Luke 10:5

Luk_10:5-7

Peace be to this house

The work and success of the ministry

I.

THE WORK AND OFFICE OF MINISTERS. They are appointed by the Prince of Peace to be the messengers of peace.

1. The ministers whom Christ here sends forth are supposed to enter into private houses; and that under the character of Christs ambassadors, and in the execution of their office.

(1) Sometimes they were forced into such corners. Though the message they brought had everything in it to recommend them to an universal acceptance, yet it is probable in many places they were not permitted to preach in the synagogues; the rulers there who had a jealous eye upon them would take care to keep them thence; and they then retired into private houses, and preached to as many as would come to hear them there. Those who cannot do what they would for God and the souls of men, must do what they can, and God will accept of them.

(2) They always embraced such opportunities of spreading the gospel, and doing good to the souls of men, as visiting people at their houses gave them. Our Lord Jesus preached wherever He visited.

2. They are instructed to say, Peace be to this house; that is, to the inhabitants of it; to all under this roof; to the master of the family, for be he ever so great he needs this blessing; and to all the members of the family, for be they ever so mean they are not excluded from this blessing. Ignatiuss bishop was to take cognizance even of the servants of the families that belonged to his charge.

(1) We are to preach peace to all.

(a) Reconciliation, and no war.

(b) Riches and no want.

(2) We are to pray for peace to all.

(a) We must earnestly desire the welfare and salvation of precious souls; and not be cold and indifferent about it.

(b) These desires of the salvation of souls must be offered up to God in prayer.

(c) It is good to let those we preach to know that we pray for them. We must not only say to God, Peace be to this house, but we must say it in the hearing of those that dwell in it.

II. THE SUCCESS OF MINISTERS. As to those to whom we minister--the success is varied; not the same with all. On some, the peace comes which we preach and pray for; on others, it does not.

1. The text gives us encouragement to hope that some shall be the better for our praying and preaching; we shall meet with those who are sons of peace, who are disposed to submit to the commands, and qualified to partake of the privileges, of the gospel peace. Who are the sons of peace, on whose heads, and hearts, and houses, the blessings of peace shall come? I answer--

(1) Those who are so by the designation of the Divine counsel; the chosen of God, whom He hath set apart for Himself to be vessels of mercy.

(2) Those who are so by the operations of the Divine grace.

2. Wherein shall those who are thus the sons of peace be the better for our ministry We are here told that our peace shall rest upon them, that is--

(1) Our prayers for them shall be heard.

(2) Our preaching to them shall answer the end, and be effectual.

(3) The fruit of both shall remain.

3. The text also shows us that we ought not to be overmuch discouraged in our work, though there be many who are never the better for our praying and preaching.

Let us now make some application of all briefly.

1. Let this awaken us who are ministers to be faithful, and serious, and diligent in delivering our message; as those who are in some measure sensible of the vast importance of the work we are employed in, and the dispensation that is committed to us.

2. Let us, when we have done what we can, look up to God for the success.

3. Let us be very careful that we do not, by any irregularity in our conversation, hinder the success of our praying and preaching, and defeat the ends of them.

4. What success of our labours we Lave the comfort of, let God have all the glory of. (Matthew Henry.)

Christian courtesy!

I. THE BREADTH OF CHRISTIAN COURTESY. The kindly greeting, Peace be to this house, was to be addressed to every family into which the seventy might enter.

II. THE DEPTH OF CHRISTIAN COURTESY, the reality and meaning of their greeting, are brought before us in Luk_10:6. Christ is telling them that their words are not to be a mere formal salutation; He suggests that an influence of peace shall actually go out from them, to rest upon the house that receives them; returning to them if rejected. The soul of Christian courtesy is faith; our greetings are prayers. Trust in God is the animating principle of social kindness; graciousness of disposition rests Upon the grace of God.

III. THESE ARE THE TWO FOUNDATIONS OF GENUINE CHRISTIAN COURTESY:

1. The sense of our Christian mission.

2. The certainty that we shall find many prepared for the Lord.

1. Christ sent His disciples to heal the sick, to cast out devils, and to say to all, the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Could they doubt whether they would be received? Would not the sick man hail them from his couch? and the demoniac come trusting them to heal him? Their confidence that they were come on a blessed errand, that it was given to them to comfort the sorrowful, to sustain the sinking, to still the restless, and to proclaim the blessed name of Christ, would fill them with a confidence, a frankness, and a tenderness, that would secure them a welcome. With what words could they enter any house but those which Christ bade them first to speak? they were full of peace, they were charged and laden with peace; peace was the light of their eye, it was the spring of their footstep, it must breathe in their every tone. It would come forth from them because it was so fully in them; the messengers of peace could say no other words, no words before these, in whatsoever house they entered, Peace be to this house. It is just this sense of a mission which Christ has entrusted to us, a holy, blessed message He has given us to utter, which is needed to make us frank and courteous to all men. Selfishness is the root of all moroseness and ungeniality.

