Jesus’ Early Years

How did Jesus know that he was called to preach the kingdom? We have
no detailed account of his years at Nazareth, but we do know that his vocation
came about as the result of a gradual, natural evolution.
At an early age Jesus felt drawn to prayer. This prayerful attitude of Jesus
is also manifested in his adult life: at thirty years old, he retreated to the desert
for forty days, he has the habit of going off to pray alone for long periods while
he was on the road.
The Galilean neighbours of Jesus who watch him growing up, considered
him as no more than a carpenter’s son. As Jesus said also that no prophet is
without honor except in his own house.
Jesus also loved Scripture from his boyhood. At twelve, he became so
involved in discussing the Law with the Doctors in the Temple (cf. 2:41-50). By
the time he reached adulthood, Scriptures were part of his thinking (cf. Luke
4:14-22).

John the Baptizer, the forerunner of the Messiah

Every significant event in the purposes of God is preceded by a time of
intense preparation. God sent John the Baptist to “prepare the way of the Lord”
(Luke 1:11-17, 76-80; 3:1-6) He was God's prophetic messenger sent before the
coming of Messiah “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:27).”
John the Baptist is popularly known as the forerunner or precursor of
Jesus. He is narrated in the four Gospels. Let us have look of it on one of the
gospels.

3•
The Gospel of Matthew 3:1-12 (John the Baptist prepares the way) states:
1
In the course of time John the Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea and began to proclaim
2 3
his message, “Change your ways, the Kingdom of heaven is now at hand!” It was about
him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said, A voice is shouting in the desert:
prepare a way for the Lord; make his paths straight.
4
John had a leather garment around his waist and wore a cloak of camel’s hair; his food was
5
locusts and wild honey. People came to him from Jerusalem, from all Judea and from the
6
whole Jordan valley, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan as they confessed their
sins.
7
When he saw several Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he baptized, he said to
them, “Brood of vipers! Who told you that you could escape the punishment that is to come?
8 9
Let it be seen that you are serious in your conversion, and do not think: We have
Abraham for our father. I tell you that God can raise children for Abraham from these
10
stones! The axe is already laid to the roots of the trees; any tree that does not produce
good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.
11
I baptize you in water for a change of heart, but the one who is coming after me is more
powerful than me; indeed, I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you in the
 12
Holy Spirit and fire. He has the winnowing fan in his hand and he will clear out his
threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn in
everlasting fire.”

In the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist is described as “A voice cries

in the wilderness: prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight” (Mt
3:3)” This man John wore a garment made of camel hair with a leather belt
around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey” (Mt 3:4). He was
performing the baptism with water for a change of heart.
John was a moral giant that people believed he must be the Messiah they
were expecting. But John denied this and he predicted that the messiah would
be greater than he and that he (john is unworthy to unite the Messiah’s sandals.
John acknowledges also that he (John) is not the Messiah but just a precursor of
Him whose coming he is preparing.

Jesus is baptized by John

The Gospel according to Matthew 3:13-17 narrates the account of Jesus’
baptism as follows:
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At that time Jesus arrived from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptized by
14
him. But John tried to prevent him, and said, “How is it you come to me: I should be
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baptized by you!” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be like that for now that we may fulfill
16
the right order.” John agreed. As soon as he was baptized, Jesus came up from the water.
At once, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God come down like a dove and rest
17
upon him. At the same time a voice from heaven was heard, “This is my Son, the Beloved;
he is my Chosen One.”

The Baptism of Jesus is narrated by the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark,

Luke and John. According to earliest tradition, John recognized Jesus when he
approached him (John) and John asked to be baptized by Jesus. But Jesus
allowed himself to be baptized by John. Why Jesus was baptized? By
submitting to John’s baptism, Jesus did two things:
1) Jesus identified himself with our sinful human race although he
himself did not sin and;
2) Jesus formally accepted his vocation—the mission of being the
Messiah, the one who would conquer the power of evil by willingly submitting
himself to it for love of his Father and us.
In being submerged under water, a sign of death, Jesus showed his
willingness to die to bring a new life to the world—a “fire of the Holy Spirit,”
as John called it.
By the symbols of the heavenly voice and the dove, the
 Evangelists’ time anointed Jesus for his role as the Savior. In their
express that God at this use also of the phrase “the sky rent in two” or “the
heavens opened,” the writers show that the public appearance of Jesus at the
Jordan was the beginning of God’s great outpouring of grace and favor in the
person of his own beloved Son Jesus. The world’s salvation was now under
way.

