Luke
10:17–24 What we will study in The Joy of Jesus…01. The Return (Luke 10:17-20); 02. The Rejoicing (Luke 10:21-22); and 03. The Blessed (Luke 10:23-24).
This is the continuation of the account of the Seventy
(-two) going out to preach the Kingdom of God (Luke 10:1-16) and is only
mentioned by Dr. Luke in the Gospels, and mirrors the sending of the Twelve (Luke 9:1-6).
01. The Return (Luke 10:17-20)
Luke
10:17 “Then the seventy returned with joy,” The Seventy (-two) went out as Jesus instructed them to (Luke 10:1-16),
and when they came back they are full of joy (G5479 χαρά chara; be exceeding joyful.[1]) As the New Testament Greek scholar A.T.
Robertson puts it, “Joy overflows
their faces and their words.”[2] Here now we see why they were overflowing
with joy, for Dr. Luke records for us that when they returned to Jesus, they
said “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in
Your name.” (Luke 10:17) Not only were they joyful because they had done all that Jesus
had instructed them to do, but more! Jesus never commanded them to cast out
demons, but He did tell them to “heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come
near to you.’” (Luke 10:9)
Luke
10:17 “are subject” in the
Greek (G5293 ὑποτασσεται hupotassetai) is
written in the Present passive indicative, which means that the demons were
continually subject to the Seventy (-two) that Jesus sent out, for this was
something that was repeated, not just a one time occurrence on the mission for
the Seventy (-two).[3]
The authority that they carried to rebuke the demons was not given to them so
that all could admire them, but instead it was given to them to glorify the
Christ, the Son of God. Just as the Seventy (-two) returned with great joy, so
also did the disciples after the ascension of Jesus, returned with great joy to
worship in the Temple (Luke 24:52).
Luke
10:18 Here we see the first time that Dr. Luke uses
“Satan” to describe the devil. Up until now, he has always used the Greek word
(G1228) διάβολος diabŏlŏs) which means false accuser, devil, slanderer.[4] There are many of debate about what the true
meaning of this verse is. Some have suggested that Jesus was referring back to
Satan’s original fall (Isaiah 14:12), but others dismiss that because
in context that doesn’t have anything to do with the Seventy (-two). Others have argued that Jesus was referencing
His defeat of Satan at His temptation (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13),
or the general defeat of Satan and His demons in His own ministry by the
casting out of demons. Some have
stated that this is a foretelling of the defeat of Satan at the cross when
Jesus will break the head of Satan (Genesis 3:15).
Or He could be referring to when Satan’s
future punishment of being cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10-15). But in the Greek, “I
saw” is written in the Imperfect Active tense, so more
literally it can be read as “I was watching” and it implies a
continual process and not a single event. So
literally in the Greek it is transliterated as “I was
watching Satan like lightning from
heaven falling.” Then we
see that Jesus describes this continual process of falling by Satan as that of
lightning. Just as lightning with a flash of light that comes suddenly and then
departs just as quick, it reveals a different explanation than what has been
offered. A.T. Robertson describes it “As a
flash of lightning out of heaven, quick and startling, so the victory of the
Seventy over the demons, the agents of Satan, forecast his downfall and Jesus
in vision pictured it as a flash of lightning.”[5] The picture here of what Jesus said in the
Greek, along with the likening of the continual, repeated fall of Satan is of Jesus rejoicing as He
watched Satan’s Kingdom literally being destroyed one soul at a time through
the heralding of the Seventy (-two) (Luke
19:10; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 12:1–10). This will continue to be true throughout history as people continue to
be rescued from the eternal condemnation of Hell, causing the angels to rejoice
every time (Luke
15:7; Luke 15:10).
Some might struggle
with this statement by Jesus, describing that Satan has access in Heaven here
in Luke 10:18.
In the Books of Job (Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-7) and Zechariah (Zechariah 3:1-2)
we are told that Satan has access to Heaven. In Revelation
12:10, Satan is described as “the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God
day and night”. But
John says, “My
little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if
anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
(1 John 2:1)
and Paul writing to Timothy reminds him “For there is one God and one Mediator between God
and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5; cf. Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:15;
Hebrews 12:24).
