JESUS IS AFTER THE HARVEST.
So He was finishing His work on the earth and facing the weight and brutality of the cross and penalty He alone is qualified to pay for each one of us and our sins.
He did not appear to be trying to "wiggle His way" out of His purpose, but to confront the fact that His disciples were all struggling with much of what He was teaching. They needed a mind set shift, but there was not much time left. Some of the disciples , the 12, were fixed in their beliefs that Jesus was to set up a natural kingdom here on the earth. But where did they get that idea from? This was contrary to all their leader was teaching them.
However, they believed that Jesus was going to solve the political challenge the Jews faced, and overthrow or expel the governance of the Romans, Greek etc. They even self appointed to His cabinet in advance.
Well, Jesus was after the harvest of souls and he needed more dedicated labourers to go into the field. He did not want to leave anyone untouched, unattended or ignored, The Kingdom of God is here "even near unto them"
So he selected and appointed 72 additional disciples, missionaries, evangelists to go door to door, city to city and he gave special instructions which included "Peace to the homes that you enter in.
PEACE TO ALL OF YOU AND YOURS.