Sending Out the Seventy-Two

How Jesus Embodied Love Here

In this passage, we witness Jesus's profound expression of agapē love through his willingness to multiply his ministry by entrusting it to others. When Jesus "appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two," he demonstrated the self-giving nature of divine love by deliberately expanding his reach through delegation rather than hoarding authority.

Jesus's love manifests in his honest preparation of the seventy-two. He doesn't sugarcoat the challenges: "I send you forth as lambs among wolves." This transparency reflects genuine love—the kind that prepares rather than deceives. In first-century Palestine, wolves were a constant threat to shepherds, and this metaphor would have immediately conveyed both vulnerability and danger. Yet Jesus sends them anyway, because love compels mission even in the face of risk.

The instructions to "carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes" reveal love's radical trust. Jesus is asking his disciples to embody the vulnerability of love itself—to go out defenseless, dependent entirely on the hospitality of others and the provision of God. This wasn't mere asceticism but a demonstration that love operates through interdependence, not self-sufficiency.

Perhaps most remarkably, Jesus shares his own authority with them: "He that heareth you heareth me." This is love's ultimate expression—the willingness to stake one's own reputation on another's faithfulness. Jesus literally puts his credibility in their hands, trusting them to represent him accurately. In the hierarchical culture of ancient Judaism, where authority was jealously guarded, this delegation was revolutionary.

Even the stern warnings to unresponsive cities flow from love. The comparison to Sodom and the harsh words about Capernaum reflect not vindictiveness but the grief of rejected love. Jesus mourns over opportunities squandered, relationships refused.

Following His Example

First, embody love through intentional delegation and empowerment. Like Jesus sending the seventy-two, look for opportunities to entrust meaningful responsibilities to others, even when you could accomplish the task more efficiently yourself. This might mean training a colleague to lead a project you've always handled, or teaching your teenager to manage their own college applications rather than doing it for them. True love multiplies itself by creating capacity in others.

Second, practice vulnerable transparency in your relationships. Jesus prepared his disciples for difficulty rather than promising easy success. In your mentoring relationships—whether as a parent, manager, or friend—resist the temptation to oversell opportunities or minimize challenges. Love tells the truth about both the beauty and the cost of meaningful endeavors. When encouraging someone toward growth, acknowledge the real obstacles they'll face while affirming your confidence in their ability to navigate them.

Third, share your platform and authority with others. Jesus's declaration that "he that heareth you heareth me" models love's willingness to extend our credibility to those we're developing. This might mean publicly endorsing a junior colleague's ideas in meetings, highlighting others' contributions in your newsletter or social media, or stepping aside to let someone else receive recognition for work you initiated. Love rejoices when others flourish, even when it means sharing the spotlight.

Echoes in Other Traditions

This principle of love expressing itself through empowerment and generous delegation resonates across spiritual traditions. Many wisdom traditions recognize that authentic spiritual authority multiplies itself by creating other centers of wisdom and compassion, rather than concentrating power in a single figure. The teacher who truly loves seeks to create teachers, not merely followers.