Commentary on the Four Gospel Books
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
G093 On the Way Back to Jerusalem
The Lord Jesus Sends Seventy Disciples
to Preach the Gospel
Luke 9:51-56; 10:1-20

Download PDF:
https://od.lk/f/MV8zNTE2MDEwMzhf
https://od.lk/fl/MV8xODI0MzMzNl8

Please share this website with all your friends and family members. Thank you, and God bless.

All New Testament verses quoted in this article are from the English Majority Text Version, and Old Testament verses are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

Luke 9:51-56

51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,

52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, so they might prepare for Him.

53 But they did not receive Him, because He was determined to go to Jerusalem.

54 And when they saw this, James and John His disciples said, “Lord, do You wish that we should call down fire from heaven and consume them, as Elijah did?”

55 But turning, He rebuked them, and said, “You do not know of what sort of spirit you are.

56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

Luke 10:1-20

1 Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and He sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to come.

2 Then He said to them, “The harvest indeed is great, but the workers are few; therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send forth workers into His harvest.

3 Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

4 Do not carry a money bag, nor a knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.

5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’

6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon it; if not, it will return to you.

7 And remain in that very house, eating and drinking what they have, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house.

8 And into which ever city you enter, and they receive you, eat what is set before you.

9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’

10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,

11 ‘The very dust from your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’

12 I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! Because if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14 Nevertheless it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

15 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.

16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

17 Then 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 having fallen like lightning out of heaven.

19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names have been written in heaven.”

In John 7:10, the Apostle John recorded the event of the Lord Jesus secretly returning to the city of Jerusalem to attend the Feast of Tabernacles. However, he, along with Matthew and Mark, did not provide details of the journey. Only Luke recorded the events that took place during that trip.

In this lesson, we learn about the Lord Jesus sending seventy disciples to preach the Gospel while He was on His way from Galilee back to the City of Jerusalem.

Luke 9:51-52

51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,

52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, so they might prepare for Him.

The phrase “the time had come” is actually the phrase “the fulfillment of the days” in Greek and was translated from a Hebrew idiom that implies the completion of what needs to be done within a designated time frame. There were things that the Lord Jesus needed to accomplish between the Feast of Tabernacles in the year 26 and the Passover in the year 27 before He would be taken out of the world. To fulfill these, the Lord Jesus had to return to Jerusalem.

We note that the Feast of Tabernacles concludes the cycle of the seven festivals of God, and the Passover begins a new cycle. At the time of the events in this lesson, the Lord Jesus had already carried out His role as the Christ through two Passovers, which also marked the completion of two festival cycles. The upcoming Passover in the year 27 would be His third Passover during His ministry and the moment when He would complete the atoning sacrifice for humanity.

There is much teaching in religious organizations bearing the name of the Lord that claim the Lord Jesus carried out His ministry as the Christ over three years. However, in reality, the Lord Jesus ministered during the time between three Passovers, lasting about two years and two months. He was baptized into His ministry as the Christ approximately two months before the Passover of the year 25. He performed the miracle of feeding about five thousand people with loaves of bread a few days before the Passover of the year 26. And He was crucified on the exact day of the Passover in the year 27 [1].

Religious organizations bearing the name of the Lord also teach that the Lord Jesus was crucified on Friday, breathed His last breath on Friday afternoon, and rose again early Sunday morning. However, the time from Friday afternoon to early Sunday morning cannot be “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth,” as prophesied by the Lord Jesus Himself, recorded in Matthew 12:40. In reality, many unbiblical doctrines are being preached in religious organizations bearing the name of the Lord.

The phrase “set His face” is also an idiom that signifies a firm and unchangeable decision. The Lord Jesus had determined to return to Jerusalem, attend the Feast of Tabernacles, and complete the remaining tasks before returning to heaven.

In the time of the Lord Jesus, the walking journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, passing through Samaria, was a distance of about 120 to 150 kilometers, depending on the route. At an average pace of 30 kilometers per day, the journey would take four to five days. The Lord Jesus sent some of His disciples ahead of Him to a Samaritan village to prepare a place for Him and His disciples to rest.

Luke 9:53-54

53 But they did not receive Him, because He was determined to go to Jerusalem.

54 And when they saw this, James and John His disciples said, “Lord, do You wish that we should call down fire from heaven and consume them, as Elijah did?”

The phrase “He was determined” is actually the phrase “His face was set as if” in Greek and is also an idiom signifying a firm and unchangeable decision.

