Chapter Ten

¹ After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, where he himself would come. Therefore said he to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. It is written in Exodus that the children of Israel came to Elim, and there were there twelve fountains of waters, and seventy palm trees. This, then, happened then historically and typically, but now has truly come to pass. For Elim is interpreted “ascent”; which is nothing else than this, that, ascending to a more perfect understanding and spiritual growth, and not, like the Hebrews, remaining in the law, but running up into Christianity, we shall find the twelve fountains — I mean the chief twelve apostles, who are fountains of all sweetest teaching. And we shall find also the seventy stems of the palm trees — the seventy, I mean, who are not called fountains, but palms, as being nourished and taught by the apostles. For even though Christ chose them, yet they were inferior to the twelve, and became their disciples and followers afterward. These palms, then, were nourished by the fountains, the apostles, I mean. And to us they supplied fruit at once sweet and moderately astringent. For such is the teaching of the saints — neither altogether sweetening and flattering, nor altogether astringent and smiting, but partaking of both, and truly seasoned with salt, yet also having grace, even as Paul cries, Let your speech be in grace, seasoned with salt. And the Lord appoints the seventy disciples because of the multitude of those who needed teaching. For as fields that have borne richly seek many reapers, so those about to believe, being many and numberless, needed many teachers. And he sends them two and two, as safer, that the one may work together with the other; and going before his face, they evidently taught, as John, Prepare you the way of the Lord. And observe how, having said, Pray you the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers, afterward he himself, of his own authority, sends them. For truly he himself is the Lord of the harvest — that is, of those who believe — as being true God. And he foretells them what shall be, that the things coming upon them be not unexpected.

² Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: and heal the sick that are therein, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come near to you. Since he was about to send them forth as heralds of the Gospel, he says, Carry neither purse, nor this thing nor that; for it suffices you to have the care of the word. For if you carry a purse, it is plain that you will busy yourselves about it, and will despise the word. And besides, since you are to be nourished by those whom you teach, what need have you of purse, or scrip, or shoes? For all your need of these the taught will supply. And the words, Salute no man by the way, he lays upon them for this reason — that they should not occupy themselves about human greetings and friendly courtesies, and from this be hindered in the preaching. For it is likely that one who has received a greeting would in turn greet again, and perhaps count him worthy of a longer conversation, as is the manner of fellow-travelers, then, as having now become a friend, would show some further courtesy, and so little by little the apostle would fall into human relationships, and neglect the word. By the way, then, he forbids saluting anyone for the said cause. But when you enter a house, he says, say, Peace be to this house — that is, salute those in the house. Then, showing that this is not only a greeting, but also a blessing, he says, that, If the master of the house be worthy, he shall be blessed; but if he be insolent and incapable of peace, fighting and opposing your word and teaching, the blessing shall not come upon him, but shall return to you. And he commands them not to pass over into many houses, lest they seem gluttons, and offend many, and grieve those who from the first received them. But eat, he says, such things as they give — that is, what they set before you, even though they be small, even though they be poor — seeking nothing further. And instead of wages have your nourishment, and seek not both to be nourished and again to receive wages besides; but have the very nourishment instead of wages. See, then, how he makes the disciples secure toward possessionlessness; and he commands them also to heal the sick in the cities, that from this, working wonders, they might draw men to the preaching. For see what he says, And say to them, that, The kingdom of God is come near to you. For if you first heal, then teach, the word will run prosperously for you, and men will believe that the kingdom of God has come upon them. For they would not have been healed, were there not some divine power accomplishing these things. But indeed also when those who are sick in soul are healed, then has the kingdom of God come near to them. For far from the sick man is it, while he is yet reigned over by sin.

