Luke 10:13-17: a reflection

13“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. 16Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

Jesus pronounces woe on the towns where he had done so much and taught so plainly, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, because, having seen so much, they still did not repent. If the works done among you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, he says, they would have repented long ago. The tragedy is not that these towns saw too little, but that they saw so much and still refused to turn. And he adds a principle: whoever hears you hears me, and whoever rejects you rejects me and the one who sent me.

Notice the sobering truth here: greater light brings greater responsibility. The towns that had seen the most were held to greater account, not because privilege is bad, but because privilege carries responsibility. To be shown much and still refuse to respond is a graver thing than never to have been shown at all. Those given more are answerable for more.

That is a searching word for any of us who have been given much light. Many of us have heard the gospel plainly, again and again, have seen much of God's truth and grace. That is a privilege, but it is also a responsibility: to whom much is given, much is required. It is possible to be richly exposed to God's truth and yet, like Capernaum, fail to truly respond, and that is a serious thing. Do not presume on the light you have been given. If you have heard and seen much of God, respond to it; do not let familiarity breed a settled failure to truly turn. Greater light is a gift, but it calls for a greater response.

Lord Jesus, you grieved over the towns that had seen so much and still would not repent, for greater light brings greater responsibility. Search me, for I have been given much light: I have heard the gospel plainly, again and again, and seen much of your truth and grace. Keep me from presuming on that privilege, from being richly exposed to your truth and yet failing, like Capernaum, to truly respond. Let familiarity not breed in me a settled failure to turn. Help me answer the light I have been given with real repentance and faith. To whom much is given, much is required; help me respond to all you have shown me.