And the seventy-two returned with joy, saying: Lord, the devils also are subject to us in thy name.
υπεστρεψαν δε οι εβδομηκοντα μετα χαρας λεγοντες κυριε και τα δαιμονια υποτασσεται ημιν εν τω ονοματι σου
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Initially, the evangelist recounts how the Lord appointed seventy disciples. Now he shares their joyful return, highlighting that they not only healed various ailments but also liberated individuals from even more profound afflictions—demons. Observe their humility, as they acknowledge to the Lord, "In Your name even the demons submit to us," recognizing that their success stems from His grace, not their own strength.
One of the holy prophets declared, "Will the Lord God undertake any action without first revealing its principles to His servants, the prophets?" The Almighty shared with His holy prophets the future events, allowing them to proclaim these truths in advance, ensuring their faithfulness when the prophesied occurrences came to pass. Those who seek may find their confidence in the veracity of our present assertions, even through the example of the lessons at hand. "For the seventy," it recounts, "returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils obey us in Thy Name." The twelve disciples, esteemed and divinely chosen, were the first to be established.
Yet, as Christ Himself noted, "the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few," He designated an additional seventy, sending them ahead into all the towns and cities of Judea to serve as His heralds and proclaim His teachings.
As He sent them forth, He granted them the grace of the Holy Spirit and empowered them to perform miracles, countering any doubts about their authority as true apostles, unlike those in earlier days who falsely prophesied without His instruction, as noted in Scripture. God, through the voice of Jeremiah, similarly declared, "I sent not the prophets, and they fled: I spake not unto them, and they prophesied," and at another time, "The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither spake unto them, nor commanded them." Thus, to prevent skepticism towards those commissioned by Christ, He endowed them with authority over unclean spirits and the capability to perform signs. The divine miracles that accompanied their preaching silenced any accusations or deceptive words aimed against them; accusations were nullified as they were deemed unjust, and instead, any opposition was a struggle against God.
No one can perform miracles unless empowered by God. Thus, the Spirit's grace affirmed that the apostles did not act independently or speak on their own accord; rather, they were ordained as servants of His message. The authority they bore to cast out evil and vanquish Satan was not for self-glorification, but to uplift Christ through their actions, enabling those they taught to believe in Him as both God and the natural Son of God. They were bestowed with such immense glory and power that they could also grant others the authority to tread upon Satan. Yet, as recorded, filled with such remarkable favor, "they returned, rejoicing, and saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us through thy name." They recognized the power of Him who had honored them and were in awe of His greatness.
Their joy seemed to stem not merely from their role as messengers or from their apostolic recognition, but primarily from the miracles they performed. It would have been more fitting for them to understand that the miracles were bestowed not for personal admiration but to validate their preaching, as the Holy Spirit confirmed through divine signs. Truly, it would have been preferable if their joy had centered around those whom they had drawn to faith, creating a genuine cause for celebration, much like the wise Paul who cherished those brought to faith through his ministry, referring to them as "My joy and my crown." Instead, they rejoiced solely in their power over Satan.
According to Christ, the harvest is indeed plentiful, but the workers are few. Beyond the initial disciples, He appointed seventy additional followers and sent them into all the towns and villages of Judea ahead of Him to proclaim His message. The authority granted to them to expel evil spirits and the strength to vanquish Satan was not intended to bring them honor, but rather to bring glory to Christ through their actions. Those who received their teachings came to recognize Him as the true God and the Son of God. He possessed such immense glory, sovereignty, and might that He could enable others to put Satan under their feet.
Christ responded, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18). This indicates that I am aware, for at the moment you embarked on the mission I commissioned you to undertake, you triumphed over Satan. I witnessed his downfall from the heights to the earth, a descent from arrogance to disgrace, from majesty to humiliation, from great potency to complete impotence. This statement holds true: before the arrival of the Savior, Satan ruled over the world. Everything was under his control, and no one could evade the grip of his overwhelming authority. He was venerated everywhere, possessing temples and altars dedicated to him, with countless worshipers. However, when the only begotten Word of God descended from heaven, Satan fell swiftly from power.
Who has found reconciliation with God? Is it those who performed wonders, or those who did not? The apostle Peter resurrected someone from death (see Acts 9:40), and Simon the Magician accomplished many feats (see Acts 8:10). Yet among the believers were individuals who lacked the ability to perform miracles—neither the acts of Peter nor those of Simon. Still, why did they rejoice? Because their names are inscribed in the book of life. This is what our Lord Jesus Christ communicated to the returning disciples regarding the faith of the Gentiles. The disciples, filled with joy, exclaimed, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name” (Luke 10:17). Although they made a remarkable confession and glorified the name of Christ, how did He respond to them?
“Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Peter was exercising authority over demons. An elderly widow or a loving man who steadfastly holds onto faith may not perform such acts. In the Body of the Church, Peter serves as the eye; others serve as fingers, all within the same Body as Peter. Even if a finger holds less prominence than an eye, it remains an integral part of the Body. It is far better to be a finger that contributes to the Body than to be an eye detached from it.
They celebrated as individuals privileged to perform wonders and cast out evil spirits.
