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Manila Bulletin devider devider The mission of the seventy[-two]

The mission of the seventy[-two]

Published Oct 18, 2018 12:05 am

LUKE 10:1-9

reflectionstodayThe Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ ”

REFLECTIONS

THE LORD APPOINTED SEVENTY-TWO OTHERS. In the Gospel, Luke presents a unique account of Jesus appointing 70 disciples (some texts read 72), aside from the common tradition of the sending of the Twelve (Apostles). Seventy is a symbolic number, representing the sum or fullness of entities. In Gn 10, the so-called table of nations lists 70 nations of the world, and Abraham emerges from these nations as the head of a new people of God’s choosing (cf Gn 12). Abraham, in turn, through Jacob, becomes a family of 70 that go down to Egypt (cf Gn 46:27).

Luke, who will also write the Acts of the Apostles, shows that the rapid spread of Christianity is due not only to the Twelve but also to the many and active “apostles and evangelists”—ministers of the Word who proclaim the Gospel after Pentecost. Many are Hellenist Christians who bring the faith outside of the Jewish circle to the larger world of the pagans. An active group is that of the Hellenist deacons under the leadership of Stephen and Philip. But still more influential is the “Pauline circle” composed of Paul and his collaborators like Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Titus—and Luke himself. Luke sees this group of “apostles and evangelists” as anticipated and symbolized by the 70 disciples sent by Jesus.

Luke is one of the four evangelists. The early Church Fathers ascribe to him authorship of both the Gospel according to Luke and the book of the Acts of the Apostles. This Luke is mentioned in Paul’s Letter to Philemon (v 24) and in two other epistles that are traditionally ascribed to Paul: Colossians (4:14) and 2 Timothy (4:11).

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2018,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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