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Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 10:

Now moving toward Jerusalem (9:51), Jesus commissions 70 disciples (or 72, depending on translation) to be sent on mission to announce the Kingdom of God and heal, relying not on themselves, but God (vs. 1-12). Responding to Jesus’ call results in joy! (vs. 17) Jesus reminds them that the greatest cause for rejoicing is not the works God equips us to do, but our fundamental identity in God’s family (vs. 17-20). Later a scholar of the Torah Law engages Jesus as rabbi [“teacher”] with a religious question (vs. 25). Jesus affirms God’s consistency (Dt 6:5), yet this is not enough for the scholar of the Law, who wants to be self-sufficient and “justify himself. (vs. 29). Jesus tells a story of a man near death who must rely on an outsider [a Samaritan] to rescue him and receive an abundance as gift (vs. 33-35). Throughout this chapter, Luke gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ heart, rejoicing in those who “see” what God has revealed and draw close to him (vs. 24, 38-42) and lamenting those who experience Jesus (i.e. the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, located in Jesus’ initial ministry area of Galilee) but do not “see” and “hear” God’s message (vs. 13-16).

The Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 10:

The Mission of the Seventy

1 After this the Lord ap­pointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the har­vest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the la­ borer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. 8 When­ ever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set be­ fore you; 9 heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you; nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it shall be more toler­able on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Woes to Unrepentant Cities

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Beth­saida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ash­es. 14 But it shall be more toler­able in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Caperna­um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.
16 “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you re­ jects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

The Return of the Seventy

17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon ser­pents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Never­theless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are writ­ ten in heaven.”

Jesus Rejoices and Thanks the Father

21 In that same hour he re­joiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to infants; yes, Fa­ther, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then turning to the disci­ples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to in­herit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neigh­bor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered right; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, 34 and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denariii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the rob­bers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed mercy on him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus Visits Martha and Mary

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Mar­tha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; 42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”

*Daily Lectio Divina Question:

"Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the rob­bers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed mercy on him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”" (Lk 10: 36-37) In which ways have I been a neighbor to the people I encounter who are suffering or in need of help? Do I see them as an opportunity to love or as a threat?

Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. cbsmich.org/join

Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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