The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Seven.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Seven.

 

Bible Reading: Mark 1:16-20.          

16. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.”

17. “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

19. “When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.”

20. “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.”

 

J. Their attitude (Matthew 10:16).

Jesus then explained that in carrying out their mission the disciples would be like sheep surrounded by wolves. The image is one of constant danger. “Therefore,” Jesus said, “be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

The two qualities are both vital for disciples but must be in balance.

1.    Wisdom, without innocence is cunning.

2.    Innocence, with wisdom is awareness

When the two are in balance Jesus’ followers demonstrate both insight and bold trust in God.

 

11. Prophetic warnings, Matthew 10:16-41.

 

The Matthew passage now continues with a series of farsighted warnings.

In this passage the focus shifts from the immediate mission on which Jesus was sending the Twelve to the future. After opposition to Jesus had hardened, and after Christ was crucified, the disciples would face increasing dangers.

We know that this passage is prophetic for Jesus not only warns of beatings administered by the Jews (Matthew 10:17) but also says that His followers will “be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles” (10:18).

The immediate mission of the Twelve was to go to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (10:6), and the Twelve had been told “do not go into the way of the Gentiles” (10:5).

What then could the disciples expect in the future? It was far worse than they would experience on their upcoming mission in Galilee!

 

1. They would be delivered up (10:19-20).

The phrase suggests being called before Jewish and Gentile courts. Jesus tells them not to worry about what to say when this happens, for “it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak” verse 19.

 

2. Their message will divide (Matthew 10:21-25).

Their message will create the most intense emotions, so powerful that family members will “deliver up” one another “to death.” The gospel they would preach, far from bringing harmony and peace, would create opposition and strife. But the aggression would be directed against Jesus, not them. They would be hated “for My name’s sake” (10:22). It is Jesus and what He stands for that arouses hostility.

Jesus pointed out that disciples are not above their teacher. Instead, disciples are expected to be like their teacher, as servants are expected to be like their masters. It follows that those who hate Jesus will hate those who are like Him.

 

3. They are to speak boldly (Matthew 10:26, 27).

The disciples are not to be scared by opposition. Instead, they are to keep on boldly preaching God’s word. The phrase explaining why the disciples are not to fear is fascinating. It is “for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known” verse 26.

Shame was of great concern in the world of the first century. Shame is related to guilt, but quite different.

Guilt is awareness that one has sinned and deserves God’s punishment. Shame is public revealing of the fact that what an individual has committed to is useless and empty.

The Twelve had no reason to fear being ashamed. At history’s end they are the ones who will be proved correct, while the foolishness of their opponents will be exposed to the whole universe.

 

4. They are to fear God rather than men (Matthew 10:26-33).

Fear in this context is a healthy respect. Men could kill the disciples’ bodies, but God controls both our natural and eternal destinies. It follows that we need to respect God to such an extent that we do not fear what men might do to us.

Jesus points out that ultimately mere human beings have no power over us at all. God has numbered the very number of the hairs on our heads. He knows when a sparrow dies. As we are so much more valuable to God than sparrows, we can rest secure. Nothing will happen to us apart from our Father’s loving will (10:29).

The promise of God’s watch care is extended to all who confess Jesus openly.

Jesus concluded His instruction of the Twelve with a word of encouragement. Their ministry will not be marked by failure, even though many will reject their teaching and many others will pay no attention to it. Jesus promised,

“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward” Matthew 10:40-42.

After giving the Twelve these instructions, Jesus “departed from there to teach and preach” Matthew 11:1, and the disciples stepped out on their own.

Mark tells us that later the Twelve returned and told Jesus what they had done and what they had taught (Mark 6:30).

Another similar passage tells of a time when Jesus sent out seventy of His followers on a similar mission. They returned thrilled and excited, joyfully reporting that “even the demons are subject to us in Your name” Luke 10:17.

Christ, who had witnessed the fall of Satan from heaven (see Isaiah 14:12-15), calmed them. Jesus had given them power over the enemy, but Jesus’ followers were not to rejoice that evil spirits were subject to them.

Rather they were to rejoice “because your names are written in heaven” Luke 10:20.

Discipleship has its rewards. But that which is to bring us the greatest joy of all is knowing Jesus personally and being known by Him.