³ But into whatever city you enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaves on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be you sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come near to you. But I say to you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. When, he says, they receive you not, going out, testify to them, that, We have nothing common with you, nor have we anything from your city; but even the dust that cleaves to us we wipe off — that is, shake off, sponge off, fling back to you; only know that the kingdom of God is come near to you. Here one will ask: How does the Lord say that the kingdom drew near both to those who receive the apostles and to those who receive them not? It may be said, then, that he says nothing contrary. For to those who receive the apostles the kingdom draws near for benefit, and to those who receive them not, for condemnation. For suppose me, in some theatre, that there are many condemned, and others not condemned — I mean senators, and generals, and nobles, perhaps — and then that some herald says to all together, both the condemned and the honorable, that, The king has come near to you — does he not say that the king draws near to the one for punishment, and to the other for honor and benefit? So, then, understand here. And it shall be more tolerable for Sodom, he says, than for the city which receives you not. Why? Because to Sodom apostles were not sent; those, then, who receive not the apostles are worse than the Sodomites. And observe that the city which receives not the apostles has streets. For broad is the way that leads to destruction; whoever, then, has broad ways leading to destruction, that one receives not the apostolic and divine word.

⁴ Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And you, Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell. He that hears you hears me; and he that despises you despises me; and he that despises me despises him that sent me. Tyre and Sidon were Greek cities, but Bethsaida and Chorazin were Jewish. He says, then, that, At the judgment it shall be more tolerable for the Greeks than for you who saw wonders and believed not. For those, had they seen, would have believed. But you too, Capernaum, were exalted to heaven, being glorified by the many wonders done in you, but shall be thrust down to hell, condemned for this very thing, that even after so many wonders you disbelieve. Then, lest those who are sent to the preaching should say, To what place do you send us, if no cities are to receive us? he says, Be not grieved; he that despises you despises me and my Father, so that the insolence stops not at you, but runs up to God. Let it therefore be a comfort to you, that God is insulted; as again, boast not, nor be high-minded, if some hear you. For the work is not yours, but mine and the grace’s.

⁵ And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, “Lord, even the devils are subject to us through your name.” And he said to them, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. He foretold that he had sent the seventy. Now therefore he says that they returned rejoicing, because they not only drove out the other diseases, but because they also cast out the greater evil, the demons. And observe how they are not high-minded. For they say, that, In your name the demons are subject to us; in your grace, not in our own strength. And the Lord said to them, Marvel not if demons are subject to you; for their ruler long ago fell from heaven, and has no strength. For even though this was not seen by men, yet it was beheld by me, the beholder of things invisible. And he fell as lightning, since he was light, and an archangel, and morning-star, even though he became darkness. If, then, this one fell from heaven, his servants, the demons I mean, why shall they not be subdued? And some understand the words, from heaven, thus — that is, from glory. For since the seventy said to him that the demons are subject, he says, that, I too knew this. For I beheld Satan fallen from the heavens — that is, from the glory which he had, and from his honor. For before Christ he was honored as a god. But now he has fallen from heaven — that is, from being honored as a god, and being supposed to be in heaven. Behold, then, I give you power to tread down his powers. For serpents and scorpions are the phalanxes of demons, dragged below; and those who strike more openly, these are serpents, but those who strike more covertly, these are scorpions. As, for instance, the demon of fornication and of murder is a serpent, for it thrusts toward manifest evils; but the demon that, under pretext of sickness, persuades a man to use baths and ointments and the other softnesses, such a demon may be called a scorpion, not having a visible sting, but eagerly striving secretly to pamper the flesh, that it may cast the one persuaded into a great fall. And thanks be to the Lord, who gives power to tread upon these. And, training them not to be high-minded, he says, Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the demons are subject to you. For others are they who are benefited thereby, those who are counted worthy of the cure. But rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven — not with ink, but with the remembrance of God, and with grace. And the devil falls down from above, but men, being below, are written above. The true joy, then, is that your names are written above and remembered by God.

⁶ In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in your sight. As a good father, seeing his children having accomplished something, rejoices, so also the Savior is glad that the apostles were counted worthy of such good things. He gives thanks, then, to the Father, that such mysteries were hidden from the wise — that is, the Pharisees and scribes who interpret the law — and from the prudent — those who are taught by these scribes. For wise is the one who teaches, and prudent the one who is taught and understands the things said. As, for example, wise was Gamaliel, and prudent Paul; for the one was teacher, the other understood the things said by him. And the Lord calls his own disciples babes, as not being learned in the law, but the most of them gathered from the multitude and from the fishermen. But indeed they might also be called babes as being guileless. And those others, seeming to be prudent and wise, were nevertheless not such. The mysteries, then, were hidden from those who seemed wise and prudent, yet were not. For if they had been, they would have been revealed to them. Even so, Father, I give you thanks, that so it seemed good in your sight — that is, that such good pleasure and will came to pass before you, and so it pleased you.

