What is the meaning of Luke 10?

Introduction to Luke 10

Luke 10 stands as a pivotal chapter in the Gospel, marking a significant expansion of the Messiah’s ministry beyond the twelve disciples. This chapter introduces the commissioning of the seventy (or seventy-two) disciples, demonstrating the exponential growth of Kingdom work and foreshadowing the eventual global spread of the Gospel message. The narrative seamlessly weaves together themes of mission, spiritual authority, neighborly love, and contemplative devotion, presenting a masterful portrait of what it means to be a true follower of Yeshua.

The chapter’s significance lies in its unique content, much of which is exclusive to Luke’s Gospel, including the beloved parable of the Good Samaritan and the intimate scene at the home of Mary and Martha. These accounts provide essential teachings about the integration of active service and spiritual contemplation in the life of faith.

Context of Luke 10

Within Luke’s Gospel, chapter 10 is strategically positioned during Yeshua’s journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). This travel narrative, unique to Luke, serves as a framework for presenting crucial teachings about discipleship, mission, and the Kingdom of God. The preceding chapter recounts the sending of the twelve apostles, while chapter 10 expands this mission to a larger group, illustrating the progressive nature of Yeshua’s ministry strategy.

In the broader biblical narrative, Luke 10 connects with several significant themes that run throughout Scripture. The sending of the seventy disciples echoes Moses’ appointment of seventy elders (Numbers 11:16-17), suggesting a parallel between the old and new covenants. The chapter’s emphasis on showing mercy to strangers resonates with Torah commands about loving the sojourner (Leviticus 19:34), while the Mary and Martha narrative reflects the biblical wisdom tradition’s emphasis on seeking God’s presence above all else (Psalm 27:4).

The placement of this chapter also serves to prepare readers for the intensifying conflict between Yeshua and the religious authorities that will unfold in subsequent chapters, as it challenges conventional understanding of what it means to fulfill the Law and live as God’s people.

Ancient Key Word Study

• ἀπέστειλεν (apesteilen) – “Sent forth” (v.1): This verb carries the weight of divine commissioning, sharing the same root as “apostle.” In the Septuagint, it often translates שָׁלַח (shalach), emphasizing authorized representation with delegated authority. The sending of the seventy mirrors God’s pattern of working through human agents throughout salvation history.
• εἰρήνη (eirene) – “Peace” (v.5): More than mere absence of conflict, this term corresponds to the Hebrew שָׁלוֹם (shalom), encompassing wholeness, well-being, and divine favor. When the disciples pronounce peace upon a house, they’re invoking God’s comprehensive blessing.
• βασιλεία (basileia) – “Kingdom” (v.9): This term denotes both the reign and realm of God. In Jewish thought, declaring the Kingdom’s nearness wasn’t just announcing an event but proclaiming the presence of divine authority and the inauguration of messianic promises.
• πλησίον (plesion) – “Neighbor” (v.27): In Hebrew thought (רֵעַ – rea), this term originally referred to fellow Israelites but Yeshua radically redefines it through the Good Samaritan parable to transcend ethnic and religious boundaries.
• σπλαγχνίσθη (esplagchnisthe) – “Had compassion” (v.33): This visceral term describes feeling compassion in one’s inner organs, reflecting the Hebrew רַחֲמִים (rachamim). It’s frequently used of Yeshua and here characterizes true godly response to human need.
• μεριμνᾷς (merimnas) – “Worried” (v.41): This verb implies being drawn in different directions, fragmented by anxiety. It contrasts with the single-minded devotion exemplified by Mary.
• παρακαθεσθεῖσα (parakathestheisa) – “Sat beside” (v.39): This term in rabbinic contexts describes the posture of a disciple learning from a master, making Mary’s position at Yeshua’s feet particularly significant given cultural gender norms.
• ἀγαπήσεις (agapeseis) – “You shall love” (v.27): This command uses the most elevated form of love in Greek, corresponding to the Hebrew אָהַב (ahav) in the Shema. It represents a love that is chosen, unconditional, and action-oriented.
• θεωρεῖτε (theoreite) – “You see” (v.18): This verb implies more than physical sight, suggesting spiritual perception or understanding of divine reality, often used for witnessing supernatural events.

