IMAGES OF JESUS

Jesus appears on the pages of John’s Gospel in the midst of the most magnificent array of descriptive images imaginable. More than mere metaphors or titles, these images provide us with thrilling portraits of the multiple facets of our Lord’s identity and purpose. They inspire us to contemplation and reflection and afford us clear insights into just who He was and is. Through them we gain better understanding of His Divine Life and His call upon our lives.

Within the 51 verses of the first chapter of his Gospel John tells us that Jesus is the Eternal Word of God that became flesh and dwelled among us; that in Him was Life and Light. He is the One and Only or Only Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth, and the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. He is called Rabbi, Messiah/Christ, Son of God, King of Israel, and the Son of Man. With this introduction John sets the scene for his presentation of the good news of Jesus and the many signs that will accompany Him throughout the rest of the Gospel confirming His identity for all who have eyes to see and ears to hear. The view is available for all to see but not all will.

Many signs were given that revealed who Jesus was. While there were many who saw these signs and believed in Him, there were many others who saw these same signs and rejected Him. (John 2:23; 12:37) Like those who can’t see the forest for the trees, they ignored the signs pointing to His true identity, all the while asking for a sign to confirm for them who He was. (Mark 8:11) Although very knowledgeable of the Scripture they were blinded by centuries of misinterpretation that took precedent over God’s own revelation of Himself. Thus, in abject ignorance of the Scriptures’ true witness, they didn’t recognize “the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote.” (John 1:45)

Adding to their confusion over Jesus’ identity was the fact that He often conducted Himself in a manner inconsistent with their manmade traditions. The true Messiah did not match the erroneous expectations of those who were the interpreters of the law and the prophets. God Himself did not conform to the demands of the administrators of the “things of God” to the people. Blinded by their misguided preconceptions and the evil in their own hearts they gazed upon the Truth, and rejected it as a lie. They looked at God incarnate and called Him Satan. (Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22-23; Luke 11:15-19) Is there any wonder that someone could smell the odor of sulfur in a place where a man of truth had recently stood and spoken? (Matthew 10:24-25)

In the weeks ahead, God willing, we will look closely at the signs that confirmed these images John used to introduce Jesus. We will also hear His call upon our lives to bear these same images in His name in the world. (Isaiah 43:10; Acts 1:8)

DISCIPLES FOLLOW JESUS

Jesus’ arrival on the banks of the Jordan was not a chance happening. God does not leave things to chance, as some suppose. When the time had fully come, at the precise and optimum moment, God sent His Son, Jesus, who appeared at the very spot where God had strategically placed His mouthpiece, John the Baptist. John was God-sent and in place to recognize, introduce and bear witness to Jesus. John’s placement was part of God’s perfect plan “so that through Him all men might believe.” (John 1:6-7)

By God’s design there also were two young men who “just happened to be there” that day in search of the Messiah. Until they met Jesus they were following John thinking it might possibly be him. Others were also there for the same reason. (John 1:19-20) The stage was set, expectations were high, but no one suspected the cosmic drama that was taking place. Jesus would later ask, “What did you go out into the desert to see?” (Matthew 11:7) Whatever they thought they had gone out there to see, what they saw was a messenger sent of God to point them to the true Messiah, Jesus. He was standing among them and they didn’t know Him.

Jesus had come out to the Jordan because He was ready to begin the ministry His Father had sent Him to do. When He arrived on the banks of the Jordan that day He was unknown both to John and to the crowd that was there. (John 1:26 & 31) God had prepared John and given him a sign to watch for so when Jesus arrived he could recognize Him. So when Jesus arrived and John looked up and saw Him, and saw the Holy Spirit descending upon Him as a dove and staying, he knew instantly who He was. He did what he was sent to do, he shouted, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”

With that shout of John the Baptist on the banks of the Jordan River the curtain rose on the Kingdom of God and the one the crowd saw standing there, center stage, was Jesus. The Kingdom of God had drawn near in the person of God’s only Son, Jesus. The Bridegroom had been announced. The wedding and banquet were being prepared. Who would go in to the feast?

