Luke 10

AFter these things, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city, and place, whither he himself would come. We heard before of Christ's first Electing, then sending out Twelve, Ch. 6.12, 13, 14. & Ch. 9. v. 1, 2, 3. & v. 10. we heard of their return, and giving an account of their trust to their Lord; what their particular account was, we no where read, but it was such as our Saviour judged, the Harvest too great for the Hands of the Labourers. He therefore now resolveth to send out Seventy more. The Names of these we have not in the Evangelist, only that Christ sent them out, and that he sent the two by two, which might be for their better Mutual Assistance each of other, and also for their Mutual Testimony, one for another; when God sent out the first Conduction, and Governours of his People, he sent two, Moses and Aaron; Iohn Baptist sent two of his Disciples to Chri; Christ, Ch. 22.8. sent two of his Disciples to prepare the Passover. There seemeth to be nothing Mysterious in this. Man is a Sociable Creature, and it is not good for him to be alone; we cannot determine that our Saviour had any regard to the Numbers of Twelve, and Seventy; tho it is certain that both those Numbers amongst the Jews seem to have had a more than ordinary Character, Twelve being the number of the Tribes of Israel, according to the promise, Gen. 17.20. & 49.28. at Elim they found Twelve Wells of Water; according to the number of the Tribes, were the twelve Pillars, Exod. 24.4. and the Twelve Stones in the Brest-plate of Iudgment, Exo. 28.21. and the number of the Cakes for the Show-bread was to be twelve, Levit. 24.5. The Princes of Israel were twelve, Num. 1.44. and twelve Men were sent to spy out the Land of Canaan, Deut. 1.23. So we shall observe that in a Multitude of things, they kept to the number of twelve: Iohn in his Description of the new Ierusalem, which he saw in his Vision, says Rev. 21.12. It had Twelve Gates, and at the Gates Twelve Angels, and on the Gates were the Names of the Twelve Tribes. And the W ll had Twelve Foundations, &c. And for the number of Seventy Iacob's Family when they went down into Egypt, were Seventy Souls, Gen. 46.27. they Mourned for Iacob seventy Days, Gen. 50.3. at Elim they met with seventy Palm Trees, Num. 33.9. the Posterity of Iacob was in Babylon seventy years, The Jewish Sanhedrim, or great Court chosen upon the advice of Iethro, is said to have consisted first of seventy, then of seventy two Persons. So as the numbers of twelve, and seventy, seem to have been Numbers to which the Jews had some respect. Whether our Saviour in the choice of those, whom he first sent to Preach the Gospel, had any respect or no to the Jewish value for those Numbers, or designed by it to show them, that he was about to set up a new Kingdom and Government, which tho differing from what they had Exercised formerly, yet in some little things, should have some conformity to them, we cannot determine. We shall find the same Powers and Authority, given to these seventy, as to the twelve, and the same Instructions; how some come to imagine a difference of order betwixt them, I cannot tell, no such thing appeareth from the Instructions given the one or the other upon their first sending out.

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few, pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. See the Notes on Matth. 9.37. where these Words are put immediately before the sending out of the twelve. Both the twelve, and the seventy, all that Christ ever sent out were to be Labourers in the Lords Harvest.

Go your ways, Behold, I send ye forth as lambs amongst wolves.

Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes, and salute no man by the way. We met with these Instructions before, and opened them in our Notes on Matth. 10.9. & 10.16. only there we had not those Words, and salute no Man by the way. The meaning of that is no more, than make all possible speed, 2 Kings 4.29.

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

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

And in the same house remain, eating and drinking, such things as they give, for the labourer is worthy of his hire, Go not from house to house. See the Notes on Matth. 10.11. and on Mark 6.10, 11. the Instructions as to the substance of them are the same here and there, tho a little differing in the Terms.

