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Luke 10:1. After this the Lord also chose seventy other disciples, and sent them two by two before Him to every city and place where He Himself wanted to go, In the book of Exodus it is written: “And they came to Elim; there were twelve springs of water and seventy date trees” (Ex. 15:27). What happened then historically and figuratively has now come true in reality. Elim means ascension. This means nothing more than that we, ascending to the most perfect understanding and spiritual age and not stopping, like the Jews, at the Law, but ascending into Christianity, will find twelve sources, that is, twelve supreme apostles, who are the sources of every sweetest teaching. We will also find seventy date stalks, that is, (seventy) apostles. They are not called sources, but dates, as being educated and guided by the apostles (supreme). For although Christ chose these seventy apostles, they were lower than the twelve, and subsequently were their disciples and companions. So, these dates were nourished from the sources, that is, from the apostles, and they brought us a fruit that was sweet and at the same time moderately sour. The teaching of the saints is really this: it does not entirely delight and caress and does not entirely embarrass and amaze, but combines both properties, and is truly seasoned with salt and combined with grace, just as the Apostle Paul cries: “Let your word always be with grace, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6). The Lord chooses “seventy” disciples because of the multitude of those in need of teaching. For just as fields with a good harvest require many reapers, so for believers, since there were countless of them, there was an urgent need for many teachers. Luke 10:2. and he said to them: The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. The Lord sends them “two by two” so that they are safer and help each other. They walked before His face, that is, like John they taught: “Prepare the way of the Lord” (Matthew 3:3). Notice how He first said: “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers,” and then He Himself sends them out with His authority. For He, as the true God, is truly the Lord of the harvest, that is, of the believers. Luke 10:3. Go! I send you out like lambs among wolves. He tells them in advance about persecution and that they will be like lambs among wolves, so that these, attacking them unexpectedly, will not confuse them with surprise. Luke 10:4. Do not take a bag, a scrip, or shoes, Since the Lord intends to send disciples to preach the Gospel, he tells them: “do not take a bag,” neither this nor that; for it is enough for you to be careful about the word. And if you carry a bag, obviously you will be busy with it, and you will begin to neglect your word. Otherwise: since you will be fed by those whom you will teach, then what need do you have of a sack or bag, or boots? For those you teach will satisfy every need you have of them. and do not greet anyone on the road. He commands them this way so that they do not engage in human greetings and caresses and thereby do not interfere with the work of preaching. For, probably, the one who received the greeting would have responded with a greeting himself, and perhaps would have entered into a long conversation, as companions usually do, and then, as if having already become friends, would have started talking about something even more, and thus the apostle would have fallen into ordinary human relations, and would have neglected the word. For this reason, the Lord forbids the disciples to greet anyone on the road. Luke 10:5. Whatever house you enter, first say: peace to this house; Luke 10:6. and if the son of peace is there, then your peace will rest on him, but if not, then it will return to you. “Which house,” he says, “you enter, first say: peace to this house,” that is, greet those in the house; then showing that this is not just a simple greeting, but at the same time a blessing, he says: if the householder is worthy, then he will be blessed, and if he is an offender and incapable of accepting the world, if he is an enemy and opponent of your word and teaching, then the blessing will not come to him, but “will return to you.” Luke 10:7. Stay in that house, eat and drink what they have, for the worker is worthy of reward for his labors; do not move from house to house. Luke 10:8. And if you come to any city and they receive you, eat what they offer you, He commands not to move from house to house, so that the apostles would not appear to be gluttons, would not give many a reason to be tempted, and would not offend those who accepted them at the beginning. “Eat,” he says, “and drink whatever they have,” that is, whatever they offer you, and even if it is little and not rich, do not ask for more. Take food instead of a reward, that is, do not seek to receive food and payment separately, but accept the food itself as a reward. See how He makes His disciples strong against poverty. Luke 10:9. and heal the sick who are in it, and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near you. He commands to heal the sick