Luke 10:16
“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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{ "themes": [ "Authority of Jesus' messengers", "Consequences of rejection", "Divine representation" ] }
Jesus has just commissioned seventy disciples, sending them out in pairs to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near and to heal the sick. He's given them specific instructions on how to conduct themselves, including not carrying extra supplies and shaking the dust off their feet if a town rejects them. This verse immediately follows His pronouncement of "woes" on cities like Chorazin and Bethsaida for their lack of repentance despite witnessing His mighty works.
When Jesus sent out the seventy disciples, He gave them a powerful mandate. Their words weren't just their own – they carried the weight of heaven itself.
Jesus establishes a profound connection between Himself and His messengers. When the disciples speak with His authority, their message is, in essence, Jesus speaking.
Jesus doesn't stop with just the rejection of Himself. He escalates the gravity of rejecting His messengers to a cosmic level.
The verse presents a chain reaction of rejection:
The Greek word used for 'rejects' (atheteō) implies setting aside, nullifying, or treating as invalid. It's a serious dismissal, not just a casual disagreement.
Understand the original words
akouō · Greek Verb
The act of listening to, obeying, and submitting to the message or the messenger. In a biblical context, it involves active response and alignment with the truth spoken.
atheteō · Greek Verb
To treat with contempt, refuse to acknowledge, or turn away from someone or their message; it signifies a failure to accept God’s appointed authority.
This verse comes directly from Jesus sending out his disciples on a mission. It highlights that their message wasn't their own, but God's, and that how people responded to the disciples was a direct reflection of how they responded to Jesus and God the Father.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus conducted a significant part of his public ministry in and around the cities on the Sea of Galilee, including Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two
Jesus commissions and sends out seventy-two disciples (or seventy, depending on the manuscript reading) to go ahead of him into towns and villages to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Early 1st century AD
Rejection in Galilean Cities
Many cities in Galilee, despite witnessing Jesus' miracles and hearing his message, reject him and his disciples. This leads to Jesus issuing pronouncements of 'woe' against them.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified and resurrected, establishing the foundation of the Christian faith and the authority of his apostles.
This passage directly parallels Jesus' teaching to the twelve disciples, emphasizing that receiving them is equivalent to receiving Him, and rejecting them is rejecting Him who sent Him.
John 13:20Jesus tells his disciples, 'Whoever receives the one I send receives me,' directly connecting their reception to His own, much like the verse in Luke.
1 Samuel 8:7This verse shows God's perspective when Israel rejects Samuel as their king, stating, 'for they have rejected me from being king over them,' highlighting the gravity of rejecting God's appointed leaders.
Deuteronomy 18:19God declares that anyone who does not listen to the prophet He will raise up will be cut off, illustrating the severe consequences of rejecting God's messengers and their message.
barnesLuke 10:16: "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me."
See the notes at Matthew 10:40 .
vincentLuke 10:16: "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me."
Despiseth (ἀθετεῖ)See on Luke 7:30, and compare Galatians 2:21; Galatians 3:15.
{ "themes": [ "Authority of Jesus' messengers", "Consequences of rejection", "Divine representation" ] }
Jesus has just commissioned seventy disciples, sending them out in pairs to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near and to heal the sick. He's given them specific instructions on how to conduct themselves, including not carrying extra supplies and shaking the dust off their feet if a town rejects them. This verse immediately follows His pronouncement of "woes" on cities like Chorazin and Bethsaida for their lack of repentance despite witnessing His mighty works.
Jesus has just commissioned seventy disciples, sending them out in pairs to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near and to heal the sick. He's given them specific instructions on how to conduct themselves, including not carrying extra supplies and shaking the dust off their feet if a town rejects them. This verse immediately follows His pronouncement of "woes" on cities like Chorazin and Bethsaida for their lack of repentance despite witnessing His mighty works.
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c. AD 40s-60s
Apostolic Preaching and Persecution
The apostles and early followers of Jesus travel throughout the Roman Empire, preaching the Gospel and facing both acceptance and rejection, mirroring the experience Jesus predicted.
"“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”" — { "themes": [ "Authority of Jesus' messengers", "Consequences of rejection", "Divine representation" ] }
