nary tour were now repeated to the Seventy. They were told that
they must expect unfriendly and even hostile treatment; their situation
would be as that of lambs among wolves. They were to travel without
purse or scrip, and thus necessarily to depend upon the provision that
God would make through those to whom they came. As their mission was
urgent, they were not to stop on the way to make or renew personal
acquaintanceships. On entering a house they were to invoke peace upon
it; if the household deserved the gift peace would rest therein, but
otherwise the Lord's servants would feel that their invocation was
void.[892] To any family by whom they were received they were to impart
blessing--healing the afflicted, and proclaiming that the kingdom of God
had come nigh unto that house. They were not to go from one house to
another seeking better entertainment, nor should they expect or desire
to be feasted, but they should accept what was offered, eating that
which was set before them, thus sharing with the family. If rejected in
any city, they were to depart therefrom, leaving, however, their solemn
testimony that the city had turned away from the kingdom of God, which
had been brought to its doors, and attesting the same by ridding
themselves of the dust of that place.[893] It was not for them to
pronounce anathema or curse, but the Lord assured them that such a city
would bring upon itself a fate worse than the doom of Sodom.[894] He
reminded them that they were His servants, and therefore whoever heard
or refused to hear them would be judged as having so treated Him.

They were not restrained, as the Twelve had been, from entering
Samaritan towns or the lands of the Gentiles. This difference is
consistent with the changed conditions, for now the prospective
itinerary of Jesus would take Him into non-Jewish territory, where His
fame had already spread; and furthermore, His plan provided for an
extension of the gospel propaganda, which was to be ultimately
world-wide. The narrow Jewish prejudice against Gentiles in general and
Samaritans in particular was to be discountenanced; and proof of this
intent could not be better given than by sending authorized ministers
among those peoples. We must keep in mind the progressiveness of the
Lord's work. At first the field of gospel preaching was confined to the
land of Israel,[895] but the beginning of its extension was inaugurated
during our Lord's life, and was expressly enjoined