In this instance, the seventy disciples came back to Jesus with great joy. They recounted with innocent delight how the unclean spirits had submitted to them. The Lord, understanding the significance of Satan’s defeat and having empowered them over all the might of the adversary, sought to redirect their happiness toward matters of greater significance—namely, that their names were inscribed in the book of life by the heavenly Father, that they were granted the ability to know Him and the Father through this intimate relationship, and that in this knowledge lies eternal life (John 17:3). He Himself rejoiced in the Spirit at this revelation and expressed gratitude to the Father for disclosing these truths to the humble.
The seventy disciples, granted authority by Christ Jesus to restore health to the sick, rejoiced profoundly upon witnessing that even demons yielded to them through His name. This was a power that, at times, even the twelve disciples could not command. In response, Christ affirms the validity of their joy, explaining the reasons behind their ability to triumph over the adversary's influence. He reveals to them the things hidden from mortal eyes but understood through His Spirit, which unveils the mysteries of the spiritual realm, including the downfall of Satan and the obliteration of his dominion over the earth: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."
Here, "heaven" serves not as a dwelling of evil spirits but rather symbolizes the power and authority that Satan wielded prior to humanity's redemption through Christ. The term "I beheld," utilized in the imperfect tense, emphasizes the vividness of the testimony, not pinpointing a specific moment in time. With prophetic insight, Christ perceives His ultimate victory over the devil as already realized; although the definitive triumph over Satan will occur through His sacrificial death on the cross, the expulsion of demons signifies that the Stronger One has invaded the strong man's territory, defeated him, and taken away his spoils.
Thus, Christ further assures the apostles, "Behold, I give unto you authority over all the power of the enemy and over every obstacle it places against mankind's salvation." He then cautions His disciples against being swayed by superficial excitement in the presence of miraculous healings, urging them to focus on the deeper implications and significance of such acts. Their ability to cast out demons should serve as a confirmation of their belonging to the saved—a part of the heavenly kingdom.
The return of the seventy disciples and the conversation with Jesus As Jesus departed from Bethany, He and His apostles journeyed toward Galilee. The Evangelist does not specify the route taken or the location where He encountered the seventy disciples who had come back. Some scholars suggest that Jesus met them in Perea, since He had sent the seventy to a location where He had not yet been, and indeed, He was not in Perea at that moment. While we acknowledge that Jesus may have passed through Perea on His way back to Galilee, preaching and performing miracles, it seems more likely that the meeting with the seventy took place in Galilee. They had been sent out from Galilee and were required to return there; only in Galilee could they unite to report to the one who had commissioned them.
Upon seeing Jesus, the seventy disciples joyfully greeted Him, exclaiming with excitement, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!" They undoubtedly recounted all the wonders they had accomplished in Jesus' name, but the most significant of these miracles was certainly the expulsion of demons.
The seventy followers came back from their missionary efforts during this period, marking their final visit to Galilee before the Passion. They eagerly shared with Him the joy of their accomplishments in spreading the message. In the authority of Christ’s name, they were able to drive out demons.
Following the conclusion of Epistle 70, the Evangelist recounts their return. However, it is likely that there was a significant period of time between the epistle's message and their actual return, and they were likely dispatched two by two to various locations, implying that their return was not instantaneous. The Evangelist succinctly summarizes these events, merging the details into a comprehensive narrative that captures the core essence rather than the individual elements.
The phrase "And the devils obey us" indicates that, through the authority of Christ's name, the demons are compelled to depart from those afflicted by them. Among all their endeavors, the ability to exorcise demons appeared to them as a clear demonstration of both their apostolic mission and the might of their Master, prompting them to joyfully share this testimony with the Lord. They came to recognize and experience within themselves the strength to combat humanity's original adversary, growing increasingly aware of their own capabilities, which filled them with gladness.
Additionally, their humility is evident as they acknowledge to the Lord, "O Thy name," affirming that the demons submit to them not by their own strength but through divine grace.
The seventy disciples set forth to proclaim the Gospel in various towns and villages, validating their message through an array of miracles, particularly the expulsion of evil spirits. Their authority over these dark forces took them by surprise, and upon their return, they joyfully reported to their Divine Teacher: Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name. In response, the Lord assured them that with His advent in the world, the devil had been rendered powerless. By taking on human form to obliterate the works of the devil (1 Jn. 3:8), He had already defeated the adversary at the outset of His ministry—during the temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4:3-11)—and He consistently overcame him throughout His earthly ministry, liberating individuals from demonic oppression.
Ultimately, through His death and resurrection, He would achieve the final victory over death, culminating in the inauguration of His glorious kingdom (Rev. 20:10). The Saviour succinctly illustrated this triumph over Satan with a vivid metaphor: I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. This adversary, whom Christ has dethroned, can be courageously confronted with divine assistance: behold, I grant you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall harm you. However, it is not this victory over hostile spirits that serves as a definitive marker of salvation (Matt. 7:22-23), but rather the very act of salvation itself and being included among those chosen for the heavenly realm. This should bring you the greatest joy: do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you; rejoice instead because your names are inscribed in heaven (Lk. 10:20), recorded before the Lord (Mal. 3:16), in the Book of Life that stands open before God (Rev. 3:5; 20:12, 15)—these analogies found in sacred Scripture draw from the commonplace municipal records where the names of citizens are documented.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 18 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS