcoming Jesus. That can include exceptionally good things, such as serving at the church, listening to Christian radio, or hanging verses on our walls. But those exercises don’t replace listening to His message and building a relationship with Him. Modern “Christian Culture” can be as distracting and burdensome as Martha’s hospitality culture. As Paul says, such things are lawful, but they are not all helpful (1 Corinthians 6:12).
Context Summary
Luke 10:38¬–42 is another example of how Jesus prioritizes sincere, humble faith over rote tradition or cultural standards. In Luke 9, Luke showed that the humbly repentant will be blessed, while those caught up in religiosity and culture will be left empty. In this incident, Martha exemplifies the latter. Her sister Mary, however, has a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and what He expects of her (Luke 10:38–42).
Verse 39. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord ‘s feet and listened to his teaching.
Jesus is teaching at Martha’s home (Luke 10:38). Martha is burdened by the honor of hosting Jesus and has busied herself with preparations. In that era, women were expected to serve, not learn, and hospitality was a crucial social obligation. Her sister, Mary, is more interested in what Jesus can give (Luke 10:40). As this passage will explain, Martha’s mind is set on good things—but not the best things. She is distracted by customs and traditions, while Mary’s focus is on what is most important.
“Mary” is Mary of Bethany. She is the sister of Martha and of Lazarus whom Jesus rose from the dead (John 11). She anointed Jesus with ointment in the Passion Week (John 12:1–8). She is neither Mary Magdalene (Mark 15:40, 47; 16:1) Mary the wife of Clopas and mother of James the younger (Mark 15:40, 47; 16:1; John 19:25), Mary the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12), nor Mary of Rome (Romans 16:6). And, of course, she’s not Jesus’ mother.
Mary’s actions are intentional. That she “sat” doesn’t merely refer to her physical position, but to the choice to stay near Jesus and learn. It could also be part of an idiom—”sat at the feet of”—to denote rabbinical discipleship. Mary leaves her sister behind (Luke 10:40); it’s not clear if she started to help Martha and left before they’d finished, or if she chose to stay with Jesus from the beginning. What is certain is that Mary chooses to sit and listen to Jesus despite other demands for her attention.
“At the Lord’s feet” is the place of a disciple. The apostle Paul said he was “educated at the feet of Gamaliel” (Acts 22:3). That Mary of Bethany “sat at the feet of Jesus” implies a discipleship relationship. Unlike many rabbis, Jesus welcomes women. That includes those who serve and support Him (Luke 8:1–3), but also those who simply wish to listen and learn. In Jesus’ era, women were not taught aspects of the Law unless they directly applied to them. Nor did they learn from men: their lessons were given by mothers, mothers-in-law, sisters, or older women. But Jesus is willing to teach all. Interestingly, particularly in the gospel of Luke, there are multiple male-female story pairings, including in Jesus’ parables (i.e., Luke 1:46–55, 67–79; 2:22–38; 7:1–17, 36–50; 15:1–7, 8–10; 18:1–8, 9–14). Jesus did not simply allow women to listen in; He intentionally invited them in.
Jesus is referred to as “Lord” three times in five verses in this passage. He is clearly represented as the highest authority in the scene. This is why Martha appeals to Him to tell Mary to help her (Luke 10:40). Mary knows it is more respectful to learn about Him when He teaches than to provide service.
Verse 40. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”
Martha has invited Jesus into her home, where He is now teaching (Luke 10:38). Martha is trying to honor Jesus by showing as much hospitality as she can. This flows naturally from the expectations of her culture. Her sister, however, chooses not to help but to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn (Luke 10:39). Women of her era rarely get to learn from male teachers; let alone Jesus of Nazareth. So, Mary takes full advantage of her opportunity.
In the last few chapters, Luke included stories which emphasize the importance of hospitality. Jesus told two different sets of disciples they should receive the hospitality of those open to their message (Luke 9:4–5; 10:5–11). He quietly passed by a Samaritan village that refused to offer Him hospitality because they rejected His message (Luke 9:52–56).
More recently, Jesus interacted with a lawyer who knew he needed to learn how to love God and others. But the man also wanted to narrow the definition of the “neighbors” he was required to love. Martha knows how to love Jesus as a neighbor: to serve Him and meet His physical needs. She doesn’t know how to love Jesus as God: to listen to Him and absorb His teaching. Jesus gently corrects Martha by explaining that she needs Him more than He needs her (Luke 10:42).