Luke
10:19
Luke
10:19 “and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Is written with a
triple negative in the Greek (καὶ οὐδὲν ὑμᾶς οὐ μὴ
ἀδικήσει). Unlike in the English language, where double (or even triple
negatives) are considered bad speech (i.e. I ain’t got no time), double (and
triple) negatives are proper in the Greek language, adding emphasis where
needed. So this can literally be translated as “and nothing not no harm you.”
The psalmist writes that God promises to protect those who belong to Him (Psalm 91:1-16). Jesus
is stating that as a sign to the nation of Israel on this mission, nothing will
hurt the Seventy (-two), and it seems to be a preview of the Millennial Reign
of Christ (Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:25; cf. Luke 10:3;
Revelation
20:1-6). We also saw this last time when Jesus said to the Seventy
(-two): “Go your
way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.” (Luke 10:3) The Seventy (-two) are able to
survive as sheep among the wolves because Jesus is the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-6).
Plummer describes this by saying that “[no] hostile strength or ability will succeed against them.
The promise…refers to victory over spiritual foes rather than to immunity from
bodily injuries. “The enemy” means Satan: Matthew 13:25; Romans 14:20; 1 Peter 5:8.
But protection from physical harm may be included (Acts 28:3–5).”[6]
The entire life of Christ, from His birth to His burial, was a victory over
Satan. And this victory is transmitted to the disciples of Jesus. He gave them
the power to step upon, to tread under foot, vipers and scorpions and the
entire power of the enemy, and nothing should in any wise hurt them. All the
dangerous, demoniac powers that attempt to harm the disciples of Jesus in their
work of preaching the Gospel must be subject to them.[7]
This is repeated in Mark 16:14-18, where Jesus said that
these signs would be a characteristic of those who followed in the apostolic
era, and demonstrated in Paul while he was shipwrecked on the Island of Malta (Acts 28:3–5).
But protection from physical harm is not
the main point in this struggle with Satan “the enemy”[8] This is even a good reminder for us, because our lives are in
the hands of God, for Satan cannot harm us without God’s permission (Job 1:6-12;
Job 2:1-7).
Jesus of course is
not saying that His disciples were to be reckless or foolhardy, for Jesus
Himself spurned Satan’s suggestion to throw Himself down from the pinnacle of
the temple (Luke 4:9).
Luke
10:20 The
fact that the demons were subject to the Seventy (-two) should not be their
cause for rejoicing, for they have something better, for their “names are written in heaven.”
(Luke 10:20) The casting out of demons gives no security for the possession
of eternal life…A Judas might cast out demons.[9] (Luke 9:1)
What a glorious reminder of that truth, that no matter the victories or defeats
we experience here on Earth, if our names “are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation
21:27), that is why we ought to rejoice. In the Greek (τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν ἐνγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς) it is written in the Perfect passive indicative, state of completion, stand written,
enrolled or engraved.[10]
So
it can be translated as “Your
names have been written, and remain written, in heaven,”[11] which
Plummer describes “as citizens possessing the full
privileges of the heavenly commonwealth.”[12] And this is a good reminder,
for Jesus is stating that God is the One who writes our names in Heaven (Exodus 32:32–33; Psalm 69:28;
Psalm 139:16;
Daniel 12:1;
Philippians
4:3; Hebrews
12:23; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8;
Revelation 20:12:
Revelation
20:15; Revelation 21:27), and with that
reminder, it should keep us all from trusting in our own good works (Ephesians
2:8-10) and becoming prideful.
Luke 10:21-24 can also be found in Matthew 11:25-27.
02. The Rejoicing (Luke 10:21-22)
Luke
10:21 “In that hour” In the Greek (ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ) links Luke 10:21-24
with the Mission of the Seventy (-two).
Luke
10:21 “Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit” This is the only passage in the
Bible that describes Jesus as rejoicing during His life as a man here on Earth.
