On Line Bible Study - For the week October 4-10, 2010

Lesson 460

Luke 10: ¹After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. ²He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

⁵"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' ⁶If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. ⁷Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

⁸"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. ⁹Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' ¹⁰But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' ¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Chapter 9 of Luke's Gospel begins with the sending of the twelve. Many of the instructions given to them are repeated in Chapter 10 to the seventy (or seventy-two, depending on which manuscript tradition one follows), either verbatim, or in spirit. But there are tat least two important differences between the two stories.

First, the twelve are sent out from a Galilean Jewish context. Just before Jesus sends them, he has been traveling in the territory of the Gerasenes (or Gadarenes or Gergasenes, depending on which manuscript you are using) - it is Gentile land. After exorcising the demon named "Legion" Jesus returns and is greeted by crowds. Then, a ruler from the local synagogue begs Jesus to heal his daughter. In other words, Jesus is now back in a Galilean Jewish context, and it is from this area the twelve are sent.
When the seventy (Darrel Bock prefers seventy-two with no particular symbolism attached to the number) are sent, Jesus is traveling through Samaritan villages. The larger group is sent out from a Gentile context.
The location of the launch pad does have an effect on the mission.

The second difference is the obvious one - the twelve represent Jesus' inner circle, his close disciples. The seventy-two are a larger group - not the intimate apostolic circle, but a much wider representation of Jesus' followers.
A question emerges: Do we have two different ways of thinking about leadership in the church? Who is called to mission and ministry? Are only the trained called to spread the news of the reign of God? Is everyone called? Are you?