Luke 10:7

Luk 10:7-9. And in the same house remain — As long as you stay in the town or village: eating and drinking — Cheerfully and contentedly; such things as they give — Neither suspect your being welcome, nor be afraid of being troublesome; for the labourer — In the work of the ministry, if he be indeed a labourer; is worthy of his hire — It is not an act of charity, but of justice, in them who are taught in the Word, to communicate to them that teach: and whatever kindness they show you, it is but a small return for the kindness you do them in bringing them the glad tidings of peace. Go not from house to house — Be content with whatever fare you meet with; and never create any unnecessary trouble in the family where you are, nor quit your lodgings to seek others, in hope of better accommodations during the short stay you make in a place. And heal the sick that are therein — Which, as I direct, so I shall empower you to do; And say unto them, The kingdom of God, &c. — Publish the approach of the kingdom of God; its approach to them; and that they stand fair for an admission into it, if they will but obey the call of God, and turn to him without delay. Say, Now is the day of your visitation; see that you understand and improve it. Observe, reader! It is well to be made sensible of our advantages and opportunities, that we may lay hold on and embrace them. When the kingdom of God comes nigh to us, it concerns us to go forth to meet it.

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

10:7 Don’t move around from home to home: See study note on 9:4. • because those who work deserve their pay: Those who minister for Jesus should receive compensation from those they serve (see also 1 Cor 9:14; 1 Tim 5:18).

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

Luk 10:7. Τὰ παρʼ αὐτῶν, such things as are in their house) with frugality and freedom (frankness): as you shall find them.—τοῦ μισθοῦ, of his hire) It was lawful for them to receive their food: they must not seek to get money, although they are not ordered altogether to refuse even that. But, on the other hand again, the hire is worthy of a labourer (one who earns it by work): there must be no idleness.

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

Luk_10:7. Comp. Luk_9:4; Mat_10:11.

ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ οἰκίᾳ] not: in eadem autem domo (Vulgate, Luther, Bleek), but as it does not run ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ οἰκίᾳ: but in the house (in question) itself, which has inhabitants so worthy.

μένετε] the more specific explanation μὴ μεταβαίνετε κ.τ.λ. follows.

As to ἔσθοντες, as it is also to be read here, see on Luk_7:33.

τὰ παρʼ αὐτῶν] that which is theirs (comp. Mar_5:26). See Bernhardy, p. 255. Not different from this is τὰ παρατιθέμενα ὑμῖν, Luk_10:8. The messengers were to partake without hesitation of the provisions of the people, for, etc. This statement of the reason, however, should have prevented Baur from explaining it of the unhesitating partaking of heathen meats (according to 1Co_9:7 f., Luk_10:27), even apart from the fact that no mention is made of heathen houses at all. This is also in opposition to Köstlin, p. 234; Hilgenfeld, Evang. p. 183, and Weizsäcker, p. 163.

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 10:7 . ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ οἰκίᾳ : verbally distinct from ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ , etc., but really meaning the same thing = “in that same house,” R. V [100] τὰ παρʼ αὐτῶν , eating and drinking the meat and drink which belong to them , as if they were your own: libere et velut vestro jure , Grotius. ἄξιος γὰρ assigns the reason: your food is your hire; it belongs to you of right as wages for work done.

[100] Revised Version.

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

Take up your lodging in that house, which ye first enter into, that is, be not careful for commodious lodging, as men do which purpose to stay long in a place: for here is not instituted that solemn preaching of the Gospel, which was used afterward ,when the Churches were settled: but these are sent abroad to all the coasts of Judea, to give them to understand, that the last Jubilee is at hand.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 7. The labourer is worthy] See on Mt 10:8; Mt 10:12.

Go not from house to house.] See Clarke on Mt 10:11. It would be a great offence among the Hindoos if a guest, after being made welcome at a house, were to leave it and go to another.

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

(7) And in the same house remain.—See Note on Mat_10:11.

