When you look at those around you – at work, at school, as you are out and about during the day – what do you see? Most of us see people of all shapes and sizes, with different attitudes and perspectives, various ethnicities and cultural backgrounds – people who are quite different from ourselves.
As they travelled through Samaria (Luke 9:52), Jesus wanted those who travelled with Him to see something beyond just the different people around them. He wanted them to have insight into the season they were in as they travelled through this region. It was harvest time in Samaria – referring to a spiritual harvest – whether they realised it or not.
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.”
Luke 10:1-4
There are a number of interesting ideas in these verses that are worth considering.
An unexpected harvest
Firstly, the harvest was in Samaria, not Galilee or Jerusalem. Samaritans were totally despised by the Jews. Jesus’ announcement that there was a harvest in Samaria would have been wholly unexpected by the disciples who probably would not have believed anything like this was possible. (See this post on Luke 9:51-56 for some background.)
The harvest belongs to God
Secondly, the harvest belongs to God. It’s His harvest field and only He knows when and where the crop is ripe. The 72 were directed to where Jesus was about to go, no-where else. As we are participating in what God is doing today, we need to know where He wants to direct us. Whose heart is God working on? Who does He want us to speak to? And it could be to those we are unfamiliar with, or people we do not expect. It’s important we follow the leading of the Lord of the harvest.
Where are the workers?
Thirdly, there are not enough workers for the size of the harvest. Think about orchardists who do not have enough people to pick their crop. This means some of the harvest will not be picked, and will be lost. This is an awful situation to be in. So Jesus says we are to pray that God, the Lord of the harvest, would send more workers into His harvest field.
But why aren’t there enough workers? Perhaps it’s because there are many who are not willing to count the cost. We should not detach Luke 10:1-4 from the previous verses. In Luke 9:57-62 Jesus highlights the wholehearted commitment to discipleship that He is looking for. It’s those who are following Him on the road that He sends out ahead of Him.
Lambs among wolves
Fourthly, harvesting is heavy work. In fact, Jesus says that he is sending them as “lambs among wolves.” Those Jesus sends need to have their eyes open and be aware that they may come under attack. They had already had a taste of rejection as they began to travel through Samaria (Luke 9:53). Again, those not fully committed to the discipleship journey could be defeated by the obstacles they face.
Fully focused
Fifthly, Jesus tells them not to be distracted. They were not to “greet anyone on the road.” Why was this? Eastern greetings can be quite elaborate and time-consuming. Jesus was not instructing them to be rude, but they were not to get caught up with social practices and customs that delayed or diverted their focus. The urgent gathering of the ripened harvest had to take precedence.
Sending the 72 (or 70)
It’s also interesting that when Jesus sent the 12 disciples into the region of Galilee, He specifically tells them to go to the Jews only, not to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:1-6). Now he sends a further 72 (or 70) into the (Gentile) region of Samaria. The numbers 12 and 72 (70) are significant.
Twelve points to the 12 tribes and therefore refers to Israel. But the number 72 (70) refers to the table of nations in Genesis 10. Seventy nations are listed in the Hebrew text, and 72 nations are listed in the LXX (Greek version of the Old Testament). (This accounts why some versions have 70 and some 72.)
So Jesus did not just come for the Jews (the 12), although His primary mission while on earth was to bring the good news to the people of Israel. Jesus also came for the Gentiles (the 70/72), as shown in our passage, and clearly demonstrated through the book of Acts.
The legacy of discipleship
Often we think of discipleship, or following Jesus as being primarily about our own walk with God. These verses point towards much more. Those Jesus calls to follow, He also sends. And those He sends impact those He sends them to – even among those we would not expect.
But let’s not forget that just like everything else in our journey with God, harvesting is actually all about following.
