Luke 10:19

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. BEHOLD, I GIVE UNTO YOU - not with a view to the renewal of their mission, though probably many of them afterward became ministers of Christ, but simply as disciples. POWER TO TREAD ON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS - the latter more venomous than the former. This was to be literally fulfilled at the first starting of the Gospel ministry (Mark 16:17; ). But the following words, AND OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY: AND NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS HURT YOU - show that what is meant is the glorious power of faith to "overcome the world" and "quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one," by the c...

19._Lo, I give you power. _This is said by way of admission. Christ does not affirm that the gift of which they now boast is not illustrious, but reminds them, that they ought to keep their eye chiefly on something loftier still, and not remain satisfied with outward miracles. He does not altogether condemn their joy, as if it were groundless, but shows it to be faulty in this respect, that they were immoderately delighted with a temporal favor, and did not elevate their minds higher. To this disease even the godly are almost all liable. Though the goodness of God is received by them with gratitude, yet the acts of the Divine kindness do not assist them, as they ought to do, by becoming ladders for ascending to heaven. This makes it necessary that the Lord should, as it were, stretch out his hand to raise them up, that they may not rest satisfied with the earth, but may aspire to heavenl...

17-24 All our victories over Satan, are obtained by power derived from Jesus Christ, and he must have all the praise. But let us beware of spiritual pride, which has been the destruction of many. Our Lord rejoiced at the prospect of the salvation of many souls. It was fit that particular notice should be taken of that hour of joy; there were few such, for He was a man of sorrows: in that hour in which he saw Satan fall, and heard of the good success of his ministers, in that hour he rejoiced. He has ever resisted the proud, and given grace to the humble. The more simply dependent we are on the teaching, help, and blessing of the Son of God, the more we shall know both of the Father and of the Son; the more blessed we shall be in seeing the glory, and hearing the words of the Divine Saviour; and the more useful we shall be made in promoting his cause....

Verse Luke 10:19. _TO TREAD ON SERPENTS_, c.] It is possible that by _serpents_ and _scorpions_ our Lord means the _scribes_ and _Pharisees_, whom he calls _serpents_ and a _brood of vipers_, Matthew 23:33, (see the note there,) because, through the subtilty and venom of the old _serpent_, the devil, they _opposed_ him and his doctrine and, by _trampling_ on these, it is likely that he means, they should get a _complete victory_ over such: as it was an ancient custom to trample on the kings and generals who had been taken in battle, to signify the complete conquest which had been gained over them. See Joshua 10:24. See also...

TO TREAD ON SERPENTS - Preservation from danger. If you tread on a poisonous reptile that would otherwise injure you, I will keep you from danger. If you go among bitter and malignant enemies that would seek your life, I will preserve you. See the notes at Mark 16:18. SCORPIONS - The scorpion is an animal with eight feet, eight eyes and a long jointed tail, ending in a pointed weapon or sting. It is found in tropical climates, and seldom exceeds 4 inches in length. Its sting is extremely poisonous, and it is sometimes fatal to life. It is in Scripture the emblem of malicious and crafty men. When rolled up it has some resemblance to an egg, Luke 11:12; Ezekiel 2:6

EXPOSITION LUKE 10:1 _The mission of the seventy. The Lord_'_s words to them of instruction and direction and warning._ LUKE 10:1 AFTER THESE THINGS THE LORD APPOINTED OTHER SEVENTY ALSO. That is to say, after the events just related which had taken place in the north of the Holy Land. "Alter these things" formally began the solemn marches in the direction of Jerusalem, which ended, as we have stated, in the last Passover. Roughly speaking, the seventy were first sent out about the October of the last year of the public ministry. The manuscripts vary between seventy and seventy two. The preponderance of authority is in favour of seventy. The Sanhedrin numbered seventy-one. The elders appointed by Moses were seventy. The

BEHOLD, I GIVE YOU POWER TO TREAD ON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS,.... Which may be literally understood, as in Mark 16:18, or figuratively of the devil, and his principalities and powers, and all his emissaries, who, for their craft and cunning, and for their poisonous and hurtful nature and influence, may be compared to serpents and scorpions: AND OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY; of mankind in general, and of the seed of the woman, Christ and his people in particular, Christ has a power over all his power, his whole posse of devils, even the power of the air, of which he is prince; and he communicated this power to his disciples, even to the seventy: adding, AND NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS, HURT YOU; not the most hurtful and poisonous animals, nor the most malicious persecutors on earth, nor all the devils in hell: as the former venomous creatures, when took up

Our Lord was about to send out seventy disciples to preach the gospel. He had already chosen his twelve apostles; now there must be seventy disciples, something like Moses had seventy elders to serve under him. Some have fancifully likened these two sets of men to the twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees at Elim; and certainly they were for the refreshment of the people. Luke 10:1. _After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come._ They were to go before Christ, and be his heralds. What a mercy it is when the preacher knows that his Master is coming after him, when he can hear the sound of his Master's feet behind him! What courage it gives him! He knows that, though it is very little that he can do, be is the thin end of the wedge preparing the way for One wh

CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The Seventy Appointed. (Luke 10:1)_ 2. The Return of the Seventy and the True Rejoicing. (Luke 10:17) 3. Jesus Rejoiced in Spirit. (Luke 10:21) 4. The Question of the Lawyer. (Luke 10:25) 5. The Parable of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:30) 6. Martha and Mary. (Luke 10:38 .) Luke 10:1 Seventy others are commissioned by Him to be His

RETURN OF THE SEVENTY. With Luke 10:17; cf. Luke 9:10 = Mark 6:30. The missioners report that the demons obey them in the name of Jesus. Jesus assents; He had watched Satan fall from heaven during their mission. Messiah's rule is in the ascendant. They are endowed with power to subdue the devil and all his agencies, yet their joy must rest rather upon the fact that they are citizens of the new kingdom. LUKE 10:19. If an authentic saying this is probably metaphorical. _Cf._ Mark 16:18, and for a literal illustration...