These are things that modern churches tend to take out of their church, out of their music, etc., especially when interacting and/or connecting with the outside world.

• Jesus
• Blood
• Redemption (by the blood)

... more to be added ...

When Jesus sends out the "seventy" to preach the "Good News", he commands to "salute no man by the way". The Greek translated as "salute" is that "greet" or "welcoming". Why might this specific guidance have been given? This guidance is not revoked later. Should you never "greet" anyone when preaching the "Good News"?

Instead, there is a command to "sell" your "garment" and "buy" a "sword". Jesus reverses the command for "purse" and "scrip" but never revokes the command for "no shoes". Should you go out and preach the "Good News" without "shoes"?

More: Luke 10:1-4 Follow the leader

More: The security of flaming swords

Throughout time, theologians, commentators, pastors, etc., have felt compelled to explain every verse. Sometimes the answers are forced. Sometimes the "culture" is used. Sometimes "idioms" are invented. Many times the explanations are based on a flawed translation using the meaning of the words now and not in the original language and how those words were used then. And so on. Consider the above verse.

Both were neither revoked or changed. If still in force, no one should wear shoes nor greet anyone when preaching the "Good News".

There may be another and better explanation.

The ancient Greek word "ὑπόδημα" ≈ "sandal, shoe" and comes from the literal words that mean "to bind underneath". Should we be "bound" as a "slave" to do "service" to the underlying "world/earth/culture"?

• The ancient Greek word "ὑπό" ≈ "under" as in English words with prefix "hyper-".
• The ancient Greek word "δέω" ≈ "bind, fasten" and is related to word "δοῦλος" ≈ "servant, slave".

Using the underling meaning of the words we get the meaning to the "seventy" as "Do not be bound to do service as a servant/slave to the underlying world/earth/culture". This is not revoked later. Once the underlying meaning is discovered, the literal meaning may not make sense going forward.

So we can now wear "shoes" while preaching the "Good News".

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When discussing "sandals", one should not "flip-flop" on the issues.

Don't make up your mind until you walk a mile with the shoe on the other foot!

One can wear "shoes" while spreading the "Good News", but one should not be "bound underneath" as a "servant/slave" to do "service" to the underlying "earth/world/culture". Does God change? Does culture change?


Be the change you wish to see in the world. Popular paraphrase of a longer quote by Mahatma Gandhi. Friday, August 16, 1946: 10,000 people killed in Calcutta during Direct Action Day protest (Gandhi on the Hindu side).

Some pastors will claim that we need to adjust to the culture, that those who do not see this are "old-fashioned" with the implied meaning that those who maintain those ideas of the Bible are wrong.

More: Yesterday

There are "wolves" along the way. What may appear to be a "sheep dog" might be a "wolf dog". Along the way, one may find the following.

• Some "sheep" (perhaps).
• Some "wolves" (they exist).
• Some others (perhaps, unspecified).

One cannot always distinguish a "sheep-dog" from a "wolf-dog" by actions alone.

More: Sheep dogs and wolf dogs

More: Matthew 7:3-23 A splitting feat of how the swine flew on pearls at a wide gait

More: Matthew 7: Search the scriptures

More: Matthew 24:4-5 False Christs and all of it

More: The taste of false teaching

More: Matthew 7:6-12 The hunt for holy hounds

The ancient Greek word "ἀσπάζομαι" ≈ "welcome, greet" and comes from the ancient Greek word "σπάω" ≈ "draw out a sword". The prefix "a" in Greek negates the word, so "greeting" someone is the opposite of "drawing a sword" which is not a friendly gesture.
An underlying secondary meaning is "absolutely do not draw a sword on any man on the way". Note that, except in English, a double-negative is used for emphatic emphasis and not a logical negation.
This is interesting in that the "sword" plays a large part in the follow-on verses after the Last Supper and before the arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus. What the "sword" represents appears to be very important.

More: Do not no way use double negatives

More: The security of flaming swords

The ancient Greek word "σπάω" ≈ "draw out a sword" and is related to the ancient Greek word "σπάζω" ≈ "break".

