“After this,
The Lord
Appointed seventy others.
He sent them
On ahead of him,
In pairs,
Into every town
And place
Where he himself
Intended to go.”
Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀνέδειξεν ὁ Κύριος ἑτέρους ἑβδομήκοντα, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς ἀνὰ δύο πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ τόπον οὗ ἤμελλεν αὐτὸς ἔρχεσθαι.
Luke uniquely spoke about these 70 disciples. He said that after these comments (Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα) about the demands of discipleship, the Lord (ὁ Κύριος), not Jesus, appointed 70 others disciples (ἀνέδειξεν ἑτέρους ἑβδομήκοντα), who were not the 12 apostles. He sent them on ahead of him or his face (πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ), in pairs (καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς ἀνὰ δύο), into every town and place (εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ τόπον) where he himself intended to go (οὗ ἤμελλεν αὐτὸς ἔρχεσθαι). They were to be his front men or advance people. There was no mention of these 70 disciples in the other gospel stories, only here in Luke. This group of 70 was reminiscent of the elders with Moses in Numbers, chapter 11:24-25, where Moses gathered the 70 elders of the people around the tent. Then Yahweh took some of the Spirit that was upon him and put it upon the 70 elders. These elders temporarily prophesied. This sharing of power may have helped Moses, since God gave some of the power of his spirit to these 70 elders. Thus, the Jerusalem Jewish Sanhedrin had 70 members. These 70 missionaries of Jesus went out in pairs, two by two, a common practice in the early Church. Mark, chapter 6:7, said that Jesus sent out his 12 apostles in pairs, two by two, also. Interesting enough, the activities of these 70 missionaries seem to be much like the 12 apostles as described earlier in chapter 9:2-4. Have you ever been on a missionary expedition?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 