The next day when Jesus walked by, John announced again, “Behold the Lamb of God.” How many there were in the crowd that heard him is unknown, but the two young men who were there following John were sufficiently intrigued by what they heard to leave John and follow Jesus home and spend the day with Him. By the end of that day they had seen and heard enough to be convinced that their search for the Messiah was over. They had indeed found the Messiah they had been waiting and longing for. We know this because one of the two, Andrew found his brother, Simon, and reported to him, “We have found the Messiah,” and brought him to Jesus. (John 1:41) Some suggest that by the implication of the wording of this passage the unnamed other man likewise found his “own brother” and brought him to Jesus too. The typically unnamed Apostles throughout the Gospel of John are John himself, and his brother James.

We may never know, in this life, the stories of all the others that met Jesus that day, but we do know that from these two young men the numbers of those following Jesus immediately began to multiply as they right away brought others to meet Him. Andrew found Simon, and John found James. The next day when Jesus called Phillip to follow Him, Phillip immediately found Nathanael. These men brought many more to Jesus we don’t know about. But from this small mustard seed, the Kingdom of God began to grow, first two, then four, then six, then twelve. The numbers grew until there were many disciples who followed Jesus. (Mark 4:30-32; 12:15)

Thousands gathered on hillsides or the seaside to hear Him teach. (Matthew 8:1; 19:2) At one time the press of people was so great Jesus had to get into a boat and shove away from the shore in order to teach them. (Luke 5:3) We know He fed five thousand who had come out to hear Him on one occasion; and on another, four thousand. Luke reports that on one occasion Jesus appointed seventy-two of His disciples to go out into the towns and villages where He was about to go. (Luke 10:1-17) Jesus appointed twelve of His disciples and designated them as Apostles. (Mark 3:13-15) After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension a hundred and twenty gathered in Jerusalem to elect Matthias to replace Judas as one of the Twelve Apostles. (Acts 1:15-26) There were large numbers of disciples (Luke 6:17), but just how many of the large crowds that thronged about Jesus day after day actually became disciples is unknown.
Large crowds would follow Jesus so He would turn to them and tell them what was required of any who followed Him. (Luke 14:25-35) Jesus was not impressed by the large numbers of people who turned out to see and hear Him. (John 2:23-25) At times Jesus would challenge them to consider their misguided motives for following Him. (John 6:26-27) Others Jesus would invite to follow Him and they would turn away sadly when they heard the terms. (Matthew 8:18; 19:22) In spite of His words many followed Him anyway but Jesus knew their hearts were not in it. At one time or another and for one reason or another many who followed Him would turn back and cease following Him when they were offended by something they heard Him say. (John 6:66) Large crowds alone were not then, nor are they now, accurate indicators of how many are disciples who are truly following Jesus.

Today, in the twenty-first century, we who claim to be followers of Jesus are not unlike those who followed Him then. Jesus turns to us who are in this crowd and reminds us that He is the same, and His requirements of discipleship are the same. Nothing has changed or will change. How many of us in this large crowd that seem to be following Jesus and thronging about Him today are His disciples and truly following Him? Who of us will stay true to Him through the tough times ahead? Jesus knows. What’s more, if we are His disciples His Holy Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:16)

JESUS OUR RABBI

Jesus invited disciples to come and follow Him at the very outset of His ministry. Being Jewish and living in a first century Jewish community He obviously followed the tradition of the rabbis of Israel by calling disciples and offering to them His yoke. In a significant way, however, Jesus made radical departures from the traditions. While Jesus’ invitation, “Come. Follow Me…” (Mark 2:14) and “Take My yoke upon you...,” (Matthew 11:29) was like the invitation offered by the other rabbis, His invitation differed substantially from theirs. This scriptural image of Jesus as Rabbi calling disciples provides us a tremendous insight into our relationship with our Lord and reveals what an amazing and wonderful thing it is to receive Christ’s invitation to “follow Him” and be His disciples.

It was not an easy thing to become the disciple of a rabbi. Only the crème de la crème of Jewish students could ever hope to be invited to be a disciple of a rabbi. To even be considered worthy of such an invitation, the student would have proven himself by rising to the top above all other students through the first two stages of schooling. The first stage was beit Sefer which began for all Jewish children at age of six. They memorized the Torah, led by the local rabbi at the local synagogue. Only the very best students progressed to the second stage, beit Talmud, and memorized the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Prophets and The Writings. At each stage those who didn’t make the grade simply returned to their families to learn the family business. Only the best of the best were eligible to apply to go to the third level, beit Midrash.