2. The assurance that we shall find a people prepared for the Lord. Some households would reject the disciples, but not all; the son of peace would be beforehand with them in many a house, their prayer should be answered, and their peace should rest upon it.

IV. I have already anticipated somewhat I had designed to say under our fourth head--THE BLESSEDNESS OF CHRISTIAN COURTESY. If the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; rest upon the household, and on you too while you are in it. The unforeseen welcome given you by many who return your cordial greeting; the humility, the heartiness, the joy with which they listen to your words; Gods answer to the prayer of your greeting; in all this, you and they will share together. But look for a moment at the last clause of the verse, If not, your peace shall turn to you again. Christ tells His disciples that some will reject them; not all our hope will be fulfilled. If, you ask, if my frank intercourse with the ungodly does not bless them, will it not injure me? But I fear lest I shall be depraved by too great frankness with worldly men, some of whom will continue worldly. Shall I not be charged with inconsistency? To all these questions we have Christs answer, your peace shall turn to you again. No man is ever degraded by his love for the ungodly. Christs name is not disonoured by the tender, gracious association of His people with the lost souls to whom He sends them. You know of whom it was said, this Man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. You may be misjudged by your fellow-Christians, but you will not be misjudged by your Lord. (A. Mackennal, D. D.)

Christs first message is peace

Here we may observe the method of our Saviour. He, coming to fight against the pomp, the covetousness, the luxury of the world, first offers terms of peace, and instructs His disciples as God did Moses: When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it (Deu_20:10). As we read of Tamerlane, He first hangs out His white flag of peace, not His black nor His bloody colours. He fights not against us to destroy us, till we have wearied His mercy, and stood out too long. First He tenders peace: but it is the wickedness of the wicked, the obstinacy of the enemy, that draws His sword. For God doth not, as Nimrod, destroy men for pleasure: He doth not set them up as a mark, and then shoot deadly arrows at them. He seems rather to carry peace and war in sinu, in His bosom, as Fabius did in the skirt of his gown; and leaves it to our choice, which we will have. First peace shows itself, in His love, in His precepts; nay, in His threatenings and fearful menaces. He opened the mouth of His servant Noah, a preacher of righteousness, before He opened the windows of heaven, and broke up the fountains of the great deep (Gen_7:11). He opened the mouth of His servant Moses, before the earth opened her mouth to swallow up Dathan and Abiram and their complices (Num_16:1-50.). He doth not undermine us with double voices and double counsels and a holy dissimulation, as some call it, crying, Peace, when He girds Himself with strength, and prepares Himself to battle; saying, Peace, to that house which He meaneth to level with the ground. But He sends His ambassadors, and Peace is the first clause in their commission: first they must salute us, before He will strike us; first wish peace, before He will furbish His sword. (A. Farindon, D. D.)

Proclaim peace

A writer in a Scottish magazine told of an earnest minister, who, thinking all his labours among his people fruitless, was so disheartened that he made up his mind to leave them. When meditating about a farewell sermon, he was struck with the words of this verse, and felt as if Christ were saying to him, Ungrateful servant, are you not satisfied with this promise of Mine? Hold on, then, proclaiming peace. This accordingly he did, with renewed vigour.

Fireside ministry

These missioners were pioneers going in advance to waken thought, create expectation, inspire confidence, and announce the nearness of the revealing Christ. They took their orders from His lips and their methods from His life. The Masters charge to them is still vital; it has sterling and perennial value for us men in the midst of our accumulated social evils, our hoary and deep-seated social vices. Stripped of Oriental accident and incident, and expressed in the English of the hour, it supplies an invaluable recipe for the healing of our sick and diseased human life, and for the guidance of our Churches in their home missionary activities. Go to the people, get close to them, enter their houses and their hearts, make your mission domestic, be social and sociable, friendly and human, go not from house to house in a hurry, as though figures were redeemed souls, but stay long enough to win love; invite trust, and do nothing to thwart expectation; make men feel your tenderness is instinctive, and your desires real; prove that you work and speak on the common ground of manhood, and then you will have a right to say, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you, and the heart will feel the presence of that unseen rule, and the conscience confess its august authority.

1. According to the mind of our Teacher all really helpful human work must be rooted and grounded in loving friendship, and energized by an unhesitating trust in the men it seeks to cleanse and ennoble. Renan has said that the fireside preaching of the seventy missioners was one of the capital causes of the success of early Christianity. And surely, not even in our Lords day, was this policy of making friends first, converts afterwards, more needed than in our own time.