The Bible talks much about His sorrow, grief and suffering, but never about Him
rejoicing as a man here on Earth. “rejoiced” here is too weak of a description, for in the
Greek (G21 ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō) it means to jump for joy,
to exult.[13]
Mary, upon hearing that she was going to bear the Saviour of the word, had a
similar reaction, when she said that her “spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:47)
Luke
10:21 “…and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have
hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to
babes.””
“these
things” is referencing that the Kingdom of God was made known to and
by the Seventy (-two). What God the Father has hidden “from the wise and prudent
and revealed…to babes” is that Jesus is the Son of God in flesh (John 1:14).
He likens the Seventy (-two) as “babes”, and in infants “one would not expect such understanding and knowledge to be given
to them. But “these things,” hidden from so many wise people, are revealed to them. This secret hidden
in Jesus and his “infant” followers is the kingdom of God itself. Just as Jesus
hides his teaching in parables, so also the kingdom is hidden in Jesus. Apart
from receiving him as God’s Son, no one—not the wise and understanding of this
world, such as the religious elite of Israel—will understand.”[14]
Peter elaborates on this in his first letter to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 1:18–25.
Luke
10:21 “Even so,
Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.” In the Greek (ὅτι οὕτως εὐδοκία ἐγένετο ἔμπροσθέν σου) is saying that
it is by God’s gracious favor (“seemed good”) to reveal the Kingdom to the
Seventy (-two).
Luke
10:22 The Greek word for “knows” is (G1097) γινώσκω ginōskō[15]
and it means to know by experience,
and the parallel passage in Matthew 11:27 uses the Greek word (G1921) ἐπιγινώσκω ĕpiginōskō[16] which
means to fully know. What this
all means is that the proof that Jesus knows the Father is revealed in the
whole of His ministry, for everything that He has said and done all points to
the fact that He is the Son of God, sent down to earth to be the Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7)
redeeming (Revelation
5:9) “Lamb
of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
Luke 10:21–22 mentions all three Persons of
the Godhead, the Tri-unity (or Trinity). We see here that Jesus the Son was
doing the will of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit, with each having
a specific purpose.
03. The Blessed (Luke 10:23-24)
Jesus tells the Twelve disciples what a great
privilege that they had, being able to see the long-foretold and long-awaited
Messiah, who many prophets and kings throughout the Old Testament had longed to
see, but never saw the Messiah in the flesh. There had been many a Simeon and
many an Anna that were longing to see the Savior with their own eyes.[17]
The saw what John so famously penned under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
in John 1:14, that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The heard
from His very mouth the Word of God. If we want to hear the Word of God, we
have to read the Bible out loud! Now, one thing that we have as followers of
Him is that we have Him always with us, “even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
[1] Strong, J. (2009). A
Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible
(Vol. 1, p. 77). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[2] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Lk 10:17). Nashville, TN:
Broadman Press.
[3] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Lk 10:17). Nashville, TN:
Broadman Press.
[4] Strong, J. (2009). A
Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible
(Vol. 1, p. 22). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[5] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Lk 10:18). Nashville, TN:
Broadman Press.
[6] Plummer, A. (1896). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke
(p. 279). London: T&T Clark International.
[7] Kretzmann, Paul E. The
Popular Commentary http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/kpc/view.cgi?bk=41&ch=10
[8] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Lk 10:19). Nashville, TN:
Broadman Press.
[9] Plummer, A. (1896). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke
(p. 280). London: T&T Clark International.
[10] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Lk 10:20). Nashville, TN:
Broadman Press.
[11] Plummer, A. (1896). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke
(p. 280). London: T&T Clark International.
[12] Plummer, A. (1896). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke
(p. 280). London: T&T Clark International.
[13] Strong, J. (2009). A
Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible
(Vol. 1, p. 7). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[14] Just, A. A., Jr. (1997). Luke 9:51–24:53 (p. 445). St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House.
[15] Strong, J. (2009). A
Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible
(Vol. 1, p. 20). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[16] Strong, J. (2009). A
Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible
(Vol. 1, p. 31). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[17] Kretzmann, Paul E. The
Popular Commentary http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/kpc/view.cgi?bk=41&ch=10
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