Luke 9.10 merely mentions the return of the apostles (PER166) without providing further details, while Mark 6.30-31 offers no more precise information. There is thus a marked difference in the way this event, the return of the seventy disciples, is reported. Luke highlights a particular situation that astonished these men, so pleased with their results that the Messiah Jesus reminds them of what is essential:
Luke takes this opportunity to recall the words of the Master that confirm his divinity and his position as Son of God.
This passage is of great significance, because it shows that, in the difficult situation faced by the Messiah Jesus, the continuity of his work now seems assured. Disciples, benefiting from the authority passed on by their Master, are able to reveal the glory of God and to exert a remarkable influence.
These abilities do not come from human nature, even transformed, but solely from the gift of God. This gift proves essential for accomplishing the mission to which the Messiah Jesus summoned the seventy disciples.
These men have become ambassadors of God, destined to proclaim his message but also to manifest his power. We are worlds away from the so-called ministry of the , and the people clearly notice it.
By highlighting this event, Luke explicitly stresses that the future remains secure, even after the Master’s departure.
Regarding the words of the Messiah Jesus quoted in Luke 10.21-22 (Matthew 11.25-27), we would like to make several observations.
A moment of divine joy: The Messiah Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit; this is one of the rare moments in the Gospels where his joy is explicitly mentioned. He celebrates the fact that God chooses to reveal his truths to “children”, that is, to the humble, the simple, those who receive with faith, rather than to the wise and intelligent by human standards.
A selective and sovereign revelation: This text underlines God’s sovereignty in spiritual revelation. It is not intelligence or status that opens access to divine knowledge, but openness of heart. God delights in overturning human logic: what is hidden from the elites is offered to the little ones.
The unique relationship between the Father and the Son: The verse of Luke 10.22 is a powerful theological declaration: only the Father fully knows the Son, and only the Son fully knows the Father, and he chooses to whom he wishes to reveal him. This highlights the intimacy of the Trinity and the central role of Jesus as mediator of divine knowledge.
In summary, this passage is a praise, a prayer, a theological declaration and an invitation to humility. It reminds us that God’s revelation is not an intellectual conquest but a gracious gift, and that the Messiah Jesus is at the heart of this revelation.
Was the exact number of disciples 70 or 72?