Jesus had recruited and begun training the twelve men who were to play such vital roles in establishing His church. Both the recruitment and training processes are instructive.

Jesus did not ask for a commitment to discipleship until each of the Twelve had a chance to come to know Him personally. Discipleship is not so much commitment to a set of beliefs as it is wholehearted allegiance to the person of Jesus Christ. People still need to have a chance to come to know Him better before being challenged to discipleship.

But once the Twelve had been called and decided to follow Jesus, Christ began to train them. The initial stages of this training involved spending time with Jesus, studying what He did, and listening to His teachings. As we have seen, the Twelve began to understand and to adopt Jesus’ own attitude toward others, sensing His compassion and ready acceptance of all.

Being involved with Jesus also led to many opportunities to work together with Him in private. The disciples were able to question Jesus and have Him explain what He had taught and why He had acted as He had. Jesus was also able to test them, challenging and expanding their understanding.

Then, along with teaching by example and in private conversations, Jesus taught by sending out the Twelve to gain experiences that would be vital in the future. In preaching repentance and the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, the disciples had an opportunity to learn reliance on God and to see for themselves the power of the name of Jesus.

Soon Jesus’ teaching would take on a new emphasis, and so would Jesus’ training of the Twelve. For as it became more and clearer that Israel would not acknowledge Jesus as the promised Messiah, Jesus began to emphasize the cross rather than the crown.

 

          Here ends this study.

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Six.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Six.

 

Bible Reading: Mark 1:16-20.          

16. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.”

17. “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

19. “When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.”

20. “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.”

 

E. Teaching by telling.

While example was always an important element in Jesus’ teaching, telling, instruction was essential. On the one hand the Twelve listened to all of Jesus’ public teaching, and tried to take it in. On the other hand, they also had the benefit of private instruction. Often this private instruction followed and grew out of an event they witnessed or a public teaching that they heard.

 

F. Explaining the parables (Matthew 13:36; 15:15).

This feature of Jesus’ early instruction of the Twelve is illustrated in Matthew 13 and 15. Jesus had just told the crowds the parable of the Sower (13:3-9).

The disciples asked Jesus why He spoke to the crowds in parables (verse 10), and He explained. After Jesus told the parable of the tares (verses 24-30) and the crowds had gone home, “His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field” verse 36. Again, Jesus explained.

We see the same thing in Matthew 15. Jesus had just given a simple illustration that showed the emptiness of the Pharisee’s approach to holiness (15:11). The disciples were curious. Did not Jesus know that the Pharisees were offended by the saying (verse 12)? Jesus dismissed their concern, but then Peter said, “Explain this parable (saying) to us” verse 15.

This interaction was a normal and an essential element in Jesus’ training of the Twelve. They felt free to ask Him anything, and because Jesus’ teachings were so new, often questioned Him about the meaning of the things He said.

 

G. Feeding the multitudes (Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:35–44; Luke 9:12–17; John 6:5–13).

Another illustration of the interaction between Jesus and the disciples is seen in a story told in all four Gospels. Jesus had taught a great crowd of people. As it began to get late the disciples became concerned.

The crowd would be getting hungry, and there was no way to feed them, for they were in wilderness area far from any town. The disciples suggested that Jesus send the crowds away.

The fact that the disciples expressed concern may be encouraging; they may have been growing in their capacity to feel for others, something time and again modeled by Jesus. But John tells us that Jesus tested His disciples.

He asked Philip where they could buy the bread to feed thousands (John 6:5-6). Matthew reports that Jesus told others, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat” Matthew 14:16). The disciples must have been frustrated. What could they do?

In fact, there was nothing. But when a boy was located who had brought a lunch, Jesus multiplied his few loaves and fishes and fed some five thousand adult men along with uncounted numbers of women and children.

Later Jesus referred to the incident (Matthew 16:9; Mark 8:19). Clearly the disciples had not yet learned the lesson the miraculous feeding had taught. But as with every other incident and every other private time they had with the Lord during the early period of Christ’s ministry, the Twelve would remember and in the end would learn.