At that time, the Samaritans had heard of the reputation of the Lord Jesus. However, when they learned that He was staying only for the night and would continue to Jerusalem the next day, rather than remaining with them for several days, they refused to receive Him. Perhaps they acted this way in an attempt to compel the Lord Jesus to stay longer with them. If so, they failed to understand that the Lord Jesus acted according to the will and plan of the God, not according to His own will or anyone else’s. The Samaritans missed the opportunity to welcome the Lord and perhaps to hear His teachings.

Today, many of God’s people also often harbor the desire and attitude of trying to compel the God to act according to their own will. We need to carefully examine ourselves to ensure that we are always living in the Lord, that is, living by faith in His salvation; living for the Lord, that is, living to serve Him; and living because of the Lord, that is, living according to His Word to glorify Him.

James and John were known for their fiery and outspoken temperaments. The Lord Jesus had even given them the nickname “Boanerges, which is “Sons of Thunder”” (Mark 3:17). When they saw the Samaritans refuse to welcome the Lord, they likely became angry and asked Him if He wanted them to call fire down from heaven to consume them, just as the Prophet Elijah had done to the soldiers of King Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:10-12).

The question posed by James and John shows that they were well-versed in many stories from Scripture. They truly believed that the Lord Jesus was the Christ and that, with His permission, they could call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans who refused to welcome Him. However, their reaction also revealed a lack of discernment in how they sought to address the situation. At the same time, it demonstrated that “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20).

Anger leads to hatred, and hatred can drive a person to desire to kill. Later, the Apostle John himself wrote:

“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15).

In the Greek manuscripts of the Bible, some copies do not include the phrase “as Elijah did” at the end of verse 54. Therefore, several Bible translations into other languages, including the Vietnamese Traditional Translation of the Bible, do not contain this phrase.

Luke 9:55-56

55 But turning, He rebuked them, and said, “You do not know of what sort of spirit you are.

56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

It is likely that James and John were standing behind the Lord Jesus at that moment, prompting Him to turn and speak to them.

The human spirit refers to the awareness gained through the reasoning of the spiritual body, which is the spirit, resulting from contact with the spiritual world, also called the unseen realm. This leads to the emotions and decisions of the spirit. The spirit also retains the emotions and decisions of the self, which is the soul, shaping a person’s perspectives and tendencies. Without the guidance of God, the emotions and decisions of the spirit will not align with the Word of God.

The Lord Jesus’ rebuke implied that the spirit of James and John was not guided by God and lacked a complete understanding of His ministry as the Christ.

His next statement clarified the ultimate purpose of His mission in the world. This purpose is recorded in many other places in the Bible:

“For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.” (Matthew 18:11).

“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).

“for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10).

Calling fire down from heaven to consume the Samaritans could only happen after they had been judged. However, the Lord Jesus came into the world not to judge the world, even though the world did not believe in Him.

“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come that I might judge the world, but that I might save the world.” (John 12:47).

The purpose of the Lord Jesus’ first coming into the world was to complete the atonement for mankind and bring the salvation of the God to humanity. Soon, He will judge the entire world during the End Times, as foretold in His prophecy recorded in the book of Revelation. At the end of the End Times, He will return to the world to destroy all those who oppose Him and establish the Millennial Kingdom.

We do not know whether the people of the next village welcomed the Lord Jesus and His disciples when they arrived. If not, the Lord and His disciples would have had to eat dry rations and sleep outdoors.

Luke 10:1-2

1 Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and He sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to come.

2 Then He said to them, “The harvest indeed is great, but the workers are few; therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send forth workers into His harvest.

“After these things” refers to the events recorded in Luke chapter 9. It is likely that when the Lord Jesus sent seventy people ahead of Him to preach the Gospel, He and His disciples were still in the land of Samaria. At that time, the number of disciples following Him may have grown to several hundred.

The seventy people whom the Lord Jesus selected from among His disciples and sent out did not include the twelve apostles whom He had sent earlier. He gave them the same command He had given to the twelve apostles. The places they would go were the towns and villages that the Lord Jesus would pass through on His way back to Jerusalem.

The phrase “He sent them two by two before His face” implies that the seventy disciples, divided into thirty-five pairs, stood directly before the Lord Jesus to receive His commission.

The Lord Jesus’ words in verse 2 were not only directed at the seventy sent out but were spoken to all the disciples present. Nearly two years earlier, when He entered the region of Samaria, He had also said, “Lift up your eyes and see the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (John 4:35). On another occasion, the Lord Jesus had said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send forth workers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38).

“The harvest” refers to the opportunity to preach the Gospel and bring those who believe in the Gospel into the Heavenly Kingdom. In this case, the Lord Jesus was speaking specifically about the people of Israel. They had received the seed of the salvation of God through the prophets (John 4:36-37). The hearts of many Israelites were longing for salvation. They needed to hear the Gospel to understand and believe that salvation had come to them through the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The workers” are those who are hired to work, symbolizing those whom the God uses to preach the Gospel.

