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Luke 10:17–20
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (vv. 19–20).
Journeying south from Galilee to Jerusalem, Jesus commissioned seventy-two disciples to go ahead of Him and proclaim the gospel of the kingdom (Luke 10:1–16). Their mission was a success, as we see in today’s passage. When the seventy-two returned to Jesus, they reported that the demons were subject to them in His name (Luke 10:17). The casting out of demons was one of the chief signs that the kingdom of God had arrived in the ministry of Jesus (Luke 11:20), so the fact that it continued under the ministry of the seventy-two indicated the expansion of the kingdom through their preaching and exorcisms.
Replying to the seventy-two, Jesus makes the curious statement that He “saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). It is not entirely clear if this means that He viewed it in the present or if He meant that He had a vision of what was yet to come. Most likely, Jesus was speaking of something that was happening right then and would occur in a more definitive way in the future. His mention of it at that point associates it with the gospel preaching of the seventy-two, but we also know that Christ secured His decisive victory over Satan in His crucifixion and resurrection (Col. 2:13–15). The devil has not lost all power, but he can no longer accuse us of sin in the heavenly courtroom or deceive the nations in such a way that God’s truth will be kept hidden from them (see Job 1; Rev. 12; 20:1–3).
Jesus then affirmed what the seventy-two had recognized in saying that the demons were subject to them in Christ’s name: that their authority over evil powers came from and was exercised through Him (Luke 10:19). Such authority surely constituted a reason for rejoicing, but our Lord told them to find their greatest joy not in their authority over Satan but in that their “names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). That is, the salvation of believers should give them more joy than other good things, for their salvation is absolutely secure, their names having been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (see John 10:22–30; Rev. 21:27). Eternal life, once received, cannot be lost; it will endure. Achieving outward “success” in ministry is not hard, but only the elect will live forever. Matthew Henry comments, “Power to become the children of God is to be valued more than a power to work miracles; for we read of those who did in Christ’s name cast out devils, as Judas did, and yet will be disowned by Christ in the great day. But they whose names are written in heaven shall never perish; they are Christ’s sheep, to whom he will give eternal life.”
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
It can be easy for us to take our salvation for granted and not to rejoice in it as we should. Yet we should continually think about and marvel at the grace of God shown in His writing our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life. May we find great joy in our salvation this day.
for further study
- Psalm 13:5–6
- Daniel 12:1
- Malachi 3:16–18
- Philippians 4:2–3
the bible in a year
- 1 Chronicles 6–7
- John 8:12–38