in the cities, so that the apostles can attract people to preach with their miracles. For look what he says: “and say to them: the kingdom of God has come near you.” For if you first heal and then begin to teach, your preaching will be successful, and people will believe that the Kingdom of God has reached them. For they would not have been healed if some Divine power had not done this. And then the Kingdom of God approached the sick when they were healed in their souls. For it is far from the sick person, over whom sin still reigns. Luke 10:10. If you come to a city and they don’t accept you, then go out into the street and say: Luke 10:11. and we shake off the ashes that cling to us from your city for you; “If...,” he says, “they don’t accept you, then go out into the street and tell them that we have nothing in common with you, we have nothing from your city, we even sweep away the dust that sticks to us, that is, we shake it off, clean it and throw it on you; however, know that the Kingdom of God has drawn near to you. Here another will ask: how does the Lord say that the Kingdom of God has approached both those who accept the apostles and those who do not accept them? It must be said that He does not contradict Himself at all. For to those who accept the apostles, the Kingdom approaches with blessings, and to those who do not accept, with condemnation. For, I ask you, imagine that at some spectacle there are many, some condemned, and others not condemned, for example, senators, generals and nobles, then some herald announces to everyone, condemned and honorable: the king has approached you! Isn’t he saying that the king approached some of them for punishment, and others to show them honor and favor? Understand this in the same way. Luke 10:12. I tell you that on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that city. “It will be more pleasant,” he says, “for Sodom... than for that city” that did not accept you. Why? Because the apostles were not sent to Sodom, and therefore those who did not accept the apostles are worse than the Sodomites. Note also that the city that does not receive the apostles has wide streets; but the broad way leads to destruction. So, he who walks on the broad roads leading to destruction does not accept the apostolic and Divine teaching. Luke 10:13. Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the powers that were demonstrated in you had been demonstrated in Tire and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes; Luke 10:14. but it will be more tolerable for Tire and Sidon in judgment than for you. Luke 10:15. And you, Capernaum, who ascended to heaven, will be cast down to hell. Tire and Sidon were pagan cities, and Bethsaida and Chorazin were Jewish. So, He says that at the judgment it will be more tolerable for the pagans than for you, who saw miracles and did not believe; for if they had seen, they would have believed. Yes, and you, Capernaum, who ascended to heaven, as glorified by the many miracles that took place in you, will be cast down to hell; you will be condemned for the very fact that even after so many miracles you do not believe. Luke 10:16. He who listens to you listens to Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me. Then, so that those sent to preach would not say why are you sending us if some cities will not accept us, he says: do not be sad; he who rejects you rejects Me and My Father; therefore the offense does not stop with you, but goes up to God. So, let it be a consolation for you that the insult is inflicted (not on you, but) on God. Likewise, on the other hand, do not boast or be conceited because some listen to you; for this is not your work, but of My grace. Luke 10:17. Seventy disciples returned with joy and said: Lord! and the demons obey us in Thy name. Previously, the evangelist said that the Lord sent seventy disciples, and now he says that they “returned with joy” and that they not only healed other diseases, but also delivered them from even greater evil - from demons. Look how far they are from arrogance; for they say to the Lord: “In Thy name” the demons obey us, by Thy grace, and not by our power. Luke 10:18. He said to them: I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning; And the Lord said to them: do not be surprised that the demons obey you, for their leader was cast down long ago and has no power. Although this was not visible to people, it was visible to Me, who contemplates the invisible. “As lightning did I” Satan fell from heaven because he was light, archangel and star, although now he had become darkness. If he fell from heaven, then what will his servants, I mean demons, not tolerate? Some words “from heaven” mean this: from glory. Since the seventy told the Lord that “demons obey” them, He says: I knew this too, for I saw how Satan fell from heaven, that is, he lost the glory that he had and the honor. Before the coming of Christ he was revered as God, but now he has fallen from heaven, that is, they have ceased to regard him as God and to think that he lives in heaven. Luke 10:19. Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will harm you; “Behold, I give you power” to trample upon his powers. For “snakes and scorpions” are armies of demons, reptiles below, and those of them that hurt in a more visible way are “snakes,” and those that strike in a more hidden way are “scorpions.” For example, the demon of fornication and murder is a serpent, for it incites visible atrocities; and that demon who, under the pretext of illness, for example, induces a person to use baths, fragrant ointments and other indulgences, can be called a scorpion, since it has a hidden sting and secretly tries to sting the flesh in order to lead those who listen to it into a greater crime. But thanks be to the Lord, who gave the power to attack them! Luke 10:20. However, do not rejoice that the spirits obey you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. However, teaching the disciples not to be arrogant, the Lord says: “but do not... rejoice that the demons obey you” (for from this others receive benefits, namely those who receive healing), “but rejoice more that your names... in heaven... are written” not in ink, but in God's memory and grace. The devil falls from heaven, and people living on earth are written in heaven. So, true joy is “that your names are written in heaven” and are not forgotten by God. Luke 10:21. At that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said: I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent. Just as a good father, seeing children who have succeeded in something worthy of praise, rejoices, so the Savior rejoiced that the apostles were worthy of such blessings. Therefore, He thanks the Father for the fact that such sacraments are hidden “from the wise,” that is, the Pharisees and scribes who interpreted the Law, and from the “wise,” that is, the disciples of these same scribes. For he who teaches is wise, and he who learns and understands the lessons is intelligent; for example, Gamaliel is wise, and Paul is understanding, for the first is a teacher, and the second understands what the first teaches. The Lord calls His disciples “babes and” because they were not skilled in the Law, but were chosen mostly from the simple class of the people and from the fishermen. However, they could be called babies because of their kindness. And those (Pharisees and scribes) were not real wise men and reasonable, but only seemed to be. So, these sacraments were hidden “from the wise and prudent,” who seemed so, but in fact were not. For if they were such, the sacraments would have been revealed to them. Hey, Father! For such was Your good pleasure. “Behold, Father,” I thank You, “for such was Your good pleasure,” that is, such was Your good pleasure and will, and so it pleased You. Luke 10:22. And turning to the disciples, he said: everything has been handed over to Me by My Father; The Father hands over everything to the Son, because everything is subject to the Son. God reigns over everyone in two ways: firstly, over those who do not desire His Kingdom, and secondly, over those who do. For example, I’ll say: God is my Master, even if I didn’t want to, because He is my Creator; and again, God is my Master when I, as a prudent servant, fulfill His will through keeping the commandments. Human nature has previously been in slavery and in the hands of God, although it did not want it, although it served Satan. But when Christ endured the struggle for us and, having freed us from the power of the devil, made us His servants and doers of the commandments, from that time we became prudent slaves both by nature and by will; for the first slavery was only by nature, and the second, moreover, by our will. So, the Lord now says this: “everything has been handed over to Me by My Father,” that is, everything has to submit to Me and fall under My dominion. This is similar to another saying: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matthew 28:18). And He says this because He has reconciled all things (Col. 1:20), what is in heaven and on earth, And otherwise: the Father commits everything to the Son, all the works of the economy of our salvation. Therefore, for our sake, neither the Father nor the Spirit became incarnate, or suffered, or was resurrected, but the Son did all this, and He became the leader of our salvation; That’s why He says that everything is handed over to Him. He said something like this: My Father entrusted everything to Me: to be incarnate, to suffer, to be resurrected, to save the rejected nature. and who the Son is, no one knows except the Father, and who the Father is, no one knows except the Son, and to whom the Son wants to reveal. Since He said that everything was handed over to Me, now He seems to resolve some confusion. So that the thought does not occur to anyone: why did He betray everything to You, and not to another, even to an Angel or Archangel. He says: He betrayed me because I am of the same Nature and Essence with Him. And just as no one knows Him, so no one knows Me, except the Father alone. Therefore, He justly handed over everything to Me, as One of One Essence with Him and transcending all knowledge, just as He is above all knowledge. For the Father, he says, is known only by the Son and by the one to whom the Son chooses to reveal it. Look: the Son does not know the Father through revelation, but the creatures through revelation, for they receive knowledge by grace; therefore the Son is not created. Luke 10:23. And, turning to the disciples, he said to them especially: blessed are the eyes that see what you see! Luke 10:24. