Paper 163 Overview: Ordination of the Seventy at Magadan

After returning to Magadan from Jerusalem, Jesus and the twelve began training a special group of believers who would help spread the gospel of the kingdom. This group included Abner (who used to be one of John the Baptist's disciples) and about fifty others who were carefully chosen from believers across Palestine. Jesus trained and ordained these seventy messengers and sent them out to teach in cities across Galilee, Samaria, and Judea.

The seventy went out in pairs to various towns and when they returned, they were excited to report their successes. Jesus was pleased with their work but warned them against spiritual pride. He told them he was preparing to begin his last mission, a three-month tour of Perea, which would end with his final work in Jerusalem.

A few days after Jesus and the twelve returned to Magadan from Jerusalem, Abner arrived with about fifty disciples from Bethlehem. At the same time, other devoted followers gathered, forming a group of about one hundred and fifty tried and true disciples from all parts of Palestine. Jesus and the twelve began intensive training for this special group from November 4 to November 19, from which the seventy teachers would be chosen and sent forth to proclaim the gospel.

During this training period, Jesus gave a talk to the whole company each morning. Peter taught them about public preaching, Nathaniel taught the art of teaching, and Thomas explained how to answer questions. Matthew directed their group finances, and the other apostles shared their specific skills as well.

The seventy were ordained by Jesus on Saturday afternoon, November 19, at the Magadan Camp, with Abner placed as their leader. This group included Abner, ten former apostles of John the Baptist, fifty-one earlier evangelists, and eight other disciples who had proven themselves in kingdom service. About four hundred believers gathered at the lake shore to witness this ordination ceremony.

Before placing his hands on their heads, Jesus instructed the seventy not to carry money or extra clothes on their mission. He told them to bring peace to households that welcomed them, stay in the same home during their visit to each city, preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and help the sick. Those who heard them would be hearing Jesus, and those who rejected them would be rejecting God who sent him.

More than fifty disciples wanted to be ordained as gospel messengers but were not selected by the committee of Jesus, Andrew, Abner, and the head of the evangelistic corps. Several of these people spoke with Jesus about their desire to join the seventy, but after talking with Jesus, some no longer wanted to become messengers after understanding the commitment required.

A rich young man named Matadormus, who was a member of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin, asked Jesus what he needed to do to gain eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments and then said if he wanted to be a messenger, he must sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him. The young man went away sad because he had great wealth and couldn't give it up, even though he later became the treasurer of the Jerusalem church.

After Matadormus left, Peter and some apostles gathered around Jesus. Jesus explained that it is difficult for those with riches to fully enter God's kingdom because spiritual worship cannot be combined with material devotions. When the apostles were surprised and asked who could be saved, Jesus explained that with God all things are possible.

Later, when they were alone by the lake, Jesus explained that only the apostles were required to give up everything. He told them that anyone who left wealth, home, or family for the kingdom would receive much more in this world and eternal life in the next. He then shared a parable about a householder who hired workers at different times of the day but paid them all the same amount at day's end, teaching that God's generosity and fairness work differently than human expectations.

On the morning when the seventy left for their first mission, Jesus gave them final instructions. He emphasized that the gospel must be proclaimed to all people, not just Jews, and that they should avoid teaching that miracles were to be expected. He told them to proclaim a spiritual brotherhood of God's sons, not an earthly kingdom, and to focus on their mission without wasting time on social visits.

Jesus instructed them to stay in one worthy home during their time in each city and to make clear that they were breaking from Jerusalem's religious leaders. He taught that man's whole duty could be summed up in loving God with all one's mind and soul and loving one's neighbor as oneself, replacing the 613 rules of the Pharisees with this simple commandment of love.

Jesus and the twelve prepared to establish their last headquarters in Perea, near Pella where John the Baptist had baptized Jesus. After spending the last ten days of November in council at Magadan, the entire company of almost three hundred started out on December 6 and lodged that night near Pella by the river.

David Zebedee, after closing the Magadan Camp, set up a new camp about half a mile north of the apostolic camp. Within a week, he was ready to offer hospitality to nearly fifteen hundred pilgrim visitors. This rainy season camp provided shelter for the increasing number of people coming to see Jesus, and by late December, almost eight hundred visitors were gathered around the Master.

On Friday, December 30, the seventy messengers returned to Pella in pairs, bringing many believers with them. They shared their experiences with Jesus and the apostles, excited that even "devils were subject" to them. Jesus rejoiced with them but cautioned them not to be too proud of their power over spirits and to rejoice instead that their names were written in heaven.

Jesus then had a moment of emotional ecstasy, thanking God that these spiritual truths were revealed to the children of the kingdom rather than the wise and self-righteous. He told the disciples they were blessed to see and hear things that many prophets and great people of the past had wanted to experience but could not. The next day, Jesus warned the seventy against spiritual pride and reminded them that he was always near to those who labor and are heavy laden.

The days following the seventy's return were busy with preparations for the Perean mission. This would be Jesus' last mission, a three-month tour of Perea ending with his final work in Jerusalem. During this time, Jesus maintained his headquarters at the Pella camp.

Jesus no longer needed to travel extensively to teach because large numbers of people now came to him weekly from all parts of the Roman world and the Near East. He divided his time between the camp and trips with the twelve to help the seventy in various cities. The women's corps also prepared to go out with the seventy to work in the larger cities of Perea. This final phase of Jesus' ministry emphasized spiritual depth rather than miracles, though many followers still had material-minded concepts of the kingdom.