 

H. Teaching by sending.

Each of the synoptic Gospels gives considerable space to instructions Jesus gave His disciples as He sent them out two by two to teach and to heal (Mark 6:7). It is important that the sending took place quite early in His ministry, when the focus of Jesus’ own teaching was still the good news of the kingdom of God.

The Twelve were not yet trained in the sense of being discipled. Later Jesus even sent out followers other than the Twelve on the same kind of mission (Luke 10:1-20)! But the descriptions of Jesus’ “on-the-job training” of the Twelve given in Matthew 10 and Mark 6 provide many insights.

 

I. Their mission defined (Matthew 10:1–8; Mark 6:7).

 

The Twelve were told specially to limit their ministry to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” Matthew 10:6. They were not to go into Gentile or Samaritan territory. As they went, the Twelve were to preach the message that was then the central theme of Jesus’ own preaching. They were to say, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” verse 7.

Jesus also gave the Twelve the power to perform the kinds of miracles He himself was performing. The Twelve were to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead, cast out demons” (10:8). They were to do this without charging anyone for their ministry. “Freely you have received,” Jesus said, “freely give.” All the Twelve did was to demonstrate the grace of God, as did Jesus’ own ministry.

Their dependence stressed (Matthew 10:9, 10; Mark 6:8-9). In His own traveling ministry Jesus was dependent on others for support. Luke mentions several women “and many others who provided for Him from their substance” (8:3). Jesus Himself, as Teacher, was responsible to meet the needs of His twelve disciples.

The day would come, however, when the disciples would be on their own, and then they would need to depend on the Lord and on God’s people to meet every need. Thus, Jesus told them, “Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.”

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus had encouraged everyone to depend on God as Father, and “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” Matthew 6:33. Now it was time for the Twelve to discover for themselves that God is faithful.

Their approach explained (Matthew 10:11–15; Mark 6:10, 11). In Galilee and Judea hotels were unknown. Travelers depended on the hospitality of local people. The few inns were simply way stations for business travelers with strings of animals, usually an open courtyard where the beasts of burden could rest. Thus, hospitality was a prized value in the first century; individuals and communities took pride in welcoming travelers.

Jesus told His disciples that upon entering any community they should “inquire who in it is worthy” (10:11) and plan to stay with that family until they leave. The phrase “who is worthy” indicates a religious family with a good reputation.

 

          End of part six, part seven will follow.

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Five.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Five.

 

Bible Reading: Mark 1:16-20.          

16. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.”

17. “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

19. “When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.”

20. “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.”

 

A. Teaching by showing.

The first and most obvious way for the disciples to learn from Jesus was simply to watch Him and listen to His teaching. Matthew 4:23-25 sums up Jesus’ early ministry of teaching and healing,

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

Great multitudes followed Him, from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.”

In Matthew’s Gospel this summary statement leads directly into the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ extended details of His kingdom’s lifestyle. The miracles drew the crowds, but when they came and heard Jesus, they were amazed that He spoke with such authority.

The Gospels give us close-ups of several Jesus’ miracles, and help us realize what the disciples learned from them.

 

B. Jesus heals a leper (Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-44).

The story is related in two gospels. A leper came to Jesus and prostrated himself, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched the leper, saying “I am willing; be cleansed.” Jesus then told the leper, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them” Matthew 8:4.

What did the Twelve learn by viewing this healing? Both Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus touched the leper. Mark adds that Jesus was “moved by compassion” to do so. Jesus performed most of His miracles simply by uttering a word.

But Jesus was sensitive to the fact that as a leper this man was “unclean,” isolated even from his family and untouchable to any Jewish person.

As much as he needed physical healing, the leper needed to experience an acceptance that could only be communicated by the touch of another’s hand. Jesus reached out His hand to meet this deep inner need, not because healing required His touch. And the disciples were shown that compassion is a vital element in ministering to anyone in need.

There were other lessons in this incident too. A person seeking healing must have enough confidence in Jesus to come to Him. And Jesus’ instructions, that the leper should show himself to a priest and so have the healing qualified (Leviticus 14:1ff) as a “testimony to them,” were important.

Not only would this prove that healing had taken place, but it would also show the leper’s and Christ’s respect for God’s Law. Jesus came as a groundbreaker, but not as a radical.