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see, and to hear what you hear and did not hear. Turning to the disciples, the Lord pleases them and, in general, everyone who looks with faith at Him walking in the flesh and working miracles. For the ancient prophets and kings, although they strongly desired to see the Lord in the flesh and listen to Him, however, were not worthy of this. And differently: since He said above that he knows the Father to whom the Son will reveal it, now he pleases the disciples as having already received this revelation. For He revealed the Father to them, just as he who saw Him saw the Father (John 14:9). But none of those saints who lived before the appearance and action of the Son of God in the flesh achieved this good. Since they did not see the Lord in the flesh, through whom the Father was known, it means that they did not see the Father as the apostles saw. Luke 10:25. And so, one lawyer stood up and, tempting Him, said: Teacher! What must I do to inherit eternal life? This lawyer was a boastful man, very arrogant, as it turns out from the following, and, moreover, treacherous. Therefore, he approaches the Lord, tempting Him; he probably thought that he would catch the Lord in His answers. But the Lord points him to the very Law by which he was very proud. Luke 10:26. He said to him, “What is written in the law?” how do you read? Luke 10:27. He answered and said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, Look with what precision the Law commands to love the Lord. Man is the most perfect of all creations. Although he has something in common with all of them, he also has something superior. For example, a person has something in common with a stone, for he has hair and nails, which are as insensitive as stone. It has something in common with a plant, because it grows and feeds, and gives birth to something similar to itself, just like a plant. Has something in common with dumb animals, because it has feelings, is angry and lusts. But what elevates man above all other animals is what he has in common with God, namely: a rational soul. Therefore, the Law, wanting to show that a person must completely surrender himself to God in everything and captivate all his spiritual powers into the love of God, with the words “with all his heart” he pointed to a force that is more coarse and characteristic of plants, with the words “with all his soul” - to a more subtle force and befitting beings endowed with feelings, with the words “with all his understanding” he designated the distinctive power of man - the rational soul. We must apply the words “with all our strength” to all this. For we must subordinate the love of Christ and the vegetable power of the soul. But how? – strong, not weak: both sensual and strong; finally, both rational, and her also “with all our strength,” so that we must completely surrender ourselves to God and subordinate our nourishing, feeling and rational strength to the love of God. and your neighbor as yourself. The law, which due to the infancy of its listeners could not yet teach the most perfect teaching, commands us to love our neighbor “as ourselves.” But Christ taught us to love our neighbors more than ourselves. For He says: no one can show “greater love than if someone... lays down his life... for his friends” (John 15:13). Luke 10:28. Jesus said to him: You answered correctly; do this and you will live. So, he says to the lawyer: “You answered correctly.” Since you, he says, are still subject to the Law, you answer correctly; for you reason correctly according to the Law. Luke 10:29. But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus: who is my neighbor? The lawyer, having received praise from the Savior, showed arrogance. He said: “Who... is... my neighbor”? He thought that he was righteous and had no one similar to himself or close in virtue; for he believed that the neighbor of a righteous man is only the righteous. So, wanting to justify himself and rise above all people, he proudly says: who is my neighbor? Luke 10:30. To this Jesus said: a certain man was going from Jerusalem to Jericho and was caught by robbers, who took off his clothes, wounded him and left, leaving him barely alive. But the Savior, since He is the Creator and sees one creature in everyone, defines his neighbor not by works, not by virtues, but by nature. “Don’t think,” he says, “that because you are righteous, there is no one like you.” For all who have the same nature are your neighbors. So, you yourself be their neighbor, not by place, but by your disposition towards them and your concern for them. This is why I give you the example of the Samaritan, to show you that although he differed in life, he nevertheless became a neighbor to those in need of mercy. So you, too, show yourself to your