The Kingdom of God is the greatest blessing that is open to all people, but to reject it is the most dangerous misfortune a human being can choose.

The Kingdom of God is the greatest blessing that is open to all people, but to reject it is the most dangerous misfortune a human being can choose.

 

 

 

 

 

“After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go.  And He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.  Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace be to this house!” And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.  Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.  Heal the sick in it and say to them, “The Kingdom of God has come near to you.”  But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless, know this, that the Kingdom of God has come near.” I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town’” (Luke 10:1–12).

 

 

 

 

(1)    Today, as I meditate on Luke 10:1–12—the passage that depicts Jesus sending out the seventy disciples—I wish to receive the lessons that the Lord gives through this text:

 

(a)    First, I would like to meditate on the words, “After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go” (Lk. 10:1).

 

(i)                 Here, the Lord appoints seventy others and sends them ahead, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go.  The phrase “after this” indicates that He did so after two important events previously recorded in Luke chapter 9 (Ref.: Internet):

 

·            The most immediate event is recorded in Luke 9:57–62, which we meditated on yesterday. In that passage, Jesus demands radical discipleship from those who say they will follow Him, saying things such as, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”  “After this,” Jesus demonstrates that He selected those who responded to this stern call with commitment and sent them out to actual ministry fields.

 

·            The second closely related event is recorded in Luke 9:51–56, where Jesus resolutely sets His face to go up to Jerusalem. Since the time of the cross was drawing near, the Lord sent His disciples ahead to the villages He Himself would visit, in order to swiftly prepare the way for the Kingdom of God.

 

(ii)               As I meditate on these two important events in connection with today’s text, Luke 10:1, I can understand that after Jesus firmly resolved to go up to Jerusalem to suffer and die on the cross, He appointed seventy disciples—those who had responded to His severe call with dedication—and sent them ahead, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go.

 

·            An interesting point is that in Luke 9:1–6, Jesus called together the twelve disciples, gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  Yet in today’s passage, Luke 10:1–12, Jesus appoints seventy disciples and sends them ahead, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go (v. 1).

 

-             “This represents a major turning point that shows Jesus’ ministry entering a new phase.

 

1.       The ‘Universality’ and ‘Expansion’ of the Ministry (the Gospel toward the whole world)

 

If the twelve disciples symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel, the seventy (or seventy-two in some manuscripts) symbolize ‘all the nations of the world’ mentioned in Genesis chapter 10.

 

           This symbolic action implies that the Gospel will expand beyond the fence of Judaism toward all humanity and the nations. According to biblical encyclopedias, in Jewish tradition at that time, the number seventy symbolized the nations of the world.

 

2.       The Urgency of the ‘Laborers for the Harvest’ (Missional Urgency)

 

As He sent them out, Jesus lamented, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2).

 

Sending them two by two: this both fulfills the legal principle that ensures the reliability of witnesses and serves as a strategy to encourage one another and increase the effectiveness of ministry.

Sending them ahead: before Jesus Himself arrived, the disciples were sent first to cultivate and prepare the spiritual soil, thereby quickly readying the way for the presence of the Kingdom of God.

 

3.       The Prototype of Lay Leadership (Everyone Is a Disciple)

 

Not only the twelve apostles (the core group), but also ordinary disciples whose names were not recorded (the seventy) were given the same authority to control demons and heal the sick.

 

This becomes a powerful model showing that today every Christian is a called one sent into the world and a coworker who labors together with the Lord” (Internet).

 

·         Yesterday, I was reminded once again of the title of a short devotional reflection I wrote centered on Luke 9:57–62, which we meditated on: “The Kingdom of God Is Expanded Through Those Who Place the Lord as Their First Priority.”  The Lord appointed seventy devoted disciples who had placed Him as their highest priority, and through them He sought to expand the Kingdom of God.  For this purpose, He set them apart and sent them ahead, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go (10:1).

 

-          What is interesting is that Luke 9:51–52 tells us that when the time came for Jesus to be taken up, He resolutely set His face toward Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of Him, and they entered a village of the Samaritans.  Likewise, today’s passage, Luke 10:1, tells us that the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them ahead, two by two, into every town and place—“every city and village”—where He Himself was about to go.  In other words, it is noteworthy that the Lord sent His disciples ahead to the places He Himself intended to visit.  Why did Jesus send His disciples ahead of Him to the places where He Himself was going?