“The Lord of the harvest” refers to the God.

Those who preach the Gospel are called “the workers,” implying that they will be rewarded justly by the God for their work in proclaiming the Gospel.

Since the Lord Jesus completed the atonement for humanity through His death, “the harvest” no longer refers specifically to the opportunity to preach the Gospel to the people of Israel. Instead, “the harvest” has become the opportunity to preach the Gospel to all nations. Every believer in the Church has the duty to preach the Gospel. This is the meaning of the command to “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

God’s people “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” through their words and their way of life. Their words explain the meaning of God’s Salvation Gospel. Their way of life demonstrates that the speaker is truly living in salvation, and every action of theirs reflects the glory of God, displaying His love, holiness, and righteousness in all places and at all times.

Luke 10:3-4

3 Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

4 Do not carry a money bag, nor a knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.

The sheep, with their gentle nature, inability to defend themselves, tendency to live in groups, and need for a shepherd, are used to symbolize God’s people. In contrast, wolves are used to symbolize the evil forces that oppose God and His people, including demons and humans.

Demons are always seeking to tempt and harm God’s people, and they may also incite unbelievers to oppose God’s people. Unbelievers can also choose to oppose God’s people on their own. God’s people live in the world, which means living in opposition to both demons and the majority of unbelievers.

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” (John 15:19).

However, in the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s people are always victorious, for He has overcome the world, including triumphing over all the powers of demons and humans.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but have courage, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

Therefore, although God’s people are likened to sheep among wolves, they are under the guidance and protection of the Lord.

There is an anecdote in the Church that, when the Lord Jesus instructed the twelve apostles, sending them out as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16), Peter asked the Lord, “But what if the wolves tear apart the sheep?” The Lord Jesus replied, “Let the sheep not fear the wolves when the sheep are already dead.” And then He added the words recorded in Matthew 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both the soul and the body in hell.”

An anecdote is a meaningful tale about a person or historical event, but it may not necessarily be completely accurate historically. Regarding the anecdotes in the Church, we should only reflect on the lessons we can learn from them, much like reflecting on parables. We should not treat the details in these anecdotes as factual.

The disciples whom the Lord Jesus sent to preach the Gospel to the people of Israel did not need to bring money, extra clothes, or spare shoes. They would be provided for by those who believed in their message. The people of Israel, who had a deep respect for the prophets and those who preached the Word of God, would provide for the needs of the disciples if they accepted their preaching.

According to the customs of the people of Israel, when a person is entrusted with an important and urgent mission, they would not waste time on greetings or casual conversation. In the Old Testament, the Prophet Elisha sent his servant Gehazi with his staff to the house of the woman from Shunem to bring her son back to life. Elisha instructed Gehazi not to greet anyone on the way, and if anyone greeted him, he was not to respond (2 Kings 4:29).

Luke 10:5-7

5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’

6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon it; if not, it will return to you.

7 And remain in that very house, eating and drinking what they have, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house.

The custom of offering peace to the house one enters is also a tradition among the people of Israel. It is a good custom that God’s people should follow. The greeting “Peace to this house!” implies that God’s peace will cover the house and everyone residing in it.

“A son of peace” refers to those who love peace, seek peace, and live in peace with everyone.

The disciples of the Lord carry peace with them. It is the peace that the Lord grants them. When they bless a house with peace, that house will receive peace if there are those in the house who are called “son of peace.” If not, the blessing becomes void.

Any house that welcomes the disciples of the Lord will have them stay there while they preach the Gospel in that town or village. The host will provide them with food and drink as a reward from the Lord for their preaching of the Word of God through the host. The host will certainly receive a reward, as confirmed by the Lord Jesus:

“For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you are Christ’s, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41).

The Lord did not want the disciples to move from house to house once they had found a home that welcomed them. Perhaps, first and foremost, this was to avoid wasting time looking for another house that would receive them. Secondly, in the case where the host only had simple food, the disciples were not to seek another house so as not to upset the host.

Luke 10:8-9

8 And into which ever city you enter, and they receive you, eat what is set before you.

9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’

Any town that welcomes the disciples will be where they stay, healing the sick and preaching in that town. They will eat any food that is offered to them. Eating the food provided implies fellowship with the host.

Healing is done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, commanding illness to leave the body of the sick person. Similarly, casting out demons is also done in His name.

