07.01.25 | The Mission of the 70 | Genesis 2 | God's Image & Likeness |

tmaley
Jul 2
15 min read

Opening Prayer:

Heavenly Father

We ask that Your healing and blessings be sent to those who are suffering around the world,

especially persecuted Christians in Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan.

We also ask You to walk with us tonight as we seek Your wisdom and understanding of the Mission of the Seventy in Luke, and

when You first initiated a relationship with humanity in Genesis 2.

As you taught us to pray together:

Our Father

Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily Bread;

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Upcoming major holy days: August 15: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Today’s Agenda

1. Gospel Reading for 14^th Sun in Ordinary Time Mission of the 72, Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

2. Because we missed week 4 (last week), we will continue with the week 4 topic, “The Fall of Man.”

Quote of the Week:

The ungodly like religion in the same way they like lions, either dead or behind bars. They fear religion when it breaks loose and begins to challenge their consciences. – Archbishop Fulton Sheen, 1975

Mission of the 70 (or 72), Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Context:

Last week, I mentioned that Luke 9 marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry as this is when he heads to Jerusalem for the last time. Here’s the verse where that takes place:

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. – Luke 9:51

As we begin Chapter 10, Jesus is planning to leave Capernaum in Galilee, which sets the stage for today’s reading where he sends out 70 disciples to preach and heal. Earlier in Luke, Jesus sent out only the twelve apostles on an identical mission.

Some Bible translations say 70 disciples were sent out, and some say 72. Why? Which is correct?

The number 70 has significance in the Bible, with its origin in the books of Exodus and Numbers. God told Moses to appoint 70 elders to come halfway up Mt. Sinai. They would be blessed by God’s Spirit and to help mediate and govern the hundreds of thousands of Israelites who followed Moses into the desert. However, there were two men who weren’t present, named Eldad and Medad, and yet the Holy Spirit came upon them and they began to “prophesy.” They went to join the other 70 to go up the mountain but were stopped because they weren’t part of the original 70, but Moses said let them come, expressing his wish that that ALL of the Lord’s people were prophets. So then, 70 were called, and 72 went up the mountain.

Where else does the number 70 come up?

1) The list of nations that descended from Noah was seventy.

2) The number appointed to the Sanhedrin – the ruling body of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus – was 70.

3) The Septuagint – the Greek translation of the Bible used at the time of Jesus - was translated by 70 Rabbis.

Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.

Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another.

Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.'

Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 'The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.'

Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, on the last day it will be easier for Sodom than for that town!"

Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name."

Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power to 'tread upon serpents' and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Exegesis (Study and Interpretation)

There is another meaning to the verse where Jesus says he is sending them to places that he intends to visit. What is it?

When we spread the Gospel to others, we don’t convert; that’s between the God and them. We prepare the soil and we plant seeds. We should never push too hard, or worry that we didn’t say enough, because our main job is to pave the way.

The harvest Is plentiful – The “harvest” represents the multitudes who have been waiting for centuries to receive the Gospel. Spiritually, it signifies the readiness of people’s hearts to accept the message of salvation.

But the workers are few – The workers are so few because they are just getting started! So far, we saw twelve sent out and now seventy. Still, that will not be nearly enough for the millions that will join in the next few centuries. This is a call that remains relevant today.

Ask the Lord of the Harvest – This phrase emphasizes the necessity of prayer in the mission of evangelism. It also acknowledges God’s sovereignty over the missionary field and the need for divine intervention. God is Lord of the Harvest.

What is the purpose Jesus sending them with no provisions?

He is teaching them to depend on 1) God, 2) each other (twos), and 3) those who receive them.

Why does Jesus say about those who reject them, “…on the last day it will be easier for Sodom than for that town!"

As he says after that, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me

rejects him who sent me.” His point is that humans who reject God in this life are rejecting God in the next life.

Why is that worse than Sodom?

The comparison to Sodom underscores the gravity of rejecting the gospel, which is a greater revelation of God's truth than what was available to Sodom. This highlights the increased responsibility and accountability of those who have heard the message of Christ and choose to reject it.

After the 70 returns exuberant, Jesus days, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from the sky.” What is he talking about?

Two possibilities, both are true:

1) Jesus was present when Satan fell from grace back at the beginning of the time.

2) Jesus was watching Satan fall as the preaching of the Gospel was underway.

What did Jesus mean by giving them the power to tread on serpents and scorpions?

These are symbols of demonic forces.

Why were there so many demons to remove?

Demons help to bring on a host of illnesses, from anxiety and depression all the way up to demonic possession. The same is true today of all kinds of mental illnesses, from small to large. Remember, there are 10,000 exorcisms conducted by the Church a year in the US alone, and the requests are over 20K. To all this we might add that the devil had more control of things before Jesus reopened the gates of Heaven, and likely knew what was happening and so they came out in force.