Compare & Contrast

• The sending of seventy disciples (v.1) deliberately echoes Numbers 11 but with a crucial difference – while Moses’ seventy elders received a portion of his spirit, these disciples receive direct authority from the Messiah, indicating His superior position and the greater scope of the new covenant.
• The instruction to “carry no purse, no bag, no sandals” (v.4) contrasts with normal travel preparations, emphasizing complete dependence on God’s provision. The Greek term βαλλάντιον (ballantion) for “purse” specifically refers to a money bag, chosen over other terms like θήκη (theke) to emphasize rejection of financial security.
• In the lawyer’s question (v.25), “τί ποιήσας” (ti poiesas) literally means “by doing what?” rather than simply “what?” This specific construction emphasizes works-righteousness thinking, setting up Yeshua’s response about faith expressing itself through love.
• The Good Samaritan’s use of oil and wine (v.34) employs precise medical terminology (ἐπιχέων ἔλαιον καὶ οἶνον) that would have been recognized as standard first aid in the ancient world, adding credibility to the narrative while symbolizing both healing and celebration.
• Martha’s distraction is described as περιεσπᾶτο (periespato), literally “drawn around,” a term that could have been replaced with the simpler μεριμνάω (merimnao) but was chosen to emphasize the complete encompassing nature of her anxiety.
• The command to “go and do likewise” (v.37) uses πορεύου (poreuou) in the present imperative, suggesting ongoing action rather than a one-time deed, emphasizing the lifestyle nature of true neighborly love.
• The description of Satan falling “like lightning” (v.18) uses the term ἀστραπὴν (astrapen) rather than other terms for light, emphasizing the sudden, dramatic nature of his fall while also recalling Ezekiel’s description of Lucifer.

Luke 10 Unique Insights

The number seventy carries profound significance in Jewish thought, appearing in contexts of universal scope and divine completeness. According to rabbinic tradition, there were seventy nations in the world (based on Genesis 10), and the Torah was translated into seventy languages at Sinai. The sending of seventy disciples thus symbolically prefigures the gospel’s universal reach, a theme dear to Luke’s heart.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan operates on multiple levels beyond its obvious ethical teaching. In patristic interpretation, particularly in Augustine’s reading, the man traveling represents Adam (humanity), Jerusalem represents the heavenly city, Jericho (being significantly lower in elevation) represents our mortality, the robbers are the devil and his angels, the priest and Levite represent the inadequacy of the Law and Prophets to save, while the Samaritan is Christ Himself. The inn represents the Church, and the two denarii are often seen as the two great commandments or the two testaments of Scripture.

The Mary and Martha narrative presents a fascinating study in the Hebrew concept of עבודה (avodah), which can mean both worship and work. This linguistic connection suggests that both sisters were engaged in forms of service, but Mary chose the “better portion” (μερίδα – merida, a term used in the Septuagint for the Levites’ portion of the sacrifice) by focusing on direct communion with God. The rabbis taught that study of Torah could supersede other religious obligations, and here we see Yeshua affirming this principle while radically including women in this traditionally male sphere.

The statement about Satan falling like lightning (v.18) may reference an ancient Jewish tradition, preserved in the Life of Adam and Eve, about Satan’s original fall. This cosmic perspective places the disciples’ ministry within the grand narrative of God’s victory over evil, suggesting that their successful missions were participating in and manifesting this greater reality.

Luke 10 Connections to Yeshua

The sending of the seventy disciples demonstrates Yeshua’s role as the greater Moses, organizing and empowering His people for ministry with an authority that surpasses that of the great lawgiver. Their successful ministry and authority over demons validates His messianic identity and previews the greater works He promised His followers would do (John 14:12).

The Good Samaritan parable reveals Yeshua’s own mission. Just as the Samaritan crossed ethnic and religious boundaries to show mercy, Yeshua crossed the infinite divide between divinity and humanity to rescue us. The Samaritan’s promise to return parallels Yeshua’s promise to come again, while his payment for the wounded man’s care reflects Yeshua’s complete provision for our salvation. The two denarii, representing two days’ wages, may even hint at the two thousand years of church history before His return, as in the rabbinic tradition that “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years” (2 Peter 3:8).

The Mary and Martha narrative presents Yeshua as the source of “the one thing necessary,” identifying Him as divine wisdom personified, the one greater than Solomon whose teaching is worth setting aside all other concerns to receive. His defense of Mary’s choice to sit at His feet as a disciple demonstrates His radical validation of women’s full participation in discipleship, pointing toward the new creation reality where there is “neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28).

