 |
| TRAINING THE 12 DISCIPLES |
| A most unpromising group of recruits. |
| "Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?" 8:18 |
| A skilled dramatist, Mark describes the crowd reactions to Jesus all through his account. He shows people astonished, confused, and upset by Jesus' actions. Always, twelve people, the disciples, linger in the background, working out the logistics of Jesus' ministry. At first, the disciples did not distinguish themselves - to put it mildly. Their most obvious trait was denseness: "Are you so dull?" Jesus asked (7:18), and again, "How long shall I put up with you?" (9:19). Dense Disciples About halfway through the book of Mark (chapter 8), the focus shifts away from the crowds and onto the disciples. In spite of their erratic performance, Jesus devoted much of his time to them. Outsiders still gathered to watch and listen, but Jesus concentrated on training the Twelve, preparing them to carry on his work after his departure. How did the disciples handle the increased attention? If anything, they proved even more inept. When Jesus referred to his coming death, they either missed the point or foolishly protested his plans. Sometimes they squabbled about who deserved the most favored position. They obviously didn't understand the dazzling events going on around them. In short, the disciples amply demonstrated the mixture of good and bad present in all of us. Near the end of Mark, as events conspired toward Jesus' death, the disciples grew more anxious and assertive. Jesus singled out two followers in particular, John and Peter, for his strongest reprimands. Ultimately, despite vigorous pronouncements of loyalty, each one the the Twelve sneaked quietly and ashamedly away from Jesus in his moment of deepest need. |