 

C. Jesus stills the sea (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25).

The story is familiar. The disciples are in a boat with Jesus, who is asleep. The Sea of Galilee has always been subject to sudden, dangerous storms. But this storm was unusually strong, a tempest. Terrified, the disciples roused Jesus, crying “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” Matthew 8:25. Mark tells us they also cried, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Jesus then stilled the winds and sea, bringing a sudden and complete calm. Matthew tells us that the disciples marveled, saying “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” verse 27.

Each account portrays a rebuke by Jesus. Matthew tells us that He called them “little-faiths,” a term Matthew also uses in 6:30, 14:31, and 16:8. Mark adds more detail. Jesus said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

The incident underlined the power of Jesus but also emphasized the importance of faith in Him. It was not that with faith the Twelve could have stopped the storm by themselves. It was simply that if Jesus was present, they should have known there was no reason to fear.

Whatever the circumstances of our lives, faith tells us that Jesus is present and that He is in control.

 

D. Touched by a woman (Matthew 9:18-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48).

One day Jesus was asked to help the daughter of an important man in the local synagogue. On the way, a woman in the crowd that crowded around touched Him. This woman suffered from a menstrual flow that had persisted for twelve years. She was desperate, for her husband could have no relations with her or even touch her while blood flowed.

Mark tells us that she “had suffered many things from many physicians” and that she had “spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse” Mark 5:26-27).

The woman had come to believe that if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak as He passed by, she would be healed. So, she pressed closer and closer. She reached out and touched Him, and immediately was healed!

Jesus felt the touch as power flowed from Him, and stopped, asking, “Who touched My clothes?” Mark 5:30.

Luke tells us that the disciples said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, “Who touched Me?” Luke 8:45. The words seem indifferent, as if the question Jesus asked should not be taken seriously. Jesus did not bother answering but continued to peer into the crowd. At last, the woman stepped forward and told her story.

Jesus listened and then told her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace” Luke 8:48.

This healing too was a learning experience for the Twelve. In the theology of the day a person or thing that was ritually unclean contaminated whatever it touched. The woman with the flow of blood was unclean. Yet when she touched Jesus, rather than making Him unclean, a cleansing power flowed from Him to her.

 

The fact that the Gospel writers give details concerning her twelve-year struggle also show that the Twelve were learning much from Jesus about concern for persons as individuals. The Pharisees would have dismissed the woman and her complaint simply because she was a woman. Jesus took time to listen, and then commended her for her faith.

Concern for women was the quality of Jesus, yet totally out of harmony with the religious thinking of the time. Later Jesus would encourage Mary the brother of Lazarus to join in as He taught the Twelve (Luke 10:38-41).

It was unthinkable in that day for a woman to be permitted to learn from a rabbi; yet Jesus commended her for joining the Twelve rather than busy herself with “women’s work.” Clearly the welcome Jesus showed women was itself part of the training of the Twelve. And Jesus’ example is reflected in the prominent roles many women played in the early church.

These three examples, the leper, the storm, and the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, illustrate how Jesus taught His disciples by example. The compassion Jesus showed, the faith He displayed, and the welcome He extended to all, were important components in Jesus’ teaching of the Twelve.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Four.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Four.

 

Bible Reading: Mark 1:16-20.          

16. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.”

17. “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

19. “When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.”

20. “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.”

 

4.    The Call, Luke 5:1-11.

 

Luke gives us a fascinating and in-depth description of the disciples’ moment of decision: a moment to which other Gospel writers refer only briefly.

Jesus was preaching by the seaside, so pressed by the crowds that He asked Peter to push his boat out into the water so Jesus could speak from there. After He finished speaking, Jesus told Peter to push his boat out into the deep water and let down his nets for a catch.

Peter was unwilling. He and his partners had fished all night and had caught nothing. As a professional fisherman Peter fished only at night, and then near the shore where schools of fish came into hunt. Peter agreed reluctantly.

“Master,” Peter said, “we have toiled all night and caught nothing,” an objection which is clearly an implied rebuke. “Nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net” verse 5.

The Greek word translated “master” is found only in Luke. While a term of respect, it is also somewhat slang, rather like our term “boss.” Peter respected Jesus.

