Unrepentant Towns and the Return of the Seventy-Two (Lk. 10:13-20)

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  15 And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’  16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”  17 The seventy[-two] returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”  18 Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  19 Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.  20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” 

Jesus rebuked the Galilean towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum because they received the Word of God and had powerful miracles and signs performed in them (Lk. 4:31-41), but they did not repent.  If the same miracles had been performed in the Gentile towns of Tyre and Sidon they would have repented and Judgment on them would be less severe than for Chorazin and Bethsaida.  Capernaum will suffer God’s judgment and destruction.  Whoever hears and accepts the word of those sent by Jesus hears the word of Jesus.  Whoever rejects the teaching of the disciples rejects Jesus and rejects God who sent him.  

Jesus had power over the demons (Lk. 8:26-39) and Jesus gave the disciples the power to cast out demons in his name.  He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and cure diseases (Lk. 9:1-12).  They returned from their mission rejoicing that they were able to cast out demons in his name.  Jesus shared in their joy because the reign of God had begun and Satan’s power over men was broken.  Men now had power over Satan and his devils.  The disciples now had divine protection against the dangers and adversity they would encounter.  Nothing would be able to stop them from accomplishing their mission.  Serpents and Scorpions were symbols and sources of physical evil in OT times (Gen. 3:1).  Jesus warned the disciples not to rejoice because they cast out demons in his name but to rejoice because they would receive eternal life with God in heaven. 

Almighty God, grant us the grace to live a life of service pleasing to you so that we may rejoice when we are granted eternal life in Your kingdom.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.