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

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

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

Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you; notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. We have met with the same Instructions before in Matthew and Mark. See the Notes on Matth. 10.11.14. and Mark 6.10.12. there is some difference in Words. Matthew says,—enquire who in the City is worthy, and v. 13. If the House be worthy. Luke says, if the Son of Peace be there, they both mean the same thing. If there be any in it that belongs to Gods Election of Grace, any whom God intendeth by you to call, and make partakers of the Peace of the Gospel. For other things relating to the opening of the Words, see the Notes before mentioned. Only we may from hence observe for our Instruction. 1. That it is the Will of Christ, that his Ministers should not be too Sollicitous for a Lively-hood. As the Labourer is worthy of his Hire, so he that sends them into his Harvest, will see they shall be Fed. Let them look to their Calling, and to the fulfilling of their Ministry. God will see they shall be Fed. 2. That the Society of Ministers of the Gospel, in Cities and Houses should not be with Debauches, but with those that are worthy, so far as Man can judge, such as are their Masters Friends, and Servants should be their Companions. 3. Those are most worthy in places amongst whom the Son of Peace is, Men and Women that have the most Knowledge of, and Love for Christ. 4. The Ministers of Christ, ought to carry themselves with all imaginable Civility, wishing good to all, and doing good to all. 5. Christ's Ministers ought not to make their Bellies their Gods.—Eat such things as are set before you. 6. They have a Divine License to take and use for their necessities, such things as Men give them. 7. Christ expects, that his People should maintain his Ministers, not depriving the Labourers of their Hire, nor Muzzling the Mouths of the Oxen, which tread out the Corn, 1 Cor. 9.9, 10. nor preferring their Servants for their Worldly occasions, before such as Labour for their Souls, and in that Work are Gods Messengers to them, and his Servants in the first place, tho employed in Watching for Peoples Souls. 8. The not giving a Lively-hood to Ministers, is a not receiving them i. e. that is, provided the People be able. 9. People by not receiving the Gospel of Peace brought them by faithful Ministers, shall do them no hurt, their Peace shall return unto them. They shall be a sweet Savour unto God, even as to them that Perish, Their Iudgment is with the Lord, and their Work with their God, tho they Labour in vain, tho Israel be not gathered, they shall be Glorifyed. Men proportion their rewards according to Successes of Servants. God more justly proportioneth his rewards to Mens Sincerity and Diligence in their Labour. 10. If Men refuse the Gospel, yet they shall know the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto them. If they will not be subject to his Kingdom of Grace, yet they shall be subdued by the Kingdom of his Power and Justice. 11. There will come a Day when Men that have the offers of the Gospel and Peace, and refuse them, slighting, and despising his Ministers and their message, will find, that they had better have lived in Sodom when it was Burnt with Fire and Brimstone. Their Portion of wrath in the Day of Judgment will be larger, and bitterer, than the Portion of the Men of Sodom. Let all who live in our Days hear and fear, and in time break off their Sins by a true Repentance, lest they go to Hell, at the highest disadvantage.

Wo unto thee Chorazin, wo unto thee Bethsaida, for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in ackcloth and ashes.

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

And thou Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. See the Notes on Matth. 11.21.

He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me: and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. See the Notes on Matth, 10.40.

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. As we before read of the Twelve coming back to give Christ an account of their success, so we here have the same of the Seventy; whether this Joy of the Seventy was more Carnal than it ought, they rather rejoycing in that new Power which they had received from Christ, than in the Demonstration of Christs Divine Power, and the Confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel by these Miraculous Operations, is hard to determine; for tho Christs reply, seemeth to have a Check in it, yet it is so qualifyed by the Term Rather, v. 20. that we cannot from thence absolutely conclude any such thing from it. Here is a difference to be observed betwixt Christs and his Disciples casting out of Devils. Christ did it in his own Name, by his own Word of Command, Power and Authority; the Disciples did it in Christs Name, and by a Power, and Authority derived from him.

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Lightning comes suddenly, and with Thunder. The Thunder of the Gospel brought down the Devil as Lightning, and indeed this is observable, the Devil is so busie in no places where the Gospel prevails, as in places where that joyful Sound is not come, whether we consider his Power with reference to Mens Bodies or Souls. This is one general advantage of Gospel Preaching, the Devil will not indure the sound of it, so as to impose upon Man-kind, at that rate which he does upon ignorant Persons, that are Heathens, or only differing from them in that they are Baptized, and call themselves Christians. Christ saw this, as God, for the Devil is not visible to humane Senses, as neither are any Spirits, which showed the impudence of that Popish Impostor in Germany, who selling Indulgences (by which he pretended Souls were delivered from Purgatory) called to the People to look up and see them fly away. But Christ could see it as God, for he certainly knew, that it would be, and that it already was the Blessed effect of the Gospel.