But Peter was an outstanding and successful fisherman. He had earned enough money at fishing to move from his hometown of Bethsaida, John 1:44 “Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.” To the provincial capital and to build a large home on expensive land.

It is likely that Peter and his partners also distributed their catch in Jerusalem itself, where Peter’s partner John was well known to the high priest’s servants, John 18:15 “And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.”

Yes, Peter respected Jesus, but Peter thought of himself as the expert when it came to fishing! Peter was an expert. But when the nets he let down were suddenly filled with so many fish Peter had to call for his partners to bring another boat, Peter realized Jesus had performed a miracle.

It apparently was one thing for Peter to see Jesus perform miracles for others, but another for Jesus to perform a miracle for him. Peter was overwhelmed. “Lord,” Peter said, falling down before Jesus, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man” verse 8.

Peter’s whole attitude underwent a striking change. We see it in the word he now uses to address Jesus: “Lord” (kurios).

“Lord” was used in ordinary speech to express respect, much as we say “Sir.” But Lord was also used of God as the object of ultimate respect. It was in this sense that Peter used it as he called Jesus Lord, begging Christ to leave him “for I am a sinful man.”

Suddenly and without warning Peter had an overwhelming awareness of just how great the gap was between himself and Jesus. Humbled, Peter confessed that he was unworthy of associating with Jesus.

The Lord. Jesus’ response must have been as comforting to Peter as it is to us. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus told His friend. “From now on you will catch men” verse 11.

There was and is no need to fear Jesus. Jesus had come, moved only by love, to save sinners. And, indeed, there was hope for Peter. For in following Jesus, Peter would be transformed.

The fisherman of fish would become a fisher of men, a man who would persuade millions and help them come to know Jesus as their Lord as well as his.

It is the same for us. It is fitting that we feel awe in Jesus’ presence, and that we be deeply aware of our sin. But we need never fear Jesus. If we will but follow Him, we, like Peter, will be transformed. We may not become fishers of men, as Peter did. But if we follow Jesus, our lives will never be the same.

 

5.    Called and Commissioned, Luke 6:12-16.

 

Jesus had spent time with the men He would call to be His disciples. He had let them come to know Him personally, not just as a public figure. We can take for granted that this was also the case with Levi/Matthew and the others, although we do not know the details of Jesus’ association with every disciple. These men had grown to trust Jesus enough to forsake “all and follow Him” Luke 5:11.

But the choice was a distressing one for Jesus as well as for the Twelve. Luke 6:12-13 tells us,

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles”

It is helpful here to distinguish between the calling of the disciples and their commissioning.

1.    In a very real sense, all of us are called to follow Jesus.

2.    But not everyone will be commissioned for special full-time service.

Jesus was now about to commission twelve, and His choices would be crucial. Even though Jesus was God the Son, the choice was so crucial that Jesus spent the night in prayer to the Father before the Twelve were officially named His apostles.

These were the men who would represent Christ and proclaim the coming of the new day!

 

6.     Training the Twelve.

 

Jesus’ approach to training His twelve disciples was unusual only in one way. Like the rabbis of His time, Jesus took His disciples with Him everywhere. They listened and watched as He preached to the crowds and interacted with individuals.

Jesus often instructed them in private, questioning and being questioned by their Master. What is unusual is that Jesus’ training involved sending out the disciples to represent Him in the early stages of their training.

We can discover the training of the Twelve by looking at passages that reveal how Jesus showed, instructed, and sent His disciples.

 

End of part four, part will follow.

 

 

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Three.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Three.

 

Bible Reading: Mark 1:16-20.          

16. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.”

17. “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

19. “When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.”

20. “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.”

 

4.    Recruiting the Twelve.

 

It is easy to misunderstand the process Jesus used to recruit His disciples. Yet there are good reasons for any misunderstandings. For instance, Mark 1:16-20 contains this account of calling several of the disciples.

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.

A little later Mark 2:14 Mark describes the call of Matthew (called Levi in the Gospels). As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So, he arose and followed Him.

From Mark’s account it almost appears as if Jesus on impulse picked out strangers He came across, and that these strangers, with no prior relationship with Christ, simply dropped everything and committed themselves to a life of discipleship.

This impression, however, is a false one. What Mark describes is the call to discipleship, a call that followed a lengthy period during which Jesus and His disciples came to know each other well.

