Church Fathers Commentary Luke 10:5-12

"And into whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, Peace [be] to this house. And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him: but if not, it shall turn to you again. And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye shall enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh. I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city." — Luke 10:5-12 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: Peace is the mother of all good things; without it, all other things are useless. Our Lord therefore commanded His disciples, on entering a house, to first pronounce peace as a sign of good things, saying, Into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

St. Ambrose of Milan: This means that we should truly convey the message of peace, and that our very first entrance should be attended with the blessing of peace.

St. John Chrysostom: For this reason, he who presides in the Church gives peace, saying, Peace to all. Now, holy men ask for peace not only in their mutual interactions, but also for the peace that belongs to ourselves. For we often wage war in our hearts and are disturbed even when no one troubles us; bad desires also frequently rise up against us.

Titus of Bostra: But it is said, Peace be to this house—that is, to those who dwell in the house. It is as if he says, “I speak to all, both the great and the small, yet your salutation should not be addressed to those who are unworthy of it.” For this reason, it is added, And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it.

This is as if he says, “You shall indeed utter the word, but the blessing of peace will be applied wherever I deem men worthy of it. But if anyone is not worthy, you are not mocked; the grace of your word has not perished, but is returned to you.” And this is what is added: But if not, it shall return to you again.

St. Gregory the Great: For the peace which is offered by the mouth of the preacher will either rest on the house, if there is anyone in it predestined to life who follows the heavenly word which he hears, or if no one is willing to hear, the preacher himself will not be without fruit. The peace returns to him, as the Lord gives him the recompense for the labor of his work.

But if our peace is received, it is fitting that we should obtain earthly supplies from those to whom we offer the rewards of a heavenly country. Therefore, it follows: And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give. Notice that He who forbade them to carry purse and scrip allows them to be an expense to others and to receive sustenance from their preaching.

St. John Chrysostom: But so that no one might say, “I am spending my own property to prepare a table for strangers,” He first makes them offer the gift of peace, to which nothing is equal, so that you may know that you receive greater things than you give.

Titus of Bostra: Alternatively, since you are not appointed as judges of who is worthy and who is unworthy, eat and drink what they offer you. But leave to me the judgment of those who receive you, unless you happen to know that the son of peace is not there, for in that case you should perhaps depart.

Theophylact of Ohrid: See, then, how He taught His disciples to ask for support, and wished them to receive their nourishment as a reward. For it is added, For the laborer is worthy of his hire.

St. Gregory the Great: For the very food that supports him is part of the laborer’s wages. In this life, the wage begins with the labor of preaching, which in the next life is completed with the sight of truth. We must consider that two rewards are due for our one work: one on the journey, which supports us in our labor, and the other in our heavenly country, which recompenses us at the resurrection.

Therefore, the reward we receive now should work in us in such a way that we strive more vigorously to gain the reward that follows. Every true preacher, then, should not preach in order to receive a reward in the present time, but should receive a reward so that he may have the strength to preach. For whoever preaches in order to receive the reward of praise or riches here deprives himself of an eternal reward.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Another virtue is added: that we should not move about readily, changing from house to house. For it follows, Go not from house to house. This means that we should preserve consistency in our love toward our hosts and not lightly break any bond of friendship.

The Venerable Bede: Now, having described their reception in different houses, He teaches them what they should do in the cities: namely, to associate with the good in all things, but to keep from the society of the wicked in everything. As it follows, But into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Although the provisions may be few and poor, ask for nothing more. He also tells them to work miracles, so their word will draw people to their preaching. Therefore, He adds, And heal the sick that are therein, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come nigh to you.

For if you first heal and then teach, the word will prosper, and people will believe that the kingdom of God has come near. They would not be cured unless by the working of some divine power. But also, when they are healed in their soul, the kingdom of God comes near to them, for it is far from the one over whom sin has dominion.

St. John Chrysostom: Now notice the excellence of the Apostles. They are instructed to say nothing relating to material things, such as Moses and the Prophets spoke of—namely, earthly goods—but certain new and marvelous things: namely, the kingdom of God.

Maximus the Confessor: It is said to have “come near,” not to show the shortness of time (for the kingdom of God comes not with observation), but to indicate the disposition of people toward the kingdom of God. This kingdom is potentially in all believers, but actually in those who reject the life of the body and choose only the spiritual life—those who are able to say, Now I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me.

St. Ambrose of Milan: He next teaches them to shake off the dust from their feet when the people of a city have refused to entertain them, saying, Into whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, shake off the dust.

The Venerable Bede: This is either a testimony to the earthly toil they had endured in vain for them, or it is to show that, far from seeking anything earthly from them, they do not even allow the dust from their land to cling to them.

Alternatively, the feet represent the labor and travel of preaching, while the dust with which they are sprinkled represents the lightness of worldly thoughts, from which even the greatest teachers cannot be free. Those, then, who have despised the teaching turn the labors and dangers of the teachers into a testimony of their own condemnation.

Origen of Alexandria: By wiping off the dust of their feet against them, they in a way say, “The dust of your sins will deservedly come upon you.” And notice that the cities which do not receive the Apostles and sound doctrine have streets, according to Matthew: Broad is the way which leads to destruction.

Theophylact of Ohrid: And just as those who receive the Apostles are said to have the kingdom of God come near to them as a blessing, so those who do not receive them are said to have it come near to them as a curse. Therefore, He adds, Notwithstanding, be you sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh to you. The coming of a king is for punishment to some, but for honor to others. Hence, it is added concerning their punishment, But I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom, etc.

Eusebius of Caesarea: For in the city of Sodom, angels were not without entertainment, as Lot was found worthy to receive them into his house. If, then, at the coming of the disciples into a city, not one person is found to receive them, will that city not be worse than Sodom?

These words persuaded them to boldly attempt the rule of poverty, for there could not be a city or village without some inhabitants acceptable to God. Sodom itself could not exist without a Lot being found in it, at whose departure the whole city was suddenly destroyed.

The Venerable Bede: The men of Sodom, although they were hospitable in the midst of all their wickedness of soul and body, yet no such guests were found among them as the Apostles. Lot was indeed righteous in both seeing and hearing, yet he is not said to have taught or worked miracles.