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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 10:4 mean?

Explanation

Luke 10:4 is a command Jesus gives to the seventy-two disciples He sends out ahead of Him, in pairs, to every town and place where He Himself is about to go.

The verse states: "Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way." The literal meaning of this instruction can be understood as Jesus telling His followers not to take any money (purse), no bag for the journey (scrip), or extra sandals (shoes), and not to waste time greeting people on the road (salute no man by the way).

In a deeper sense, this verse is about reliance on God and the urgency of the mission.

Jesus is teaching the disciples to travel light, without being burdened by material possessions, and to focus on the task at hand.

The instruction not to greet people along the way might seem odd, but it is likely a reference to the customary extended greetings and conversations that would delay their journey.

Jesus was emphasizing the urgency and importance of their mission, and that social etiquette should not distract from it.

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Historical Context

Luke 10:4 is set in a period where Jesus is actively ministering in towns across the region.

During those times, it was customary for religious teachers to have disciples, and sending them out in such a manner would not have been unusual.

Travelers often relied on the hospitality of strangers, and a minimalist approach to travel was common among itinerant preachers and prophets.

Moreover, this was a time of great anticipation among the Jewish people for the coming of the Messiah and the fulfillment of biblical prophecy, so it is likely that these instructions were also given in light of the prevailing expectations and the feeling that the Kingdom of God was near.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives can be drawn from this verse:

Providence and Dependence: From a Christian standpoint, this verse represents the necessity of dependence on God's providence rather than on material possessions.
Urgency of Evangelism: Some Christian scholars read this as an emphasis on the urgency of sharing the gospel, suggesting that the Kingdom of God requires immediate and undistracted attention.
Radical Discipleship: The command could be an illustration of the radical nature of discipleship, wherein followers of Jesus are called to leave behind comforts and securities to serve a higher mission.

Practical Applications

In the practical sense, Luke 10:4 can be applied in various ways:

Simplicity: Advocating for a simpler lifestyle, focusing less on material possessions and more on spiritual and relational richness.
Prioritization: Emphasizing the importance of prioritizing one's tasks and responsibilities, being wary of distractions that can derail important missions or objectives.
Faith in Providence: Encouraging individuals to have faith that their needs will be met through divine or communal means when engaging in selfless acts.

Cross-References

Matthew 10:9-10: "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,"
Luke 9:3: "And he said unto them, Take nothing for the journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece."
Luke 12:22: "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the key words in Luke 10:4 can be analyzed as follows:

"Purse" (ballantion): A bag used for carrying money.
"Scrip" (pera): A bag or pouch, often used for provisions or necessities on a journey.
"Shoes" (hupodema): Often translated as "sandals," they would have provided protection for the feet.
"Salute" (aspazomai): Means to greet someone, often implying a formal or extended process of greetings which was common in the Near Eastern culture.

Understanding these terms provides insight into the specifics of what Jesus was instructing the disciples to forsake.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison to other ancient myths and religions, Luke 10:4 highlights a distinct aspect of Christianity's focus on itinerant ministry, simplicity, and reliance on hospitality.

This is less common in ancient myths that often depict gods and heroes accumulating wealth and engaging in grandiose travels.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific or psychological perspective, the instructions in Luke 10:4 can be related to the concept of minimalism, which is associated with reducing stress and increasing focus and efficiency.

Though not directly tied to the verse, contemporary studies do discuss the benefits of living with fewer possessions and the psychological impact of reducing material burdens.

Commentaries

Commentators over the years have provided varied insights into Luke 10:4:

John Calvin: Calvin emphasized the necessity of the disciples' reliance on God and the avoidance of all distractions in their mission.
Matthew Henry: Henry saw this as an exercise of faith, where the disciples were to trust in God's providence and the kindness of those they preached to.
William Barclay: Barclay noted that the urgency of the mission meant no time for customary greetings; the focus was to be solely on spreading Christ's message.

Given the rich diversity of interpretations, Luke 10:4 has been seen as a verse that fundamentally challenges followers of Jesus to consider what is truly necessary for their spiritual journey and mission.

Luke 10

Luke 10

What does Luke 10:4 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 10:4 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?