The Son of Man’s Journey to Jerusalem (9:51-19:27)

Jesus Sends Out Seventy-Two Others (1-16)

Only Luke recorded Jesus sending out an additional group of 72 (some manuscripts read 70) disciples for ministry. Some have sought to give a symbolic meaning to the number 70 or 72—it’s hard to know. They were to go out as the 12 were sent out earlier, in simplicity, two by two, into every town Jesus was going to pass through on His way to Jerusalem (1).

They were to go praying that on this particular mission trip, more laborers would gather for the cause; Jesus promised the harvest field of souls was ready and plentiful (2). They were to go out as lambs, not in a show of strength of power, resistance, or defensiveness, but to serve the cities they would enter (3). They were to: 

• take no money, no extra provisions, no extra pair of sandals

• give no long greetings causing delay on the road (4)

• enter a house and bless it (5-6)

• remain in the same house and not go from house to house (7)

• receive whatever they were provided as fair recompense for their labor (8)

• heal the sick

• proclaim the Kingdom of God had arrived (9)

• wipe off the dust of the city from their sandals if rejected

• remind the city God's Kingdom had come near in the blessings of healing and miracles (10-11)

The disciples were to go out and proclaim that the blessings of God's Kingdom were so close that they could be experienced and grasped by those who would receive them. The 72 were also to understand the judgment warnings against the cities that rejected the gospel and God’s Kingdom. 

The Jews regarded the heathen towns of old as absolutely godless and the Jewish towns as under God's blessings. Jesus had His disciples understand that those pagan cities of Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon would have been more responsive to the gospel had it come with the same expression of healing, miracles, and Kingdom-of-God experiences enjoyed by the Jewish cities, especially Capernaum (Koran likely was Capernaum) and Bethsaida. Jesus declared all the pagan cities would have repented if they had witnessed the same works the Jewish cities had seen (12-15). Jesus then told His disciples, before He sent them out, that any who accepted them accepted Jesus; any who rejected them rejected Jesus; and the rejection of Jesus was the rejection of God (16).

The Seventy-Two Return to Report (17-24) 

The 72 returned, amped up over what their mission trips had entailed, especially that demons were subject to them in Jesus' name. Jesus then shared a vision with them of satan falling like lightning. Jesus affirmed their work as confirmation of satan's ultimate defeat through Christ and His Church after the Resurrection (17-18).  

He then told the 72 to look carefully at all the power they had been given and how satan could not injure them. He then warned them, with all their joy over this newfound power, that they needed to look carefully and realize something important. They could cast out demons and their names still not be registered in Heaven. Their relationship with Yahweh was still the primary issue. They could rejoice over demons submitting, yes, but they should rejoice big-time because they knew Jesus (19-20).  

Jesus then continued to rejoice in the Holy Spirit over what had been accomplished in and through the 72. Jesus ended all His celebrating by giving thanks to Yahweh for revealing the power of the Kingdom to those considered insignificant (“little children”) and keeping them hidden from the wise and understanding, who could abuse others with their understanding of His power. These words point out the sovereignty of Yahweh over salvation. He has determined to reveal His ways to those who adopt a childlike heart, while those clever and wise will not comprehend (21).

Jesus further thanked Yahweh for the personal bond between the two of them. He also thanked Yahweh that only those chosen by Him and His Father, those who adopted childlike trust, would understand the true nature of the Kingdom and their relationship (22).

After giving thanks, Jesus privately told His disciples that their eyes were blessed (23), for the great prophets and kings with hearts for Yahweh desired to see and hear what the 72 were seeing. Those kings and prophets wanted to see it more than their own power and glory, but they did not get to. Jesus was emphasizing to those disciples that they should appreciate what Yahweh had done in showing His greatness to such ordinary men (24). Jesus seemed immensely grateful to His Father for showing ordinary people the power and presence of His Kingdom.