Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves

 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

- Luke 10:1-17

Yesterday we read that when the time had come for Him to be received up, Jesus steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face.  And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.  But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.  And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"  But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."  And they went to another village.  Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."  And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Then He said to another, "Follow Me."  But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."  Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."  And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."  But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

  After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."  Luke gives us an additional group of apostles, besides the twelve.  These seventy are noted in Church history as having had a great impact throughout the known world, and from them came early bishops of the Church in various parts of the world.   Note that like the twelve apostles, they are sent out two by two (Mark 6:7).  My study bible calls us to note that Jesus tells us to pray not only for the harvest of converts to Christ, but also for the laborers who will reach them.

"Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves."  Lambs, my study bible tells us, speak of the sacrificial life of the apostles, and of all followers of Christ.  The wolves, it says, are those who seek to frighten and devour those who follow the Lord (John 15:18).

"Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you."  As lambs, humility befits the conduct of the apostles of Christ.   They are not to be ostentatious in their travels.  They are characterized by peace.  And note how simply this peace works:  as a kind of grace, peace is wished upon a home.  But, like faith, a son of peace must be present to receive such a blessing; if not, it will return to the apostles.

"And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you."  My study bible points out that twice here Christ commands the apostles to eat whatever is offered to them.  It notes a double significance to this repeated instruction:  first, the apostles must be content with whatever is offered, even if the food is little and simple; and second, the gracious reception of the  hospitality of others takes priority over personal fasting or dietary disciplines.  My study bible adds that when St. Cassian the great Desert Father visited  monastery, the fast was always relaxed to honor him as guest.  When he asked why, the elder told him, "Fasting is always with me, but you I cannot always have with me.  Fasting is useful and necessary, but it depends on our choice, while the law of God demands charity.  Thus receiving Christ in you, I serve you with all diligence, and when I have taken leave of you, I resume the rule of fasting again."  In this way, these monastics would obey Christ's command here and also His command that we not "appear to others to be fasting" (Matthew 6:18; see also Romans 14:2-6; 1 Corinthians 10:27; Hebrews 13:2).  Once again, we must note that these instructions speak of the conduct of humility.

"And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city."  My study bible encourages us to note that the gospel message isn't simply that there is a Kingdom in the future, but rather that this kingdom of God has come near.   Note that whether the apostles are received or are not, in both instances the message is the same, that "the kingdom of God has come near to you."

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."  My study bible comments on these statements by Jesus that judgment is severe for those who reject Christ after experiencing His grace.  By contrast, those who have never known Christ due to genuine ignorance are without sin in that regard (John 15:22-24), and are instead judged by their God-given conscience (Romans 2:12-16).  Note that in the final statement here, Jesus refers to the presence of the Kingdom that has come near, which means His presence and also the presence of the One who sent Him.

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."  This affirms the implication of Christ's final instructions before the seventy were sent off:  that His presence is with them, and therefore His power.

What does it mean that the kingdom of God has come near to you?  Where is this kingdom of God?  Is it still present with us?  How about Christ's power to heal, or to cast out demons?  What of the judgment that Jesus teaches?  These are all questions that remain with us.  One answer to these questions that the Gospels would give us, is, of course, faith.  That is, where faith is, and the degree to which faith is present with us, conveys and carries the presence of Christ and Christ's kingdom.  How full is our faith, really?  How deeply has it permeated, transformed our characters, made us into that image of Christ that is within for each of us?  We could think, in particular, about the instructions of Christ to the seventy apostles, and how they convey and are permeated with notions of humility:  not to take an ostentatious trip, in which grand greetings are exchanged and met along the way, or announced with fanfare.  Whatever is offered, they accept.  They are not to "trade up" for better lodgings or more luxurious fare.  Everything becomes a question of grace for these lambs that are sent out among wolves.  How often do we allow grace to run our own lives?  Can we live on faith of this kind?  How do we practice humility in every day affairs?  Life is complicated, and every one of us has decisions to make regarding our own conduct as those who may carry Christ with us in our faith.  We may live in nominally Christian countries, but that doesn't mean that we don't daily face the same challenges of carrying the cross He commands us to carry (9:23).  The work of faith remains with us:  a challenge to learn humility and reliance upon God, to understand what it is to have gracious behavior, and to know that there is both power and responsibility within true faith.  These remain challenges for us all, and they remain daily questions to answer in the conduct of our own lives.  What is important to remember is not that we are promised one thing and another, but rather that we are each a part of something which we carry with us.  This kingdom of God which has come near remains with us, even as we are part of the Body of Christ, the Church present in the communion of saints and all those, such as the members of the seventy whose names and histories the Church commemorates still, both known and unknown to us.  It is present with us and near to us even in the Scriptures, the living word, and in our worship services, and in the help present to us which we don't see.  Our lives, in this context, become questions to us:  will we help carry this kingdom into the world?  Do we know what it is to be lambs among wolves, and to understand the depth and meaning of humility first and foremost before God?  Our questions may shift in appearance with each generation, but they remain in substance most likely the same.  It is all a question of what it means to carry this Kingdom with us, and where it leads for each and every life and for the cross that remains ours to carry with us.  We each have that question to answer, and it remains for us -- that is, how do we carry out this mission, even as we may still be lambs among wolves?

