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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.

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.

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

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

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.

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, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

Woe 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

In 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.

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.

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.

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 thyself.

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

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

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 Samaritan, 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 oil 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 shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Now 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.

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

But 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.

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

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

What does Luke 10:19 mean?

Explanation

Luke 10:19 is a verse from the New Testament of the Bible in which Jesus empowers his disciples. The power to "tread on serpents and scorpions" is a metaphor, indicating authority over demonic forces, as serpents and scorpions are often associated with evil in biblical literature.

The phrase "over all the power of the enemy" emphasizes the comprehensive scope of this spiritual authority. The assurance that "nothing shall by any means hurt you" suggests divine protection for those who are carrying out God's mission.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of a passage where Jesus commissions seventy-two of his followers to go ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he was to visit.

During the time Luke was writing, there was a spiritual understanding of the world that included the presence of evil forces.

The empowerment mentioned in this verse reflects an assurance that the followers of Jesus would be protected from these supernatural threats as they spread the message and performed acts in the name of Jesus.

Theological Insights

Different theological standpoints offer varied interpretations:

Evangelical Perspective: This verse signifies Christ's authority over evil and the delegation of that authority to believers.

It encourages trust in Jesus' promises.

Pentecostal Perspective: Some might take the verse more literally, seeing it as a basis for the practice of faith healing and deliverance ministries.
Catholic Perspective: The power may be interpreted in a more ecclesiastical sense, with authority being vested in the church and its sacraments.
Reformed Perspective: This might be seen as specific to the apostolic age, illustrating the authenticity of the apostles' mission, and not applicable in the same way to the contemporary church.

Practical Applications

This verse can serve as a source of comfort and encouragement for believers facing spiritual or emotional challenges, reminding them of God's protection.

It also may inspire confidence in doing good and combating evil in the world, whether it be through social action, ethical living, or spiritual practices like prayer.

Cross-References

Mark 16:18 - "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Ephesians 6:12 - "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the words for 'serpents' (ὄφεις) and 'scorpions' (σκορπίοις) are symbolic of evil forces.

The term for 'tread' (πατεῖν) infers a position of superiority and control.

The word for 'power' (ἐξουσίαν) refers to authority or dominion. A breakdown of these words suggests a metaphorical meaning related to spiritual triumph and resilience.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The use of serpents and scorpions as symbols of evil is not unique to Christianity.

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, serpentine creatures were often seen as embodiments of chaos or malevolence.

In Greek mythology, for instance, Medusa had serpents for hair, and her gaze would turn people to stone.

Similarly, Egyptian mythology often depicted serpents as adversaries of the sun god, Ra.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science would approach the concept of treading on serpents and scorpions from a biological standpoint, advising caution due to the real danger of venom.

From a psychological perspective, the verse could be analyzed in terms of the human perception of fear and how faith or belief systems can provide a coping mechanism for those fears.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer various interpretations:

Classic Commentaries: Matthew Henry's commentary suggests that this verse conveys the protection God provides for those who are faithful in their ministry while John Gill points to it as evidence of Christ's deity and authority.
Contemporary Commentaries: More modern theologians may emphasize this as a metaphorical portrayal of the Christian's spiritual authority and the victory over sin and Satan, perhaps as described by William Barclay or N.T.

Wright.

Critical Commentaries: Those following historical-critical methods might delve into the social and cultural contexts of the text, positing that the verse reflects the early Christian community's view of Jesus' victory over evil, as can be found in works by scholars like Bart Ehrman or John Dominic Crossan.

Luke 10

Luke 10

What does Luke 10:19 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 10:19 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?