Hebraic
Musing – Why were Jesus’s Apostles
such Good Disciples?
Or,
how did they go from disciples to the role of apostles, “sent ones”? If Jesus’s disciples were called “uneducated”
then they weren’t taking notes when Rabbi Jesus was teaching them; so how and
why did they remember Jesus’s
teachings? And how were they able to
document them in Gospels later in life?
Brant Pitre* described how their oral traditions, memories, and
discipleship became reliable Gospels.
Stage 1. The Life and
Teaching of Jesus – As a Jewish “rabbi” Jesus “taught” his
“students” in the traditional rabbi-student relationship. His students lived
with him and learned from him for three years. During this time, Jesus expected them to
“remember” what he said and instructed them to begin “teaching” others while he
was still alive. In Mark 6:6-13 for
example – “Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave
them authority over evil spirits. These
were his instructions: …” In
v.12 “They went out and preached
that people should repent.” And in verse 30 “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had
done and taught.” NIV Do we ask our disciples to report back?
Stage 2. The Preaching of
Jesus’s Students – After Jesus’s death, the students of Jesus
“remembered” what he had said and done, so they simply “taught” others what
they had seen and heard. Their preaching
was based on their skilled memories as trained students and the rehearsed
memories of disciples who repeatedly preached about what Jesus said and did. Classic examples:
·
John 15:20
“Remember
the words I spoke to you:…” and then in John 16:4 “I have told you
this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you.”
·
John 2:22
“After he was raised from the
dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the
Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
·
Acts 4:13
“When they saw the courage of
Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,
they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
Stage 3. The Writing of the
Gospels – Later in life they “wrote” what they themselves
“witnessed” or what was “handed on” to them by “eyewitnesses” who were present
with Jesus “from the beginning” Examples:
·
Luke 1:1-2 “Many
have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled
among us, just as they were handed
down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and
servants of the word.”
·
John 21:24
“This is the disciple who
testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his
testimony is true.” NIV
The Disciples were
students, but being a student then was radically different from what it is like
today when you may or may not listen to a lecture three times a week. Jesus’s students followed him everywhere,
listening and observing Him all the time, for three years. The Gospels alone repeat the word “remember”
16 times!
The four Gospels are what
they claim to be, authoritative accounts of the life of Jesus based on the
testimony of his students. And God so
controlled the process of communication to and through His servants such that
God Himself is the ultimate source and speaker.
Points to
ponder
How well do
we listen? Really listen?
Why do the
gospels say “I
told you…” six times in red letters?
How can we be
disciplers by “living with” our
disciplees?
Will they
believe your testimony when you say “I know Jesus”?
"This is what I told you while I was still with you:…” Luke 24:44
Yosef a.k.a. Joe Brusherd
January
8, 2019
Author: “Hebraic
Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”
*
Excerpted and q
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