English
Português
Español
Français
Answer
Luke 10 is the sole location where we encounter the narrative of Jesus sending a specific group of 70 (or 72) disciples to pave the way for Him. The variations in the number (70 or 72) arise from discrepancies found in about half of the ancient scrolls utilized in translation. The manuscripts are almost equally split between the two numbers, and scholars do not reach a consensus on whether the count should be 70 or 72, though this minor discrepancy does not warrant debate. As the number 70 is reiterated in other passages of Scripture (Exodus 24:1;Numbers 11:16;Jeremiah 29:10), it is plausible that the actual count of disciples was 70, with the 72 possibly being a scribe’s mistake. Whether Jesus dispatched 70 or 72 disciples is inconsequential. What holds significance are the directives Jesus imparted to them and the authority bestowed upon them to perform wonders and expel demons «And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. », (Luke 10:17).
Following the appointment of the 70 (or 72) disciples, Jesus emphasized the urgent need for evangelism (Luke 10:1-2). He then tasked the 70 with the following instructions:
1) Proceed «Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. », (Luke 10:3). This was fundamental. The 70 were to pair up and visit all the locations where Jesus intended to go.
2) Be cautious «Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. », (Luke 10:3). The 70 were akin to lambs among wolves, surrounded.d by danger.
3) Live by faith «Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. », (Luke 10:4). The 70 were instructed not to carry extra provisions but to focus on spreading Jesus’ message without being weighed down by material possessions.
4) Be focused «Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. », (Luke 10:4). The 70 were advised not to greet anyone on the road, ensuring they stayed on track with their primary mission of evangelism.
5) Extend your blessing (Luke 10:5-6). Those who welcomed the 70 were to receive a blessing by offering the customary greeting of the time, “Peace to this house.”
6) Be content «And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. », (Luke 10:7). The 70 were instructed not to seek better accommodations but to stay in the initial home where they were welcomed.
7) Receive your due «And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. », (Luke 10:7). The laborer deserves to be compensated for their work (cf: 1 Timothy 5:17-18). Engaging in evangelism is indeed labor that merits payment.
8) Be flexible (Luke 10:7-8). The 70 were to eat whatever was served by their hosts; as servants of God, they were not to be picky.
9) Heal the sick «and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, “The kingdom of God is come near unto you.” , (Luke 10:9). Jesus granted the 70 disciples specific authority to heal diseases and illnesses. It was akin to the Great Physician having 70 interns making house calls. Upon their return to Jesus, the 70 joyfully shared how they not only healed diseases but also cast out demons (verse 17).
10) Proclaim the kingdom “and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, ‘The kingdom of God is come near unto you.'” , (Luke 10:9). The message conveyed by the 70 disciples was straightforward: “The kingdom of God has drawn close to you.” This served as a direct call to have faith in the King who would soon visit each village.
Jesus then informed the 70 (or 72) disciples that they might encounter rejection in certain villages “But into whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into the streets of the same and say,” , (Luke 10:10), and He instructed them on how to react: publicly shake off the dust of that town from their feet (Luke 10:11;cf: 9:5), proclaim the kingdom once more, and caution them about the impending judgment “But I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that city.” , (Luke 10:12).
A similar commissioning had taken place with Jesus’ twelve apostles when the Lord sent them out to heal diseases and cast out demons (Matthew 10:1-42;Luke 9:1-6). The primary distinction was that Jesus had instructed the Twelve to preach in Galilee, avoiding Gentile regions and Samaria, whereas the 70 (or 72) were given a broader mission.
Were given no such restriction.
The identities of the 70 disciples are never provided in Scripture, and the group is not mentioned again, even during the early church period in Acts. It appears their ministry was specific to preparing Jesus’ path to Jerusalem. Various individuals have been suggested as possibly being part of the 70—the unnamed exorcist in Luke 9:49, for example. Two of them may have been Barsabbas (known as Justus) and Matthias «And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. », (Acts 1:23), since they were chosen by the apostles as possible replacements for Judas (Acts 1:15-18). One of the requirements for apostleship was that the candidate had to “have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22). We can also speculate that the 70 were part of the 120 gathered in the upper room on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was first poured out «And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) », (Acts 1:15).
Since God did not deem it important for us to know the names of the 70 (or 72) disciples He tasked with preparing the way for Jesus, we do not need to consider it important either. What Jesus drew attention to was not the power He gave them but the fact that their names were written in heaven «Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.». », (Luke 10:20). Similarly, although we may feel enthusiastic about visible miracles and displays of supernatural power, the most remarkable miracle of all is that undeserving sinners can transform into righteous children of God (Romans 5:8;2 Corinthians 5:21;John 1:12). When our focus shifts to ourselves and how God is working through us, we are moving in the wrong direction. It serves as a good reminder that, just as their names are insignificant, so are ours. It is solely the name of Jesus Christ that merits all attention and glory (1 Corinthians 1:28-29;Philippians 2:9-11). It suffices that our names are inscribed in the Lamb’s book of life.