The phrase “The Kingdom of God has drawn near to you” is the foundation for the disciples’ preaching. In their preaching, they would explain to their listeners the need for repentance in order to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Their healing and casting out of demons serve as proof that the Kingdom of God has drawn near.

The people of Israel understood that the Kingdom of God was to be a restored nation of Israel, ruled by the Messiah, in peace and prosperity. However, in reality, the Kingdom of God does not come solely to Israel, nor can it be observed by the physical eye. For, first and foremost, the Kingdom of God comes within the hearts of those who sincerely repent of their sins and believe in the Gospel.

“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; neither will they say, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look, there it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.” (Luke 17:20-21).

Only in the time of the Thousand-Year Kingdom will the Kingdom of God be recognized through the observation of the physical eye.

Luke 10:10-12

10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,

11 ‘The very dust from your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’

12 I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

A city that does not welcome the disciples means a city where no house within it receives them. Nevertheless, the disciples must still proclaim the arrival of the Kingdom of God in its streets. The proclamation is not intended to make the people of that city believe but to testify that the Gospel has been preached in that city, yet the people have rejected it. Therefore, on “that Day,” the final day of judgment, the people of that city will face a harsher punishment than the people of Sodom.

The act of shaking off the dust signifies the removal of responsibility.

Luke 10:13-15

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! Because if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14 Nevertheless it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

15 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.

The words of the Lord Jesus in Luke 10:13-15 are also the words He spoke after sending the twelve apostles to preach the Gospel, as recorded in Matthew 11:20-24. We will quote our commentary on Matthew 11:20-24 below:

Looking at the map, we see that the city of Chorazin is in the region of Galilee, to the west of the Jordan River and north of the city of Capernaum. Chorazin (G5523) means “a place of smoke.” The city of Bethsaida is also in the region of Galilee but is to the east of the Jordan River, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, directly across from Capernaum. This is the birthplace of the apostles Philip, Peter, and Andrew, and it is likely also the birthplace of the apostles James and John. Bethsaida (G966) means “house of fishing.”

The cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum are all cities of the people of Israel. The people in these cities were given priority to hear the Gospel and were even preached to by the Lord Jesus Himself. The Lord Jesus performed many miracles, healing the sick and the afflicted, including those who were mute, deaf, blind, lame, leprous, and those suffering from fever; He cast out demons from those who were possessed and even called the dead back to life. Yet, they did not repent, nor did they abandon their sinful lifestyles to enter the Kingdom of God.

The cities of Tyre and Sidon are both Gentile cities. Tyre is located on a rocky island, while Sidon lies on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Tyre (G5184) means “rock,” and Sidon (G4605) means “hunting.” Today, both cities are part of Lebanon.

When the Lord Jesus said, “If the miracles performed among you had been performed in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes,” we believe that the people of Tyre and Sidon would have repented if they had heard the Lord preach and seen Him perform miracles. This leads to an important question. Since the Lord knew for sure that the people of Tyre and Sidon would have repented if He had come to preach and performed miracles there, why did He not minister in those cities? The answer is certainly because the Lord shows mercy to whom He will show mercy, and whom He wills, He hardens (Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:18). The reason is that the Lord Jesus was sent to preach to the people of Israel (Matthew 15:24), and then the people of Israel would preach to the other nations. That is God’s plan. In fact, the Lord Jesus did visit Tyre and Sidon. There, He cast out a demon from the daughter of a Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28).

“Repenting in sackcloth and ashes” was a form of expressing repentance among the people of the Middle East from the Old Testament times until that period. Those who repented of their sins would wear garments made of rough hemp fabric, sprinkle ashes or dust on their heads, and fast.

On the day of the final judgment, the people of Tyre and Sidon will receive a lesser punishment than the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida during the time of the Lord Jesus.

Capernaum (G2584) means “village of comfort.” The city of Capernaum is located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is also called the city of the Lord Jesus because He lived there after leaving His home for nearly 30 years in the city of Nazareth.

The phrase “has been exalted to heaven” likely includes two meanings. The first is that the city of Capernaum had the honor of being chosen by the Lord Jesus as His residence, from which He preached and performed many miracles, selecting and sending out 12 apostles to preach the Gospel. The second meaning is that Capernaum at that time was very prosperous and wealthy.

The phrase “will be brought down to the grave” implies that the city will be destroyed and its people will be lost forever. In fact, all three cities—Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum—were completely destroyed by the Islamic armies in the 7th and 8th centuries. Today, only ruins remain.