To "draw a sword" does not mean to get out your sketchpad and pencil and create a drawing of a sword. It does take talent on which to "draw". Someone from the South might say this with a "drawl". In Toy Story 1, Woody challenges Etch with, "Hey Etch, draw", whereupon Etch (a Sketch) draws a pistol.

A derived word is the ancient Greek word "σπασμός" ≈ "spasm, convulsion" which is when parts of the body appear to "draw together". This Greek word is the source, through Latin and then French, of the English word "spasm" and "spastic", etc.

The new requirement is for everyone is to "sell" their "garment" and "buy" a "sword".
If the previous remarks about "purse" and "script" apply to everyone then so does the remarks about the "sword". That is, everyone needs a "sword". The requirement to "salute no man on the way" or, as a secondary meaning, "draw no sword on any man on the way" is not rescinded. Is it?

Perhaps this new requirement undoes the old one. If that is the case, you can "greet" or "welcome" others while preaching the "Good News".

The word for "took" is the same word used when Jesus says that "all that take the sword will perish with the sword".

• Take a "towel". Take a "sword".

In one sense, a "sword" represents a "towel". Saying: Thou (towel) will be done.

The word for "poureth" or "throw" is the same word used when Jesus says that "he came not to throw peace but a sword".

• Throw "peace" (not). Throw a "sword". Throw "water".

In one sense, a "sword" represents "water". Saying : What are (water) you saying?

The ancient Greek word "εκμασσω" ≈ "wipe away blood" and is translated in the GNT (Greek New Testament) as just "wipe". For the "seventy" sent out, the same root word is used to "wipe" the dust from their own bodies when rejected.


The dust here is not "your sin" but "their sin" of the city that rejected not you, but Christ. You do not want to be "contaminated" with the sins of those not following Christ by accepting them. Believers of Christ should not follow culture when that culture goes against God.

The "sword" appears to by what in computer science is called a many-to-one relationship/association.
In practical terms, this means that "sword" has more than one meaning. Thus, it is (at least) a "double-edged sword".

• One meaning involves "water" as in be "baptized for the repentance of sins".
• One meaning involves a "towel" as in be "cleansed/washed in the blood".

The part of "wiping" away the "blood" or "drying" may indicate the "flame" part of the "flaming sword" as evidenced in the "Holy Spirit".

A good teacher asks the student to tell them what they have learned from what they have been taught.

After a while, the teacher may just give the student the answer plainly. Other students may still not comprehend that the answer has been given. Visual learning can be deceptive. One must get to the mind instead of the eye.

• Not "come and see" but "come and understand".
• Not "go and show" but "go and teach".

The "one another's feet" is ambiguous.

• Is this just the other disciples feet who are present at the gathering?
• Is it any disciple or believer that results from teaching and making disciples?
• Is it anyone in the world regardless of belief?

Note that the Law known as the "Golden Rule", "Love your neighbor as yourself" is still in force.

• Everyone is your neighbor (potential and actual).
• Believers are a (proper) subset of all neighbors.

This previous verse was ambiguous. Jesus goes on to clarify.

Jesus just expressed a truth as a physical example for those who learn by examples.

• Literal: Get up, take a towel and wash one another's feet.
• Deeper: Wake up and help others be baptized into repentance and be washed in the blood to be saved. [Jesus and Baptism]

Jesus now expresses that truth as a logical explanation for those who learn by logical explanations. Some pastors appear to not understand the connection between the example and the logical explanation and may give vastly different (forced) explanations for each.

Aristotle talks of three primary types of learning styles.

This is a logical statement or what Aristotle would call a mathematical statement.

• At the God level, Jesus the Son is less than or equal to God the Father.
• At the human level, the disciples are less than or equal to Jesus (base case).
• At the human level, the disciples of the disciples are less than or equal to the disciples (step case).

A fractal-like infinite regression (iterated function system) takes place if this is a "less than" operation and a tree structure is induced. Is Jesus the Son less than God the Father? The solution is that Jesus the Son and God the Father are equal. Likewise, all believers (and disciples) are at the same level.