⁷ All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” And he turned him to his disciples, and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them. All things are delivered to the Son by the Father, in that all things were to be subjected to the Son. For there are two ways according to which God reigns over all: the one, even over the unwilling; the other, over the willing. As, for example: God is my Master, even if I will not, in that he is my Maker; but he is again my Master when through the working of his commandments I fulfil his will, as a thankful servant. For formerly the nature of men was a slave, and subject to God, even unwilling, even though it served Satan. But since Christ took upon himself the war on our behalf, and, snatching us from the tyranny of the devil, made us his servants and workers of the commandments, from then we have become thankful servants both by nature and by choice. For the former slavery was by nature only, but the second is also by choice. This, then, is what the Lord now says, that, All things are delivered to me by my Father — that is, all things are about to be subjected to me, and to fall under my lordship. And this is like what was said elsewhere, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. For since he made peace among all things, both those in heaven and those on earth, for this reason he says such things. And in another sense: All things are delivered to the Son by the Father — all the works of the dispensation on our behalf. For since on our behalf neither the Father nor the Spirit was incarnate, or suffered, or rose, but the Son wrought all these things, and became the author of our salvation, for this reason he said that all things were delivered to him, as if he said, My Father entrusted all things to me — to be made flesh, to suffer, to rise, to save the nature that was thrust away. And no man knows the Son but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son. Since he said, All things are delivered to me, he now as it were solves a certain perplexity. For lest one be perplexed, And for what cause did he deliver all things to you, and not to another — perhaps to an angel or archangel? — he says, that, For this cause he delivered them to me, because I am of the same nature with him and consubstantial. And as no one knows him, so neither me, except the Father alone; so that fittingly he delivered all things to me, as one of the same nature with him, and surpassing all knowledge, even as he too is beyond all knowledge. For the Father also, he says, is known by the Son only, and by him to whom the Son will reveal him. And observe how the Son knows the Father not by revelation, but the created know by revelation; for by grace they receive the knowledge; the Son, then, is not created. And turning to the disciples, he calls them blessed, and all simply who see, with faith of course, him walking in the flesh and working wonders. For the prophets and kings of old desired indeed to see the Lord in the flesh, and to hear him, but obtained it not. And in another sense: Since he said above that, He whom the Son shall reveal it to, that one knows the Father, he thereupon calls the disciples blessed, as having obtained this revelation. For he revealed to them the Father. And of this good thing none of the prophets partook, for they saw not the Lord in the flesh, through whom the Father is revealed to the apostles.

⁸ And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? how do you read?” And he answering said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered right: this do, and you shall live. The lawyer was a boastful man, or rather proud, as is shown from what follows; and not only so, but also crafty. He comes forward, then, tempting the Lord. For he wished to trip him up out of whatever he might answer him. But the Lord leads him to the law, on which he greatly prided himself. And observe the exactness of the law, how it commands to love God. Man is the most perfect of all creatures, partaking indeed of them all, but having also something special. What I mean is this: He partakes of the stone; for he has hair, nails — things without sensation, like the stone. He partakes also of the plant, in that he grows, and is nourished, and begets the like, even as the plants. He partakes also of the irrational creatures, in that he has the senses, and grows angry, and desires. And he partakes also of God beyond all the other living things, according to the intellectual soul. Wishing, then, to show that man ought to give himself wholly and through all to God, and to spend all the powers of his soul upon the love of God, by saying, with all the heart, he indicated the more bodily power, that which is proper to the plants; and by, with all the soul, the middle power, that which belongs to the sensible creatures; and by, with all the mind, he declared the intellectual soul, most proper to man. And, with all the strength, means that we ought to draw upon all these mightily. For we ought to subject also the vegetative power of the soul to the love of Christ. But how? Mightily, and not slackly. And the sensitive power, this too mightily; and the intellectual, this also with all the strength. So that we ought to give ourselves wholly to God, and to subject our nutritive, and sensitive, and intellectual power to the love of God. And your neighbour as yourself. The law, not yet able to teach perfect things because of the childishness of the hearers, exhorts to love the neighbour as oneself. But Christ taught to love the neighbour even above oneself. For greater love, he says, has no man, than that a man lay down his life for his friends. He says, then, to the lawyer, You have answered right. For since, he says, you are still subject to the law, you answer rightly; for according to the law you think.

