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The Gospels · New Testament

Luke 10

Luke 10: the seventy sent out, the neighbour question and Martha's house

General context

The Lord appoints seventy others and sends them two and two ahead of him, telling them the harvest is great and the labourers few, to carry neither purse nor scrip nor shoes, to say Peace be to this house, to eat what is set before them, to heal the sick and to say the kingdom of God is come nigh. Cities that refuse are to be left with the dust wiped off, and woes follow on Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. The seventy return with joy that the devils are subject to them, and he tells them to rejoice rather that their names are written in heaven. He then thanks the Father for what is hidden from the wise and revealed to babes, and tells the disciples privately that many prophets and kings desired to see what they see. A lawyer asks what he must do to inherit eternal life, answers his own question from the law, and then asks who his neighbour is. The parable that follows sets a priest and a Levite passing by against a Samaritan who binds the wounds and pays an innkeeper. In a certain village Martha receives him into her house while her sister Mary sits at his feet; Martha complains of serving alone and is answered about one thing needful.

Cited passages: Luke 10:1, Luke 10:2, Luke 10:3, Luke 10:4, Luke 10:5, Luke 10:8, Luke 10:9, Luke 10:11, Luke 10:13, Luke 10:15, Luke 10:17, Luke 10:20, Luke 10:21, Luke 10:23, Luke 10:24, Luke 10:25, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:29, Luke 10:30, Luke 10:31, Luke 10:32, Luke 10:33, Luke 10:34, Luke 10:35, Luke 10:37, Luke 10:38, Luke 10:39, Luke 10:40, Luke 10:42

Luke 10 (KJV)

1After 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.

2Therefore 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.

3Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

7And 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.

8And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11Even 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.

12But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

13Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

15And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

16He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

19Behold, 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.

20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

22All 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.

23And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

24For 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.

25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30And 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.

31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35And 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.

36Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

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Historical context

The number sent is given as other seventy also, appointed after the sending of the twelve in the previous chapter. The places named in the woes are Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, compared with Tyre, Sidon and Sodom, and the comparison is spoken by Jesus rather than stated by the narrator. The lawyer, not Jesus, supplies the summary of the law about loving God and one's neighbour, and Jesus tells him he has answered right. The wounded man in the parable is described as a certain man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, with no name, and the sum left with the host is two pence. The final scene names Martha and her sister Mary and locates them only in a certain village; no town is named here, no other family member is mentioned, and the text does not connect Mary with any other woman in the book.

Cited passages: Luke 10:1, Luke 10:13, Luke 10:12, Luke 10:14, Luke 10:15, Luke 10:25, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:28, Luke 10:30, Luke 10:35, Luke 10:38, Luke 10:39, Luke 9:1

Literary context

Instructions for the road are concrete and short, and each closes a possibility: no purse, no scrip, no shoes, no greeting by the way, no moving from house to house. Reception and refusal are treated in parallel, with the same sentence about the kingdom of God come nigh spoken in both cases. The lawyer asks two questions, and the second, who is my neighbour, is not answered in his terms. The parable changes the question from who qualifies to which of these three was neighbour, and the lawyer's reply avoids the word Samaritan, saying instead, He that shewed mercy on him. The last scene repeats a name for emphasis, Martha, Martha, and the answer contrasts many things with one thing, leaving the complaint about help unaddressed in its own terms.

Cited passages: Luke 10:4, Luke 10:7, Luke 10:9, Luke 10:11, Luke 10:25, Luke 10:29, Luke 10:33, Luke 10:36, Luke 10:37, Luke 10:40, Luke 10:41, Luke 10:42

Key moments

  1. Seventy sent two by two (Luke 10:1). The Lord sends others ahead into every city he would visit.
  2. Lambs among wolves (Luke 10:3). He tells the seventy he sends them forth as lambs among wolves.
  3. The seventy return (Luke 10:17). They report with joy that the devils are subject through his name.
  4. Who is my neighbour (Luke 10:29). The lawyer presses the question after answering from the law.
  5. A Samaritan stops (Luke 10:33). He sees the wounded man and has compassion on him.
  6. Martha receives him (Luke 10:38). Martha takes him into her house in a certain village.
  7. One thing is needful (Luke 10:42). Jesus answers Martha's complaint about serving alone.

For reflection

The lawyer asks who counts as his neighbour and is asked instead which man acted as one. What changes when the question moves from defining a category to describing an action?

People in this chapter

Also indexed here:

  • Father of Lazarus