The good Samaritan in Jesus’ parable served out of love. The townspeople with whom the disciples interacted served out of a desire to learn about the kingdom of God. Martha is caught in an overdeveloped sense of cultural obligation (Luke 10:41). Paul will later describe how worldly expectations are not always bad, but they may pull us away from “undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:32–35). Jesus tries to teach Martha that she doesn’t need to work so hard. He doesn’t need her to work so hard. But she does need to sit and learn from what He has to say.
This is not the first time someone expected Jesus to correct a woman’s break from social norms. A Pharisee showed proper cultural hospitality by inviting Jesus to dine, but the meal was interrupted by a disreputable woman. She proceeded to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears and her hair. The Pharisee was disgusted that Jesus didn’t put her in her proper place. Jesus rebuked the Pharisee and taught him how the woman’s attentions greatly exceeded his minimal hospitality. The woman, like Mary, valued and responded to the kingdom message, not the cultural expectations in which the Pharisee and Martha find their identity and worth (Luke 7:36–50).
“Serving” comes from the Greek root word diakonia, the exact term from which we derive the word “deacon.” The New Testament will continue to affirm that prayer and the ministry of the word have a higher priority than service (Luke 11:1–13; Acts 6:1–4). Servants have an important job, but they, too, need to be fed spiritually (Acts 2:42).
Verse 41. But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
The story of Mary and Martha directly follows the parable of the good Samaritan. In that parable, a priest and a Levite fail to show minimal hospitality to a half-dead man left on the side of the road. A Samaritan—supposedly the wounded man’s cultural enemy—goes above and beyond, using his own resources and money to make sure the man receives the highest care possible (Luke 10:30–37).
Here, Jesus corrects Martha’s attempt to go above and beyond in showing Him hospitality. This is not because hospitality is unwarranted, but because her heart is misaligned. While she means well, and what she does is “good,” it is not “best” in this situation. She is “distracted” (Luke 10:40), “anxious,” and “troubled.” The priest and Levite were distracted, as well, and so neglected to do the “good portion” (Luke 10:42). The Samaritan loved and gave the attention which was needed; so too does Mary.
So even as Jesus corrects Martha, He shows that He recognizes her. He sees her and her struggle. He doesn’t simply tell her, “You’re doing it wrong.” He starts with, “You are anxious and troubled.” Then He goes on to show her troubles are self-inflicted. Jesus isn’t just saying that Mary is doing the better thing. His point is deeper than a student seeking a good grade in the classroom. He’s sensitive to filling Martha’s deepest needs. Jesus invites Martha to join in what Mary has chosen. If Martha refuses, Jesus isn’t going to sacrifice Mary and what she needs just so Martha can more easily fulfill her cultural obligations.
Verse 42. but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Jesus is in Martha’s home, teaching (Luke 10:38). Martha is working hard to show Jesus the utmost hospitality. Meanwhile, her sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens. Luke has just given several stories showing the importance of hospitality, but those acts, themselves, are not the point. The Samaritan showed hospitality because he loved (Luke 10:30–37). The townspeople show hospitality because they want to know more about the kingdom of God (Luke 9:4–5; 10:5–11). Mary does both; Martha is distracted by cultural obligations. She means well but misunderstands the difference between what is “good” and what is “best.”
Jesus welcomes Mary as a disciple. Unlike traditional Jewish rabbis of His era, He is eager for women to learn and follow faithfully. This is a double-edged sword for Martha. She is welcome to learn; learning is the best thing; therefore, she is expected to learn. With privilege comes responsibility. Jesus has already showed this by treating Samaritan villages the same as Jewish villages: if they reject His message, they do not receive miracles of healing. Just because someone is disrespected by their culture, they aren’t excused for being passive about God’s will.
Mary has chosen to take an active role in her spiritual development. Jesus defends her and explains to Martha that Mary has chosen wisely. But Jesus wants the same for Martha. He knows she is “anxious and troubled” when she doesn’t have to be (Luke 10:41). He wants her to know she cannot live “by bread alone, but…by every word that comes from the mouth of the ᴏʀᴅ” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Mary’s “portion” is Jesus, Himself (Psalm 119:57).
Starting with the parable of the good Samaritan, through Jesus’ explanation of the Lord’s prayer (Luke 11:1–13), He expounds on the command to love God and love one’s neighbor. The parable of the good Samaritan provided a scenario where service to one’s neighbor crossed cultural divides and was more urgent than ceremonial religious piety. Mary and Martha show that service sometimes must be set aside if spiritual growth is at stake. To end this section (Luke 9:51—11:13), Jesus gives the Lord’s Prayer which teaches that when getting our own needs met, we are always reliant on God (Luke 11:1–13). Next, the Pharisees do everything they can to justify their rejection of Jesus—and Jesus lets them make their choice (Luke 11:14–54).
End of Chapter 10.
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