Big Idea: To follow Jesus and share his mission demands full commitment.

Understanding the Text

Ever since 5:1–11 Jesus has been gathering disciples. In 6:13 he chose the Twelve from among a larger number. It is clear that the Twelve will be his principal companions on the journey to Jerusalem, but who else will go with them? We are not told whether the three potential recruits in 9:57–62 did in fact join the group, but they represent the difficult choice to be made. So it is surprising to find so large a group as seventy-two who are ready and suitable to be added to the mission team. They will not appear again after 10:17, but they, like the women mentioned in 8:1–3, remind us that there was more to the Jesus movement than just the tightly knit group of Jesus and the Twelve. The journey…