Jesus’ Temptation in the wilderness

Following the strong lead of the Holy Spirit, Jesus went into the desert
after his baptism. A desert is a desolate, lonely place where there is nothing but
brown land and blue sky. Scriptures uses the desert as a symbol of “space” in
which to meet God—any experience where we directly confront God and
ourselves.
The Gospel of Luke 4:1-13 narrates:

4 • 1Jesus was now full of Holy Spirit. As he returned from the Jordan, the Spirit led him into
the desert 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He did not eat anything during
that time, and in the end he was hungry. 3 The devil then said to him, “If you are son of God,
tell this stone to turn into bread.” 4 But Jesus answered, “Scripture says: People cannot live
on bread alone.” 5 Then the devil took him up to a high place and showed him in a flash all
the nations of the world. 6 And he said to Jesus, “I can give you power over all the nations
and their wealth will be yours, for power and wealth have been delivered to me and I give
them to whom I wish. 7 All this will be yours provided you worship me.” 8 But Jesus replied,
“Scripture says: You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.” 9 Then the devil
took him up to Jerusalem and set him on the highest wall of the Temple; and he said, “If you
are son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written: God will order his angels
to take care of you 11 and again: They will hold you in their hands, lest you hurt your foot on
the stones.” 12 But Jesus replied, “It is written: You shall not challenge the Lord your God.”
13
When the devil had exhausted every way of tempting Jesus he left him, to return another
time.

Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights in the desert or wilderness and
he was tempted by the devil on a high mountain. This event recalls the test of
the Israelites in the desert after their release from Egypt. Unlike the Chosen
people, who had proved to be unfaithful by worshipping idols, Jesus, the New
Israel, came through his test strongly faithful to God his Father. This story of
the temptation of Jesus in the desert teaches us the following important lessons:

1. Jesus gives us an example of the need to “go apart” to consult God’s

will before the major enterprises of his life – to distance ourselves from the
clamor of daily pressures in order to hear the “tiny voice of God.”
 2. Jesus’ struggle with Satan teaches that the devil is alone and active in
the world, a force to be reckoned with.
3. Jesus’ experience of temptation makes it possible for us to approach
him with confidence, knowing that he understands what we must face to be
faithful.

A. The Preaching of the Kingdom

The central theme of Jesus’ ministry was the “kingdom of God.” The
gospels of Mark and Matthew state that Jesus’ inaugural preaching announced
the coming of the “kingdom” or “rule” of God. The religious concept of the
kingdom of God refers to God’s reigning in power so that all could know and
experience his might. The Greek term “basileus” is often translated as “rule” or
“reign” rather than the static term “kingdom.” The emphasis of the kingdom
of God theme was not that humanity would draw near to God but that God
would draw near to us. God alone would establish the kind of world that
manifested divine mercy and justice, a world where hostility and infidelity
would cease.
For Jesus, the kingdom of God was the work of God. And everything that
Jesus said and did was evidence that the kingdom was beginning to break into
the world. His acts of healing and compassion, his words of wisdom, were all
directed toward creating the kind of life that would characterized the kingdom
over which God alone would be master. Jesus is the Kingdom of God in person
and “the Kingdom of God is at hand” means that the Kingdom of God can be
reached by our hands or it is near to us in the person of Jesus Christ.

B. The Call of the Disciples

Jesus attracted people by his preaching.
Many followed Jesus and we generally called them “disciples.” But we may
categorize the disciple’s into three groups:
1) The Twelve Apostles
2) The Seventy Two Disciples
3) The People of Faith.

By gathering disciples, Jesus again showed that he was a man of his time.
It was common practice among the rabbis, or teachers, of Jesus’ day to attract
followers or disciples. The ideal of the disciple was to choose a master teacher
from whom one could learn the genuine wisdom. But in Jesus’ terms, one
becomes a disciple of Jesus not by choice but through a “call.” It was upon
Jesus’ initiative that the disciples were drawn into his mission. Simon, called
Peter, and his brother Andrew were casting fishing net into the lake when Jesus
walks into their life: “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men. They
immediately abandoned their nets and became his followers” (Mt 1:20).
(Remove?)

The Apostles
Jesus’ miracles drew the masses, but he personally called a small group to
be his close followers. God’s work on earth is carried on with the help of a
community. All the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) relate that one of
the first things Jesus did was to gather disciples. Mark (1:16-20) states that as
soon as Jesus began his public ministry in Galilee, he recruited Simon, his
brother Andrew, and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John.
Jesus chose twelve men. Why? Twelve is a biblical number
corresponding the twelve tribes of Israel from which the Chosen people had
sprung. When he chose the twelve apostles, Jesus was calling together the
foundation stones of a New Israel.

