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From Heaven With Love
The command to the Twelve—not to enter into any city of the
Gentiles or the Samaritans—was not given to the Seventy. Though
Christ had been repulsed by the Samaritans, His love toward them
was unchanged. In His name the Seventy visited, first of all, the
cities of Samaria.
Samaritans Responded to Christ’s Love
In His commission to the disciples just before His ascension,
Jesus mentioned Samaria with Jerusalem and Judea as the places
where they were first to preach the gospel. When they went to
Samaria, they found the people ready to receive them. The Samari-
tans saw that, notwithstanding their rude treatment of Him, Jesus had
only thoughts of love toward them, and their hearts were won. After
His ascension the disciples gathered a precious harvest from among
those who had once been their bitterest enemies. “A bruised reed
shall He not break, and the dimly burning flax shall He not quench:
He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.”
Isaiah 42:3
, margin.
In sending out the Seventy, Jesus bade them not to urge their
presence where they were unwelcome. “Into whatsoever city ye
enter, and they receive you not,” He said, “go your ways out into the
streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which
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cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye
sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” They
were not to do this from resentment or wounded dignity, but to show
how grievous it is to refuse the Lord’s message. To reject the Lord’s
servants is to reject Christ Himself.
Religious Leaders Turned Many Against Christ
“I say unto you,” Jesus added, “it shall be more tolerable in
that day for Sodom, than for that city.” Then His mind reverted to
the Galilean towns where so much of His ministry had been spent.
Day after day the Prince of life had gone in and out among them.
The glory of God had shone upon the multitudes that thronged the
Saviour’s steps. Yet they had refused the heavenly Gift.
The rabbis had warned against receiving the doctrines taught by
this new teacher. In place of seeking to understand the Word of God