 

5.    Meeting at the river, John 1:30-51.

 

John the Baptist had been preaching near the headwaters of the River Jordan, and many traveled to hear the fiery prophet predict the appearance of the Messiah and call for repentance. Jesus too came to hear His cousin John, and even to be baptized by him.

It was while Jesus was coming up out of the waters that John saw the Holy Spirit descend as a dove on Christ and was amazed to realize that his cousin from Nazareth, Jesus, was the Son of God and the Messiah, John 1:31-34 “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

“And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

The day after, John was seated with two of his believers and pointed Jesus out to them as the Lamb of God.

The two left John and trailed after Jesus. When Christ noticed them, He asked, “What do you seek?” verse 38 and afterward invited them to spend the day with Him. One of the two was Andrew, destined to become one of the Twelve.

John tells us that Andrew later found Peter, his brother. Excitedly Andrew told Peter, “We have found the Messiah!” verse 41. Andrew hurried Peter along to see Jesus for himself. That very day Jesus announced, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” verse 42, which translated into Greek, is petros, Peter, a stone.

Jesus clearly knew what the future held for Simon Peter. But Peter and the others did not know and were not yet ready to commit themselves to be His disciples.

The next day Jesus was ready to return to Galilee. But first He invited Philip, a friend of Peter and Andrew, to join Him and the others. Philip found Nathanael and eagerly tried to recruit Nathanael to join the group. Nathanael was doubtful but went with Philip to meet Jesus. As Nathanael approached, Jesus remarked, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit” verse 47.

Nathanael, who had never met Jesus, was surprised. He blurted out, “How do You know me?”

Jesus answered that He had “seen” Nathanael “before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree” verse 48. This remark convinced Nathanael, who knew that from where Jesus had been, He could not possibly have seen Nathanael with physical eyes. “Rabbi,” Nathanael said, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” verse 49.

 

6.    Three days later, John 2:1-11.

 

Jesus and those He met at the river then traveled together to Galilee. It is fascinating to wonder on what they talked about as they began to get acquainted. Clearly Jesus’ companions were already more than a little in awe of Him. But just what the little company said and did as they walked along is something we will never know.

We do know, however, that “on the third day” there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Both Jesus and His disciples were invited, and apparently came as a group. It was there that, when the wine ran out, Jesus turned water into wine.

John describes this as the “beginning of signs Jesus did.” It was Jesus’ first miracle, performed before His new friends rather than in public, and John says it “manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him” John 2:11.

 

7.    The move to Capernaum, John 2:12.

          “After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.”

 

          Jesus now moved from Nazareth to Capernaum, the governmental center of Galilee built on the shore of Lake Galilee. Capernaum now became the headquarters to which Jesus would return from His preaching missions throughout Galilee.

Capernaum was also the home of Peter, James, and John, and Jesus remained close to these future disciples.

Mark describes a healing that Jesus performed in a synagogue at Capernaum and tells of Jesus’ growing fame “throughout all the region around Galilee” Mark 1:28.

He goes on to say that coming out of the synagogue “they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John” Mark 1:29. Peter’s wife’s mother was sick with a fever, and Jesus healed her. That evening “they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door (of Peter’s house)” verses 32-33.

Jesus stayed with Peter that night but slipped away to pray. The next morning Peter was worried when he discovered Christ was gone, and “searched for Him” Mark 1:36.

The more we compare the accounts of Jesus’ early relationship with His disciples, the more clearly, we see it. Jesus did not recruit strangers. Jesus first nurtured a relationship with the men He intended to become His disciples. When His call to discipleship finally came, the disciples knew well the person to whom they were making a commitment.

 

End of part three, part four will follow.

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Two.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part Two.

 

Bible Reading: Mark 1:16-20.          

16. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.”

17. “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

19. “When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.”

20. “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.”

 

3. Who were the Twelve?

 

The New Testament contains four lists of the twelve men Jesus chose and trained as disciples.

These lists have certain likeness in common. On each list Peter is the first named. The gospel accounts make it clear that Peter was the leader of the twelve.

On each list the same four disciples are grouped at the top, Peter, James, Andrew, and John, although not always in the same order.