The Twelve Apostles constituted the inner circle of Jesus’ disciples.

Apostle means “someone being sent.” Jesus commissioned the “Twelve” as he
himself said to them: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (Jn 20:21).
Jesus is sent by God the Father just as he sends his Apostles.

The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke listed 12 apostles. The Gospel of
Mark 3:13-19 states:
3 13 Then Jesus went up into the hill country and called those he wanted and they came to
him. 14 So he appointed twelve to be with him; and he called them apostles. He wanted to
send them out to preach, 15 and he gave them authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the
Twelve: Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter; 17 James, son of Zebedee, and John his
brother, to whom he gave the name Boanerges, which means “men of thunder”; 18 Andrew,
Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the
Cananean 19 and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

Jesus chose from a wide variety of men which demonstrates that he was
not looking for any particular kind of personality, job or political leaning among
his helpers. He welcomed all kinds of men from the rich to the poor, including
the tax collector who targeted on his own people as well as the liberal zealot
who worked for the overthrow of the Romans.
Within this group, three men seem to have been special to Jesus: Peter,
James and John. He allowed them privileged information and experiences. Jesus
knew that one of these, Peter, would deny him. Jesus even told Peter that he had
prayed especially for him, so that Peter’s faith would not fail (cf. Lk 22:32).
Peter’s relationship with Jesus was secure. Even after the triple denial, he could
pick himself up and give himself completely to the spread of the kingdom.
Later, Peter was crucified upside-down as he unshakable defended his faith in
Christ.
 One of the Apostles, however, proved to be a complete failure. After his
betrayal of Jesus, Judas Iscariot despaired instead of repenting. It is important to
recognize that even though Jesus knew of Judas’ disposition ahead of time,
Jesus left Judas free. Jesus called Judas “friend” even to the last moment when
Judas betrayed him with a kiss.

Disciples
In the Gospel of Luke, we learned that Jesus “appointed seventy-two
other disciples and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place,
where he himself was to go” (Luke 10:1). These seventy-two disciples were
closer to Jesus than the crowd, but not as close as the Apostles.
The word “Disciple” means “learner.” The disciples listened closely to
Jesus and helped spread his teachings. Although the seventy-two were not
invited to join Jesus in his priesthood at the table fellowship of the Last Supper,
they too were specially chosen.

People of Faith
Among the crowds at large, there were people of deep faith, such as the
wealthy and educated Nicodemus (Jn 3:1-7) and the pagan centurion (Mk
15:39). The story of Nicodemus only appears in the following three chapters of
the Bible in the Gospel of John:
a) John 3:1-21 where Nicodemus meets Jesus secretly;
b) John 7:43-53 where Nicodemus questions the Pharisee’s actions
against Jesus;
c) John 19:38-42 where Nicodemus helps take Jesus down from the cross.

Each time Nicodemus is mentioned in the Bible he speaks and acts

bolder for Christ. In John 3, he only secretly visits Jesus to seek information,
while in John 7, Nicodemus speaks up in Jesus’ defense. Lastly, in John 19,
Nicodemus is no longer intimidated by the Pharisees and takes physical action
and helps remove Jesus from the cross.
The story of the pagan centurion is mentioned briefly in the Gospel of
Mark: “The captain who was standing in front of him saw how Jesus died and
heard the cry he gave; and he said, “Truly, this man was the Son of God”
(Mark 14:39). The centurion was a pagan who became a believer of Christ after
witnessing the death of Jesus.
There were women who followed Jesus and provided for his personal and
material needs according to Luke 8:1-3:
1
Jesus walked through towns and countryside, preaching and giving the good news of the
kingdom of God. The Twelve followed him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of
evil spirits and diseases: Mary called Magdalene, who had been freed of seven demons;
3
Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Suzanna and others who provided for them out of
their own funds.