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Christ does here, 1. Confirm the Power before given to these Seventy for working Miracles, that they might not think, that it ceased upon the Determination of their first Mission, 2. He confirmeth his promise to them for his presence with them, and Protection of them. Interpreters think here is a manifest Allusion to Psal. 91.13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lion, and Adder; the young Lyon, and Adder, thou shalt trample under thy Feet. Which must be understood Figuratively, the Sense being, that nothing should hurt them. This promise was more specially verifyed for some years, in Gods Protection of the first Ministers of the Gospel, until they had done their Work, and shall be fulfilled in a Sense to the end of the World, according to the promise, in Psal. 91. Nothing shall hurt their Souls, as to the Favour of God, and their Eternal Happiness, nor their Bodies so far forth as, or so long as God in his Wisdom shall judge fit. They have a further Power also given them more common to all the Ministers of the Gospel sent by Christ, yea, and to all Christians. They have a Power over all the Power of the Enemy, God will not be wanting to them in a Power to Resist the Devil, and they have a promise that being resisted, He shall Flee from them.

Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoyce, because your names are written in heaven. It is an usual thing in Holy Writ, to have Prohibitions delivered in General Terms, which must be understood in a restrained Sense. That it is so here, appeareth plainly by the Word Rather, prefixed to Rejoyce, in the latter part of the Sentence. For it was doubtless a just cause of Joy, and Rejoycing to them that Christ had honoured them with such an extraordinary Gift and Power, but not of so much Ioy, as to know that their Names were Wrote in the Book of Life; for as the good was infinitely greater, so a proportionable Joy was requisite upon the assurance of it. The expression written in heaven, is equivalent to the being Wrote in the Book of Life, whereby it signifyed, either the certain Designation of some to Eternal Life, or effectual calling. We read of this Book of Life, Rev. 3.5. & 20.12.15. & 21. v. 27. & 22.19. it is called the Lambs Book, Rev. 13.8. and it is said it was Written from the Foundation of the World, which will justify those Divines who understand it of a particular Election from Eternity; whereas it is objected that when amongst the Twelve, there was a Son of Perdition, it is unreasonable to think that all the Seventy were elect Vessels. It is easily answered, that our Saviours Words were true according to the usual Phrase of speaking, if the Generality of them only were such. No need our Saviour be understood as asserting, all their Names were so written, but only asserting the greatest cause of Joy to be, if Men can by their Calling find that their Election is sure. From our Saviours Words we may infe, 1. That there is a Book of Life, an Election of Grace, 2. That there are Names written in this Book. It is an Election of Persons. 3. That Men may know that their Names are written in that Book, otherwise they could not rejoyce; no man rejoyceth, but in a good with which he has some degree of Union. 4. That this is a greater cause of Joy, than for a Man to know that he has a Power to cast out Devils. Men may be made use of to cast out Devils in Christs Name, who yet may go to the Devil at last, Matth. 7.22. So cannot those whose Names are written in the Book of Life, but I cannot understand that our Saviour in these Words asserts that all the Names of the Seventy were wrote in that Book. The tendency of his discourse is rather to quicken them to give all dilligence to make sure of this cause of joy, and rejoycing.

In that hour Jesus rejoyced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.

All things are delivered to me of my Father, and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father, and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. See the Notes on Matth. 11.29.27. where we met with these Words of our Saviour.

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

For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. See the Notes on Matth. 13.16, 17.

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

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

And he answering, said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thy self.

And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. These four verses would incline one to think that Luke here records the same piece of History, which we met with Matth. 22.35. and Mark 12.28. (See the Notes on both those Texts,) but neither of those Evangelists, have the following part of this discourse, which makes me doubtful whither Luke speaks of the same Person coming to Christ, which the others mention. A Lawyer he was, who came to our Saviour upon a design to Tempt, that is to make a trial of him, whither he would deliver any Doctrine contrary to the Law of Moses. It is plain that he fancyed that the Eternal Life which Christ Preached, was to be obtained by doing what the Law required. Our Saviour agreeth it, that if he did what the Law required, according as he himself had given an account of it, h should Live. I apprehend no absurdity, to affirm that our Saviour speaks here of living Eternally. It is rather absurd to fancy, that our Saviour did not answer ad idem, to the thing about which the questions was propounded. Neither is Salvation impossible, because the Law in it self could not give Life, but because of the weakness of our Flesh, so as we cannot fulfil it. So that considering our infirmity, the Law serveth to us only as a Schoolmaster, to bring us to Christ, and as a Mark which we ought to shoot at, tho we cannot shoot home, a rule to direct us in our duty, tho we cannot perform or fulfil it.

