Kingdom Disciples

In the Gospel of Mark , we see Jesus “ on the way ” to Jerusalem and the Cross. This theme occurs several times in Mark , beginning with the Baptist who was sent to “ prepare THE WAY before the Lord .” The Nazarene would complete his mission as the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ portrayed in the Book of Isaiah . He would be tried by the priestly leaders of the Temple, and face death outside the walls of the City of David at the hands of Rome.

Jesus fulfilled the role of the ‘Suffering Servant’ described in the  Book of Isaiah . Unlike Adam, he did not attempt to grasp the “ likeness of God ,” but he humbled himself and submitted to a shameful death on the Roman cross. For this reason, God exalted him and made him “ Lord ” over all things. His exaltation did not precede his death; his enthronement followed it, and he died utterly alone.

In the  Gospel of Mark , Jesus first appears when he is baptized by John the Baptist. He is identified with his hometown of Nazareth, a village of no consequence, though its very insignificance plays an important role in the story. He is the “ Servant of the LORD ” anointed by the Spirit who does not conform to popular expectations -  BOTH THEN AND NOW .

When Jesus first appeared in Galilee, he proclaimed the “ Kingdom of God ” – “ Repent, for the kingdom is at hand .” In his ministry, God’s reign had begun to invade the Earth. But his realm was and remains of an entirely different nature than the political systems of the present fallen age. Moreover, on more than one occasion, Jesus refused THAT kind of political power, especially when it was offered by Satan who tempted him with sovereignty over “ all the kingdoms of the world .”

The theme of fulfillment is prominent in Matthew’s gospel. In Jesus, the promises of God find their intended fulfillment. He is the Son of God sent to redeem Israel and rule the nations. Peter, for example, confirmed that he was the “ Messiah .” Nevertheless, he failed to understand that he would undertake that role as the suffering “ Servant of Yahweh ” who came to “ bear the sins of many .” His true identity was revealed in his self-sacrificial act.

The  Gospel of Matthew  presents Jesus as the “ Son of David .” In his life and death, he demonstrated what it meant to be the King of Israel. This last designation was linked traditionally to the House of David; but in Matthew, that understanding of the Messiah is altered in unexpected ways. The Greater “ Son of David ” is more than the Ruler of Israel or King over the Nations, for he is the Messiah of a radically different kind, the “ Servant of Yahweh .”

Satan tempted Jesus by offering him political power over “ all the kingdoms of the world ,” an offer he emphatically refused. Instead of power and grandeur, he submitted to the way of the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ that led to death on the Roman cross. The most startling detail of this encounter is that Jesus did not dispute the Devil’s claim to have jurisdiction over the political systems of the world.

His disciple is called to engage in self-sacrificial service for others just as Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many . After predicting his death, two of the disciples began jockeying for positions of high status in his coming Kingdom. Thinking according to the ways of this world with its concepts of political power, they did not comprehend what kind of Messiah Jesus was and remains, and therefore, what it meant to follow him “ wherever he goes .” However, in Jerusalem, he would soon demonstrate just how one achieves “ Greatness ” in the Kingdom of God.

As Jesus approached Jerusalem, he explained exactly what it meant to be Israel’s Messiah and the Son of God, namely, suffering and death. This expectation was contrary to popular expectations, and apparently, those of his closest disciples. He also summoned anyone who would follow him to take up his cross and emulate his example. Both then and now, failure to do so renders one an object of shame before the Lord of Glory.

In  Philippians , Paul points to the obedience of Jesus as the model for members of the Assembly to copy. His willing submission to death on the Roman cross is the pattern for the conduct and attitude of his Church. His elevation to reign over the Cosmos resulted from his obedience “ unto death upon a cross .” Imitating this example is what it means to “ follow him wherever he goes .”

In Galilee, the disciples witnessed Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, forgive sins, and even calm a violent storm, all supernatural acts performed with great authority. However, all too often, his words and deeds produced confusion followed by the question – “ Who is this man? ” Only at his execution on Golgotha did a human being begin to understand who he was.

When Jesus dispatched his disciples to announce the “ Good News ” to the “ lost sheep of Israel ,” he warned that they would find themselves as “ sheep among wolves .” Hostile men would haul them before “ councils and whip them in their synagogues .” His followers would be hated “ by all men for my sake .” That was the harsh reality they discovered, one faced later by many in the early Church. The very men who should have welcomed Israel’s Messiah instead fought what he represented tooth and nail.

After predicting his death, two of the disciples began jockeying for positions of high status in his coming Kingdom. Thinking according to the ways of this world with its concepts of political power, they did not comprehend what kind of Messiah Jesus was and remains, and therefore, what it meant to follow him “ wherever he goes .” However, in Jerusalem, he would soon demonstrate just how one achieves “ Greatness ” in the Kingdom of God.

In the three synoptic gospels, the term “ Son of Man ” is the self-designation found most often on the lips of Jesus. It is derived from Daniel’s vision of the one “ like a Son of Man ” who received the “ dominion and kingdom ” from the “ Ancient of Days .” According to Jesus, “ All the tribes of the Earth ” will mourn when “ they see the Son of man coming on the clouds of Heaven .”