The kingdom of God has come near to you

 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

- Luke 10:1-16

Yesterday we read that when the time had come for Jesus to be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face.  And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.  But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.  And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"  But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."  And they went to another village.  Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."  And Jesus said, to Him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Then He said to another, "Follow Me."  But he said, "Lord let me first go and bury my father."  Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."  And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."  But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city."   Yesterday we read that Jesus sent His apostles before His face as He determined to go toward Jerusalem.  Here we read of the appointment of seventy others who now do the same, sent out two by two to every city He will enter on His way toward Jerusalem and His Passion.  These seventy were also hand-chosen, made up of members well-known to the Church, including Barnabas and Titus.  My study bible suggests that we note Christ teaches us to pray not only for the harvest of believers, but also for laborers who will minister to them.  Wolves are those who would prey on the lambs of Christ; lambs are animals that are associated with sacrifice and characterize the lives of apostles and Christ's followers.  Peace is the hallmark of the journey, peace is what unites those who bring the Kingdom near and those who receive it.  Wolves here is used figuratively as those who seek to frighten and devour those who follow Christ (John 15:18).  Note once again the command for gracious behavior:  they are to accept whatever hospitality is first offered, and that includes foods.  This touches on the fasting disciplines traditional in the Church and particularly for monastics:  hospitality takes precedence!  Christ gives two commands emphasizing this:  graciousness, mercy, and charity figure into this practice of receiving what is set before to them.  They are to heal the sick, and here is perhaps the most important word Christ gives:  they are to say, "The kingdom of God has come near to you."  Its impact is felt in the next statement:  where that Kingdom is rejected, there will be judgment.  All the apostles are to do is to wipe off the dust of the city from themselves, but the emphasis here is given twice as well:  "know that the kingdom of God has come near you."  My study bible says that the gospel message isn't simply that there is a Kingdom in the future, but that this kingdom of God has come near.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."  My study bible explains that judgment is severe for those who reject Christ after experiencing His grace.  But in contrast, it's important to note that those who have never known Christ due to genuine ignorance are without sin in that regard (John 15:22-24).  It is their God-given conscience that counts (Romans 2:12-16).  Indeed, there are Orthodox writers who say that around the world many who have never heard the name of Christ have nevertheless sought to reach toward Him in their own faiths.   Once again we note that Judgment is left to God; all these apostles are to do is wipe off the dust from themselves as a rebuke to the city where they and Christ's kingdom are rejected.

