Hello everyone.
It has been a while since I have posted anything here, but I am going to pick up right where I left off in Luke 10. The context here is that Jesus sent out seventy-two to preach, teach and to heal. Jesus gives them instructions and in my previous, I covered these instructions from 10:1-11a. Today, I will cover the rest, from 10:11-20.
In verse 11, they were told that if a town rejected their message, they were to go into the street and say, "The dust of this city that sticks to us, we wipe off from our feet in protest of you. But know this: The kingdom of God is near.” (My own translation.) Here, I want to point out that their message included the fact that the kingdom of God was near. The word Luke uses is ἤγγικεν, (ayngiken) which stresses the nearness, as to mean that God’s kingdom was upon them.. It was that close. This message was to be delivered to those who accepted it in verse 9, but also to those who did not, verse 11. Whether someone accepted the message or not, it didn't change the fact that the kingdom of God was rapidly approaching.
Jesus then starts talking of judgment on some of the towns that he had taught and performed many miracles in. There may have been some in these towns that received his message, but many rejected it, showing up simply to see his miracles. These towns were going to be judged. He mentions Corazin and Bethsaida. These towns were near Capernaum, the town central to much of Jesus’ ministry. These cities had many opportunities to follow Jesus, but had given a somewhat lukewarm response to his message. They are compared unfavorably to notoriously unrighteous OT towns of Tyre and Sidon., and according to Jesus in verse 14, will face a harsher judgment. (In Matthew's account they are even compared unfavorably to Sodom. (Matt. 11:23) )
And then in verse 15, Jesus addressed Capernaum, the city that had been allowed to see the more amazing miracles from Jesus then anyone else, and they would receive the harshest judgment. Jesus warns them that they would not ascend into Heaven , but rather descend into Hades.
These cities should have repented, but they didn’t. Likely, because they did not see their need for it. Thinking that their salvation was secure, they didn’t respond to Jesus.
After the warnings to these various cities, the story then return to the story of the disciples. They have gone out and, in verse 17, excitedly return to Jesus, having even been able to cast out demons in Jesus’ name.
The disciples have the ability to exorcize demons because Jesus gave them that power and he is the more powerful one. Satan holds no power over Jesus. In fact, Jesus declares in verse 18, that he had seen Satan fall like lightning out of Heaven.
Jesus assures them that they are secure in God’s hands. In verse 19, he tells them that he has given them authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and the power to overcome the enemy, and he assures them that nothing would harm them. I think that Jesus was saying that nothing on this mission was going to harm them. Certainly he was not saying that he would never allow harm to come to them, as later they were harmed and even killed.
The disciples were obviously rejoicing in being able to wield such power. Possessing such power would certainly something to celebrate, but Jesus tempers their rejoicing a little bit by telling them not to rejoice over casting out demons, but instead to rejoice that their names are written in Heaven.
So after twenty of instruction, the sharing and demonstration of tremendous power over Satan and his minions, what does Jesus say is the real source of rejoicing. They get to go to Heaven. Their own salvation is the greatest cause for celebration. It's the same for us. Through all of our victories, our greatest joy is our salvation. The flipside of that is this: We don't always go from victory to victory. We endure some very hard times, too. Even in those times, Jesus has provided us with a reason to celebrate.
Tom
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