Some Questions on Chapter 3 and 4 from Bob Nelson
Questions from Bob Nelson
1. Why did Christ chose those 12 as disciples? Why not any other 12? Why not a woman or women? What were the job requirements?
The number 12 was significant because it equaled the 12 tribes of Israel. When Jesus selected 12 disciples to become apostles, he was, in effect, creating The New Covenant of Israel. Why? Because The Old Covenant had broken down. The Covenant between God and all things visible and invisible took shape first in the creation.
When violence and exclusion became the human solution to the human sin, God established a Covenant with Abraham and the people of Israel. According to Saint Paul, the New Covenant was still between God and Israel. Jesus was not seeking to start a new religion, but to renew the ancient covenant that required Israel to be a blessing to the entire world, including Gentiles (non-Jews).
The Old Covenant failed because Israel sought to separate its fate from the rest of creation’s fate. This resulted in a following of the very ways of exclusion and violence that the Gentile world followed and that was described in the pre-flood world of Noah. Since Israel seemed only willing to separate itself from the world of the foreign others through ritual, purity laws, and the Law, the Old Covenant was forfeited.
Why did Jesus pick the particular 12 that he selected? First and foremost, they were all Jews, children of Israel. Secondly, they were definitely not part of the power structure of Jewish religion, but were those who were somewhat outside the official world of sacrifice and political maneuvering within Jewish religious life. They included laborers, a despised tax collector, a nationalistic zealot seeking a leader, and seekers after a better path to God. They were also just as an entrenched in the world of quid pro qua violence and exclusion as were those in power, but their power did not extend too far. Such behavior was either simply talk or expressed in their family life and later in their struggle to be number one disciple/apostle in Jesus’ Kingdom.
In short, this was the Old Israel about to be transformed so that the original creation and the First Covenant could finally be restored, redeemed. Their job was to imitate Jesus. To follow him wherever he went. To do what he told them to do. To bear witness to God’s activity in the Jesus’ interaction with others. To see that Jesus was truly the Son of God at every level of his being. To practice what they saw Jesus do (preach, cast out demons, heal the sick).
Women were part of Jesus’ inner circle, but for some reason were not given the role of apostles (the original 12). Women presuming to teach or interact with men were culturally shunned making their ability to impact the culture of the day very difficult. So, perhaps those first apostles were men due to the hardness of heart created by the culture into which they were being sent. I would also suggest that the women who followed Jesus did not engage in some of the in fighting for supremacy among the disciples, nor did they suggest that God reign fire down upon those who would not accept Jesus’ message.
I do not buy that since the original apostles were men and Jesus was a man, only men can serve as ordained bishops, priests, and deacons today. Within the culture of the church, it is important for our hard hearts to be replaced by flesh and blood hearts. Since we are part of a world wide communion, the allowing of women to serve as priests and bishops has resulted in “impaired communion” with other provincial churches within the communion. If you recall, Paul, Phillip, and Peter (embarrassingly) invited Gentiles into the fold when the Church of Jerusalem forbid it. Paul never apologized or repented for his actions, but offered a defense of his actions. It was pure grace that allowed this new addition to the church (us).
2. 4:9 : Ears: Anyone with hearing could hear the message. Why is this verse here? I suspect another message, like 'only believers will understand' but that is way too easy a 2nd message. Have a good day!Bob Nelson
The truth is that many people hear only what they want to hear. When Jesus taught using parables, those who listened could interpret them to fit their own theological scheme of things. They heard, but they did not understand. Such hearers without understanding believed that God somehow was playing the same winners and losers game that they were playing. They were upset when they lost and believed that someday they would win which would mean that someone else would have to lose.
Can you read the parables in such a way that there are no losers? Since Jesus was renewing the Old Covenant to be a blessing to the whole creation, is there room for the world’s way of creating winners and losers? Can we truly understand as long as we hold onto such thinking of the flesh (Paul’s term)? Is Jesus holding out the opportunity to turn toward God by turning towards those with whom they have not been reconciled? Questions for us to discuss this evening, eh?
Thanks for the great questions, Robert. See you tonight.
