LUKE 10

 Jesus assigned seventy others to go out (two by two) before Him into the areas He would go, saying, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...I send you out as lambs among wolves..."

Again, if the household received them, they were to stay and eat whatever was given them; but if they rejected them, they were to "wipe off" the dust of that city because "...the kingdom of God has come near you," and "...it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city." 

He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.

When the seventy returned, they rejoiced at the power given to them over demons, but Jesus told them that He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, "[n]evertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Jesus also prayed and thanked God the Father that He had hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to babes.

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 

He told His disciples: "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."

Then a lawyer asked Jesus what He must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked him what was written in the law, and the man replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." Jesus told the man he was correct, and to do this and he will live.

Then the man got snarky and asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor." Jesus replied with a parable: a man came from Jerusalem to Jericho and was attacked by thieves on the way. He was left on the side of the road, bleeding and naked. First a priest passed by, and moved to the opposite side of the road to avoid the man; then a Levite did likewise. But a Samaritan came up and saw the man, dressed his wounds with oil and wine, placed him on his animal, and carried him to the nearest inn. He took care of the man and paid the innkeeper to finish caring for him until he was well. Jesus asked the lawyer: "So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" The lawyer said the one who showed mercy. And Jesus replied: "Go and do likewise." 

Lastly, Jesus was at the home of Martha and Mary, and they sat at his' feet while He taught; but Martha was distracted by serving and complained to Jesus to have Mary help her. Jesus told her, "Martha, you are worried and troubled about many  things. But...Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

COMMENTARY

The seventy disciples whom Jesus sent out were set to prepare those cities for His coming. The time was limited because the office was temporary. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. The harvest Jesus talked about was the harvest before His going to the cross. The next harvest will be at His Second coming. Today we are sowing the seeds for THAT harvest. (see Matt. 13:36)

Regarding the Good Samaritan parable: McGee shared something from Dean Brown of Yale University who said there are three classes of men that represent the three philosophies of life:

1. The Thief: His philosophy says: what you have is mine. This is socialism/communism.

2. The priest and Levite: Their philosophy says: what I have is mine. This is rugged individualism that has gone to seed. His cry is: Let the world be damned, I will get mine. This is godless capitalism.

3. The Good Samaritan: His philosophy says: What I have belongs to you. This is a Christian philosophy. What I have is yours if I can help you. 

In addition, Jesus said the man came from Jerusalem, the city where man approaches God. But the man was on his way to Jericho, "the accursed city." Humanity fell. The Thieves are of Satan (John 10:8). The priest represents ritualism and ceremonialism, which cannot save anyone. The Levite represents legalism, which also cannot save anyone. Then Christ came, represented by the Good Samaritan. "He is able to bind up the broken-hearted. He is able to take the lost sinner, half dead, lost in transpasses and sins, and help him." 

Another way to look at the world or mankind: the world is drowning; man is drowning in his sinfulness. Ritualism and formalism (religion) says to the one drowning: "Swim, brother, swim." Legalism and liberalism tells the same: "Hang on, brother, hang on." Man cannot swim or hang on. Therefore, Christ can not only rescue the man from drowning, but He can also teach Him to swim. 

The Good Samaritan by V. Van Gogh, 1890