My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
THE SEVENTY
"After these things the Lord APPOINTED SEVENTY OTHERS
also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city
and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to
them, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few;
therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers
into His harvest. Go your way, behold, I send you out as
lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack,
nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever
house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to the house.’ And if a son
of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return
to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking
such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.
Do not go from house to house.
Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things
as set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The
Kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you
enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and
say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off
against you. Nevertheless know this, that the Kingdom of God
has come near you. But I say to you that it will be more tolerable
in that Day for Sodom than for that city" [Luke 10:1-12].
As the gospel of Saint Luke states the Lord appointed SEVENTY MEN to go out as missionaries–as APOSTLES. Though not so prominent as the Twelve, the Seventy carried out their missions with fervor and enthusiasm. The Holy Tradition of the Church confirms that the Seventy remained true to the Lord and their calling, fulfilling a vital role in the spread of the gospel. These were not random choices or accidental volunteers BUT TRUE DISCIPLES, TRUE APOSTLES, WHOSE LABORS CARRIED THE MESSAGE OF THEIR LORD THROUGHOUT THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND BEYOND.
Though lists of the Seventy vary somewhat, all are remembered in the calendar of the Orthodox Church. One day, January 4, is set aside to remember them all, and the record of their work is preserved in account handed down through the centuries from place to place, especially in those locations where they labored.
To tell the stories passed down in the Church concerning all of the Seventy would fill a book of considerable size, but the compromise of telling the stories of a few, both prominent and relatively obscure members, will relate the conviction and faith of this illustrious body.
Barnabas, a Jew of the Tribe of Levi, was both in Cyprus of wealthy parents. He is said to have studied under Gamaliel with Saul of Tarsus, who was to become Paul the Apostle. Originally named Joseph, he was called Barnabas (Son of Consolation) by the Apostles (Acts 4:36) because he had a rare gift of comforting the hearts of people. He who sought out Paul when everyone else was afraid of him, bringing him to the Apostles. And it was Barnabas who was first sent by the Apostles to Antioch fo find out what was going on there (Acts 11:22). Barnabas sought out Paul to work with him, and their long association was broken only when Barnabas was determined to take his cousin Mark, whom Paul didnot trust just then, on a missionary journey. The mutual relationships among the three later healed (Colossians 4:10). Many ancient accounts say Barnabas was the first to preach in Rome and the first in Milan, but he was martyred in Cyprus, then buried by Mark at the western gate of the city of Salamis.
Among the more prominent of the Seventy was the Apostle Titus, whom Paul called his brother (2 Corinthians 12:18) and his son (Titus 1:4). Born in Crete, Titus was educated in Greek philosophy, but after reading the Prophet Isaiah he began to doubt the value of all he had been taught. Hearing the news of the coming of Jesus Christ, he joined some others from Crete who went to Jerusalem to see for themselves. After hearing Jesus speak and seeing His works, the young Titus joined those who followed. Baptized by the Apostle Paul, he worked with and served the great Apostle to the Gentiles, traveling with him until Paul sent his to Crete, making him bishop of that city. It is said that he was in Rome at the time of the beheading of Saint Paul and that he buried the body of his spiritual father before returning home. Back in Crete, he converted and baptized many people, governing the Church on that island until he entered into rest at the age of ninety-four.
There are many less prominent among the Seventy who also labored for Christ unto death. Aristarchus, whom Saint Paul mentions several times (cf. Acts 19:29; Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24). calling him a "fellow laborer," became bishop of Apamea in Syria, Sosthenes (Acts 18:17; 1 Corinthians 1:1) became bishop of Caesarea, and Tychicus (Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Col. 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:12; Titus 3:12) succeeded him in that city. Simeon (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3), son of Cleopas (who was the brother of Joseph the Betrothed of the Virgin Mary), succeeded James as bishop of Jerusalem. Aristobulus (Roman 16:10), the brother of the Apostle Barnabus, preached the gospel in Britain and died peacefully there.
The lives of these few are quite representative of the SEVENTY APOSTLES who were instrumental in helping to plant the Church throughout the world. May became bishops, but the names of all are numbered in heaven in the Book of Life, as faithful servants of the Lord, Apostles and foundations of the Church of Christ. [Resources: The Orthodox Study Bible]
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in Christ’s Divine and Glorious Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