Meaning? “Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Jesus reminds us when we are given power from God, we must not allow it to carry us way, or we might start thinking it’s our own doing. For all good things that happen, always give all thanks to God immediately before you forget.

Genesis 1-3, Creation and the Rise and Fall of Man, Recap of Genesis One

Gen 1 informed us that God brought an orderly universe (w/physical laws) out of nothing (the abyss) merely by speaking His “Word” over seven days. The Church leaves it to the reader/believer whether Gen 1 contains literal or metaphorical descriptions, such as the latter’s alignment with the Big Bang 14 billion years ago, a theory developed by a Catholic priest, Fr. Lemaitre, in 1927. The Church continues to emphasize the Bible is not a science book – it is a faith book.

We also discussed last month the presence of the entire Trinity throughout Chapter One. God is mentioned throughout; the Spirit in V2 and V26; and every time “God said…” was the Word of God = Jesus. Remember from John’s Gospel:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God, and all things came to be through Him…” – John 1:1-3

The animals arrive during the course of the 6^th Day, culminating with the arrival of humans, the pinnacle of God’s material creation. God then says, “Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness.” He makes them male and female and tells them to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:26-28).

Being made in God’s image and likeness is very important. We will discuss this in Chapter 2.

Many people have asked: When were the angels created?

Good question. Although not spelled out in the Creation Story, the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 professed that God created spiritual order (including angels) at the beginning of time. Some theologians postulate:

If we return to the very beginning of the Creation Story, God said on Day One, “Let there be light,” yet He doesn’t create the sun, the moon, and the stars until the Day Four. They suggest that this first light was the light of spiritual realm, which included the angels. Immediately following this, it says God separated the light from the darkness (V4), which could well apply to Lucifer and the fallen angels.

This is not dogma, so there is no requirement for Christians to believe it. It’s just the best theory we have.

This brings us to the end of Chap. 1. Notably, God related His creation to Moses in the framework of a calendar week, but notice we haven’t seen the 7^th Day yet. Chap. 2 will tell us about the 7^th Day, as well as a deeper dive into the human being.

GENESIS 2: The Creation Story continued...

Chapter 2 is a continuation of the creation story, but with a different focus. This time the focus is humanity.

Gen 2:1-6

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.

On the seventh day… he rested from all the work he had undertaken. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy...

And so, the 7^th Day was thereafter reserved for God. The 7^th Day – God’s Day – is complete and perfect. We can begin to see the biblical idea of “seven” taking shape. However, it is important to understand that man was created in the 6^th Day (his physical being/world) and, by virtue of being given a spiritual nature, is being invited into the 7^th Day – God’s Kingdom. We should be using the 7^th Day of rest in this life to anchor us – and the rest of our week – to the Kingdom.

Verses 5 and 6 seem out of place at first glance because it talks about “no shrub or plant of the field had sprouted”, and “there was no man to cultivate the ground.” However, this is not some new timeline being proposed. The intent of these words is simply setting the stage for humans who will now become God’s stewards (caretakers) of the earth.

It also makes clear that the garden God is creating is not man’s garden, but God’s. Man is to be the caretaker. We sometimes need this reminder today, that this earth is God’s creation that we are caring for, not ours. In effect, we are supposed to be practicing our higher, God-like skills in how we manage our lives and our world.

Verse 7

Now the story moves to man. There will be three important take-aways from this following passage:

“Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life…”

1. “Formed man out of the dust”: The word adam and man have the same Hebrew root. It literally means from the dirt, or “earthborn” and is not male-specific. It is not until after chapter 3 that ‘adam’ becomes the proper name for the first man, Adam.

Being “from the dirt,” means that adam can be understood literally (i.e., God molded him like clay), or “earthborn,” meaning that humans (or their hominid ancestors) may have already been on the earth before God breathed into him.

2. God breathing “the breath (spirit) of life” into man uses the same Hebrew word (Ruah) as “The Spirit of God moved over the waters” (Gen 1:2). God’s breath (spirit) is singled out for humans here in Ch 2 because it is not referring to worldly life, but divine life. This breathing of divine life into man is when we gain a spiritual nature. It is this spiritual nature that makes us in the “image and likeness” of God!

3. What do we mean by “image and likeness of God?”

For the sake of this discussion, God’s image and likeness can best be understood by describing God’s revealed characteristics. When we describe these, then we begin to describe our own spiritual natures.

3.a. How did our Fall from Grace affect this “image and likeness” of God?

After the Fall, God’s “image” remained imprinted in is, but our “likeness” to God was severely diminished.

Can we define God’s characteristics that accrue to humans via our spiritual natures?

Here are five with multiple subheadings:

1. God is perfect love.

Is it any wonder we all seek perfect love? We want it badly. Not only person-to-person love, but even our need for acceptance by others – or our profession, or the world – is a form of seeking love.