The labourer is worthy of his hire.—See Note on Mat_10:10. The exact reproduction of the words by St. Paul in 1Ti_5:18, as a citation from “the Scripture,”’ is every way interesting. The Apostle could scarcely have failed to have become acquainted, during his long companionship with St. Luke, with the materials which the Evangelist was collecting for his great work. We can hardly doubt, accordingly, that he quotes this as one of the sayings of the Lord Jesus, as he quotes another in Act_20:35, and clothes it with the same authority as the older Scripture. On this assumption, the Gospel of St. Luke must have been, in part, at least, written and recognised at the time when the Pastoral Epistles were written.

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

7. eating and drinking such things as they give] As a plain right. 1Co_9:4; 1Co_9:7-11.

the labourer is worthy of his hire] Referred to by St Paul, 1Ti_5:18. Doubtless he may have been aware that our Lord had used it, but the saying was probably proverbial.

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 in the same house remain,.... Where the sons of peace are, and the peace rests, and into which you are invited, and kindly received and used:

eating and drinking such things as they give; or rather, "such things as are with them", as the Vulgate Latin renders it; or "of that which is theirs", as the Syriac version; all one, and with as much freedom, as if they were your own; the reason follows,

for the labourer is worthy of his hire; what you eat and drink is your due; what you ought to have; your diet is a debt, and not a gratuity; See Gill on Mat 10:10.

go not from house to house; as if fickle and inconstant, as if not satisfied with your lodging and entertainment, and as seeking out for other and better, or as if burdensome where they were; See Gill on Mat 10:11. The Jews have a proverb, expressing the inconvenience and expensiveness, and the danger of moving from place to place:

"he that goes, , "from house to house", (loses his) shirt, (i.e. comes to distress and poverty,) from place to place (his) life (e);''

or he is in great danger of losing his life.

(e) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 39. fol. 34. 3.

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

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

Ver. 7. 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 10:11. On this passage Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 534) remarks: “The reason (for the command, ‘Go not from house to house’) is very obvious to one acquainted with Oriental customs. When a stranger arrives in a village or an encampment, the neighbors, one after another, must invite him to eat with them. There is a strict etiquette about it, involving much ostentation and hypocrisy, and a failure in the due observance of this system of hospitality is violently resented, and often leads to alienations and feuds among neighbors; it also consumes much time, causes unusual distraction of mind, leads to levity, and every way counteracts the success of a spiritual mission.”

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

7. Go not from house to house—Spend not your time in convivial visits.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And in the same house remain.... Go not from house to house. Similar instructions were given in the case of the sending out the twelve as missionaries. One house and family were to be selected as the centre of their work. (see note on Luk_9:4) Eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire.

Our due.

"The laborer is worthy of his hire." What is it that we deserve? The answer depends entirely on the light in which we regard the question. We may look at it in three aspects.

I OUR UNWORTHINESS OF.ANYTHING. If God were to give to us exactly what we deserve, everything of every kind being taken into account, we should receive nothing more. For, weighing in one scale all that we owe to him for everything he has been to us and wrought for us and bestowed upon us, and in the other scale what response we have made to him in gratitude, love, service, we should "be found wanting," and could claim nothing. We are not worthy the least of all his mercies. All that he gives us is so much beyond our desert.

II OUR OBLIGATIONS TO ONE ANOTHER. It is well that we do not make these a "matter of account," as tradesmen do with the articles they supply to one another, only paying the balance now and then. For who would decide on which side that balance lay? And of how much beauty and excellence would our daily life be divested! The true and wise course is to make acknowledgment of every kindness received, the warmer gratitude for the greater favor, but some thanks for the least indebtedness, not waiting to consider who is the greater debtor of the two. We are to "owe no man anything" only in the sense that we are to be ever paying and therefore ever cancelling our debts. But we are to be constantly indebted to one another. Poor and small indeed would that human life be which did not owe much to the service of others. What we are to seek after is not a life without obligation, but a life in which we are very freely placing our neighbors in our debt by the kindness we show them, and in which we are making very free acknowledgment of all that we owe to the love and the service we receive. Every laborer should receive his hire, his duo reward, and among others the Christian workman should be rightly recompensed.

