Lesson #11 Discipleship . . . and Persecution!

(Matthew 10: 1 - 42)

Up to this point in our study of Matthew we have moved systematically through the Gospels mirrored chiastic structure, tracking Jesus on the heros journey. We have seen Jesus miraculous virgin birth, accompanied by heavenly signs; his initiation (baptism by John); his first test (temptations by Satan); his relocation to Capernaum; his calling companions to accompany him on his journey; and we have followed him as his journey begins, observing his brilliant expository teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and witnessing God performing healings and miracles through him as he travels throughout Galilee teaching, preaching and healing.

Along the way we have learned a great deal about Jesus:

1. He is an extraordinarily charismatic figure, one who holds large crowds spellbound with his radicalindeed, revolutionaryteaching; he teaches with authority (7: 29). He has an astoundingly intimate relationship with God the Father, as evidenced by the healings and miracles God performs through him, including raising the dead and exerting control over nature and the supernatural (8: 1 9: 38). He identifies himself as the Son of Man in Daniel 7: 13-14, the one to whom the Ancient of Days gives dominion, splendor and kingship, the one whose everlasting dominion . . . shall not pass away (Daniel 7: 14). The demons identify Jesus as the Son of God (8: 29). The crowds are astonished by him, asking What sort of man is this (8: 27)?

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As we move into Lesson #11Discipleship . . . and Persecution!Jesus delegates authority to his disciples, sending them throughout Galilee to proclaim: The Kingdom of heaven is at hand, and to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers [and] drive out demons (10: 7-8). And he warns them that trouble will dog their every step: people will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues (10: 17); you will be hated by all because of my name (10: 22); and their message will not bring peace, but division (10: 34-36).

Jesus was certainly correct when he told the scribe who wanted to follow him:

Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head (8: 20).

The heros journey will be fraught with danger for both Jesus and his companions!

Scene from The Desolation of Smaug (2014), the 2nd entry in Peter Jacksons 3-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkeins The Hobbit.

The Gospel according to Matthews overall mirrored chiastic structure

A Narrative: Jesus as Messiah, Son of God (1-4) Minor discourse: John the Baptist identifies the authority of Jesus (3:7-12) B Great Discourse #1: Demands of true discipleship (5-7) C Narrative: The supernatural authority of Jesus (8-9) D Great Discourse #2: Charge and authority of disciples (10) E Narrative: Jews reject Jesus (11-12) F Great Discourse #3: Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven (13) E Narrative: Disciples accept Jesus (14-17) D Great Discourse #4: Charge and authority of church (18) C Narrative: Authority and invitation (19-22) B Great Discourse #5: Judgment on false discipleship (23-25) Narrative: Jesus as Messiah, suffering and vindicated (26-28) Minor discourse: Jesus identifies the authority of the church (28:18-20)

Anonymous. The Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles, (Russian) 14th century. Moscow Museum.

Disciple = Greek, mathts

From the Greek root math-, having the mental ability to think something through; hence, a learner, student or follower (we get the English words mathematics and mathematician from it).

Apostle = Greek, apostolos

From the Greek verb apostello, to send; hence one who is sent out to perform a task. Anyone can be an apostle, one who is sent. To be a capital A Apostle (one of the twelve), one must have been an eyewitness to Jesus entire public ministry from his baptism in the Jordan River through his death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven (Acts 1: 21-22).

John Wesley (the founder of the Methodist movement) created this dove & serpent motif for the chapel he built in 1777 in London.

Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes (10: 23).
In the synoptic Gospelsand throughout the New Testament everyone expectedor longed forthe imminent coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, ushered in by the arrival of the The Righteous One, the Messiah. This was especially the case among those influenced by Essene thinking, such as John the Baptist, and perhaps Jesus himself.

Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes (10: 23).
Recall the message of John the Baptist, reinforced by Jesus and then proclaimed by the Twelve: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (3: 2; 4: 17; and 10: 7). The phrase is at hand is a single Greek word : eggiken, the intensive perfect form of the Greek verb eggidzo (to draw near). The perfect tense denotes an action in the past that has ongoing effects into the present, and the intensive form of the verb adds a sense of force and urgency, suggesting a translation like: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is bearing down upon you [like a freight train]!

That sense of urgency dominates Jesus actions in Matthew, and it intensifies as the narrative speeds forward, its tension building, as escalating opposition and conflict drive Jesus inexorably toward Jerusalem . . . and the cross.

Salvador Dali. Christ of St. John of the Cross, detail (oil on canvas), 1951. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow.

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As we move from Jesus teaching the Sermon on the Mount to witnessing his miracles and healings, one would expect massive support form his audience; yet, as our narrative moves ahead, Jesus warns of intense persecution and hatred. Why? What does Jesus mean by be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves (10: 16)? Why would the scribes and Pharisees so vehemently oppose Jesus? Jesus said, Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword (10: 34). How do you reconcile this with Jesus as Prince of Peace? Jesus said no disciple is above his master, and he suggested that if he is persecuted, so will his disciples be persecuted. Does this apply today? If so, how?

Copyright 2014 by William C. Creasy

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