In the Gospels we read that Peter, James, and John were often called away from the others to share some special experience with Jesus, see for example” Mark 5:37 “And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.”

Luke 9:28 “Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.”

And on each list, Judas Iscariot is found last. (Note that the disciple called Thaddaeus in Matthew and Mark is called Judas, son of James in Luke and Acts.)

While some of these disciples are familiar from the four Gospels and Acts, we know little about others, and almost nothing of their post-resurrection ministries. What we do know is gained first from the biblical accounts, and second, from tradition.

 

1. Peter.

After the resurrection of Jesus, Peter is prominent in the early chapters of Acts and as the author of two of our New Testament epistles. Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost opened the church era (Acts 2). Peter clearly played a leading role in the earliest days of the church.

His healing of a man born a cripple was the occasion of a powerful sermon (Acts 3), that led to a useless attempt by the religious leaders to silence the apostles (Acts 4). Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9), was the first to preach the gospel to Gentiles at the home of Cornelius (Acts 10) and later was freed from prison by angels (Acts 12).

At the first council of the church Peter sided with the apostle Paul, arguing that Gentile Christians should not be told they must keep the Mosaic Law, although they would need to be sensitive to the convictions of their Jewish Christian brethren (Acts 15).

Later traditions suggest that Peter visited Britain and Gaul (France). A reliable tradition indicates that Peter was crucified upside down in Rome around a.d. 64–68.

 

2. Andrew.

Andrew, although prominent on the lists of disciples, is seldom mentioned in the Gospels. Tradition indicates that after the resurrection Andrew preached in Scythia, Asia Minor, and Greece, and that he was crucified at Petras in Achaea.

 

3. James, son of Zebedee.

Acts reports that James was the first of the disciples to be martyred, executed by Herod Agrippa I around a.d. 44. The story of James’ death and the following judgment on Herod is told in Acts 12.

(The James who appears as a leader at the Jerusalem council and who wrote the New Testament epistle of James is not James the disciple but James the brother of Jesus.)

 

4. John.

John, so prominent in the gospels, was the longest lived of the disciples. John is mentioned briefly in Acts as Peter’s companion at the healing of the man born a cripple (Acts 3) and as a member of the delegation sent to confirm the unexpected conversion of Samaritans under the ministry of Philip the evangelist (Acts 8).

John ministered in Asia Minor, dying a natural death in Ephesus around a.d. 100. In the 90s John was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he recorded his vision of the future as the book of Revelation. John also wrote three epistles found in the New Testament: First, Second, and Third John.

 

5. Matthew.

While Matthew wrote the Gospel that bears his name, little is known of his ministry after the resurrection. Different and conflicting traditions have him ministering in Ethiopia, Parthia, Persia, and Macedonia.

 

6. Judas Iscariot.

Judas is mentioned twenty-three times in the Gospels and in Acts, more times than any of the disciples other than Peter. Judas betrayed Jesus for the paltry sum of thirty pieces of silver. Afterward, full of remorse, Judas hung himself. Apparently, the rope eventually broke, tumbling his body down a cliff.

While we know nothing of the later ministries of the other disciples, there are traditions associated with each.

A.   Thomas may have ministered in India and may have founded churches there.

B.   Bartholomew is thought to have gone with Philip to Hierapolis in Asia Minor, where tradition suggests that Philip was crucified. Bar-tholomew was supposedly martyred after ministering in Armenia.

C.   James the son of Alphaeus is thought to have served in Syria.

D.   Traditions, less reliable, concerning the last two of Jesus’ disciples place Simon the Zealot in Persia, Carthage, or Britain, while Thaddaeus has been linked to Edessa.

Whatever the eventual ministries of the twelve men Jesus chose as disciples, each was carefully trained for ministry by Jesus Himself. As Christianity spread like a flame through and beyond the Roman Empire, we can only conclude that the training was successful indeed!

 

          End of part two, part three to follow.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part One.

 

The 12 Disciples of Christ. Part One.

 

Bible Reading: Mark 1:16-20.          

16. “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.”

17. “Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18. “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

19. “When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.”

20. “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.”

 

One of the most fascinating aspects of Jesus’ ministry here on earth is the time He invested in training just twelve disciples. He spoke to thousands, but the teaching that had the most lasting impact was the private instruction that Jesus gave the Twelve.

