Luke 10:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Though Christ chose these seventy apostles, they were subordinate to the twelve and later became their students and companions. Thus, these dates draw sustenance from the springs, that is, from the apostles, and have borne fruit that is both sweet and mildly tangy. The teachings of the saints reflect this balance: they are not entirely comforting and soothing, nor are they wholly harsh and jarring, but they embody a harmonious blend of both, truly seasoned with salt and infused with grace, as the Apostle Paul admonishes: “Let your word be always with grace, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6). The Lord selects the seventy disciples due to the vast number of those needing instruction. Just as fertile fields demand many harvesters, so too is there an urgent requirement for numerous teachers among the countless believers. The Lord commissions them “two by two” for their mutual safety and encouragement. They advance in front of Him, teaching in the same spirit as John: “prepare ye the way of the Lord” (Matt. 3:3).

Is this not the occasion that beckons us to the celebration, when we were declared righteous through faith, cleansed from the stain of sin, and the power of death that once ruled over us was overturned, with Satan expelled from dominion over us? In this time, through sanctification and justification, we were united with our shared Savior, Christ, and endowed with the expectation of eternal life and glory. These are mighty trumpet sounds, echoing not merely through Judea as in ancient days, but resonating across the globe. This is illustrated in the account of Moses, where the God of all humanity descended in fire upon Mount Sinai amidst a dense cloud, darkness, gloom, and the voice of a trumpet blasting loudly, as recorded in Scripture. Initially, the trumpet sounded softly, and then its notes extended, growing louder and more resonant. What was the meaning of the shadow of the law for us? Did it not signify that, at the outset, there were few proclaiming the Gospel, but later they multiplied? Christ began His mission by selecting twelve apostles, followed by appointing, as noted, seventy others. This was not due to any failure or wrongdoing on the part of those already honored with apostleship, but rather because a great multitude was poised to believe in Him, encompassing not only Israel but also many among the Gentiles. The God of all, through one of His holy prophets, declared that the message of salvation would encompass the entire world, stating, "Judgment grows like wheatgrass in the furrows of the field." Just as wheatgrass emerges in uncultivated furrows, spreading out and continually advancing, so does the judgment, which is the grace justifying the world as proclaimed in the glad tidings of the Gospel, take hold of every city and place. In addition to these twelve, Christ commissioned seventy others, mirroring what was foreshadowed in the words of Moses, who, at God's command, also chose seventy men and received the Spirit upon them. Once again, we see these twelve disciples and the seventy forecasted in the shadow of the law. For it is written in Exodus concerning the children of Israel, "And they came to Marah; and the people could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. And Moses cried unto the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters became sweet." The term Marah means bitterness, which we interpret as a symbol of the Law, for the law was bitter in that it imposed a death sentence. Paul confirms this by stating, "He that despiseth the law of Moses shall be put to death without mercy in the presence of two or three witnesses." Thus, it was bitter and unendurable for those who lived before, making it as unwelcome as those bitter waters. Yet it is revealed in the precious cross, of which the tree shown to blessed Moses was a prototype. With the shadow replaced by spiritual insight, we are able to perceive the mystery of Christ concealed within the types of the law. Although the law was once bitter, it is no longer so. "And after Marah they came, it is said, to Elim." Elim means lifting up or abundance. What was present in Elim? "Twelve wells of water," it is stated, and "seventy palm trees." As we ascend to a more profound understanding and seek spiritual growth, we discover twelve wells, symbolizing the holy apostles, and seventy palm trees, representing those appointed by Christ. It is fitting to liken the disciples to wells and the seventy who followed to palm trees, for from the disciples of our Savior we draw the knowledge of all good things. Likewise, we praise the seventy, referring to them as palm trees; for this tree is sturdy, deeply rooted, abundantly fruitful, and perpetually flourishing beside waters. In a similar way, we affirm that the saints embody these qualities: their thoughts are pure, unwavering, fruitful, and they continually delight in the waters of wisdom. Thus, returning to our earlier point, the Lord "appointed other seventy."

The Lord pursues His messengers because preaching must occur first, allowing the Lord to enter the homes of our hearts as they proclaim His truth. This is why Isaiah instructs the preachers, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God" (Isaiah 40:3). Similarly, the Psalmist echoes this call, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God" (Psalm 67:5). The Lord ascends to the West, the place of His suffering, where He revealed His greatest glory through His resurrection. He ascends to the West because, by His Resurrection, He conquered the death He experienced. By proclaiming His glory to your hearts, we prepare a pathway for Him who ascended to the West, so that after His journey, He may fill them with the light of His love.

As they prepared to leave, He reiterated nearly all the instructions given to the twelve, while providing greater insight into the imminent challenges they would face, particularly the twelve apostles. He offered them guidance and comfort suited to the trials ahead. He also cautioned against misguided zeal, as illustrated in Luke 9:52-56, and warned that the unrepentant and heedless towns would face divine judgment, soon to be made manifest (Luke 10:13-15).

Consequently, through the selection of the 70 apostles, Christ anticipated the spread of the Gospel not only to the Jewish community but also to Gentiles. It is noteworthy that their selection and commissioning to preach occurred in Samaria, the very region where He had previously instructed His apostles not to proclaim (Matt. 10:5). Like the 12 apostles (Mark 6:7), Christ sent the 70 out in pairs. He dispatched them to go ‘before His face into every city and place where He Himself was willing to go.’ This suggests that one purpose of the 70 apostles’ selection was to pave the way for Jesus, preparing the hearts of the people to receive Him as the Messiah through their proclamation. Certainly, even after the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost, these apostles remained committed to spreading the message of Christ. However, they were similar to many other preacher-apostles who assisted the 12 in the propagation of Christianity. Apostolic history does not indicate that the 70 apostles held a unique status within the early Church like the 12 or that they were in any way set apart from other followers of Christ.

11:16-25), and the Sanhedrin, the Jewish supreme council, comprised 70 members, illustrating the importance of this number. Possibly with this significance in mind, the Lord commissioned 70 disciples alongside the 12. The identities of these 70 Apostles are not explicitly known; the Church’s lists include the names of various apostolic helpers, many of whom likely came to faith well after this event.

The instruction to go out "two by two" suggests a practical benefit for those sent forth, allowing them to support one another as they preached. Companionship would enable them to provide counsel, share resources, and encourage each other through challenges (cf. Theophil.). The aim of the 70 was to announce the impending arrival of the Messiah's kingdom and prepare the Jewish people to accept Him and His teachings as He traveled. This mission appears to have been temporary, as they do not seem to have established a closed community like the 12 Apostles. After fulfilling the Lord's directive and returning to Him (Lk. 10:17), they likely rejoined His broader circle of disciples, subsequently sharing the Gospel without forming a distinct group. The specific locations to which the Lord dispatched the 70 remain unspecified. At that time, He was traveling to Jerusalem and intended to pass through Samaria (Lk. 9:50, 53, 56), though He also visited Galilee and Perea later. It is probable that they were sent throughout Palestine, including Galilee, Samaria, Perea, and Judea.