1. It is a matter of righteousness, as between man and man; faithful service should have its meet reward; and this reward should be in

a. affectionate honor, and

b. substantial, material support.

2. When rightly rendered, the reward received will be an incentive to fuller labor and more energetic service.

3. The payment of the reward will react beneficially on him that pays it he will appreciate more highly the ministry he receives.

III GOD"S GRACIOUS AND GENEROUS OFFER. Though (as said) we can claim nothing from God as our right, yet he is pleased to offer us much. Our Lord has told us

(1) that the humblest service, done in a true and loyal spirit, shall certainly be rewarded; (Mat_10:41, Mat_10:42) and

(2) that the reward we shall hereafter receive will be in proportion to the fidelity of our service here. (Luk_19:16-19) Our tone and spirit will be that of men who are not conscious of deserving anything. (Mat_25:37) But his spirit and action will be that of a magnanimous Master, and he will make the most of all that we have done, (Mat_25:40) and count us worthy of a large reward. C.

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

Matt. x, 11.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Here our Saviour gives his disciples sundry directions, how to manage themselves in this expedition for preaching the gospel.

He enjoins them, 1. To observe the rules of decency in going from place to place; having entered a house to continue there, not changing their lodging, and going from house to house, thereby avoiding all show of lightness and inconstancy, and testifying all gravity and stayedness in their behavior; this being a special means to win authority to their persons and ministry.

2. He gives them a power to work miracles for the confirming of the doctrine which they preached: Heal the sick that are therein. This was necessary, partly to procure reverence to their person, being poor and unlearned men; and partly to gain credit and authority to their doctrine: for the doctrine of faith in the Messiah, as now come and exhibited in the flesh, being a strange and new doctrine to the Jews, the truth and certainty of it was to be extraordinarily ratified and confirmed by working miracles; one sort of which was healing of diseases in an extraordinary manner.

Observe, 3. How Christ encouraged his disciples against the want of success: he bids them denounce the judgments of God by shaking off the dust of their feet; which action was emblematical, and signified that God in like manner would shake off them, and esteem them no better than the vilest dust.

Learn hence, that those which despise the message that the ministers of the gospel bring, shall hereafter find the dust of their feet, and the ashes of their graves to give a judicial testimony against them in the day of Christ. Wherever the word is preached, it is for a testimony, either a testimony for, or against a people. For, if the dust of a minister’s feet bear witness against a people, their sermons much more.

Observe, lastly, the dreadful judgment denounced by our Saviour against the contemners of his disciples’ doctrine: Verily it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

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

7. ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ οἰκίᾳ. Not ‘in the same house’ as in A. V[223] (which would require ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ) but ‘in this house.’ St Luke however is fond of the collocation αὐτῇ τῇ for the ἐκείνῃ τῇ of the other Evangelists. The perf. means that the kingdom ‘has drawn near,’ and therefore ‘is near.’

[223] A. V. Authorised Version.

ἔσθοντες καὶ πίνοντες τὰ παρ’ αὐτῶν. As a plain right. 1Co 9:4; 1Co 9:7-11. τὰ παρ’ αὐτῶν means ‘the things from them,’ i.e. what they give.

ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. Referred to by St Paul, 1Ti 5:18. Doubtless he may have been aware that our Lord had used it, but the saying was probably proverbial.

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.

7-12.] See on Mat 10:11-15. The particular directions here are different.

7.] ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ οἰκ., but in the (that) house itself (see ver. 5, where it was last spoken of, the inhabitants having been since mentioned) remain. Beware of rendering it in the same house, q. d. ἐν δὲ τῇ αὐτῇ οἰκ.