These twelve men were with Him from the earliest days of His ministry. They witnessed all He did; and heard all He said. And often after a day of ministry they gathered around to ask Him questions, and to be questioned in their turn. In the end eleven of the twelve became the core of the dynamic movement Jesus founded, His Church.

 

1.    Let us meet the Twelve.

 

We all know at least several of the Twelve disciples. We surely know Peter, the leading disciple. We also know Matthew and John, authors of two of our four Gospels. Yet many of them remain shadowy figures whose experiences after the death of Christ are mysteries to us.

 

2.    Why “Disciples”?

 

“Discipleship” was a well-established institution in first-century Judaism. It was the one and only avenue for gaining recognition as a rabbi (teacher), often called a “lawyer” in our text.

 

A. First-century elementary education.

Every Jewish boy was expected to go to school, and teachers’ salaries were paid by taxes levied on all in the community.

Boys might begin school from age five to age seven, with seven being more common. However, from age three parents were expected to help their children memorize key passages of Scripture, and some literature suggests fathers begin to bring their sons to the synagogue at this age.

The subject matter in Jewish schools was the Scripture. Children were expected to learn to read and to memorize large blocks of Scripture. They were also taught basic arithmetic, and some learned to write.

One early description of synagogue services indicated that seven members of the congregation would read from the Scriptures during the service; this is highly likely as most Jewish men were literate.

 

B. Advanced education.

A few students went beyond this elementary schooling and studied the teachings of earlier rabbis.

Here is the Jewish educational process in the flow of the stages of a man’s life:

1.    At five years old, Scripture.

2.    At ten years, Mishna.

3.    At thirteen, the Commandments.

4.    At fifteen, Talmud.

5.    At eighteen, marriage.

6.    At twenty, the pursuits of business.

7.    At thirty, strength.

8.    At forty, discernment.

9.    At fifty, counsel.

10.  At sixty, age.

11.  At seventy, old gray hair age.

12.  At eighty, power.

13. At ninety, frailty.

14.  At a hundred, as though he were dead, and gone, and had ceased from the world.

In addition to formal education in childhood the synagogue itself served the community as center for continuing education of adults. It was expected that even a workman would be a lifelong student of Scripture, an ideal which was seldom fully met but which remained an ideal.

Given this commitment to religious education, those to whom Jesus spoke had a far better grounding in Scripture than do most Christians today!

 

C. Training for spiritual leadership.

If one aspired to become a master of the Law and gain respect as a teacher, the one avenue open to him was that of discipleship. Such a person attached himself to a recognized rabbi, and for many years studied with his master. These studies were not the formal classes we are familiar with in our collages.

Instead, the disciple lived with his master, listening to his teachings and his discussions with others, observing him in every possible situation, asking him questions and being questioned in return. The goal of this process was not simply mastery of what one’s teacher knew; the goal was to develop a character like that of the person with whom one studied.

Jesus said it in Luke 6:40: “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.”

When the New Testament identifies the Twelve as Jesus’ disciples, it marks them as men who were undergoing this kind of training.

These were twelve men who abandoned their occupations to follow Jesus everywhere that they might learn from Him. Perhaps more to the point, these were twelve men whom Jesus chose for this kind of training.

As we have seen, it would be wrong to think of the twelve as uninformed men when Jesus selected them. They were men who had been taught the Scriptures from childhood, and, as we will see, they were men who for the most part had been successful in their own demanding careers.

Yet they were men, like other first-century Jews, whose old ways of thinking were about to undergo a tremendous reorientation. They, like all their generation, would discover a totally new way of understanding their relationship with God and with others.

 

 

Only their complete commitment to Jesus, and the settled confidence that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, enabled these men to accept teachings they would not fully understand until long after Jesus’ resurrection.

1.    We will look at recruitment and the early training of the Twelve.

2.    We will look at Jesus’ turning-point teachings, where the central theme of His ministry becomes the Cross and its lifestyle.

3.    We will look at Jesus’ teachings on spiritual leadership.

4.    We will examine Jesus’ Last Supper teachings, which have been called the seedbed of the church.

 

End of part one, part two will follow.