Greet no one on the way

Greet no one on the way

April 18, 2014 at 11:11am

I am often reminded of Jesus' instruction to His disciples when He sent them out to fish for men (intentionally evangelize). He explicitly told them to 'greet no one on the way'(Luke 10:4).
It takes a lot of discipline and practice & discernment to obey His commandment and avoid getting off-mission at the killing place (or anyone else you share the Divine Ultimatum). The devil has a lot of creative (and sometimes BRILLIANT) ways of distracting us from bringing the Person and Work of Jesus Christ and His holy gospel message of reconciliation to the perishing.
They can come in the form of a demon-possessed crazy person or a sweet old religious lady.
The world & your flesh will join the chorus of getting side-tracked.
And, if you are not careful, you could be part of the problem with too much chit-chatting while out witnessing. Let the preaching of the Word have the pre-eminence.

Here are a few excerpts from commentaries on the Lord's command to "greet no one on the way".

Pulpit commentary says: 

"This especially refers to the length and tediousness of Eastern salutations, often very unreal, and which would consume much valuable time. Men were to see that one absorbing interest possessed them, and that to them was no time given for the ordinary useless amenities of life."

Gill notes:

"... that they might not be retarded, and hindered in their journey by tedious ceremonies, and long inquiries into the health of persons and friends, and the business they were going about, and places where; and by discourses and confabulations, drawn out to great length, as was often the case at meeting on the road: and, for the same reason, a like charge is given to Gehazi, 2 Kings 4:29, and which, as the Jewish commentators on the place observe, was, that he might not multiply words with persons he met with, and might not be stopped by the way; and that his intention might be in his work, and his mind might not turn to any other thing, either by word or deed. So our Lord's intention, by this order was, not to teach them incivility, or to be morose and uncourteous; but that they might dispatch their business with the utmost expedition, and rather forego some common civilities and ceremonies, than to neglect, or, in the least, to hinder a work of so much importance they were sent about..."