The role of women

The role of women in Jewish society was restricted to domestic circles.
Woman was considered inferior to man. Jesus’ own dealings with women are a
bracing contrast to the picture of woman in Jewish society. Christian piety has
always appreciated the significant attention given to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The birth narratives, particularly that of the gospel of Luke, portray Mary as a
faithful Israelite, a woman whose destiny as the mother of the Messiah is signed
by the Spirit of God. Thus, the Church continues to have reverence for the
woman who shared her life with Jesus. Many of those whom Jesus heals were
women such as Simon’s mother-in-law, woman with haemorrhage. Jesus freely
associates with women in the course of his ministry. All three synoptic gospels
(Matthew, Mark and Luke) record that Jesus was anointed with oil by a sinful
woman. Women also have unique position among Jesus’ followers. Women are
faithful to Jesus as they did not desert Jesus even in Calvary; women were
standing at the foot of his cross. The women too were witnesses to Christ’s
resurrection.
There were large numbers among those who are following Jesus who
turned away when they realized the cost of following Jesus. An example of this
is the account narrated in the Gospel of John 6:60-69 which states:
•60 After hearing this, many of Jesus’ followers said, “This language is very hard! Who can
accept it?” 61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were murmuring about this and so he said to
them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then how will you react when you see the Son of Man
ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh cannot help. The
words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 But among you there are some
who do not believe.” From the beginning, Jesus knew who would betray him. 65 So he added,
“As I have told you, no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” 66 After this
many disciples withdrew and no longer followed him. 67 Jesus asked the Twelve, “Will you
also go away?” 68 Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of
eternal life. 69 We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Conclusion on the Call to Discipleship

The call to discipleship in the gospels is a call to relationship with Jesus
that never ceases. The disciple is not expected to “graduate,” but he is to be a
life-long “learner.” The bond between Jesus and his disciples is sealed by their
share in his mission. The disciples are called out not simply to be with Jesus but
to observe
What he does, to learn from him so that they may share in his work for the
kingdom. The disciples are the privileged witnesses of the healing activity of
Jesus. To them, he directs his parables and his most important teaching. They
are called to share his style of life, even to share his suffering and hardship.

The Characteristics of Jesus’ Disciples

In the gospels, the disciples were described as “ordinary persons.” One
of the consistent features of the disciples was a chronic dullness. They exhibit
an inability to understand who Jesus is and what he is about. The gospel of
Mark puts the disciples in a privileged position. They witness Jesus’ miracles
and they are exposed to his teaching. Yet seem unable to comprehend any of
these awesome events. Mark’s gospel shows Jesus amazed that his disciples are
baffled by the parables: “You do not understand this parable?” (Mk 4:13). Jesus
reprimands them for their lack of faith when they fail to recognize the
significance of his power over the forces of nature: “Why are you terrified?
Why are you lacking in faith?” (Mk 4:39). Jesus seems to reveal out his
frustration at the dullness of his followers as his public ministry nears its finale:
“Do you still not see or comprehend? Are your minds completely blinded?” (cf.
Mk 8:17- 21).
The zest for power infects the disciples. They begin to sense the
potential of Jesus’ forceful leadership and his impact on the crowds. Whenever
Jesus warns his disciples of the suffering and hardship bound up with is mission
of selfless service, they respond with uncomprehending ambition. On the road,
they argue about “who was the most important” (Mk 9:34). Zebedee’s sons,
James and John, sidle up to Jesus in an attempt to gain positions of importance.
Jesus’ reply is blunt with eloquence: “You know how among the Gentiles those
who seem to exercise authority lord it over them; their great ones make their
importance felt. It cannot be like that with you. Anyone among you who aspires
to greatness must serve the rest; whoever wants to rank first among you must
serve the needs of all. The Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve
—to give his life in ransom for the many” (Mk. 10:42-45).
Matthew characterizes the disciples as “people of little faith,” The
gospels also state that Jesus’ disciples desert him at the crisis of arrest and
impending death. All three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) present
the disciples as sleeping during the ordeal of Jesus prayer in Gethsemane. In all
four gospels, Jesus faces the dark hours of his suffering and death utterly alone.
The gospels’ last word on the disciples is not their failure but their
reconciliation with Jesus. The story of resurrection is a story of reconciliation.
Just as Jesus of Nazareth originally had summoned the disciples from their
former way of life to become his disciples, now after the resurrection, the Risen
Lord takes the initiative to restore the broken bond between him and the
disciples. Thus, the gospel image of the disciples is complex, fascinating, and
decidedly human.
The early Christians too were called by Jesus of Nazareth. Their early
response too was flawed by fear and hesitation. But with the Church, as with the
disciples, Jesus’ reaction is one of unending love. The community experience
Jesus’ resurrection as reconciliation. Their joy was ecstatic; they discovered in
the Risen Lord the liberating love. He had chosen them, human beings
practically identical with the “sick” he came to save. He endured their dullness.
He dealt with them honestly. The disciples detected the infinite compassion of
God and they communicated this memory to the Church.