Rabbis were highly respected and honored men in Israel. They interpreted God’s word and will for the people of Israel. To receive the honored rabbi invitation to follow him was the highest privilege a young man could ever hope for. Very few made it through the first two stages, and fewer still were allowed into the third stage, beit Midrash.

The potential disciple, in addition to being a proven superior student, had to desire more than to just learn all that the rabbi knew, he had to deeply desire to give himself to becoming just like his rabbi and learning how to do what his rabbi did. If this was his desire, he would ask a rabbi to accept him as his disciple and then be thoroughly examined by that rabbi to determine his fitness. If the rabbi rejected him he would return home like the others to ply the family trade. But if the rabbi was satisfied that the candidate was special and really had what it took to be just like himself and do what he did, he would say to the candidate, “Come follow me. Take my yoke upon you.”

The rabbi’s “yoke” was his unique insight and interpretation of what God’s message was, as spoken through Moses in the law and through the prophets. The new disciple would take his rabbi’s “yoke” upon himself, as his own, and begin learning from him. His goal was to become just like his rabbi; to “have the mind of his rabbi.” (I Corinthians 2:16)

In light of all this, how on earth could anyone ever qualify to become a disciple of Jesus? Jesus was much more than just a rabbi like the others. More than just interpreting God’s Word, Jesus was God’s Word become flesh. Therefore, it would follow that if it was so extremely difficult to qualify to be approved as a disciple of one of the rabbis of Israel, one could reasonably expect that it would be absolutely impossible to meet the extreme standards required to be a disciple of Jesus. Yet we know the names of the disciples that followed Jesus. Who were these extraordinary people? Where did Jesus find men with the exceptional qualifications necessary to be His disciples?

Jesus’ disciples were exceptional only in their ordinariness. Jesus radically departed from the tradition of the rabbis when He called His disciples. The men Jesus chose were nothing like the ones other rabbis chose. They were not exceptional at all, but rather a duke’s mixture of tradesmen that would never merit consideration by the other rabbis. The first disciples Jesus invited were Simon and his brother Andrew, and the two brothers, James and John. When He met them they were busy plying their family’s trade – fishing. Given what we discussed above, it would be reasonable to surmise that these men had not made the cut at some stage and thus were not considered “good enough” to be disciples. They were “unschooled, ordinary men.” (Acts 4:13) Yet Jesus called each one of them, and others just like them, to follow Him and be His disciples.

It’s simply amazing that Jesus issued the honored rabbi’s invitation, reserved for only the best of the best, to these ordinary men and made them His disciples. Unprecedented. No other rabbi would ever have considered such men. But Jesus did. He called them because He was confident that they could be just like Him and do what He did. It has been said, “Jesus doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.” Jesus’ had confidence in them because He would be the One to qualify them. He promised them, “Come, follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) Jesus’ invitation alone expressed His confidence that these men could be like Him and do the things He was doing. But He also said it, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12-14) Jesus’ disciples did extraordinary things that the disciples of the other rabbis never dreamed of doing.

Jesus introduced His disciples to wonders beyond anything the disciples of other rabbis could even imagine. Taking the yoke of Jesus and following Him was an adventure unlike anything ever possible before. On one occasion, for instance, Jesus gave the twelve a trial run as part of their training. “Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits… They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” (Mark 6:12-13) Wow! Just like their Rabbi, Jesus.

Jesus said, “It is enough for the student to be like his teacher…” (Matthew 10:25) They were becoming like their Rabbi and knew that they would be able to do whatever He did. So when Peter, along with the others, saw Jesus walking on the water, he shouted to Jesus, “Lord, if it is You, tell me to come to You on the water.” Knowing that he could do it, Jesus replied, “Come.” So, just like His Rabbi, Peter walked on water. (Matthew 14:28-29)

Jesus still issues the honored rabbi’s invitation to us, “Come. Follow Me. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me.” His invitation is not based upon our exceptional merit, but upon His power to make us to be just like Him. His invitation to us today to be His disciple carries with it the opportunity, the requirement and the power to become just like our Rabbi, Jesus, and do the things He does.