The people of Sodom were wicked and committed grave sins before the Self-Existing and Eternal One (Genesis 13:13). Together with the neighboring city of Gomorrah, the city of Sodom was destroyed by God with fire. However, on the day of the final judgment, the people of Capernaum during the time of the Lord Jesus will receive a harsher punishment than the people of Sodom. This helps us understand that all sinful actions of each person will be judged righteously and punished justly. But those who have had the opportunity to hear the Gospel and do not repent, do not accept the Gospel, will face a heavier punishment. This also helps us understand that those who have accepted the Gospel but later return to live in sin will face the heaviest punishment.

The fact that the Lord Jesus repeats His rebuke to the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum helps us understand that those who have heard the Gospel but stubbornly refuse to believe will face a heavier punishment than those who have not heard the Gospel. The punishment for those who hear but do not accept the Gospel is both individual and collective, affecting the locality where they live.

We believe that those who will suffer a heavier punishment than those who have heard the Gospel but did not accept it are those who profess to be disciples of Christ but do not live according to God’s Word, blatantly violating God’s commandments. The people who will face the heaviest punishment are those who are fully aware of the false teachings contrary to the Scriptures within religious organizations bearing the name of the Lord yet calmly continue to teach these errors to others.

Luke 10:16

16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

This statement is very important. Anyone who does not believe the true preaching of God’s people is, in fact, not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and the God. Anyone who does not obey the correct biblical teachings of those whom the Lord has given the ministry of teaching in the Church is, in fact, not obeying the Lord Jesus Christ and the God.

“Obey your leaders, and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls, as giving an account, in order that they may do this with joy and not groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:17).

Anyone who listens to and obeys the correct biblical teachings is listening to and obeying the Lord Jesus Christ and the God.

Luke 10:17-18

17 Then 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 having fallen like lightning out of heaven.

The seventy disciples returned to meet the Lord Jesus, not to the point from which they had started. At that time, it was likely the final day of their journey, and Jesus and the other disciples were nearing the village of Bethany. The seventy were rejoicing and reported to the Lord that they had succeeded in casting out demons in His name.

Jesus’ response opened up a new understanding for the disciples. The verb “saw” in the original Greek is in the imperfect indicative active tense, indicating an ongoing observation in the past. When Satan fell, Jesus, in the divine form of the Word, witnessed its fall. That fall happened as swiftly as a flash of lightning and was driven by Satan’s pride. Jesus spoke this to warn the disciples of the consequences of pride.

Satan fell from a holy state into sin, but he was also cast down from the third heaven—the spiritual heaven itself—into the second and first heavens of the physical universe. The second heaven is the vast space of the universe, while the first heaven is the atmosphere surrounding the earth. In the middle of the End Times, Satan will be thrown to the earth by the Archangel Michael, as prophesied in Revelation 12:7-17.

Luke 10:19-20

19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names have been written in heaven.”

“Serpents and scorpions” can be understood literally as venomous creatures that can kill, but they will not be able to harm the Lord’s disciples, as stated in Mark 16:18 and demonstrated in Acts 28:3-5. It can also be understood figuratively as the Pharisees and Sadducees who opposed the Lord and those who believed in Him. Both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus called them a brood of vipers. Another figurative interpretation could be Satan and his messengers, collectively known as demons. Genesis 3:15 prophesies that the seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent, which refers to Satan. The seed of the woman begins with the Lord Jesus and includes all who believe in Him. Romans 16:20 speaks of the God crushing Satan under the feet of God’s people, meaning He uses His people to crush Satan.

In general, God’s people have authority over all forms of evil that oppose them, both physical and spiritual, and over all the powers of the enemy, including Satan.

In reality, the enemy of God’s people may harm their physical bodies, but this is only a temporary occurrence, permitted by God. Ultimately, each faithful believer in the Lord will be victorious in glory, with the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

What is truly joyful for God’s people is not having authority and power over all enemies but rather having their name written in the Book of Life. Some religious organizations that bear the Lord’s name promote the excessive pursuit of healing gifts and casting out demons, leading to pride and competition among their members. When pride and competition arise, demons use that to drive them deeper into sin. Therefore, it is no surprise that some people live lives completely contrary to the Word of God, yet boast about healing and casting out demons in the Lord’s name.

It was the Lord Jesus Himself, about 2,000 years ago, who said that many people would prophesy, cast out demons, and perform many miracles in His name, but He would never know them.

We conclude this lesson here.

May the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truths of God’s Word (John 16:13). May the Word of God sanctify us (John 17:17). May the Faithful *God of Peace Himself sanctify our spirit, soul, and body entirely, without blame (1 Thessalonians 5:23), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Beloved Savior. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
01/04/2025

Notes:

[1] https://preachingfromthebible.net/the-day-of-the-lords-death-and-the-day-of-the-lords-resurrection/

About Using “*God”, “the God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible use a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.