 

n   There are several theological and practical strategies embedded in Jesus’ act of sending the disciples ahead (πρὸ προσώπου) to the places He Himself would go (Internet):

 

1.       The Mission as “Way Preparers” (Continuing the Role of John the Baptist)

 

In the Gospel of Luke, the expression “to prepare the way of the Lord” is extremely important.  Luke 9:52 records that on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus “sent messengers ahead of Him” into a Samaritan village.  Just as John the Baptist once prepared the way for Jesus, the disciples now take up that baton, preparing people’s hearts and the surrounding environment in advance so that the Lord, the King, may come.

 

2.       The Urgency of the Journey Toward Jerusalem

 

Luke 9:51 marks a major turning point in Jesus’ ministry, when He left Galilee and “resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”  Because the time of the cross was drawing near, Jesus had to proclaim the gospel to as many towns as possible within a limited time.  Sending the disciples ahead was a strategic missionary move to increase the efficiency of gospel proclamation and to cultivate the spiritual soil of the regions He would visit.

 

3.       Practical Training for the Disciples and the Granting of Delegated Authority

 

Jesus did not simply tell them, “Go and observe,” but gave them authority to heal the sick and proclaim the Kingdom of God (Luke 10:9).

 

                 Practical testing: Before the Lord Himself arrived, the disciples personally proclaimed the gospel and experienced spiritual battles.

  The principle of representation: By saying, “The one who listens to you listens to Me” (Luke 10:16), Jesus granted them authority by identifying them with Himself.

 

4.       Discernment of Receptivity (Spiritual Exploration)

 

The disciples functioned as those who discerned which places were prepared to receive the Lord and which were not.  Just as Jesus went to another village when the Samaritans did not receive Him in Luke 9:53, He sometimes determined the direction of His ministry based on the responses encountered by the disciples who had been sent ahead.

 

(iii)             As I meditated on this passage, two Bible verses came to mind: (1) John 13:1 — “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”  (2) 1 Timothy 2:4 — “God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

 

·         Jesus, the Passover Lamb, knowing that the time had come for Him—out of love—to forgive all the sins of God’s chosen people, to save them (us), to die a substitutionary death on the cross, to rise again, and to ascend to the Father, loved His own who were in the world to the very end.  Because He desires that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, He is sending ahead devoted disciples—those who responded to His solemn call—into the world to proclaim the word of God’s truth and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

-             Therefore, those of us who have been called by the Lord must be willing to lose our lives for Jesus and for the gospel (Mk. 8:35).  Like the apostle Paul, we must not consider our lives of any value to ourselves, if only we may finish the task and complete the mission the Lord Jesus has given us—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace (Acts 20:24).

 

(b)    Secondly, we meditate on Jesus’ words to the seventy disciples: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Lk. 10:2).

 

(i)                 As I meditated on this verse, I found myself rereading a column I wrote on January 11, 2014, titled “Lord, Send Out Laborers for the Harvest.”

 

First, there is much to harvest in this world (Mt. 9:37a).  Jesus felt compassion for the crowds because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Moved by deep compassion for them, Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”  The harvest Jesus referred to is precisely those crowds He pitied—that is, the people of the world who do not know Jesus and do not believe in Him (Ref.: Jn. 4:35).

 

Second, the laborers for the harvest are few (Mt. 9:37b).  Because there are few laborers despite the abundant harvest, the church is not bearing as much fruit as it could, nor is it carrying out evangelism and missions effectively.  One reason there is a shortage of workers in the church is that many pursue a better and more comfortable life in this world, while there are too few who are willing to suffer and sacrifice for the body of Christ and the Kingdom of God.

 

Third, we must ask the Lord to send out laborers for the harvest (Mt. 9:38).  We are workers who sow the seed of God’s Word; wise and diligent workers who gather the harvest at the proper time; workers who know the joy of harvesting and know how to enjoy that joy (Isa. 9:3); and faithful workers who refresh the heart of the Lord (Prov. 25:13).

 

·         Personally, when I think about our Victory Presbyterian Church—especially the children in the English ministry and the Hispanic ministry, as well as our young students—I have a continual prayer request that I bring before the Lord.  That prayer is: “Lord, establish them as workers who have Christ-centered dreams.”  There are times when my heart is deeply stirred as I pray while thinking about the young students of our church.  Especially when I consider the sinful world they will have to live in, my heart sometimes aches as I pray for our children.  Dear brothers and sisters, please pray for the children of our church.  When you pray for your own children, please also pray for the children of our church.  In Matthew 9:38, Jesus commands us, “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.” Then what kind of laborers should we ask the Lord to send? I have reflected on four kinds:

 

(1)    We must ask the Lord to send workers who sow the seed of God’s Word (Mt. 13:3; Mk. 4:14).