neighbors through compassion and rush to help according to your own confession. So, with this parable we learn to be ready for mercy and try to be neighbors to those who need our help. We also recognize the goodness of God in relation to man. Human nature came “from Jerusalem,” that is, from a serene and peaceful life, for Jerusalem means “vision of the world.” Where were you going? “To Jericho”, empty, low and suffocating with heat, that is, to a life full of passions. Look: He did not say “descended,” but “walked.” For human nature has always inclined towards the earthly, not just once, but constantly being carried away by a passionate life. “And he was caught by robbers,” that is, he was caught by demons. He who does not descend from the heights of his mind will not fall into the hands of demons. They, having exposed the man and stripped him of the clothes of virtue, inflicted sinful wounds on him. For they first strip us of every good thought and the protection of God, and then inflict wounds with sins. They left human nature “barely alive,” either because the soul is immortal and the body is mortal, and thus half of man is subject to death, or because human nature was not completely rejected, but hoped to receive salvation in Christ, and thus was not completely dead. But just as through the crime of Adam death entered the world, so through justification in Christ death was to be abolished (Rom. 5:16-17). Luke 10:31. By chance, a priest was walking along that road and, seeing him, passed by. Luke 10:32. Likewise, the Levite, being at that place, came up, looked and passed by. By priest and Levite, perhaps, mean the Law and the Prophets. For they wanted to justify the man, but they could not. “It is impossible,” says the Apostle Paul, “for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). They took pity on the man and pondered how to heal him, but, overcome by the power of the wounds, they retreated back again. For this means (to pass by). The law came and stood over the one lying, but then, not having the power to heal, it retreated. This means “passed by”. Luke 10:33. A Samaritan, passing by, found him and, seeing him, took pity on him. Look: the word "on occasion" has some meaning. For the Law, indeed, was given not for any special reason, but because of human weakness (Gal. 3:19), which could not first accept the sacrament of Christ. That is why it is said that the priest, that is, the Law, came to heal a person not deliberately, but “by chance,” which we usually call an accident. But our Lord and God, who became “a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13) and was called a Samaritan (John 8:48), came to us, making a journey, that is, setting the pretext for the journey and the goal to heal us, and not just a passage, and did not visit us by chance (by the way), but lived with us and talked not ghostly. Luke 10:34. and went up and bandaged his wounds, He immediately “bandaged... the wounds,” not allowing the illness to worsen, but tying it up. “They took oil and wine”: oil is a word of teaching, preparing one for virtue with the promise of benefits, and wine is a word of teaching, leading to virtue through fear. So, when you hear the word of the Lord: “Come to Me, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28) - this is oil, because it shows mercy and tranquility. These are the words: “Come... inherit the kingdom prepared for you” (Matthew 25:34). But when the Lord says: go into darkness (Matthew 25:41) - this is wine, a strict teaching. You can understand it differently. Oil means life according to humanity, and wine - according to the Divine. For the Lord did some things as a man, and others as God. For example, eating, drinking, living life not without pleasures and not showing severity in everything, like John, is oil; and wonderful fasting, walking on the sea and other manifestations of Divine power are wine. Wine can be likened to the Divine in the sense that no one could endure the Divinity in Itself (without union) if there were not this oil, that is, life according to humanity. Since the Lord saved us through both, that is, Divinity and humanity, that is why it is said that He poured oil and wine. And every day those who are baptized are healed from spiritual wounds, being anointed with myrrh, immediately joining the Church and partaking of the Divine Blood. and setting him on his donkey, The Lord placed our wounded nature on His yoke, that is, on His Body. For He made us His members and partakers of His Body: He raised us, who are down below, to such dignity that we are one Body with Him! brought him to the hotel and took care of him; The hotel is a Church that welcomes everyone. The law did not accept everyone. For it is said: “An Ammonite and a Moabite cannot enter into the congregation of the Lord” (Deut. 23:3). “But in every nation he who fears Him... is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35), if he desires to believe and become a member of the Church. For She accepts everyone: both sinners and tax collectors. Luke 10:35. and the next day, as he was leaving, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper and said to him: take care of him; and if you spend anything more, when I return, I will give it back to you. Luke 10:36. Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the one who fell among the robbers? Luke 10:37. He said: He showed him mercy. Then Jesus said to him: Go and do likewise. Note the precision with which it is said that he brought him to the hotel and took care of him. Before he brought her in, he only bandaged the wounds. What does it mean? The fact is that when the Church was formed and the hotel was opened, that is, when faith grew among almost all peoples, then the gifts of the Holy Spirit were revealed, and the grace of God spread. You will learn this from the Acts of the Apostles. Every apostle, teacher, and shepherd bears the image of an inn; the Lord gave them “two denarii,” that is, two Testaments: the Old and the New. For both Testaments, as sayings of one and the same God, bear the image of one King. These are the denarii that the Lord, ascending into heaven, left to the apostles and to the bishops and teachers of subsequent times. He said: “If you spend anything of yours,... I... will give it to you.” The apostles, indeed, spent their time, working hard and scattering the teaching everywhere. And the teachers of subsequent times, in explaining the Old and New Testaments, spent a lot of their time. For this they will receive a reward when the Lord returns, that is, at His second coming. Then each of them will say to Him: Lord! You gave me two denarii, so I bought the other two. And He will say to such a one: “Well done, good servant!” (Luke 19:17). Luke 10:38. Continuing their journey, He came to a certain village; here a woman named Martha received Him into her home; Luke 10:39. she had a sister named Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to His word. Luke 10:40. Martha was taking care of a great treat and, approaching, said: Lord! or do you not need that my sister left me alone to serve? tell her to help me. Luke 10:41. Jesus answered and said to her: Martha! Marfa! you care and fuss about a lot of things, Luke 10:42. and only one thing is needed; Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken away from her. Hospitality is also a great benefit, as Martha showed, and one should not neglect it; but an even greater benefit is to listen to spiritual conversations. For with this the body is nourished, and with this the soul is revived. “We, Martha,” he says, “exist not in order to fill the body with various dishes, but in order to do what is useful to souls.” Note also the prudence of the Lord. He did not say anything to Martha before he received a reason for reproach from her. When she tried to distract her sister from listening, then the Lord, taking advantage of the occasion, reproached her. For hospitality is commendable as long as it does not distract or take us away from what is more necessary; when it begins to hinder us in the most important subjects, then it is enough to prefer hearing about divine subjects to it. Moreover, to be more precise, the Lord does not forbid hospitality, but variety and vanity, that is, entertainment and confusion. Why, he says, “Martha, you care and... worry about many things,” that is, are you having fun, worrying? We only need something to eat, and not a variety of dishes. Other words “only one thing is needed” meant not food, but attention to learning. So, with these words the Lord teaches the apostles so that when they enter someone’s house, they do not demand anything luxurious, but be content with the simple, not worrying about anything more than attention to teaching. Perhaps by Martha we mean active virtue, and by Mary contemplation. Active virtue has entertainment and restlessness, and contemplation, having become master over the passions (for Mary means mistress), is exercised in the mere consideration of divine sayings and destinies. Pay attention to the words: “she sat down at the feet of Jesus and listened to His word.” By feet we can understand active virtue, for they mean movement and walking. And sitting is a sign of immobility. So, whoever sits at the feet of Jesus, that is, whoever is established in active virtue and through imitation of the walk and life of Jesus is strengthened in it, then after this he comes to hear divine sayings or to contemplate. Because Mary sat down first and then listened to the words. So, if you can, ascend to the degree of Mary through mastery over the passions and the desire for contemplation. If this is impossible for you, be Martha, devote yourself to the active side and through this accept Christ. Take this: “which will not be taken away from her.” He who strives in business has something that is taken away from him, that is, worries and entertainment. For, having reached the point of contemplation, he is freed from entertainment and vanity, and thus something is taken away from him. And he who strives in contemplation never loses this good part, that is, contemplation. For in what more will he succeed when he has reached the highest, I mean, contemplation of God, which is equal to deification? For whoever is worthy to see God becomes god, since like is embraced by like.