Luke 9

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.

And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.

And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;

And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.

And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.

But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.

And they did so, and made them all sit down.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.

And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;

Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:

Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him.

And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.

And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.

And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,

Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,

And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

What does Luke 9:2 mean?

Explanation

"And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick." (Luke 9:2 KJV)

This verse narrates a significant moment in Jesus’ ministry where he commissions his twelve disciples to carry out work similar to his own.

They are given two primary tasks: to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Preaching the kingdom of God involves proclaiming the message of God's sovereign rule, which is characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

This message was central to the teachings of Jesus and implied the coming of a new era initiated by Christ.

Healing the sick, on the other hand, is a demonstration of the kingdom's power and compassion.

It signifies breaking the bondage of illness and suffering, indicating a restoration of wholeness, which is an essential element of the kingdom of God.

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Historical Context

Luke 9:2 occurs in the context of the broader narrative of Jesus' ministry in Galilee.

During the first century CE, this area was a mix of Jewish and Gentile populations under Roman occupation.

Jesus had been teaching, performing miracles, and gaining followers.

He gathers the twelve disciples, who had been with him for a time, witnessing and learning from his actions and teachings.

Jesus now appoints them as his emissaries to spread his message more widely and to enact the mercy that he has exemplified.

It is a significant expansion of Jesus' mission through delegation of authority to his followers, which also acts as preparation for their later work after his death and resurrection.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse highlights several key insights:

Kingdom of God: The phrase 'kingdom of God' is foundational in Christian theology, signifying the reign and authority of God over all creation.

It is both a present reality and a future hope that believers anticipate.

Mission of Disciples: The sending out of the disciples represents the missionary nature of the Christian church, with an emphasis on preaching the word and serving those in need.
Authority and Power: The disciples are not acting on their own but are given authority by Jesus, indicating that the work of the kingdom is done through divine empowerment.
Integral Mission: The combination of preaching and healing in the disciples' mission points to a holistic understanding of the gospel that addresses both spiritual and physical needs.

Practical Applications

This verse can be practically applied in several ways:

Evangelism: Christians are encouraged to share the message of the kingdom of God, emphasizing God’s desire to bring salvation and transformation to people’s lives.
Service and Compassion: Followers of Christ are called to act compassionately, seeking to alleviate suffering where they encounter it, whether through prayer, medical assistance, or other forms of care.
Community Engagement: There's a call to engage actively within the community, working to address both spiritual and material needs.
Empowerment: Believers can take comfort in knowing that when they engage in God's work, they are empowered by Him to do so effectively.

Cross-References

Mark 6:7 "And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;"
Matthew 10:7-8 "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."

Luke 10:9 "And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the verb “sent” (apésteilen) carries the weight of being commissioned with authority.

The term for “preach” (kērússein) was commonly used to denote the public proclamation of an official or important message.

The “kingdom of God” (basileia tou Theou) refers to the dominion and rulership of God.

The instruction to “heal the sick” uses the Greek word therapeúein, which implies providing therapy or cure, symbolizing the restoration of wholeness.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The theme of sending emissaries is common in many ancient cultures, where kings would send out messengers with their royal decree.

In a religious context, the concept of divine healing was not unique to Christianity. In the Greco-Roman world, healing gods like Asclepius were venerated, and in Judaism, there were traditions of prophets performing miracles.

However, the distinctive Christian assertion was that these acts were signs of the inbreaking of God's kingdom through Jesus.

Scientific Perspectives

While the text speaks of miraculous healings, the modern scientific understanding of health and medicine does not typically include supernatural interventions. Today, the healing of the sick is understood in terms of medical science and healthcare.

However, some scientists and theologians engage in dialogue about the place of divine healing in a world where science offers explanations for many aspects of human health.

Commentaries

Different commentaries offer varying insights into Luke 9:2.

Some emphasize the authority Jesus bestowed on his disciples and how this reflects his divinity and his mission to renew the world.

Others focus on the practical outworking of the disciples’ mission, the balance of word and deed, and the foretaste of the church’s mission after Jesus’ resurrection.

There is also discussion about the nature of the kingdom of God as both a present reality that breaks into human history and a future hope that is fully realized in the eschaton.

Commentaries highlight that Jesus equips and sends his followers rather than intending them to be passive spectators.

Luke 9

Luke 9

What does Luke 9:2 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 9:2 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?