Die eingebrachte Stelle Lukas 10, 1f., mit der Nennung von 72(70) 'Jüngern'
a) ist die einzige in den vier Evangelien wie auch im NT, so dass man sie als isolierte Angabe aufgrund nicht vorhandener historischer Basis einstufen darf; verrät mir zumindest der Bauer-Aland, Griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch zum Neuen Testament (1988), immer noch Referenz, die Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel (1992) und die Neue Jerusalemer Bibel (1985) oder auch Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece et Latine, 28., revidierte Auflage (2014/2016)
b) gilt gleichfalls für die zahlreichen Textzeugen mit genannten 70 Jüngern
c) wird vielfach und u.a. in der neuen Nova Vulgata wie in der alten Lutherbibel mit 70 Jüngern angegeben
d) die Textzeugen-Variablen zeigen deutlich, dass hier keine historisch exakt dargestellte Tatsache abgebildet wurde, sondern eine nachträgliche symbolische Zahl, eine je nach Sprache und Überlieferung differierende Formel..
Dazu nur ergänzend Marshall, Gospel of Luke, Commentary on the Greek Text
A major problem concerns the number of missionaries.
The number ἑβδομήκοντα δύο is attested by ... and adopted by RV mg; RSV mg; NEB; JB; NIV; Synopsis; (UBS); Diglot; Lagrange, 292f.; Creed, 144; Schmid, 183f.; K. Aland (in Metzger, 151).
The alternative reading ἑβδομήκοντα is attested by ..., and adopted by RV; RSV; NEB mg; JB mg. The same variants occur in 10:17, where p and 33 also support ἑβδομήκοντα. For discussion of the problem see B. M. Metzger, ‘Seventy or Seventy-two Disciples?’, NTS 5, 1958-59, 299-306 (summarised in Metzger, 150f.).
1. The external evidence is evenly balanced. But although B and א are ranged against each other, B is supported by p and D. The combination of Alexandrian, Western and Syriac evidence in favour of 72 is the stronger.
2. Transcriptional arguments are indecisive. Confusion with the following ἀνὰ δύο could operate in either direction.
3. While the number 70 appears in a variety of symbolical uses, the use of 72 is much less frequent. Hence intrinsic probability strongly favours 72.
4. The possible symbolism may furnish an explanation of both numbers. There were 70 elders of Israel (Ex. 24:1; Nu. 11:16f., 24f.); the attempt to obtain 72 by including Eldad and Medad (Nu. 11:26; Miyoshi, 61, 79) is forced. For other groups of 70 persons see Ex. 1:5; 15:27; Jdg. 9:2; 2 Ki. 10:1; Bel 10; there were 70 members of the sanhedrin, excluding the high priest. There were reckoned to be 70 nations in the world (Gn. 10; cf. 1 En. 89:59ff.; Tanchuma tôl eḏôṯ 32b); the LXX of Gn. 10, however, lists 72 nations. There were 72 elders who prepared the LXX (Ep. Arist. 46-50). There were reckoned to be 72 princes and 72 languages in the world (3 En. 17:8; 18:2f.; 30:2). It has been suggested that Luke was alluding to some aspect of this symbolism, e.g. to the 70 elders of Israel (SB II, 166; Wilson, 45-47); but this particular suggestion does not adequately explain the number 72 in the textual tradition. Another view is that the translators of the LXX were in Luke’s mind, and he altered an original 70 in the tradition to 72 (S. Jellicoe, ‘St Luke and the Letter of Aristeas’, JBL 80, 1961, 149-155).
Most commentators, however, see a reference to the nations of the world, and find a foreshadowing of the later evangelism by the church in the world (K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT II, 634f.). This last suggestion gives a plausible solution of the textual problem. In 10:3 there is an implicit reference to the 70 nations of the world (see note). It is plausible that Luke, following Gn. 10 LXX (and/or possibly thinking of the missionary intent of the 72 translators of the LXX) wrote 72; later copyists, familiar either with the tradition behind 10:3 or with Gn. 10 MT, then altered the number back to the more familiar 70. If this reasoning is correct, it follows that the use of 72 (70) is not due to Lucan creation (Wellhausen, 48; Schulz, 404) but is derived from tradition. The understanding of the mission, described in strictly Palestinian terms, as prefiguring the gentile mission, was thus possible in the pre-Lucan tradition, and Luke has taken it over. He has not, however, developed it in any detail; indeed the fact that the disciples are sent out in pairs suggests that the idea of 72 (70) disciples going to 72 (70) nations is not taken up in the passage.
