12. The first word means literally 'torn.' The second occurs sixty-two times in the LXX. as
equivalent for the Hebrew (Hiphil) Hishlikh, projicio, abjicio.
On these introductory words,13 which ever since have formed 'the bidding prayer' of the
Church in her work for Christ, followed the commission and special directions to the
thirty-five pairs of disciples who went on this embassy. In almost every particular they
are the same as those formerly given to the Twelve.14 We mark, however, that both the
introductory and the concluding words addressed to the Apostles are wanting in what
was said to the Seventy. It was not necessary to warn them against going to the
Samaritans, since the direction of the Seventy was to those cities of Perę and Judę ,
a
a
on the road to Jerusalem, through which Christ was about to pass. Nor were they armed
with precisely the same supernatural powers as the Twelve.15 Naturally, the personal
directions as to their conduct we re in both cases substantially the same. We mark only
three peculiarities in those addressed to the Seventy. The direction to 'salute no man by
the way' was suitable to a temporary and rapid mission, which might have been sadly
interrupted by making or renewing acquaintances. Both the Mishnah16 and the Talmud 17
lay it down, that prayer was not to be interrupted to salute even a king, nay, to uncoil a
serpent that had wound round the foot.18 On the other hand, the Rabbis discussed the
question, whether the reading of the Shema and of the portion of the Psalms called the
Hallel might be interrupted at the close of a paragraph, from respect for a person, or
interrupted in the middle, from motives of fear.19 All agreed, that immediately before
prayer no one should be saluted, to prevent distraction, and it was advised rather to
summarise or to cut short than to break into prayer, though the latter might be
admissible in case of absolute necessity. 20 None of these provisions, however, seems
to have been in the mind of Christ. If any parallel is to be sought, it would be found in
the similar direction of Elisha to Gehazi, when sent to lay the prophet's staff on the dead
child of the Shunammite.
13. St. Luke x. 2.
14. See Book III. ch. xxvii.
15. St. Matt. x. 7, 8; comp. St. Luke x.
9.
16. Ber. 30 b.
17. u.s. 32 b.
18. But it might be interrupted for a scorpion, Ber. 33 a. Comp. page 141, note 1.
19. Ber. 14 a.
20. Ber. 14 a; 32 b.
The other two peculiarities in the address to the Seventy seem verbal rather than real.
The expression,21 'if the Son of Peace be there,' is a Hebraism, equivalent to 'if the
house be worthy,'22 and refers to the character of the head of the house and the tone of
the household.23 Lastly, the direction to eat and drink such things as were set before
them24 is only a further explanation of the command to abide in the house which had
received them, without seeking for better entertainm ent.25 On the other hand, the whole
most important close of the address to the Twelve - which, indeed, forms by far the
largest part of it26 - is wanting in the commission to the Seventy, thus clearly marking its
merely temporary character.
21. St. Luke x. 6.
22. St. Matt. x. 13.