Background

 Luke chapter 10 verses 1 to 24 - Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of him to every city and place where he himself was going to come. And he was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the Kingdom of God has come near.' I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! The one who listens to you listens to me, and the one who rejects you rejects me; and he who rejects me rejects the One who sent me."

The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name." And he said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

At that very time he rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them."

Similar to the mission where Jesus sends out his twelve apostles (Luke chapter 9 verses 1 to 10), he now sends out seventy with a related message. Here there are some more detailed instructions. They go to every place where Jesus is going, healing the sick and saying “The Kingdom of God has come near to you”.

Extent of the Mission. Why 70?

Up to this point the limit of the disciple’s thinking was impact on the people in their locality, and possibly the whole of the country. Jesus sees the mission being the whole world, all of humanity.

The number 70 has significance to the people at the time. Seven represents completeness of a cycle, such as seven days in a week, times 10 meaning many. In Genesis chapter 10 (verse 32) there is a list of 70 nations, i.e. every nation. The family of Jacob going into Egypt numbered 70 (Genesis chapter 46 verse 27), and 70 elders represented the people (Exodus chapter 24 verse 9; Numbers chapter 11 verses 16, 24,25). The number 70 therefore represents everybody.

There is a totality to this mission. It represents everyone expressing the Kingdom of God everywhere (Matthew chapter 28 verses 18 to 20). The harvest covers the world.

The 70 are sent, they are all apostles. An apostle is someone sent for a purpose. Everyone can be an apostle.

Harvest not sow seed?

Surely the task should be expressed figuratively as to start by sowing seed? Crops need to be started by sowing seed. The harvest comes afterwards. However, here, when Jesus sends out the 70 it is to bring in the harvest. There is an assumption that the places they were going had already heard about Jesus and his message. It was assumed that they had already made their minds up about him. Therefore there is a warning that the people they meet could be receptive or harmful (sheep or wolves). They were to visit the receptive people that were exuding peace, see ‘Study Peace’.

In some places the message of Jesus has not been heard or has been forgotten. There is a generational aspect to the gospel. Even if it has been shared with a previous generation it may need to be repeated. In these places the way that Jesus sent out the twelve would be instructive (Luke chapter 9 verses 1 to 10). Where people have heard then the guidance for the 70 would be more applicable (chapter 10).

The warning about being lambs amongst wolves (verse 3) shows that there are those who, have not only rejected the message but, want to actively and violently oppose it.

The test of this mission is to determine whether people express peace (verse 6) and these are the people with which to share life.

There is therefore some strategy to mission. Hearing the Holy Spirit is important on whether this is a time for sowing seed or gathering in the harvest.