The seventy (-two) returned rejoicing, and said, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name." Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power 'to tread upon serpents' and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven." At that very moment he rejoiced (in) the holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it." (Luke 10:17-24)
There was a celebration at the completion of the mission. The disciples rejoiced over the defeat demons at the name of Jesus. Name of Jesus is more powerful. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow… Give thanks to the Father in the Name of Jesus etc are the belief and the practice of the early church. God’s glory and the power was revealed in the name of Jesus.
Celebration and rejoicing should not be there because the evil is overcome. Evil will be overcome at the end. That which goes beyond the end (of evil) is the heaven. So what is more important is that the names are written in heaven. The disciples should celebrate the entry into heaven more than the victory over evil. Shall we say that we should rejoice not because we have overcome evil rather because we have achieved doing good and being good.
The disciples are blessed and praised for the opportunity that they have had in seeing the kingdom established on the earth in the person of Jesus. The prophets and many waited and longed to see this. (Simeon himself sang the song NUNC DIMITIS in the Temple when he was blessed to hold the child Jesus in his hands.) There were many like him who wanted to see…