1. Why did Christ chose those 12 as disciples? Why not any other 12? Why not a woman or women? What were the job requirements?
The number 12 was significant because it equaled the 12 tribes of Israel. When Jesus selected 12 disciples to become apostles, he was, in effect, creating The New Covenant of Israel. Why? Because The Old Covenant had broken down. The Covenant between God and all things visible and invisible took shape first in the creation.
When violence and exclusion became the human solution to the human sin, God established a Covenant with Abraham and the people of Israel. According to Saint Paul, the New Covenant was still between God and Israel. Jesus was not seeking to start a new religion, but to renew the ancient covenant that required Israel to be a blessing to the entire world, including Gentiles (non-Jews).
The Old Covenant failed because Israel sought to separate its fate from the rest of creation’s fate. This resulted in a following of the very ways of exclusion and violence that the Gentile world followed and that was described in the pre-flood world of Noah. Since Israel seemed only willing to separate itself from the world of the foreign others through ritual, purity laws, and the Law, the Old Covenant was forfeited.
Why did Jesus pick the particular 12 that he selected? First and foremost, they were all Jews, children of Israel. Secondly, they were definitely not part of the power structure of Jewish religion, but were those who were somewhat outside the official world of sacrifice and political maneuvering within Jewish religious life. They included laborers, a despised tax collector, a nationalistic zealot seeking a leader, and seekers after a better path to God. They were also just as an entrenched in the world of quid pro qua violence and exclusion as were those in power, but their power did not extend too far. Such behavior was either simply talk or expressed in their family life and later in their struggle to be number one disciple/apostle in Jesus’ Kingdom.
In short, this was the Old Israel about to be transformed so that the original creation and the First Covenant could finally be restored, redeemed. Their job was to imitate Jesus. To follow him wherever he went. To do what he told them to do. To bear witness to God’s activity in the Jesus’ interaction with others. To see that Jesus was truly the Son of God at every level of his being. To practice what they saw Jesus do (preach, cast out demons, heal the sick).
Women were part of Jesus’ inner circle, but for some reason were not given the role of apostles (the original 12). Women presuming to teach or interact with men were culturally shunned making their ability to impact the culture of the day very difficult. So, perhaps those first apostles were men due to the hardness of heart created by the culture into which they were being sent. I would also suggest that the women who followed Jesus did not engage in some of the in fighting for supremacy among the disciples, nor did they suggest that God reign fire down upon those who would not accept Jesus’ message.
I do not buy that since the original apostles were men and Jesus was a man, only men can serve as ordained bishops, priests, and deacons today. Within the culture of the church, it is important for our hard hearts to be replaced by flesh and blood hearts. Since we are part of a world wide communion, the allowing of women to serve as priests and bishops has resulted in “impaired communion” with other provincial churches within the communion. If you recall, Paul, Phillip, and Peter (embarrassingly) invited Gentiles into the fold when the Church of Jerusalem forbid it. Paul never apologized or repented for his actions, but offered a defense of his actions. It was pure grace that allowed this new addition to the church (us).
2. 4:9 : Ears: Anyone with hearing could hear the message. Why is this verse here? I suspect another message, like 'only believers will understand' but that is way too easy a 2nd message. Have a good day!Bob Nelson
The truth is that many people hear only what they want to hear. When Jesus taught using parables, those who listened could interpret them to fit their own theological scheme of things. They heard, but they did not understand. Such hearers without understanding believed that God somehow was playing the same winners and losers game that they were playing. They were upset when they lost and believed that someday they would win which would mean that someone else would have to lose.
Can you read the parables in such a way that there are no losers? Since Jesus was renewing the Old Covenant to be a blessing to the whole creation, is there room for the world’s way of creating winners and losers? Can we truly understand as long as we hold onto such thinking of the flesh (Paul’s term)? Is Jesus holding out the opportunity to turn toward God by turning towards those with whom they have not been reconciled? Questions for us to discuss this evening, eh?
Thanks for the great questions, Robert. See you tonight.
posted by Father Bob+ at 6:35 AM
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