Luke 10:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consider Genesis 3:15; could this not be what He means when He declares, 'Tread on serpents and scorpions' (Luke 10:19)? To clarify that this pertains not to literal creatures, He specifies: and to all the power of the enemy. Do you perceive the profound mercy of God evident in the punishment meted out to the agent of evil?

When He reveals its venomous nature, lethality, and destructiveness, He refers to it as a serpent and a scorpion. He invites us to confront serpents and scorpions, along with all the power of the enemy. Yet, He assures us not to fear or be alarmed; we need only observe, and He will appear as a sparrow. 'Tread,' it is proclaimed, 'upon serpents and scorpions.' God will empower us to triumph over them, if only we are willing to act.

I grant you the power to overcome his forces. For serpents and scorpions represent the ranks of demons that stealthily approach, with those causing more overt afflictions identified as serpents, while those striking more insidiously are akin to scorpions. For instance, the spirit of fornication and murder can be likened to a serpent, as it incites obvious sinful actions; whereas the spirit that masquerades as illness—encouraging a person to seek baths, pleasant fragrances, and other harmful indulgences—resembles a scorpion, as it possesses a concealed sting and endeavors to secretly harm the flesh, leading one into deeper sin. But we give thanks to God, who has empowered us to conquer them!

Who is it that vanquished its might and reduced it to this state of wretchedness? Clearly, it is Christ. He affirmed to us with the proclamation, "Behold, I have given you power to trample on serpents and scorpions and all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you." A response may arise, saying, "But, Lord, we are already celebrating the glory and grace You have bestowed upon us, for we have recognized that even the demons are subject to us in Your name. How then do You assert to those who know and openly acknowledge this: ‘Behold, I have granted you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions?’ Yes, He replies, I have intentionally reminded you of these truths, which you already comprehend, to prevent you from being swayed by the ignorance of the Jews.

Since truth permitted the serpent to strike at the heel (Gen. 3:15), divine mercy through the Cross lifted the heel, restoring its strength and enabling it to conquer the serpent. This is further illustrated in the following words, stating, "and against all the power of the enemy," which is vanquished by the Cross. He then proclaims: "Behold, he has given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions," for he annihilated the deception that ruled through the serpent, allowing the truth of Him who granted the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions—specifically, their leader (Satan)—to prevail. Just as he struck the heel of Eve, so too did Mary's foot crush him.

The servant of the truth neutralizes venom and faces it without fear. Paul experienced a bite from a venomous creature on the island of Melita. The locals observed the serpent attached to his arm and anticipated his demise. However, upon witnessing that he remained unharmed, they considered him divine, as the poison had no effect on him. To affirm this, the Lord declared: "Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you."

The brother inquired, “Father, who is capable of observing all the commandments since there are so many?” The elder responded, “The one who emulates the Lord and follows Him closely.” The brother then asked, “And who is able to emulate the Lord? The Lord was Divine, though He took on humanity, whereas I am a sinner, bound by countless desires. How can I emulate Him?” The elder replied, “Those who are ensnared by worldly matters cannot emulate the Lord.

Behold, I grant you the authority to walk upon serpents and scorpions. These serpents and scorpions represent the treacherous thoughts that wound and afflict the spirit. He named these entities demons, not only due to their deceitful, toxic nature that leads to ruin, but also because they are feeble and can be easily vanquished. And regarding all the might of the adversary. The mindset of the serpent. As He witnesses their joy in the subjugation of demons, He bestows upon them enduring authority over these forces, an authority they received from the moment they were initially sent forth. However, He admonishes them not to rejoice in this dominion, for it was not earned through their own actions, but rather granted freely for the benefit of others.

Look, I grant you authority, says the Lord, so that you will no longer be trampled by the destroyer or led astray.

When Jesus proclaimed triumph over Satan, He granted His followers the authority to walk upon serpents and scorpions and all the might of the adversary. These statements should not be interpreted literally; one should not presume that the disciples would safely walk among venomous snakes and scorpions from that moment on. The phrase - and on all the power of the enemy - indicates that the focus here is once again on dominion over malevolent spirits and the forces that oppose humanity, rather than on actual reptiles. In using this allegorical language to convey victory over the devil, Jesus simultaneously illustrated the power bestowed upon the disciples to overcome him and all his malevolent influence.

The victory of Christ over the disarray of creation marked the beginning of His redemptive mission, with the blessings of this victory bestowed upon all genuine believers. For those who fully embody Christ's commandment of love—recognized as the primary hallmark of His followers and the foremost virtue in the new kingdom—there exists a promise that they will ‘take up serpents’, ‘tread upon serpents and scorpions’, and that even these most fearsome symbols of discord within the natural order will pose no threat to them (Mark 16:18, Luke 10:19). This promise has been realized through many of God's great saints.

"Observe that I grant authority": the victor endowed with complete power, I have also conferred upon you this power to triumph over the malevolent spirits that oppose you and humanity, and that is why they submit to you. - "To tread upon serpents and scorpions": one cannot walk over or crush serpents and scorpions without the risk of a potentially deadly sting, and if the Lord permits the Apostles to do so without harm, it demonstrates an exceptional authority, a remarkably wondrous gift. - Serpents and scorpions (from the serpent's lineage) symbolize cunning, deceit, and malevolence (see Matthew 3:7).