⁹ But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” And Jesus answering said, “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his garments, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said to him, Take care of him; and whatever you spend more, when I come again, I will repay you. Which now of these three, do you think, was neighbour to him that fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He that showed mercy on him.” Then said Jesus to him, “Go, and do you likewise. Having been praised by the Savior, the lawyer broke out into arrogance. For he said, And who is my neighbour? For he supposed that, being righteous, he had no one like himself, or drawing near him in virtue. For he hoped that only the just man was neighbour to the just. Wishing, then, to justify himself and to exalt himself above all men, he says boastfully, And who is my neighbour? But the Savior, as being the Maker, and knowing all to be one creation, defines the neighbour not by deeds, nor by dignities, but by nature. Suppose not, he says, that because you are righteous none is like you. For all who have shared the same nature are your neighbours. Become you, then, also a neighbour to them, not by place, but by disposition and by care for them. Wherefore I bring in to you the Samaritan as a pattern, that I may show you that, as he, differing in manner of life, yet became a neighbour to the one worthy of mercy, so do you also show yourself a neighbour by sympathy, and go unbidden to the help. We are taught, then, by this parable, to be ready for mercy, and to hasten to become neighbours to those who need our help. And we are taught also the goodness of God toward man. For the human nature was going down from Jerusalem — that is, from the unmoved and peaceful manner of life; for Jerusalem is interpreted “vision of peace.” And where was it going down? To Jericho, the hollow and low and stifling with heat — that is, to the passionate life. And observe, he said not that it went down, but that it was going down. For ever did the human nature incline to things below, not once, but throughout, attending to the passionate life. And it fell among thieves, the demons. For unless one go down from the height of the understanding, he falls not among the demons; who, having stripped the man, and deprived him of the garments of virtue, then laid on the wounds of sin. For first they strip us bare of every good thought and of the shelter of God, and then thus lay on the wounds of sin. And they left the human nature half dead, either because the soul is immortal, but the body mortal, so that the half of the man was made subject to death; or because the human nature was not altogether despaired of, for in Christ it was hoped to have salvation. So that it was not utterly slain, but, so far as concerned the transgression of Adam, death entered into the world; but so far as concerned the righteous deed of Christ, death was to be done away. And by the priest and the Levite understand me the law and the prophets. For these wished indeed to justify the human nature, but were unable. For it is impossible, says Paul, that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. They had compassion, then, on the man, and purposed to heal him; then, overpowered by the mastery of the wounds, they withdrew again to the rear. For this is the meaning of, passed by on the other side. For the law came, and stood over the one lying there, then, not being strong to heal, turned away; which is the meaning of, passed by. And observe what sense the words, by chance, have. For truly the law was given not as the chief thing, but because of the human weakness, which was unable from the beginning to receive the mystery according to Christ. Therefore he says, that, The priest — that is, the law — by chance, which we are wont to call by accident, but not as a chief design, came to heal the man. But the Lord and our God, who became a curse for us, and who was called a Samaritan, journeying — that is, making this very thing the pretext of his journey, and setting his aim, the healing of us, and not passing by, and visiting us as a thing by the way — came to us, having dealings with us, and conversing with us without phantasm. He bound up, then, straightway the wounds, not suffering the wickedness to be longer unchecked, but binding it up; and he poured in oil and wine — oil, the word of teaching, that exhorts through good things; and wine, that which leads to virtue through the more fearful things. As when you hear the Lord saying, Come to me, and I will give you rest, this is the oil; for it shows forth gladness and rest. And again, Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. But when he says, Go into the darkness, this is the wine, the astringent teaching. And you may understand also otherwise: by oil the manner of life that is according to man, by wine that which is according to God. What I mean is this: The Lord wrought some things humanly, and others divinely. For to eat and to drink, and to pursue the relaxed life, and not to display austerity, as John, this is the oil. But the strange fasting, and the walking upon the sea, and the rest of the works of the divine power, these are the wine. For to wine the Godhead is to be likened, which no one was able to bear unmixed, unless the oil were also there, that is, the manner of life according to man. Since, then, through both he saved us — through the Godhead, I mean, and the manhood — for this reason he is said to pour in wine and oil. And every day those who are baptized are delivered from the wounds of the soul, being anointed with the oil of the chrism, and straightway communing, and partaking of the divine blood. And the Lord set our wounded nature upon his own beast — that is, upon his own body; for he made us his members, and partakers of his body, and raised us up, who lay below, to that dignity, so that we are of one body with him. And the inn is the Church, receiving all; for the law received not all. For a Moabite, it says, and an Ammonite shall not enter into the Church of God. But now in every nation he that fears God is acceptable to him, wishing to believe and to become a part of the Church. For she receives all, both sinners and publicans. And observe the exactness, how he says, that, having brought him to the inn, he took care of him; for before bringing him to it, he only bound up the wounds. What then is it that I say? That, the Church being established, and the inn coming into being — that is, the faith having been increased from almost all the nations — then came also the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the grace of God was enlarged. And this you shall learn from the Acts of the Apostles. And the figure of the host every apostle, and teacher, and pastor holds, to whom the Lord gave two pence, the two Testaments, the Old and the New. For both bear the image of one king, being the oracles of the same God. These pence, then, the Lord, ascending into the heavens, left to the apostles and to the bishops and teachers of each generation. And he said, that, Whatever you spend more of your own, I will repay you. For truly they spent of their own, sowing teaching. But also those of each generation spent much of their own, for which they shall receive their reward — that is, at the second coming. For then it is as if they say, Behold, what you gave me, two more have I spent besides.