2. The next stags in the work of the seventy, beyond the ministry of friendship, is that of compassionate healing. Christianity, like its Author, is essentially healing.

3. But the crowning service of man to man is the interpretation of life in the light of Divine ministration. The priests of friendship and healing have free course and are glorified only when they acknowledge Gods sovereignty over the heart and soul. The supreme good is not a perfectly healthy body. The missioners did not reach the climax of their work until they said, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. This is fireside preaching at its best.

(1) This saying is a pertinent and necessary sermon on a physical text. Do not stop at the healing of the body. Trace out the Divine handwriting on the renovated body, and say, See here, the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. That is a blessed if difficult task. But

(2) this unique declaration has this additional significance, that Christ Himself was on His way to these healed folks, and that their physical salvation was only an earnest bestowed by His advanced couriers of what He was also to give if only they would welcome Him. (J. Clifford, D. D.)

Only souls can save souls

Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes. Go to your work with such perceptible signs of trust in men as shall at once disarm suspicion and inspire confidence. (J. Clifford, D. D.)

Deferred remuneration

Christmas Evans parishioners seem to have been marked by an insatiable appetite for sermons, and by a singular disregard for the temporal comfort of the preacher. Once, when he had preached away from home, and had received less than his expenses, an old woman remarked to the great pulpit orator, Well, Christmas, you have given us a wonderful sermon, and I hope you will be paid at the resurrection. Yes, yes, no doubt of that, answered the preacher humorously, but what am I to do till I get there? And theres the old white mare that carries me, what will she do? There will be no resurrection for her.

Ministers badly paid

I wonder whether some of the people who come to bear Christs servants ever ask themselves the question, How do these ministers live and pay their way? I thought they preached for souls, said one of these spiritual mendicants to Mr. Spurgeon, who required an able and intelligent preacher for the munificent sum of £60 a year. So they do, replied the famous preacher; but they would need some thousands of souls of your size to keep them from starving. (Henry Varley.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 10:5-6. Into whatsoever house ye enter, &c. — They are supposed to enter into private houses; for, not being admitted into the synagogues, they were forced to preach where they could have liberty. First say, Peace be to this house — To all under this roof, to this family, and all that belong to it. As if he had said, In all the stages of your journey, carry along with you those benevolent affections which are so well suited to the design of your mission. Peace be to you, was the common form of salutation among the Jews. They must not use it in formality, and according to custom, to those they meet on the way; but they must use it with solemnity and seriousness to those into whose houses they entered. And if the son of peace — Or any truly pious man who is worthy of such a blessing; be there — In the house; your peace shall rest upon it — Your prayer for the peace and prosperity of the family shall be heard and answered. Or, the blessing which you gave at your entrance, shall, by my power, be made effectual to that house, and shall remain with it. If not, it shall turn, &c. — You will meet with some that are not disposed to hear or regard your message; even whole houses that have not one son of peace in them. Now it is certain your peace shall not come upon them; they shall have no part nor lot in the matter: the blessing that shall rest upon the sons of peace shall never come upon the sons of Belial; nor can any expect the privileges of the covenant of grace that will not come under the bonds of it; but it shall turn to you again — You shall have the comfort of having discharged your trust, and done your duty to God.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10:5 God’s peace means spiritual blessings and wholeness, the shalom of God (see study note on 8:48).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 10:5. Πρῶτον, first) The messenger of God ought to make his beginning with praying for the salvation of men, before that he proceeds to reprove them.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk_10:5-6. See on Mat_10:12 f.

The construction εἰς ἣν κ.τ.λ. is the same as in Luk_10:8. Comp. on Mat_10:14.

υἱὸς εἰρήνης] a son of salvation, i.e. one who is fit to receive salvation, not different in substance from the ἄξιος in Matthew. Its opposite is υἱὸς ὀργῆς (Eph_2:3), τῆς ἀπωλείας (Joh_17:12), τῆς ἀπειθείας (Eph_5:6), γεέννης (Mat_23:15). Comp. in general on Mat_8:12.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 10:5 . πρῶτον λέγετε : the first word to be spoken, peace , speech on the things of the kingdom to be prepared for by courteous, kindly salutations. A sympathetic heart is the best guide in pastoral visitation. The first word should not be: how is it with your soul?

