Luke 9:1-9

Butler's Comments

SECTION 1

Training The Twelve (Luke 9:1-9)

9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal. 3And he said to them, Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics, 4And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them. 6And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, 8by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen. 9Herod said, John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things? And he sought to see him.

Luke 9:1-6 Exciting Mission: The great year of popularity was drawing to a close. Even in Galilee the storm clouds of opposition were gathering on the horizon. A crash course in evangelism was in order for the Twelve. For two years the disciples have been soaking up the classroom lecturesnow they are to have their first field-trip all on their own. Now they are to put to practice, without the Teacher's close supervision, the principles they have been taught. There is no way to learn to do evangelism but to do it! Methods are fine but no one method will suit every circumstance or personality.

The more detailed account of this event in Matthew 10:5-42 must be studied along with Luke's account here. Someone has outlined the event (as detailed in all three gospels) thus: Jesus conferred upon the Twelve (a) His mission, (b) His message, (c) His miracles, (d) His miseries, (e) His mastery. His purpose for sending them out was at least threefold: (a) to multiply the effect of His mission to proclaim the kingdom of God, (b) to provide them with empirical evidence of His miraculous power when they should later become the only eyewitnesses to His death and resurrection, (c) to let them learn evangelism by doing. Matthew records that in addition to their power over unclean spirits and every disease, they were also given power to raise the dead. Their main objective was, of course, to preach the coming of the kingdom of Godmiracles were merely to validate their message as the truth.

Due to the increasing opposition and disenchantment with Jesus (soon thousands of disciples will turn away from Him, John 6:66), this mission of the Twelve was to be an intense and extensive mission. Jesus fully expected to join them later before they had gone through all the towns of Israel (Matthew 10:23). Their message was the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 10:7). There is no indication that they proclaimed Jesus to be The Christ. In fact, afterward at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus forbade the disciples from making such a public declaration. Matthew records that Jesus told the disciples not to go among the Gentiles. or Samaritans. That did not mean they should not preach the kingdom to Gentiles and Samaritans should some of them be found in the cities and villages of Israel. It simply meant that the time was not yet available or opportune for an extensive ministry in Gentile and Samaritan cities outside the confines of Israel's borders.

Because of the intensity and rapidity necessary for their work (if they are to cover all the towns of Israel) Jesus placed limitations upon their physical and financial preparations. According to Matthew, Jesus told them, You received without pay, give without pay. That does not mean that they were not to receive any financial or logistical support whatever in their ministry. In fact, Jesus concludes by instructing them to receive graciously and courteously any room and board offered to them during this evangelistic tour, (cf. Matthew 10:11-14; Mark 6:10-11; Luke 9:4-5). The N.T. is clear that those who preach the gospel should have their livelihood supplied by those who receive the preaching (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:1-14; Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:15-17, etc.). Preaching and teaching the Word of God is work and the laborer is worthy of his hire! On the other hand, the preacher or teacher is not to be a mercenarya hirelingpreaching only for financial gain. The preacher should not approach his work like the worldly-minded manhow much am I going to get out of it, He should put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provisions for the flesh (Romans 13:14). That is exactly what Jesus is trying to teach the Twelve by His limitations here. They are not to devote their energies to making elaborate and unnecessary material preparations. Luke and Matthew say, take no staff while Mark says, take nothing except a staff. Apparently the one staff (walking stick, also used to protect against highway robbers) every Palestinian traveler carried would sufficethey were not to make provisions for another one, an extra one. They were to carry no duffel-bag since they were to carry nothing extra; neither food or clothing, shoes or money. Jesus is instructing the Twelve to put to practice the Sermon on the Mountdo not be anxious, what you shall eat or what you shall wear. seek first the kingdom of God. and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:25-34).

Jesus also instructs these beginners that the evangelist must make wise use of time. The gospel message is a deposit from God to men over which they must exercise good stewardship. Notice the method Jesus gave the Twelve. First, they were to survey the city or village and find a home hospitable to their mission and to them (Matthew 10:11). They were to make that their headquarters (Matthew 10:11; Mark 6:10; Luke 9:4) and stay there until they had done their work and were ready to move on. While there, they were to be courteous and hospitable themselves, saluting the house and letting their peace come upon their hosts. Peace in Hebrew is shalom and means, I pray for and will contribute all I can to God blessing you with well-being, both physical and spiritual. What Jesus is really saying is that the Twelve should make expressions of their gratitude to their hosts, both verbal and physical. God does not wish to have ingrates and tactless men in His service. Thankfulness is probably the most beautiful characteristic of a man's lifeingratitude is the most heinous sin (cf. Romans 1:21). Third, if they were totally rejected in a city or village, or when they found no further hospitality to their mission in a place, they were to warn those opposing them that their blood was on their head as they rejected God's message and His messengers (Matthew 10:14-15; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5) and shake the dust of that town from their feet. Shaking the dust from one's feet was used by Jews to symbolize disassociation from that which would incur guilt. Pharisees did this when they re-entered Judea from pagan territory.

Jesus is also giving the Twelve their first realistic experience of the tension between God's kingdom in the hearts of men and the mind of the flesh. There must be no further sheltering of these men from the antagonism of unbelief. They must not be nurtured on any illusions that discipleship to Christ would be tolerated by the worldly-minded. They must learn first hand that they were to be engaged in a life and death struggle and the disciple is not above his Master. But this is not the only world there is, so the Twelve were encouraged not to fear the battle or the enemy of God. He promised that if they would endure to the end of their lives they would receive their reward in heaven. If they feared God and loved Him more than life itself they would find eternal life (cf. Matthew 10:17-42).

Luke 9:7-9 Evil Machination: While the Twelve were rapidly covering as many cities and villages of Israel as they could with the message of the coming kingdom of God, Jesus was also circulating among the cities and villages preaching the same message. The kingdom fever was reaching astounding proportions. In just a few weeks thousands of people will attempt to take Jesus and force Him to be king (John 6:15). When some of the dissolute, guilt-ridden, half-pagan politicians of Galilee (including Herod Antipas himself) heard all the accounts of miracles and kingdom fever circulating in Galilee they became superstitiously terrified that John the Baptist had come back to life. All kinds of conjectures were made. Some said it was Elijah returned from the dead or one of the old prophets. It presented Herod Antipas with a paralyzing problem. The Greek word translated perplexed is dieporei which means literally, no way out. Herod thought he had gotten rid of any threat to his throne when he beheaded John the Baptist. Josephus states Herod gave as his public excuse for executing him that John was about to cause a revolution. Matthew and Mark tell the real reason Herod executed John. Any time Herod's position as ruler was threatened (whatever the approach such a threat took) all Herod could think to do was eliminate that threat by murder.

The Greek verb ezetei (translated, sought) is in the imperfect tense and means, he kept on seeking to see Jesus. Herod had just killed John the Baptist because of his great popularity with the people and because he had threatened Herod's continued influence over the people by denouncing Herod's immoral union with Herodias. And now Herod turns his suspicions on Jesus. Jesus has been carrying on a campaign in every city and village of Galilee proclaiming the kingdom of God which has stirred up political excitement. Therefore it is abundantly evident why Herod wants Jesus found and brought to see him. But Jesus, when He heard all this, withdrew to a lonely place (cf. Matthew 14:13; Mark 6:31; Luke 9:10-11; John 6:1).