And though we have high expectations for the love that we wish to receive, our standards for giving love are not so high. This is where our likeness to God’s love is diminished, and why Jesus calls us to raise it up, even love for our enemies.

Fortunately, God the Source of love, and so as long as we involve God, our love will always be raised higher and we will never exhaust our supply. Without God involved, our love is too often self-serving rather than self-giving, and limited in supply.

Conscience and Free-will.

Free will is a necessary component of love, since love requires both choice and the will to give of oneself to another. Without choice and self-giving, there is no love.

Our conscience is where our free-will battles play out, as we must choose love over selfishness, generosity over greed, forgiveness over resentment or revenge, and humility over pride. With God’s help – through prayer and practice with the help of grace – we can manage these and receive forgiveness along the way when we fail. The important thing to remember is keeping God close, for it was separation from God that got us in trouble to begin with.

2. God is perfect Truth and Knowledge. We are given both the awareness of, and the capability to, acquire these unlimited.

Our awareness of and desire for Truth and Knowledge. We seek truth in everything, including every relationship. How well one aligns with the truth determines the quality of their character and trustworthiness. Nobody wants to associate with people who don’t value the truth. Our awareness of and desire for endless knowledge is we have science. It’s why we have progress. We want to know everything.
Awareness of our own existence: We can mentally step outside ourselves and question every aspect of our reality.
Awareness of a higher existence, such as God, the angels, or “gods of our choice.” Since the earliest humans, this awareness – this search for a power higher than us – has been part of our history. We might call this one of God’s calling cards, since that search ultimately leads to Him.
Awareness of right and wrong, good and evil. Even infants show comprehension of fairness. This is where our sense of morality comes from, which is where we get the concept of “justice.” We all want justice; we can’t help it. Even when we are wrong, we try to “justify” it. Our relationship with God fixes our relationship with justice.
Awareness of meaning and purpose. Another defining quality of human-ness. We want meaning in our lives and purpose to our work. We also want to know why we are here and what is expected of us. This is wired into us (breathed into us). When humans lose all meaning and purpose, they don’t want to get up in the morning. Some consider suicide.
Awareness of time. We can travel back in time and reflect on yesterday, last week, last year, or our childhood. We can travel forwards in time so we can plan better lives. Whereas animals are stuck reacting to the physical reality they are in at any given time, we can change events and conditions before they happen. We should keep in mind that God gave us this gift as a tool: the past is either to learn from or to be grateful for; the future is for planning and practicing good. We should always avoid getting stuck in the past or future, for the present is the only reality. Only in the present we can love, or forgive, or change the world. The present is where God is. The present is eternal.
Abstraction is a subset of perfect intelligence. Abstraction is the ability to take physical events and rework them in our minds to explore better alternatives. We can re-order them, add new factors and conditions, remove conditions, and then play them out in our heads before we try them. We can do “what if” scenarios all day long. Advanced abstraction is also math, physics, etc. These are not real until we apply them to material objects that we can observe.

3. God is The Creator.

Creativity is one of our greatest gifts.

Abstraction becomes Concrete: Problem-solving and invention are what we do! They are forms of the creative process. It is the basis of our work, play, science, and raising children.
Beauty: Our emotional apprehension of and attachment to natural beauty is well known by all who have experience sunrises, sunsets, walks in nature, and the stars. We then mirror this gift of God in all our activities, from architecture to designing cars, clothes, to literature, poetry, and music (music is everywhere), and we even build incredible big museums just to house our sculptures and paintings.

What a gift!

4. God is eternal.

We can’t be eternal because we have a beginning (eternal has no beginning or end); however, God gives us the next best thing: immortality (immortality means having a beginning but no end).

Our souls are immortal and we will get our glorified bodies back as a bonus, because that’s how God made us.

God giving us a spiritual nature is like moving from a two-dimensional existence (space & time) to a three-dimensional existence (space, time, and spiritual)!

Chapter Two concludes with a poetic story of the “Creation of Woman” (Verses 18-23).

God seeks to find a perfect mate for man. Nothing exists on earth so he puts man into a deep sleep and takes one of his ribs out and creates the woman. Adam is beyond himself with joy at meeting her.

Again, we should not get stuck on literal meanings or time-lines. The metaphor of being taken from the rib of man means God has made woman his complementary equal. She didn’t come out from his feet to be walked on, and not from his head to be superior, but from his side to be equal. To this analogy, you could add: Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved.

Equal does not mean equal physically, but equal in the eyes of God. The equality of man and woman is like the Trinity – the three are not the same, yet they are perfectly equal, and they complement each other. This complementarity is spelled out further at the closing of Chapter 2, when God reunites the man and woman into one, in marriage:

Therefore, a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh. – Gen 24