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But the seventy-two returned with joy, stating, “Lord, even the mini-gods are subject to us in your name!” But he said to them, “I was looking at the adversary, like a lightning-flash from heaven, fallen.” (Luke’s AD 60 research report re Jesus: Chapter 10: 17--24)
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When the 72 sent-out-Christians returned to the Lord Jesus, it was “with joy” to confirm the wonderful effectiveness of their ministry and testimony. They testified, “mini-gods are subject to us in your name.” People were delivered from their driving internal obsessions.
Not only that, Jesus told them, but he himself had been “looking at the adversary … fallen.” The testimony of the 72 was part and parcel of the mission to bring-down “the adversary” of all humanity.
Does this ring true? Do evils within me connect with cosmic realities?
“Look and see! I gave you authority to trample down over serpents and scorpions, and over all the powers of the enemy, and nothing may ever wrong you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you! But rejoice that your names are written in the heavens!”
The 72 sent-out-Christians had not achieved those results. “I gave you authority…” Most important of all, that “authority” had enabled them to overcome (“trample down”) “enemy powers” which were far beyond their own resources and abilities. And that "authority" could protect them from all “wrong". How is it that we fail to "see" the only source of power to overcome harm and evil in the world?
But the 72 needed to re-focus in an even more radical way. Should they continue to “rejoice that the spirits are subject to” them? Rejoice in their Christian successes? No. What then? “Rejoice that your names are written in the heavens!” Their greatest (if not their only) “joy” must be in the fact that they themselves have been redeemed – their names “are written in the heavens!” How had that come about?
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In that same hour he greatly rejoiced in the Holy One, the Spirit, and said, “I totally agree with you, Father, Lord of the heaven and the earth, in that you hid these things from educated and intelligent ones and revealed them to unlearned ones. Yes, Father, for such was your righteous goodness.”
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Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit – above – were in total agreement on that day. The success achieved by sending out the 72 - and by their faithfulness in communicating the message given to them – was precisely the mind of the eternal God. “These things” are “hid” from some and “revealed” to others. This is correct and is in accordance with God’s “righteous goodness.” Not just his “goodness” but his “righteous goodness.” His justice and his mercy.
“All things are given over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and, if the Son may decide to reveal, to that one.”
Have you really taken in this amazing statement of Jesus to his disciples? “All things are given over to me by my Father.” “All things…”
Only “the Father … knows who the Son is.” Only “the Son … knows who the Father is.” But “the Son … may decide to reveal” “the Father” to another person. Do you know anyone who has seen “the Father” through Jesus? Was that person different from others?
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And, being turned towards the disciples, he said towards his own, “Blessed are the eyes, the seeing which see. Because I state to you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you yourselves see, and did not see, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear.”
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Carefully reading the above, one notes that these words of Jesus were addressed only to those whom Luke describes as, speaking of Jesus, “his own.” I think that these had seen “the Father” through Jesus. Their “eyes … are … blessed” because they are “the seeing which see” “the Father.” What does that actually mean? To see the Father?
Jesus said that it means something which, prior to AD 30, had never been seen before – not even by “prophets and kings” - no matter how worthy.
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