 

In particular, we should ask for those who sow the seed of the Word sincerely and faithfully, and those who sow in tears.  “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy. He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:5–6).

 

(2)    We must ask the Lord to send wise and diligent workers who gather the harvest at the proper time.

 

Consider Proverbs 6:6–8:  “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.”  Wise and diligent workers who gather at harvest time do not sleep lazily during the harvest season. Those who sleep at harvest bring shame (v. 5).

 

(3)    We must ask the Lord to send workers who know the joy of harvesting and know how to enjoy that joy.

 

Isaiah 9:3 says: “You have multiplied the nation; You have increased its joy; they rejoice before You as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.”

 

(4)    The workers we must ask the Lord to send are faithful ones who refresh the heart of the Lord.

 

Proverbs 25:13 says: “Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.”  We must ask the Lord to send those who are faithful in very little and thus faithful also in much (Lk. 16:10).  Such people refresh the heart of the Lord, and when they finally stand before Him, they will receive the praise: “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Mt. 25:21).

 

(c)    Thirdly, we meditate on the words Jesus spoke to the seventy disciples: “Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Lk. 10:3).

 

(i)                 “This saying is a figurative warning about the harsh reality the disciples would face as they went out to proclaim the gospel, and about the spiritual attitude they must maintain in the midst of it.

 

The core meanings are as follows:

 

1.       The danger and persecution of ministry (worldly reality)

 

Wolves: symbolize the powers of the world and hostile forces that reject the gospel and persecute the disciples.

 

Lambs: signify defenseless weakness.  This means that the disciples must go forth relying not on worldly power or weapons (swords, money, authority), but solely on the Lord. In the parallel passage of Matthew 10:16, an additional instruction is given: ‘Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.’

 

2.       The absolute need for protection

 

The only way a lamb can survive among a pack of wolves is through the protection of the shepherd.  In other words, this sending is not a test of the disciples’ abilities, but a training process in which they learn to trust God alone in the midst of danger.

 

3.       The principle of ‘sacrificial love,’ not aggression

Wolves attack and kill, but sheep do not attack even when they are killed.  This shows that the Christian gospel is spread not through violence, but through sacrifice and peace (Lk. 10:5). In fact, just as this word indicates, early Christians transformed the world with love even amid persecution.

 

4.       Urgency and boldness (‘Go!’)

 

Despite the dangers that lie ahead, Jesus commands, ‘Go!’  This emphasizes the urgency of spreading the Kingdom of God—so urgent that there is no time to hesitate out of fear of the wolves” (Internet).

 

-             At this point, while reading the statement, “In the parallel passage of Matthew 10:16, an additional instruction is given: ‘Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves,’” I would like to share a column I wrote on August 3, 2020, titled “We Must Discern (1)”:

 

Jesus said in Matthew 10:16: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”  Here, the serpent is a symbol of wisdom. The wisdom of the serpent refers to carefully dealing with the various difficulties that come one’s way in order to avoid them.  The serpent’s wisdom signifies prudent discernment. Its wisdom represents the ability to discern and judge all matters.  The reason we must be wise as serpents is that the Lord has sent us into this world, and in this world there are many false prophets who outwardly wear sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  Jesus warned His disciples to beware of, guard against, and be cautious of false prophets, using the imagery of “sheep” and “wolves.”  He said that those false prophets come to us wearing sheep’s clothing. This means that false prophets disguise themselves as sheep and behave like sheep.  Thus, outwardly, false prophets appear gentle like sheep and seem as though they will do us no harm.  However, the reason we must be on guard against them is that, although they approach us wearing sheep’s clothing, inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  The Greek word translated “ravenous” carries the meaning of being extremely greedy, like robbers or swindlers. Therefore, we must be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Mt. 10:16).

(d)    Fourthly, we meditate on the words Jesus spoke to the seventy disciples: “Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road” (Lk. 10:4).

 

(i)                 “This unique command—prohibiting even a moneybag, knapsack, or sandals while sending the disciples among wolves (Lk. 10:4)—contains three profound principles of divine provision.

 

1.       Training in total dependence

 

To give up survival tools while going into dangerous places is to ask the question: ‘Who is the provider of your life?’

 

God’s responsibility: If God is the one who sends them, then God Himself will also take responsibility for everything needed on the journey—food, clothing, and shelter—so that they may experience this truth firsthand.