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 5. Peace be to this house] See Clarke on Mt 10:12.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(5-7) Peace be to this house.—See Notes on Mat_10:12-13. St. Luke gives, what is only implied in St. Matthew, the very form of the salutation.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. Peace be to this house] Adopted in our service for the Visitation of the Sick. God’s messengers should begin first with prayers for peace, not with objurgations. Bengel.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And into whatsoever house ye enter,.... When ye come into any city, town, or village,

first say, peace be to this house: salute the inhabitants in the usual form, saying, peace be to you; wishing them all happiness and prosperity, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. This shows our Lord did not disapprove of civil salutations.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

Ver. 5. See Mat 10:11-15.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See the notes at Mat 10:13.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

See Poole on "Mat 10:11", and See Poole on "Mar 6:10". The instructions, as to the substance of them, are the same here as there, though a little differing in the terms.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Peace be to this house. The original of the words used in the Church of England Office for the Visitation of the Sick.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here our blessed Saviour directs his disciples how to manage themselves in the executing of their office: Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house; they must with peace to the sons of peace, yea, to the enemies of peace also; and as their peace shall rest upon the one, so shall it return from the other. Peace be to this house, is a fit salutation for them to use, who were the disciples and ambassadors of the Prince of peace; and very agreeable to the gospel they were to preach, which was a gospel of peace: and it was a prayer as well as a salutation; the disciples were to speak it not from the lip only, but from the heart also. Peace is the music which both men and angels are delighted with, and the Christian religion is the greatest promoter and preserver of it, that commands us to pray for peace, to follow after peace, to part with our coat and cloak, that is, with our civil rights, for peace; and, if it be possible, to live peaceably with all men.

Observe, 2. As the injunction given by our Saviour to his disciples to deliver a message of peace, first say, Peace be to this house: so the prediction of what should befall them in the delivery of this their message. Their salutation, though it be peace, yet will not find a welcome and entertainment with all persons, but only with the sons of peace: If the sons of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it.

Observe, 3. An encouragement not to be afraid of delivering their message though it wanted success: If your peace rest not, it shall return to you again.

Learn,

1. That as there was at the first preaching of the gospel, so there is, and always will be, some that are sons of peace, and others that are enemies unto peace.

2. That this peace will rest on none but those that are fit to receive it. That though it does not rest, yet it shall not be lost, but return again to those that publish it. Ministers can but say, Peace be to this house, they cannot make it rest there; we can offer terms of peace to a lost world, but cannot compel men to accept them; and if they finally refuse them, we shall be a sweet savour unto God, as well in them that perish, as in them that are saved.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

May peace be on this house

This was both a greeting and a blessing. Here "house" refers to those who live in the house. AT: "May the people in this household receive peace" (See: Metonymy)

a person of peace

"a peaceful person." This is a person who wants peace with God and with people.

your peace will rest upon him

Here "peace" is described as a living thing that can choose where to stay. AT: "he will have the peace you blessed him with" (See: Personification)

if not

It may be helpful to restate the entire phrase. AT: "if there is no person of peace there" or "if the owner of the house is not a peaceful person" (See: Ellipsis)

it will return to you

Here "peace" is described as a living thing that can choose to leave. AT: "you will have that peace" or "he will not receive the peace you blessed him with" (See: Personification)

Remain in that same house

Jesus was not saying that they should stay in the house all day, but that they should sleep at the same house every night they were there. AT: "Continue to sleep at that house"

for the laborer is worthy of his wages

This is a general principle that Jesus was applying to the men he was sending out. Since they would be teaching and healing the people, the people should provide them with a place to stay and with food.

Do not move around from house to house

Moving around from house to house means going to different houses. It can be made clear that he was talking about staying overnight at different houses. "Do not go sleep at a different house each night" (See: Idiom and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

house

peace

worthy

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

5. εἰρήνη τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ. Adopted in our service for the Visitation of the Sick. God’s messengers should begin first with prayers for peace, not with objurgations. Bengel.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. But directly they have reached a goal, and have obtained admission to a household, a greeting is to be given. Comp. 2:4, εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις; Joh 20:19, Joh 20:21, Joh 20:26, εἰρήνη ὑμῖν.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Peace to this house. The usual oriental salutation. See Jud 19:20.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 5, 6. “And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the (a) son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.”

The pres. εἰσέρχησθε (Byz.) expresses better than the aor. (Alex.) that the entrance and the salutation are simultaneous. The prevailing impulse, in the servant of Christ, is the desire of communicating the peace with which he himself is filled (his peace, Luk 10:6).

If the article before υἱός—“the son of peace”—were authentic (T. R.), it would designate the individual as the object of a special divine decree, which is far-fetched. The phrase, son of peace, is a Hebraism. In this connection it represents the notion of peace as an actual force which comes to life in the individual. The reading of the two most ancient MSS., ἐπαναπαήσεται, is regular (aor. pass. ἐπάην).

If no soul is found there fitted to receive the influence of the gospel salutation, it will not on that account be without efficacy; it will return with redoubled force, as it were, on him who uttered it.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.