¹⁰ Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Great indeed is the good of hospitality, which Martha showed forth, and not to be rejected; but greater is it to give heed to the more spiritual words. For by the former the body is nourished, but by the latter the soul is quickened. For not for this cause are we here, O Martha, he says, that we may fill the belly with various meats, but that we may profit souls. And observe the mind of the Lord. He said nothing to Martha before he received from her the occasions for the rebuke. For since she tried to draw away her sister from the hearing, then the Lord, taking hold of the occasion, rebukes her. For up to that point hospitality is to be honored, so long as it draws us not away, and leads us not from the more necessary things. But when it begins to hinder us from the weightier things, then the hearing of divine things is to be preferred to it; or rather, to speak more exactly, the Lord forbids not hospitality, but the variety and the bustle — that is, the distraction and the trouble — since the plain reception he praises. For why, he says, Martha, are you careful and troubled about many things — that is, distracted, troubled? We have need of one thing, to eat something or other, not of variety. And some understood the words, One thing is needful, not concerning eating, but concerning attending to the teaching. And by the things he says, the Lord teaches the apostles, that, when they enter into anyone’s house, they should seek nothing varied, but be content with a plain reception, seeking nothing further than to give heed to the teaching. And understand me by Martha the practical virtue, and by Mary contemplation. The practical, then, has distractions and troubles; but contemplation, having become mistress of the passions — for Mary is interpreted “mistress” — busies herself solely with the beholding of the divine words and judgments. And give heed also to the words, Sitting at his feet, she heard his word. For the feet might be understood as referring to the practical virtue, for they are indicative of motion and journeying; but to sit is a symbol of steadfastness. Whoever, then, shall sit at the feet of Jesus — that is, whoever shall be established in the practical, and, having imitated the journeying and manner of life of Jesus, be made firm in this — that one afterward attains to the hearing of the divine oracles, that is, to contemplation. Since Mary too first sat, and then heard the words. Do you therefore, if you are able, ascend to the rank of Mary, having become mistress of the passions, and having attained to contemplation. But if this is not possible for you, be Martha, devoted to the practical part, and through this receiving Christ. And observe also the words, which shall not be taken away from her. For the practical man has that which shall be taken away from him — that is, this very occupation and distraction; for, advancing and attaining to contemplation, he is freed from the distraction and the bustle; so that something is taken away from him. But the contemplative man is never deprived of this good part, I mean of contemplation. For into what better thing — namely, the seeing of God, which is to be deified — shall he be changed? For the like is apprehended by the like.