ACC ~ Luke 9 v1 - 6

OVERVIEW:

In commissioning the Twelve, Jesus gives the disciples the privilege of participating in his prophetic pattern of preaching and miracles of healing, a special honor to the Twelve and the seventy (EUSEBIUS). He glorifies his disciples by giving them power and authority over demons and the ability to heal diseases. Jesus sends them into a ministry that will leave them dependent on the Lord of the harvest without provisions so that they may be free from the anxiety of the body (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). Their feet, without sandals, are the beautiful feet of those who preach the good news (AMBROSE). The mission of the Twelve (and of the others) is to the house, where they are to be dependent on the hospitality of others to provide for their needs (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). The dust from any place that does not receive their preaching is profane, to be shaken off lest it stain God’s people and be brought into God’s house as they enter the presence of the “new temple” (AMBROSE). Through these undistinguished and ill-equipped men, Jesus is able to conquer the world with the gospel (CHRYSOSTOM).

9:1-2 | The Twelve Preach and Heal

TWELVE AND SEVENTY GIVEN SPECIAL HONOR

EUSEBIUS: The Lord and Savior, not very long after the beginning of his preaching, called the twelve apostles. He gave the name of apostles to them alone of all his disciples as a special honor. [1] Later he proclaimed seventy others and sent them also out two by two in advance of himself into every place and city where he himself was to come. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.10. [2]

[1] Cf. Mt 10:1-4.

[2] FC 19:72*.

JESUS GIVING THEM POWER TO HEAL AND EXORCISE

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The grace bestowed upon the holy apostles is worthy of all admiration. But the bountifulness of the Giver surpasses all praise and admiration. He gives them, as I said, his own glory. They receive authority over the evil spirits. They reduce to nothing the pride of the devil that was so highly exalted and arrogant. They render ineffectual the demon’s wickedness. By the might and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, burning them as if they were on fire, they make the devil come forth with groans and weeping from those whom he had possessed. …

He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47. [1]

[1] CGSL 207-9**.

9:3-5 | Instructions for the Mission of the Twelve

FREE FROM ANXIETY ABOUT THE BODY

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: It was most appropriate for Jesus to instruct his disciples to take nothing with them. He wished them both to be free from all worldly care, and so entirely exempt from the labors that worldly things require, that they would not even worry about obtaining necessary and indispensable food for themselves. Manifestly, One who instructs them to abstain even from things such as these entirely cuts away the love of riches and the desire of gain. For their glory, he said, and, so to speak, their crown, is to possess nothing. He separates them even from such things as are necessary for their use, by commanding them to carry nothing whatsoever, neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money nor two coats. Observe, therefore, as I said, that he takes them away from worthless distractions and anxiety about the body. He commands them not to worry about food, repeating to them, as it were, that passage in the psalm: “Cast your care upon the Lord, and he shall feed you.” [1] For what Christ says is also true: “You are not able to serve God and money.” And, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” [2] COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47. [3]

[1] Ps 55:22 (54:23 LXX).

[2] Mt 6:21.

[3] CGSL 210**.

FEET THAT ARE BEAUTIFUL IN PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS

AMBROSE: This is a great vision. But if you wish to see it, remove the sandals from your feet. [1] Remove every chain of sin. Remove the chains of the world. Leave behind earthly sandals. Jesus sent the apostles without sandals, without money, gold and silver, so that they would not carry earthly things with them. The one who seeks to do good is praised not for his sandals but for the swiftness and grace of his feet. The Scripture says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, of those who bring glad tidings of good things!” [2] Therefore remove the sandals from your feet, that they may be beautiful for preaching the gospel. FLIGHT FROM THE WORLD 5.25. [3]

[1] Ex 3:5.

[2] Is 52:7; Rom 10:15.

[3] FC 65:300-301**.

DEPENDENT ON THE HOSPITALITY OF OTHERS

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: He commanded them both to remain in one house, and from it to take their departure. For it was right that those who had once received them should not be defrauded of the gift. It is also right that the holy apostles themselves should not place any impediment in the way of their own zeal and earnestness in preaching God’s message. This would happen if they allowed themselves to be carried off to various houses by those whose object was not to learn some necessary lesson but to set before them a luxurious table, beyond what was moderate and necessary. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47. [1]

[1] CGSL 211**.

UNBELIEVING HOUSES THAT REJECT APOSTOLIC PREACHING ARE ABANDONED

AMBROSE: So the faith of the church must be sought first and foremost. If Christ is to dwell in a house, it undoubtedly must be chosen. But lest an unbelieving people or a heretical teacher deface its home, the church is commanded that the fellowship of heretics be avoided and the synagogue shunned. The dust is to be shaken off your feet lest when the dryness of barren unbelief crumbles the sole of your mind it is stained as if by a dry and sandy soil. A preacher of the gospel must take on himself the bodily weaknesses of a faithful people, so to speak. He must lift up and remove from his own soles worthless actions as if they were dust. For it is written: “Who is weak, and I am not weak?” [1] Any church which rejects faith and does not possess the foundations of apostolic preaching is to be abandoned lest it be able to stain others with unbelief. The apostle also clearly affirmed this by saying “Reject a man that is a heretic after the first admonition.” [2] EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 6.68. [3]

[1] 2 Cor 11:29.

[2] Tit 3:10.

[3] EHG 216-17**.

9:6 | The Twelve Depart

UNDISTINGUISHED AND ILL-EQUIPPED MEN

CHRYSOSTOM: Christ had the power to set the human race free from all these evils—not only the Romans but also the Persians and simply every race of barbarians. He succeeded in doing this with no force of arms, nor expenditure of money, nor by starting wars of conquest, nor by inflaming men to battle. He had only eleven men to start with, men who were undistinguished, without learning, ill-informed, destitute, poorly clad, without weapons, or sandals, men who had but a single tunic to wear. DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE PAGANS 1.7. [1]

[1] FC 73:189*.