But he willing to justifie himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? This Lawyers desire to justifie himself, spake him an Hypocrite. The reason of that Question who is my Neighbour, was the notion of the Neighbour, (mentioned in the Law) which the Scribes and Pharisees had, who counted none their Neighbours, but their Friends, and benefactors, at least none but those that were of their own Nation or particular Sect, and had taught their People, that they might hate their Enemies. Our Saviour (this being but a captious question considering the received Interpretation amongst them of the Law of God,) does not think fit to answer his question directly, but telling him a story, maketh him answer himself.

And Jesus answering, said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half-dead.

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

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

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

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oyl and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

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

And he said, He that showed mercy on him, Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. It is certain that the Principal Scope of our Saviour in this History, or Parable, was to convince the Lawyer, that everyone is our Neighbour, to whom God offered us an opportunity of doing good, whether he be of our Nation, or Religion yea or no. Every object of our Mercy is our Neighbour, whom God requireth us to love as our selves, this was quite contrary to the common Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees, Interpreting the Law, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self, and excellently served our Saviours design, to show this Lawyer that he understood not, much less observed the Law of God in that manner, as that he could justify himself from the Violation of it. He also by the by shows him, that the Samaritanes, whom the Jews so much abhorred, better understood the Law of God, then the Ecclesiastical Guides of those times, who yet pretend to be teachers of it to others, for some of them by the light of Nature discerned themselves obliged, to do good to every one that stood in need of their help, or if not by the light of Nature, yet by the light of Revelation in the Law of Moses, but the Scribes and Pharisees by their false Interpretation of the Divine Law, had taught People to omit a great part of their Duty, required by the Divine Law, and so could not hope to be justified or to obtain eternal Life, and Salvation from the observation of it.

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entred into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet, and heard his word. Interpreters think this Village was Bethany, and that this Martha and Mary, were the same which are mentioned Iohn 11.2. Inns probably were not so frequent then, and in those places, as they are now, so as strangers were often received in private houses. Christ looseth no opportunity of Preaching the Gospel, while they were preparing Supper, he was entertaining the Family with the glad tidings of the Gospel, the feast made upon the Mountain of fat things, Isaiah 25.6.) The Lips of the righteous feed many. It was their fashion to have Disciples sit at their Doctors Feet, to hear their Word, there Mary fixeth her self.

But Martha was cumbred about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. Two things are blameable in Martha. 1. That she made two much ado about the entertainment of our Saviour, that she entertained our Saviour, she did well, but herein she erred, that she made her entertainment of him so troublesome, as it would not give her leave to take that advantage, which she might, or ought to have done from the entertainment of a Prophet. 2. That she is displeased with her Sister, because she would not lend her her hand, but chose rather to sit at Christs Feet, and hear his Word, and desireth Christ to send her away to her assistance.

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

But one thing is needful. And Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Our Saviour plainly blameth Martha, for her too great sollicitude, and trouble to provide a Dinner, or Supper for him, who had Meat to eat which she was not aware of, it being his Meat and Drink to do the Will of his Father, and to Preach the Gospel. Interpreters much trouble themselves, in determining what that one thing is, which our Saviour here says is needful. Some think our Saviour meaneth no more then one dish is enough, but this certainly is too low a sense. Others would have this one thing, to be a Life of Meditation and Contemplation, and that this was that good part Mary had chosen. If Mary had thus spent her whole Life, they might have said something for this. But certainly Marys choosing to take advantage of Christs company, rather to spend an hour or two in hearing of him, then in preparing a Supper for him, will prove no such thing. I should Interprete it generally, concerning the care of the Soul with reference to eternity. That is certainly the one thing necessary, that was the better part, which Mary had chosen, as to which Christ would not discourage her, nor any way blunt the edge of those holy desires, he had kindled in her, an effect of which study and care, was her sitting at the Feet of Christ, to hear his Word.