By Jill Roberts and Michael Canalé
This week, Michael and I were discussing Jesus’ twelve disciples and how they came to be chosen by him. I asked Michael about who he thought they actually were. He answered, “The disciples were players in a play Jesus was writing.” I love this explanation and find it to be both comprehensive and poetic. The play Michael was speaking of is, of course, the Kingdom of God, the central theme of Jesus’ teaching and what he prioritized above all else. As disciples, or followers and pupils of Jesus, he was counting on these Twelve to carry on into time his nascent establishment of the Kingdom. Their role in this capacity cannot be overemphasized. This being the case, one would expect that Jesus would choose wise, devoted and polished individuals who could easily and quickly grasp what Jesus was saying and doing and, as followers, start following him in his ways, becoming accomplished pupils of the Teacher of all time. But then, as stated in previous blogs, the day we think we can predict what Jesus will do and, as here, whom he will choose, is the day we have moved outside of our spiritual depth. As Michael said, “Jesus was on Earth to write a play, and he cast his first twelve players in a manner that defies human logic, and, just as certainly, defined the brilliance of his script and of himself, the playwright.”
The Apostle Paul, writing to the Church in Corinth, clearly understood his Savior’s priorities in his selection of the disciples:
“ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
(1 Corinthians 1:26-29) NIV
With the illumination of these verses, we can better understand why Jesus chose as he did. (The Twelve were Simon, whom he called Peter, his brother, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James and Judas Iscariot.) (Luke 6:14-16) NIV. Looking at the twelve disciples’ overall profile, we find that ten of the twelve came from what today we might colloquially refer to as a backwater area of the rural countryside of Galilee, the very region in which Jesus, himself, grew up. We can hardly forget the comment of Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew, one of Jesus’ twelve original disciples, when he heard that the Messiah, Jesus, came from Nazareth:
“Nazareth! Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
(John 1:46) NIV
Primarily then, Jesus chose most of the Twelve from the very outlying region in which Nazareth was located. Of the Disciples about whom Scripture noted their professions, many were ordinary fishermen and, as stated, from Galilee. Michael makes a very interesting observation about such men:
“They cast their nets into the water, over and over, in a repetitive motion. They sat and waited, looking out at the water and what was many times its serenity. In this, they were men acquainted with peace.”
Of the Twelve, Jesus also chose Matthew, a reformed tax collector, as despised an occupation as existed in Israel at that time, along with a member of the Zealots, strong defenders of Judaism and, unlike the acquiescing Pharisees, very anti – Rome in its occupation of Palestine.
Along with being surprising choices, as common thought might perceive them, the Twelve shared two important characteristics. First, when called by Jesus to follow him, they IMMEDIATELY accepted his offer, leaving behind their previous lives and straightaway going with Jesus. In other words, they were available.
Michael raises such a fascinating point, in that the Bible leaves us to wonder whether everyone called to follow Jesus in this way, answered the call by leaving their nets, so to speak. As I point out in my book, How to Find God in Under Five Hours, those who did choose to follow Jesus left not only their fishing nets; they also left their euphemistic safely nets, as the world views safety. This is why Jesus forewarned the crowds that they should “count the cost,” (Luke 14:28) KJV, before deciding to become a follower. As we know well, discipleship often comes at a considerable price.
To return to the subject of the Disciples making themselves immediately available, there is a second common characteristic among them. This one is much more problematic. We should remember the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:27, i.e., that he chose the foolish things. Yes, the second thing that they shared was a strong inclination toward just that – truly foolish thoughts and actions. Michael states in this regard,
“ How could they have been with the Teacher of all time, living and eating with him, listening to him daily, and yet just not ‘get it,’ as Jesus tried to guide and mold them?”
It is amazing and difficult to understand, and yet, truly the case. These men were found majoring in the minors, so to speak, with great frequency. Notable and numerous examples pour out onto the pages of Scripture. Of these, some of the more egregious ones follow. What word other than “foolish,” adequately descibes the amazingly half-baked ideas that these twelve often had!
They certainly didn’t “get” Jesus when parents wanted Jesus to bless their little ones and the Disciples tried to prevent this:
“Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. BUT THE DISCIPLES REBUKED THEM. (emphasis added).
Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
(Matthew 18:13-14) NIV
As Michael points out, as a result, Jesus had to correct these terribly misled Disciples.
Perhaps, one of the most serious examples of their foolishness is recorded in the Gospel of Mark:
“…he (Jesus), took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man (How Jesus referred to himself over one hundred times), will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later, he will rise.’
Then James and John came to him. ‘Teacher, ‘ they said, ‘we want you to do whatever we ask.’
‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.
They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in glory.”
(Mark 10:32-37) NIV
it is difficult to imagine these disciples’ raw attitude and ambition. When the other ten heard about the audacity of James and John, they were indignant. Jesus had to correct and unify them all by, once again, by telling them that greatness in his Kingdom comes from serving, not from being served and grand. (Mark 10:43) NIV
Again, Jesus began to predict his own death:
“From that time on, Jesus began to explain to his Disciples that he must…be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Peter took him aside and began to REBUKE him. (emphasis added). ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘. This shall never happen to you!’
Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
(Matthew 16:21-23) NIV
The Twelve just didn’t understand a Messiah who suffered. At The Last Supper, Peter was initially concerned about servanthood, as Jesus prioritized washing of feet. (John 13:3-9) NIV
Peter, James and John, the Inner Circle of the Disciples, couldn’t stay awake with Jesus when he was praying intensely in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before his crucifixion. (Mark 14:32-38) NIV
Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. (Luke 22:47-48) NIV
Peter, the rock, denied he knew Jesus three times.(Luke 22:54-62) NIV
Have you ever wondered whether you are worthy to represent and follow Jesus in this world? Please, put aside that concern! His handpicked Twelve doubted, misinterpreted and denied ever knowing him! As earlier stated, these players constantly got it wrong despite being with Jesus constantly.
There is a passage in Scripture, one that takes place relatively early in Jesus’ public ministry. It predates his crucifixion, predates Pentecost and is contemporaneous with some of the Disciples’ worst behavior. It is so touching in its implications for the Twelve and for us today:
“One of these days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent one night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated APOSTLES.” (emphasis added)
Luke 6:12-13) NIV
Why is this passage especially moving? Why is it significant that the Twelve were Disciples but, after a night of prayer, they became apostles? The answer is that despite what Jesus already knew about their frailties and failings, he promoted them, after long consultation with his Father in Heaven. What is an apostle? We know that a disciple is a pupil, a follower, but the word apostle carries with it a much heavier, more distinguishing weight. An apostle is defined as one who is “sent as a messenger.” By whom were these Twelve sent? Jesus sent them, BUT ONLY AFTER consultation with God the Father Himself! The word apostle has, therefore, been further defined as “Heaven sent.”
These apostles were not left unprepared to perform their missions on Earth. At Pentecost, a subject thoroughly discussed in an earlier blog by that name, they received the Holy Spirit and began to magnify the Lord Jesus who had patiently counseled and corrected them during the three years leading up to this moment. Peter, a simple, often stumbling fisherman, preached a sermon still lauded today, bringing three thousand souls to Jesus. Ultimately, eleven of the Twelve were martyred for Jesus, willingly giving their lives rather than water down their message to the world.
It was said of these men that, through their faithfulness, they were those “that have turned the world upside down!” (Acts 16:6) KJV. In our world today, may they inspire each of us, foolish though we sometimes are, to know that we are chosen, empowered and, in our own ways, Heaven sent!
Brava and bravo.
John, thank you! Means the world.