 

Result: When the disciples returned after completing their mission, Jesus asked them, ‘Did you lack anything?’ and they confessed, ‘Nothing’ (Lk. 22:35).

 

2.       Urgency in proclaiming the gospel

 

This command symbolizes the imminence of the Kingdom of God—so urgent that even the time spent packing and preparing would be considered a waste.

 

‘Greet no one on the road’: This does not mean being rude; rather, it is a solemn command not to waste time being entangled in the lengthy and complex greeting customs of the ancient Middle East, but to focus solely on the essential purpose of proclaiming the gospel.

 

3.       The worker’s right

 

Jesus did not tell His disciples to beg in humiliation. Instead, He declared, ‘The laborer deserves his wages’ (Luke 10:7).

He made it clear that those who preach the gospel have the right to receive their livelihood from the community that hears the gospel. This principle continues to this day as a principle of mutual responsibility between ministers and the community.

 

In summary, all of these instructions teach the truth that ‘the strength of a minister does not come from possessions, but from belonging—who one belongs to’” (Internet).

 

(e)    Fifthly, we meditate on the words Jesus spoke to the seventy disciples: “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you” (Lk. 10:5–6).

 

(i)                 “This teaching explains the attitude of blessing that a gospel messenger must have and the spiritual principles by which that blessing operates.

 

1.       ‘Peace’ (Shalom) is the core of the gospel

 

The Israeli greeting ‘shalom’ goes far beyond a simple expression of well-being; it signifies holistic restoration and peace that flow from a right relationship with God.  By instructing the disciples to say ‘Peace to this house,’ Jesus was declaring that the Kingdom of God they proclaimed is a reign of peace.

 

2.       The ‘remaining’ and ‘returning’ of peace (the principle of spiritual transfer)

 

Jesus teaches how blessings respond according to the attitude of the recipient.

 

A person who receives peace (son of peace): This refers to someone whose heart is open and who is ready to receive the gospel. The blessing remains upon that prepared vessel and exercises real spiritual power.

 

‘It will return to you’: Even if the other person rejects or responds with hostility, the blessing spoken by the disciples does not vanish into the air.  That blessing returns to the one who pronounced it (the evangelist) and becomes his spiritual reward.

3.       The minister’s mindset: ‘preemptive blessing’

 

The important point is not to judge what kind of person the other is beforehand, but to bless with peace “first” whenever entering any house.

 

Before considering the worthiness of the recipient, extending love and peace is the top priority of a servant sent by the Lord.

 

This emphasizes that blessing others is itself the mission of the evangelist, regardless of the outcome (whether the message is received or not)” (internet).

 

·            Here it says, “By instructing them to say ‘Peace to this house,’ He was declaring that the Kingdom of God they proclaim is a reign of peace.”  Then how is the Kingdom of God a reign of peace? What does that mean?

 

-          “To say that the Kingdom of God is a ‘reign of peace (Shalom)’ goes far beyond the mere absence of war; it means the restoration of the original wholeness of relationships between God and humanity, between human beings, and between all creation.  Ephesians 2:14–17 emphasizes that Christ Himself is our peace.

 

The key principles are as follows:

 

1.       Restoration of relationship (Vertical Peace)

 

God’s reign begins with reconciliation between God and humanity, a relationship that was severed by sin.  When God the King reigns, human beings are freed from the fear of judgment and come to enjoy true rest; this becomes the source of all peace.

 

2.       Healing of a broken world (Horizontal Peace)

 

When Jesus sent out the seventy disciples, He commanded them both to ‘say peace’ to whatever house they entered and to ‘heal the sick’ (Lk. 10:9).

Liberation from sickness and suffering: The Kingdom of God includes restoration from all forms of deficiency that afflict humanity—disease, demons (spiritual oppression), poverty, and more.

 

Social reconciliation: In the context of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus sent His disciples even into Samaritan regions that Jews despised. This signifies an egalitarian peace that breaks down barriers of race, class, and gender.

 

3.       The means of rule: not the ‘sword,’ but ‘love’

 

Worldly kingdoms maintain order through force and coercion, but the Kingdom of God is governed through sacrifice and service.

 

This is precisely why the disciples were sent out as ‘lambs.’ It is a kingdom that expands by transforming hearts through the peaceful proclamation of the gospel, not through violence.

 

4.       Peace that has already come, yet awaits completion

 

Through His ministry, Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of God ‘is already in your midst’ (Lk. 17:21).  This peace is tasted in advance within communities governed by the Holy Spirit, and when the Lord returns, perfect peace will come upon the whole world (Isa. 11:6–9) (Internet).

