In Luke 10:18, the 72 preachers have returned and they're ecstatic about all the things they could do for people, all the wonders they were able to perform. Jesus responds (this is my translation, trying to indicate the sense of the verb forms)

"I was watching Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Our translations generally just render it "I saw Satan fall etc."

What's your take on this statement?

Interesting cross-references:

Isaiah 14:12
How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations.

Matthew 4:10
"Away from Me, Satan!" Jesus declared. "For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'"

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

In the NKJV Bible translation, Luke 10:18 says "And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." When Christ says "I saw Satan fall", He is describing an event that took place before the creation of the world. Five times Satan set his will against God.

Then the next question is, what did it have to do with what they were telling him?

Jesus gave the seventy-two the authority to heal the Gentiles of sicknesses. The Gentiles shouted with excitement and joy when they were healed instantly! As quick as lightning! Jesus described it as “satan [their adversary being illness], falling from heaven like lightning.”

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Jesus gave the seventy-two the authority to heal the Gentiles of sicknesses.

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Not sure where the reference to Gentiles comes from.

The verse following 18 says, "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." So verse 18 is likely an indication of the power of the enemy being severely degraded. In 19 "snakes and scorpions" would be, I think, a reference to demonic powers while "the enemy" refers to Satan himself.

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Originally Posted by jlisenbe

Not sure where the reference to Gentiles comes from.

The verse following 18 says, "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." So verse 18 is likely an indication of the power of the enemy being severely degraded. In 19 "snakes and scorpions" would be, I think, a reference to demonic powers while "the enemy" refers to Satan himself.

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Luke, Paul’s missionary and a physician, was a Syrian from Antioch and very likely a Gentile (non-Jewish). Each of the Gospels was written to target a specific group of people. Luke’s Gospel was written to the Gentiles.

At the beginning of Chapter 10, Jesus sent out 72 people to preach the Gospel to Gentiles and to heal their listeners of illnesses plus cast out devils/demons (heal mental illnesses).

Jesus often taught in a very poetical and graphical style of language called apocalyptic language. For instance, in this verse, the meaning of "satan" in Greek is "adversary". Thus, His words: "Behold, I have given you authority to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you” means Jesus had given them (the listeners) the power to overcome their adversaries, whatever was harmful.

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Jesus sent out 72 people to preach the Gospel to Gentiles

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That's my question. Where are Gentiles mentioned in Luke 10?

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Luke, Paul’s missionary and a physician, was a Syrian from Antioch and very likely a Gentile

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All possible but none of it certain at all.

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means Jesus had given them the power to overcome their adversaries, whatever was harmful.

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Considering that the Apostles were generally heavily persecuted and martyred, I think that's a suspect interpretation. Of course it might be that Jesus was only speaking of the time when the disciples (the 72) were on their fairly short-term assignment, in which case your view becomes a great deal more reasonable.

I find this passage regarding those 72 rather fascinating. I think this is the only mention of them if I remember right, and so wonder whatever happened to them?

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Originally Posted by jlisenbe

That's my question. Where are Gentiles mentioned in Luke 10?

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Who was the Gospel of Luke written for?
In contrast to either Mark or Matthew, Luke’s gospel is clearly written more for a gentile audience. Luke is traditionally thought of as one of Paul’s traveling companions and it’s certainly the case that the author of Luke was from those Greek cities in which Paul had worked.
https://stjohnwaynesville.org/about-...-for-whom.html

Saying that Luke was written with a "Gentile flavor" is far removed from providing support that Jesus was sending the 72 to Gentile cities. I would say that considering what Jesus said in Matt 15:24 and considering that the early church had no interest in Gentiles until Acts 10 all make it unlikely that Jesus was sending his disciples to Gentile cities. There is certainly no reason in Luke 10 to believe so.

Maybe Luke was from Syrian Antioch, but maybe not. Luke was definitely one of Paul's ministry companions, but who knows for sure where he was from?

I'm gonna get syncretistic and suggest that the 72 were sent to whomever they came across that was in need, whether Jew or Gentile. He didn't specify one or 't'other. To me that says, both.

As for my original question, my suggestion: he was speaking metaphorically. As I mentioned, the forms of the verbs suggest that he didn't so much say "I saw Satan fall" as he said "I was watching Satan falling". I submit that he was speaking of the power of the prince of the power of the air. He watched Satan's power crumbling as they drilled through it with God's power.

"Lord, even demons submit to your name."

"Yeah, I was watching the opening salvos in Satan's ultimate downfall."

Or words to that effect.

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He didn't specify one or 't'other. To me that says, both.

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Maybe. Seems unlikely to me, but maybe, considering that, as you point out, it was not prohibited.

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"Yeah, I was watching the opening salvos in Satan's ultimate downfall."

Or words to that effect.

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That seems to sum it up very well.