55 to 70 min Analyze the mission instructions and eschatological joy of the seventy-two disciples. Examine Jesus' prayer of praise that hidden truths are revealed to little children rather than the wise. Deconstruct the Parable of the Good Samaritan in light of Jewish-Samaritan enmity and legal righteousness. Contrast the anxieties of Martha with the attentive devotion of Mary at Jesus' feet. As Jesus travels through Samaria and Judea, he expands the apostolic mission by appointing seventy-two other disciples and sending them out two by two into every town he was about to visit. Returning with joy over demonic subjugation, Jesus redirects their celebration: rejoice not over power, but that your names are written in heaven. When a religious lawyer attempts to justify himself by asking "Who is my neighbor?", Jesus answers with the Parable of the Good Samaritan, shattering ethnic and ceremonial prejudices. The chapter concludes in the home of Martha and Mary, where Jesus tenderly reorients Martha's frantic, anxious hospitality toward Mary's contemplative listening to his word. The mission of God's kingdom expands through humble messengers of peace, active mercy that crosses all social divisions, and sitting attentively at the feet of Jesus. 10:1-24: The Seventy-Two and the Fall of Satan Jesus sends seventy-two disciples as lambs in the midst of wolves, commanding them to carry no moneybag, no knapsack, and no extra sandals. They must speak peace to households and heal the sick, declaring that the kingdom of God has come near. When they return rejoicing that demons submit to them, Jesus states: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Yet he cautions: do not rejoice in spiritual power, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Jesus then rejoices in the Holy Spirit, thanking the Father for revealing these truths to infants. 10:25-29: The Lawyer's Question: "Who Is My Neighbor?" A lawyer tests Jesus: "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus directs him to the Law: love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself. Seeking to justify himself and restrict his moral obligation, the lawyer asks, "And who is my neighbor?" In ancient Jewish legal debates, "neighbor" was often restricted to fellow Israelites and covenant keepers. 10:30-37: The Parable of the Good Samaritan A man traveling the dangerous desert road from Jerusalem down to Jericho is stripped, beaten, and left half dead. A priest and a Levite pass by on the other side, prioritizing ceremonial purity and personal safety over human agony. But a Samaritan, despised by Jews as a heretic and ethnic enemy, comes where he is, feels gut-wrenching compassion, binds his wounds with oil and wine, sets him on his own animal, brings him to an inn, and pays for his ongoing care. Jesus asks: "Which of these three proved to be a neighbor?" The lawyer admits: "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus commands: "Go, and do likewise." 10:38-42: Mary and Martha: The One Thing Necessary Entering Bethany, Martha welcomes Jesus into her home. Martha is distracted with much serving and complains that her sister Mary sits at the Lord's feet listening to his teaching: "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?" Jesus answers with gentle tenderness: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." Hospitable action must never crowd out attentive listening to Christ. The Seventy-Two The wider circle of disciples sent out by Jesus, recalling the seventy nations of Genesis 10 and the elders of Israel in Numbers 11. Good Samaritan The despised ethnic outsider who embodies the true neighbor by crossing boundaries to lavish costly, compassionate care. The Good Portion (Agathe Meris) Mary's posture of quiet discipleship sitting at the feet of Jesus, receiving divine life before engaging in outward activity. Rejoice primarily in the gracious reality of your salvation and belonging to God, rather than your professional achievements or spiritual influence. Redefine your concept of "neighbor" by showing practical, tangible mercy to people across racial, political, and cultural divides. Guard against anxious, resentful exhaustion in ministry by making unhurried contemplation of Christ's word your highest daily priority. Why did Jesus tell the returning disciples to rejoice that their names were written in heaven rather than over their authority over demons? How did the Parable of the Good Samaritan dismantle the lawyer's attempt to limit his moral responsibility? How can modern believers honor Martha's gift of hospitality without falling into her trap of anxious resentment? Describe the perilous, winding eighteen-mile descent from Jerusalem down to Jericho, known as the "Way of Blood" due to frequent robberies. Emphasize that the priest and Levite may have feared ritual defilement from a corpse (Leviticus 21:1-3), exposing how religious rules can be misused to avoid mercy. Affirm both service and contemplation, stressing that Mary's listening provides the spiritual fuel for Martha's service. Kenneth E. Bailey, Through Peasant Eyes: More Lucan Parables (Eerdmans), exposition of the Good Samaritan. Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, chapter 10. Darrell L. Bock, Luke 9:51 to 24:53, BECNT. Identify an activity or commitment that creates chronic anxiety and mental distraction in your week. Set aside thirty uninterrupted minutes in silence with an open Bible, simply "sitting at the feet of Jesus" to listen and pray. Lord Jesus Christ, you sent messengers of peace into the world and taught us that love for God is proved in costly mercy to our neighbor. Deliver us from ethnic prejudice, selfish excuses, and anxious distraction. Give us eyes to see the wounded in our path and hearts to sit at your feet in adoration. Amen. Mission, Neighborly Mercy, and Contemplation in Luke 10 Write 700 to 900 words on the theological themes of Luke 10. Analyze the mission of the seventy-two, the Parable of the Good Samaritan on the road between [Jerusalem](/bible/explorer/place/jerusalem) and [Jericho](/bible/explorer/place/jericho), and the encounter with [Martha](/bible/explorer/person/martha) and [Mary of Bethany](/bible/explorer/person/mary-bethany). Examine the instructions given to the seventy-two disciples and Jesus' warning against pride in spiritual power. Analyze the socio-religious tension between Jews and Samaritans along the descent from [Jerusalem](/bible/explorer/place/jerusalem) to [Jericho](/bible/explorer/place/jericho). Evaluate how the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan each handle the demands of religious purity and neighbor love. Reflect on the spiritual tension between [Martha](/bible/explorer/person/martha)'s active hospitality and [Mary of Bethany](/bible/explorer/person/mary-bethany)'s contemplative listening at [Jesus](/bible/explorer/person/jesus)' feet. Integrates rigorous textual analysis of Luke 10 with historical understanding of Jewish-Samaritan relations, Second Temple legal debates, and holistic discipleship. How many disciples did Jesus send out two by two ahead of him in Luke 10:1? Seventy-two (or seventy in some ancient manuscripts). What dangerous road was the wounded traveler traveling down in the Parable of the Good Samaritan? The road from Jerusalem down to Jericho. What did Jesus say to Martha when she complained that Mary was not helping her serve? "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42). Read Luke 10:1 to 42 in two modern translations. Read Leviticus 19:15 to 18 and Numbers 11:16 to 25. Seventy vs. Seventy-Two Textual witnesses divide evenly between seventy (Hebrew Masoretic tradition of Genesis 10) and seventy-two (Greek Septuagint tradition of Genesis 10). Both symbolic numbers signify the total sum of the nations of the earth, signaling global mission. Purity Concerns of the Priest and Levite Under Levitical law, touching a dead corpse rendered a priest ritually impure for seven days and disqualified him from temple service (Leviticus 21:1-4). Jesus shows that active mercy toward human life supersedes ritual self-protection. The two denarii given to the innkeeper represented roughly two full days' wages for an agricultural laborer, covering several weeks of lodging. The posture of "sitting at the feet" (parakathestheisa pros tous podas) was the technical posture of an accredited rabbinic disciple (Acts 22:3). Kenneth E. Bailey, Through Peasant Eyes: More Lucan Parables (Eerdmans). Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke (NICNT).