Luke 10 Scriptural Echoes

This chapter resonates deeply with numerous Old Testament themes and prophecies. The sending of the seventy recalls not only Moses’ seventy elders but also Jacob’s seventy descendants who entered Egypt (Genesis 46:27), suggesting a new exodus and the formation of a new people of God. The disciples’ authority over serpents and scorpions echoes both the promise of Genesis 3:15 and the prophetic vision of Isaiah 11:8.

The legal expert’s question about eternal life connects with Leviticus 18:5 and Deuteronomy 6:5, while the Good Samaritan parable fulfills the spirit of laws about caring for strangers and enemies (Exodus 23:4-5). Mary’s posture at Yeshua’s feet recalls promises about the Messianic age when all would be taught directly by God (Isaiah 54:13).

The joy of the returning disciples and Yeshua’s vision of Satan’s fall connect with prophetic visions of God’s ultimate victory (Isaiah 14:12, Daniel 7:27). The chapter’s emphasis on revealing truth to “infants” rather than the wise recalls similar themes in the Psalms (Psalm 8:2).

Luke 10 Devotional

This chapter challenges us to examine our own response to Yeshua’s commission. Like the seventy disciples, we’re called to participate in His mission with both authority and vulnerability, trusting in divine provision rather than our own resources. Their experience reminds us that true joy comes not from spiritual achievements but from our secure relationship with God.

The Good Samaritan parable confronts our tendency to create boundaries around our compassion. It asks us not “Who is my neighbor?” but rather “To whom can I be a neighbor?” This shift in perspective transforms our approach to those in need, calling us to proactive rather than reactive love. The Samaritan’s thorough care for the wounded man challenges us to consider whether our own mercy extends beyond immediate aid to comprehensive care for those God brings across our path.

The Mary and Martha narrative speaks powerfully to our contemporary struggle with busyness and distraction. Martha’s anxiety about many things mirrors our own tendency to let legitimate concerns crowd out the essential priority of communion with God. The story invites us to evaluate our own choices and to remember that sitting at Yeshua’s feet – through prayer, worship, and study of His Word – is not a luxury but a necessity. It challenges us to resist the tyranny of the urgent and choose the “better portion” of focused attention on our Lord.

Did You Know

• The number seventy (or seventy-two in some manuscripts) may reflect the list of nations in Genesis 10, suggesting the universal scope of the gospel message. The Sanhedrin also consisted of seventy members plus the High Priest, creating an interesting parallel between the old and new covenant leadership structures.
• The road from Jerusalem to Jericho, the setting of the Good Samaritan parable, descended about 3,300 feet over just 17 miles, making it notably dangerous and earning it the nickname “The Way of Blood” due to frequent robberies.
• In ancient Jewish culture, sitting at someone’s feet (as Mary did) was the traditional posture of a disciple learning from a rabbi, making her position particularly radical for a woman in that society.
• The term “Samaritan” would have been shocking to first-century Jewish listeners, as Samaritans were considered enemies and heretics. Using a Samaritan as the hero would be like using a member of a hostile nation or opposing religious group in a modern retelling.
• The inn mentioned in the Good Samaritan parable was likely a πανδοχεῖον (pandocheion), a commercial establishment different from the καταλύματα (katalumata) or guest rooms mentioned in the nativity narrative.
• The “oil and wine” used by the Samaritan were standard medical treatments in the ancient world – oil to soothe wounds and wine as an antiseptic. This detail adds historical authenticity to the parable.
• Martha’s name in Aramaic means “lady” or “mistress of the house,” suggesting she may have owned the home where she hosted Yeshua, an unusual situation for a woman in that culture.
• The concept of inheriting eternal life, raised by the lawyer’s question, was debated in Jewish circles, with some rabbis teaching that it required perfect observance of just one commandment, making the lawyer’s question about which commandment was most important particularly relevant.
• The phrase “do this and you will live” echoes the covenant formula from Leviticus 18:5, a key text in Jewish discussions about Torah observance and eternal life.
• The disciples’ joy at their successful ministry fulfilled prophecies about the messianic age when God’s people would have authority over evil forces (Psalm 91:13).