Devotional Commentary on Luke 10:1-12: Peace, Mission, and Urgency
Luke 10:1-12 · King James Version
Quick Answer: This commentary on Luke 10 1 12 shows Jesus sending seventy in pairs as lambs among wolves—without relying on money or status. They begin with peace, offer God’s nearness, heal the sick, and stay focused on the mission. Cities that reject the message face serious spiritual warning.
Luke 10:1-12 (King James Version)
“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.”
In Jesus’ earthly ministry, He gathered disciples and trained them to carry God’s kingdom message into real towns and homes. Luke 10:1-12 reflects a practical, frontline approach: seventy are appointed and sent “two and two,” a pattern consistent with both witness and safety in travel. The early Roman world had busy networks of roads and cities, and news could travel quickly, but so could resistance. Mission workers had to move with cultural sensitivity, yet without compromising the message.
Agricultural imagery also matters. The “harvest” language would resonate in a farming economy where seasons determined livelihoods. When Jesus says the harvest is great but laborers are few, He is not merely describing a shortage; He is revealing God’s compassionate urgency. The laborers must work before time runs out.
Travel restrictions—no purse, scrip, or shoes, and not “saluting” people on the way—suggest a life of readiness and single-mindedness. Such guidance contrasts with itinerant figures who might exploit hospitality or become distracted by status and long greetings. Jesus prepares His messengers to receive homes openly, to announce peace, and to respond decisively when a city refuses the message.
