God The Supreme [1278,1] to [1293,1] 
The Almighty Supreme [1268,1] to [1276,7]
FAREWELL TO THE SEVENTY
It was a stirring time about the Magadan Camp the day the seventy went forth
on their first mission. Early that morning, in his last talk with the seventy,
Jesus placed emphasis on the following:
1. The gospel of the kingdom must be proclaimed to all the world, to gentile
as well as to Jew.
2. While ministering to the sick, refrain from teaching the expectation of miracles.
3. Proclaim a spiritual brotherhood of the sons of God, not an outward kingdom
of worldly power and material glory.
4. Avoid loss of time through overmuch social visiting and other trivialities
which might detract from wholehearted devotion to preaching the gospel.
5. If the first house to be selected for a headquarters proves to be a worthy
home, abide there throughout the sojourn in that city.
6. Make clear to all faithful believers that the time for an open break with
the religious leaders of the Jews at Jerusalem has now come.
7. Teach that man's whole duty is summed up in this one commandment: Love the
Lord your God with all your mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself. (This
they were to teach as man's whole duty in place of the 613 rules of living expounded
by the Pharisees.)
When Jesus had talked thus to the seventy in the presence of all the apostles
and disciples, Simon Peter took them off by themselves and preached to them
their ordination sermon, which was an elaboration of the Master's charge given
at the time he laid his hands upon them and set them apart as messengers of
the kingdom. Peter exhorted the seventy to cherish in their experience the following
virtues:
1. Consecrated devotion. To pray always for more laborers to be sent forth into
the gospel harvest. He explained that, when one so prays, he will the more likely
say, "Here am I; send me." He admonished them to neglect not their daily worship.
2. True courage. He warned them that they would encounter hostility and be certain
to meet with persecution. Peter told them their mission was no undertaking for
cowards and advised those who were afraid to step out before they started. But
none withdrew.
3. Faith and trust. They must go forth on this short mission wholly unprovided
for; they must trust the Father for food and shelter and all other things needful.
4. Zeal and initiative. They must be possessed with zeal and intelligent enthusiasm;
they must attend strictly to their Master's business. Oriental salutation was
a lengthy and elaborate ceremony; therefore had they been instructed to "salute
no man by the way," which was a common method of exhorting one to go about his
business without the waste of time. It had nothing to do with the matter of
friendly greeting.
5. Kindness and courtesy. The Master had instructed them to avoid unnecessary
waste of time in social ceremonies, but he enjoined courtesy toward all with
whom they should come in contact. They were to show every kindness to those
who might entertain them in their homes. They were strictly warned against leaving
a modest home to be entertained in a more comfortable or influential one.
6. Ministry to the sick. The seventy were charged by Peter to search out the
sick in mind and body and to do everything in their power to bring about the
alleviation or cure of their maladies.
And when they had been thus charged and instructed, they started out, two and
two, on their mission in Galilee, Samaria, and Judea.
Although the Jews had a peculiar regard for the number seventy, sometimes considering
the nations of heathendom as being seventy in number, and although these seventy
messengers were to go with the gospel to all peoples, still as far as we can
discern, it was only coincidental that this group happened to number just seventy.
Certain it was that Jesus would have accepted no less than half a dozen others,
but they were unwilling to pay the price of forsaking wealth and families.
The Urantia Book, [1804,5] to [1806,1]
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CARL WILLIAM BURTON POIRIER since 1979 / SONORASOUNDZ