 

n   The Kingdom of God that we are to proclaim goes beyond a spatial heaven we enter after death; it refers to the reign and rule of God (Reign of God) that has already come to this earth through Jesus Christ (Already) and will be fully consummated in the future (Not Yet).  This means that God’s justice, love, and peace are realized in every area of life (Internet).

 

(f)     Sixth, we meditate on the words Jesus spoke to the seventy disciples: “Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house” (Lk. 10:7).

 

(i)                 “These words provide concrete guidance concerning the relationship between the evangelist and the community in which he or she stays, as well as the sincerity with which the ministry is to be carried out.  They can be broadly divided into three main meanings.

 

1.       The legitimate right of the worker and the responsibility of the community

 

‘The worker is worthy of his wages’: The work of proclaiming the gospel is not inferior in value to secular labor, and it is not shameful begging for an evangelist to receive sustenance through that ministry.  Rather, it is a legitimate principle established by God.  The apostle Paul also cited this passage, teaching that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel (1 Cor. 9:14).

 

2.       Preserving the purity of ministry (guarding against greed)

 

‘Do not move from house to house’: In that cultural context, hosting guests was considered a natural obligation.  Jesus strictly forbade ministers from moving around in search of better food or more comfortable lodging.

 

If an evangelist were to change residences in pursuit of better treatment, it could give the impression that personal comfort is being prioritized over the proclamation of the gospel, thereby undermining the sincerity and integrity of the ministry.

 

3.       Respect for and focus on the household that receives them

 

‘Eat and drink what they give you’: This means receiving with gratitude whatever food is offered—even if it slightly conflicts with Jewish purity laws or is quite simple.  The emphasis is on focusing more on fellowship with the people and the proclamation of the gospel than on the type of food.

It is also a strategic instruction to form a deep spiritual bond with the household that first receives the evangelist and to use that home as a stable base from which to carry out ministry in that town.

 

In summary, this instruction commands the minister: ‘Do not let your heart be captured by the quality of the hospitality, but devote yourself entirely to the mission you have been given’” (Internet).

 

(g)    Finally, seventh, Jesus speaks to the seventy disciples: “Whenever you enter a town and they welcome you, eat what is set before you.  Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’  But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless, know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that town” (Lk. 10:8–12).

 

(i)                 “These words teach how disciples who proclaim the gospel should respond to two contrasting reactions they will encounter—acceptance and rejection—and the serious spiritual responsibility that follows each response.

 

1.       A town that receives the gospel (vv. 8–9): ‘The presence of peace and healing’

 

Humble acceptance: ‘Eat what is set before you’ means that the evangelist should not evaluate the quality of the hospitality, but gratefully accept their kindness, thereby forming personal intimacy with those who receive the gospel.

 

Visible evidence (healing of the sick): This shows that the kingdom of God is not merely in words. Physical and spiritual healing are powerful signs that God’s reign has truly arrived.

 

The core message: ‘The kingdom of God has come near.’ The disciples’ mission was not healing itself, but proclaiming that God’s rule had begun, with healing serving as evidence of that reality.

 

2.       A town that rejects the gospel (vv. 10–11): ‘The decisiveness of shaking off the dust’

 

Shaking off the dust: This was a customary act performed by Jews when returning to Israel after traveling through Gentile territories.  It symbolized a final warning and a severing of relationship, meaning, ‘We bear no responsibility for your destruction, and we have nothing more to do with you.’  Paul and Barnabas actually carried out this act in Acts 13:51.

 

The unchanging truth: What is striking is that even as they leave the rejecting town, they still proclaim, ‘Nevertheless, know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ Whether accepted or rejected, the fact that the kingdom of God has arrived does not change. For those who reject it, that very truth becomes the basis for judgment.

 

3.       Judgment heavier than that of Sodom (v. 12): ‘The sin of rejecting the gospel’

 

The analogy of Sodom: Sodom is a city that became synonymous with corruption and was judged in the Old Testament.  Yet Jesus warns that a town which directly hears the gospel and still rejects it will face a judgment more severe than that of Sodom.

 

Responsibility according to revelation: Greater light brings greater responsibility. Those who see and reject greater revelation (the gospel) bear greater accountability.  In Matthew 11:21–24, the Lord pronounced similar woes against Chorazin and Bethsaida.

 

In summary, this passage presents a stark contrast: the kingdom of God is the greatest blessing open to all people, but rejecting it is the most dangerous misfortune a human being can choose” (Internet).