From Disciples to Apostles

Can you name them all without referencing the gospels? Most of us can manage the first four: Simon, Andrew, James, and John and then we must think a bit harder. Ah yes, Matthew the gospel writer, and doubting Thomas perhaps, and then Judas of course who betrayed Jesus, but after then things get a little hazy. Well, seven’s not bad, but the other five can we name them? Well, there’s another Simon, and another James, a Bartholomew, a Philip, and a Thaddeus. This final quintet hardly gets another mention in the gospels so its not surprising we overlook them, but their lack of mention doesn’t diminish the importance of their status. These were people who heard the call of Jesus and felt the power of his message and it caused them to change the course of their lives and by consequence our lives to.

We all know the story of the call of Simon and Andrew, James and John very well. Matthew’s call is also recorded, but the circumstances of the call of the others remains unknown. All we can assume is that they must have been members of the “large crowds” who followed Jesus, from the start of his ministry in Galilee, to his passion, death and resurrection in Jerusalem. In so doing, they would become designated “disciples”, a word which denotes an active engagement with a teacher or leader. A supporter and adherent who helps in the proclamation of the master’s message. However, we know that there was a deeper reality at work here because Jesus constantly laid out the requirements of discipleship for his followers, stressing that if you want to be a disciple of his then you must take up your cross each day and follow him. Such a demanding condition would clearly make would be disciples think long and hard before committing to this calling.

But now in the thick of their discipleship their roles are dramatically changed. Their discipleship receives an added dimension. They are given a commission in which the living heart of their calling is made dramatically present to them. The cross, which they were told they must carry as a mark of discipleship, is made real by virtue of the task they are given as apostles; go and proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. This is the ultimate reality, to make the kingdom present and the immensity of the task is exemplified in the series of tasks they are given. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Jesus annunciates the scope of the task he is giving them and at the same time predicts the many obstacles they will encounter, not least the spectre of betrayal; the impact of which will become all too self-evident to them.

Proclaiming the kingdom is an awesome task, as all the apostles, each in their own way discovered. For one his fate was tragic, for the majority, their fate was martyrdom and tradition relates that only one died a natural death. As his disciples today, may our following of Jesus make us worthy of our calling.