Bottom line: We are equal before God and in the church of believers. No one is above the law. No one is below the law. In this sense, Jesus does not talk of social or political change.

This type of relational and logical reasoning is found in other verses in the GNT.

Note that some will use an argument called "argumentum a maiori ad minus" which says that if the "greater" is true then the "lesser" must be true.

Another name for this is "Argumentum a fortiori" and appears to require a subset relationship but, in a sense, appears to be circular reasoning or what Aristotle calls "begging the question" as in "assuming the conclusion".

It is not immediately clear how this reasoning applies to this verse.

Details are left as a future topic.

This idea can get lost in the "foot-washing". As an example, every believer is at the same level as other believers. Human nature is to try to create a "house of/on sand" hierarchy of importance. That is, to, in a transitive manner, make this operation a "less than" operator/hierarchy rather than a "less than or equal to" operator which leads to an "equality" operator (as described above) as in a "house of/on rock"
To the extent that the Church of believers built on the sand of man helps one do what Jesus wants them to do, it is good. To the extent it does not, it is not good.

Some keywords used in deceptions: leadership (do what the boss wants), influence (manipulate)

• A previous verse was ambiguous about "to whom" does it apply.
• The example verses of foot-washing might be confusing to some.
• The logical explanation involving "not greater" might be confusing to some.

One would indeed be "happy" if one "understood" these things.

The Greek for "know" is that of "seeing" with "understanding".

Perhaps the original guidance of "greet no man on the way" and the secondary meaning of "do not sword any man on the way" using the deeper meaning of "sword" is relevant here.

• Do not "baptize" on the way.
• Do not "wash in the blood" on the way.

If what Jesus just said was completely clear, he would not need to make the conditional statement "if you understand these things". There may be a deeper meaning.

This is one of the few places in the KJV where the word usually incorrectly as "blessed" is translated as the Greek meaning of "happy". When Jesus uses the Greek word for "happy" that is often translated "blessed" it appears to be a clue that there is a deeper meaning in what the is saying that one needs to uncover to fully understand what he is saying.

More: Matthew 5: A eulogy of some blessed words on being blissfully happy

The constraints appear to be as follows.

• The (secondary meaning of the) guidance to the "seventy" is to "not draw a sword" to others at this time. That rule is not rescinded with the other rules involving "purse" and "scrip".
• Instead, everyone is to "sell" their "garment" and "buy" a "sword". The "sword" appears to represent the "servant" attitude towards other believers using the example of the foot-washing example by Jesus at the Last Supper.
• The Great Commandment or Mandate is the teach and make disciples of all peoples.
• That foot-washing example is only done to other believers who are disciples. This example appears similar but may not be the exact same rule as "love your neighbor as yourself".

Taken together, the sending out of the seventy to "greet no man on the way" and the Last Supper "foot-washing" example appear to represent the idea that all believers are equal towards each other (though not necessarily in abilities) and should serve other believers, but not be required to take requests nor honor any request that would violate God's Laws.

One should be "in the world" rather than "of the world".

Here is a possible progression of "oppression" (a primary meaning of the word "evil") that can be used by a leader to deceive followers as "trust me", "feel good", etc.

• Say or imply that "God is love" and, therefore "love is God", the converse fallacy. Downplay the importance of loving God by following God's rules.
• Convince everyone they need to love everyone in the world, based on "love your neighbor" instead of "love your neighbor as yourself".
• Convince everyone of the "society" or "church" over the "individual" with phrases such as "better together".
• Convince everyone they need to "serve" everyone, based on the Last Supper example of foot-washing where "serve" goes to "servant" goes to "slave".
• Since people need guidance on how to do this, the leader using the deception can interpose themselves as a "false Christ" to "enslave" those to whom they promised "freedom" of "Christ". Those enslaved end up doing the leader's will rather than God's will.

This is a slippery slope that can arise in many ways as variations on a theme.

Details are left as a future topic.