10:1
Earlier we had the sending out of the twelve (9:1,2), now we have the sending out of the seventy two (some manuscripts have seventy). These were in addition to the twelve, showing that there were many others apart from the twelve who followed Jesus, and whom He interacted with. There have been various suggestions as to the significance of the number seventy two (or seventy). Some see it as representing the nations of the earth in Genesis 10, so Jesus is sending the gospel out, symbolically at this stage, into the whole world. Others see it as paralleling the elders appointed by Moses (Num 11:16), and yet others as paralleling the Sanhedrin. Luke, of course, draws no such parallel, so perhaps the number has no great significance at all!
What is significant is that Jesus sent them out to every town He was going to go to. So they were in some ways like mini John the Baptists, preparing the way for Jesus.
10:2
Perhaps this verse gives us more insight into the significance of the event, rather than speculation about the number seventy two (or seventy). “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, therefore ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into the harvest field.” This is addressed to the seventy two. A similar instruction was issued in Matt 9:37 and John 4:35. Israel as a nation rejected the Messiah, yet there were still many who did believe. So even in today’s secular West we should ask God to send out workers, for there are many to be saved. The harvest belongs to the Lord, it is not a manmade enterprise.
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