Jesus' words regarding Judgment are extreme, and therefore powerful.  Certainly there is no doubt this is intentional speech.   We see the seemingly great contrasts between these words and His teaching and instruction on the character and behavior of the Seventy.  Twice He teaches them they must graciously accept whatever hospitality is offered to them.  Rather than expressing any form of retaliation where they are rejected they are simply to wipe the dust off them in rebuke.  The gracious message, "The kingdom of God has come near to you," is always the refrain no matter what the city's response is.  But Judgment isn't something that can be taken lightly, and we really shouldn't see contradictions in any of this.  Christ teaches us about spiritual reality and the responsibility of being messengers of this Kingdom.  Their every word and deed is to reflect the true graciousness of this Kingdom, and the fact that they are ushering in a spiritual kingdom into the world.  "The kingdom of God has come near" is a message that teaches about what is coming into our world, what exists within us and among us as those who wish to be a part of this life of the Kingdom, even as we live in this world.  And that's where we take our start in understanding the true message of the Gospel and Christ's mission into the world.  We are all still a part of this mission, where the Kingdom is near, and we have a choice to accept or reject.  Christ makes it very clear that the message of the Kingdom, the spirit which guides these apostles, must be present in all that they do.  It's not just about nominally joining a Church, it's about how one lives all of one's life.  It is about action.  Grace is the great hallmark here, but we are always invited into choice.  We are responsible for what we reject, how we choose.  He tells us that there will be plenty of wolves out there for His sheep, but they are to rely on humility and grace; they serve Him, not a worldly master.  In times of difficulties and uncertainty, we need to remember the grace and peace of this life that He offers.  Our peace -- His peace given to us -- is the connecting tie  between those who bring the good news of the Kingdom and those who receive it.  To be a son of peace is to be a child by adoption, via faith.  It is to carry His Kingdom with us and within us.  His Judgment is always present with it, but so is the grace that responds to repentance or change of mind.  Let us remember this and persevere in His peace, in what He offers and calls us to in mission, in the good news of the Kingdom.  Let us not forget the importance -- the great significance -- of this choice we are called to make each day.

Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one

 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all"  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandment is:  'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this:  'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no other commandment greater than these."  So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher.  You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.  And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."  Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  But after that no one dared question Him.

- Mark 12:28-34

We are in Mark's Gospel during the Passover Week, commemorated by us as Holy Week, when Jesus and the disciples are in Jerusalem.  He has made His Triumphal Entry, welcomed as Messiah into the city, and He has cleansed the temple.  Jesus has also been questioned by the religious leadership as to His authority to do so.  After this, they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words.  When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth.  Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not  Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?"  But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me?  Bring Me a denarius that I may see it."  So they brought it.  And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"  They said to Him, "Caesar's."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."  And they marveled at Him.  Then some Sadduccees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leave his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.  And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring.  And the third likewise.  So the seven had her and left no offspring.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?  For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.  But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?  He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living.  You are therefore greatly mistaken."

  Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all"  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandment is:  'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'  This is the first commandment.   Jesus quotes the great commandment (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) which is the Jewish confession of faith, known as the Shema' (meaning "hear" which is the first word of the commandment).   He calls it the first commandment.  But there is also another.

"And the second, like it, is this:  'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no other commandment greater than these."   Jesus also gives the commandment from Leviticus 19:18, combining, as my study bible puts it, "what is already present in the Old Testament to create a new understanding:  love of neighbor is an expression of love of God."

So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher.  You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.  And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."  Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  But after that no one dared question Him.  This scribe has come to join in the "testing" of Christ, but answers honestly and with admiration for Jesus' wisdom.  My study bible says it's a sign of his conversion.  As always, all of Jesus' answers contain truths on many levels, regardless of its surface meaning.  The scribe is not far from the kingdom of God in his understanding, but he is also "not far from the kingdom of God" which is present in the person of Jesus who stands before him.

The notions of the presence of the kingdom of God are important to our understanding of our faith.  The kingdom is present in the person of Jesus, the Son.  But this kingdom is shared among us and within us.  When Jesus sent out the disciples on their first mission, He taught them to say to the people they went to, "The kingdom of God has come near you" (Matthew 10:7).  When He sent out the Seventy, He taught them to say the same (see Luke 10:9-11).  John the Baptist proclaims, "The kingdom of God has come hear" when he preaches of repentance in preparation for the Messiah (Mark 1:15, Matthew 3:2).  Jesus' teaching to the scribe in today's reading seems to indicate that appropriate faith and work bring us near to the Kingdom:  love of God and love of neighbor.  Jesus'
teaching sums up all the Law and the Prophets.  Most tellingly, the words of the scribe indicate that to love God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love neighbor is "more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."   Included here is what it means to have "a broken and contrite spirit," one that puts love of God first before all things, and thus necessarily God's command to love one's neighbor as oneself.  It indicates a kind of love of God that knows us all as equals before God, and that to please God is better than selfish desires.  This is where we are when we are close to the kingdom of God, in this place where we begin to understand.  But the fullness of God's love for us is also something standing right in front of this scribe and right before us, the Son who came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly.   This is the recognition of the Son who has been given to us out of the tremendous love of God for us.   When we can enter into fullness and depth of that relationship in the heart, and that understanding of Christ, then the kingdom of God dwells in us and among us.