τὰ παρʼ αὐτῶν, the things which come from them; which are theirs, and by them set before you: cf. ver. 8.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ οἰκίᾳ μένετε. Not “in the same house” (as all English Versions, Vulg. and Luther), which would be ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ οἰκίᾳ, but “in that very house,” viz. the one which has given a welcome. Comp. 2:38, 12:12, 13:1, 31, 20:19, 23:12, 24:13, 33; in all which places RV. has rightly “that very.” But here it has “that same,” and ver. 21 it changes “that” (AV.) to “that same.” Lk. prefers ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὤρᾳ, ἡμέρᾳ, κ.τ.λ. The other Evangelists prefer ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὤρᾳ, κ.τ.λ.

ἔσθοντες. The poetic form ἔσθω is very rare in prose: comp. 7:33, 22:30; Mar 1:6; Lev 17:10; Isa 9:20; Ecclus. 20:18.

τὰ παρʼ αὐτῶν. What their entertainers provide: they are to consider themselves as members of the family, not as intruders; for their food and shelter are salary and not alms. Comp. τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν, “the bounty which you provide” (Php 4:18), and see Lft. on Gal 1:12. The injunction is parallel to 1Co 9:7, not to 1Co 10:27. Christ is freeing them from sensitiveness about accepting entertainment, not from scruples about eating food provided by heathen.

ἄξιος γὰρ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. Mat 10:10 has τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ. Epiphanius combines the two with Luk 3:14: ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργ. τ. μισθ. αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀρκετὸν ἀρκετὸν τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ ἡ τροφὴ αὐτοῦ (Hær. lxxx 5, p. 1072 A). Much more interesting is the quotation in 1Ti 5:18, which has been made an objection to the genuineness of the Epistle. But it is probable (1) that λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή applies only to Βοῦν ἀλοῶντα οὐ φιμώσεις, and (2) that Ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ is given as a well-known proverb or saying of Christ. See Introduction, § 6, i. a.

μὴ μεταβαίνετε ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν. “Do not go on changing,” i.e. μένετε. They were not to fear being burdensome to their first entertainers, nor to go back to those who had rejected them, still less to seek more pleasant quarters. Perhaps also this is a warning against accepting numerous invitations which would waste precious time. To this day in the East travellers who arrive at an Arab village are overwhelmed with a round of invitations (Lasserre, Évangiles, p. 324). Note the exact and original antithesis between ἐξ and εἰς, “Out of” and “into the interior of.”

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

The workman is worthy, etc. See on Mt 10:10.

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

Vers. 7-9. “And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”

A favourable reception is supposed. The messenger of Christ, regarding his entrance into that house above everything else as a providential event, is to fix his residence there during the entire period of his stay in that place (see on Luk 9:4). ᾿Εν αὐτῇ τῇ οἰκίᾳ, not “in the same house,” as if it were ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ οἰκίᾳ, but, “in that same house which he entered at first.” They are, besides, to regard themselves immediately as members of the family, and to eat without scruple the bread of their hosts. It is the price of their labour. They give more than they receive.

In Luk 10:8 Jesus applies the same principle to the whole city which shall receive them. Their arrival resembles a triumphal entrance: they are served with food; the sick are brought to them; they speak publicly. It is a mistake to find in the words of Paul, Πᾶν τὸ παρατιθέμενον ἐσθίετε (1Co 10:27), an allusion to this Luk 10:8; the object of the two sayings is entirely different. There is here no question whatever as to the cleanness or uncleanness of the viands; we are yet in a Jewish world.

The accus. government ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς, unto (upon) you, expresses the efficacy of the message, its action upon the individuals concerned. The perf. ἤγγικε indicates that the approach of the kingdom of God is thenceforth a fact. It is near; the presence of the messengers of the Messiah is the proof.

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.