(1) After these things, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come. (2) Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. (3) Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. (4) Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. (5) And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. (6) And if the Son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. (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. (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. (10) But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, (11) Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding, he ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. (12) But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.
I do not presume to say as much, but it doth seem not improbable that these seventy disciples were, in conformity to what is said, Num_11:16; Num_11:24-25, or, perhaps more properly speaking, those of the Old Testament were figurative of the New. See Exodus 24:1-9. And the twelve tribes of Israel were descriptive of the twelve apostles, Revelation 21:10-21. But I beg the Reader not to overlook what is said of these men being sent into every city and place, whither Christ himself would come. Yes, without his presence, and his power, all their labours were nothing, John 15:5. We have much of the same expressions in Matthew, to which I refer, Matthew 10:5-15.