Jesus chose the Twelve and temporarily shared with them His own power and authority. This enabled them to preach that the Kingdom of God was now in their midst, as well as to demonstrate by healing and casting out evil spirits.
We notice at once this is not merely a technique He taught His followers about how to pray for the sick: God’s power has to back up the prayer or it will not work.
Later, we see that Jesus, finding that the multitudes of the sick could not be adequately helped by Himself alone or by the Twelve, decided to multiply those who shared His mission: Luke 10:1-2,9.
We have no idea who these 72 were; no names, just ordinary followers of Jesus. But we do know that they were excited about their mission when they came back. They found that it really worked (Luke 10:17). Jesus then had to calm them down by reminding them that was far more important that their names were written in heaven (Luke 10:20).
One of the clearest teachings of the Gospel is that God chose the weak, by human standards, to demonstrate His power….
In all of this we see God’s design, to show us that God’s strength is made manifest in our weakness … In fact, we may find that the lack of earthly powers or credentials, like our Master, is our best preparation for becoming ministers of spiritual power – of ministering healing and deliverance to God’s people.
(MacNutt Francis. The Healing Reawakening, Chosen Books, 2005)
35 Jesus went around visiting all the towns and villages. He taught in the synagogues, preached the Good News about the Kingdom, and healed people with every kind of disease and sickness. 36 As he saw the crowds, his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 So he said to his disciples, “The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in. 38 Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38 GNT)
Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Patriot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
5 These twelve men were sent out by Jesus with the following instructions: “Do not go to any Gentile territory or any Samaritan towns. 6 Instead, you are to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. 7 Go and preach, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons.
(Matthew 10:1-8 GNT)
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field… 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (Luke 10:1-2,9 NIV)
17 The seventy-two men came back in great joy. “Lord,” they said, “even the demons obeyed us when we gave them a command in your name!”(Luke 10:17 GNT)
20 But don’t be glad because the evil spirits obey you; rather be glad because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20 GNT)
