Commissioning

Jesus has progressed with his mission to a point where he has a group of enthusiastic followers. They have observed how he lives, heard his teaching, seen how he reacts to people and pressures including bringing release from the things that bind them. Now it was their turn. Jesus wants them to do the same. He is showing what humanity should be like. He wants them to similarly express this and wants them to realise that, in him, they can.

Jesus somehow shares this ability to heal and release. We now see this as giving them the power of the Holy Spirit. This is an early anticipation of the day when Jesus fully releases the Holy Spirit into everyone who asks, following his own death, resurrection and ascension, from Pentecost onwards. This is an example of Jesus bringing the future into present reality. His ministry of expressing the Kingdom of God is this, bringing the future into the present, expressing what life will be like now. This is what requires faith, trusting in what Jesus has done and is going to do, and bringing it into the present reality.

Jesus sends, ‘commissions’ them. This is similar to his own baptism where he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus was sent by his Father for a purpose. In the passage Luke refers to this commissioning of the twelve, those called apostles by Jesus. The definition of an apostle is one sent for a purpose. See ‘The Admin Team’.

The apostles were the example of leadership. Jesus soon sent a bigger group of seventy to do the same.

Commissioning in the bible is clear. God equips and sends people to carry out clear tasks with a clear purpose.

Adam is commissioned to rule. Abraham is commissioned to be the father of a nation that brings blessing. Moses and Joshua were given specific jobs. Also the prophets were given clear instructions. Another word for commissioning in the bible was anointing.

Jesus was also clear about what they did not require. They did not need money or things, just a willingness to go themselves. Leadership was about being an example, fulfilling a clear purpose that others could see and hear.

Alternative example of Leadership

The interaction, or more accurately the non-interaction between Jesus and Herod, revealed much about the approach Jesus has to rule and authority.

When Jesus sends out his disciples and they start to have a wider impact across neighbourhoods this sparks the attention of Herod. This was becoming a movement and a potential threat. Jesus avoided any direct contact with Herod, for example by meeting people away from the villages, in the countryside.

Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the great who attempted to kill Jesus at his birth. He was tetrarch of Galilee, called tetrarch because he was one of four Herods who held responsibility across the region. They were put in place by the Romans to keep control of the local populace. They were disliked as they were Idumeans (descended from Esau) and not strictly Jews, using Judaism for their own purposes to gain influence. They were characterised by cunning, violence and immorality. The Jews therefore hated being under the control of Rome and the puppet rulers, the Herods, that they put in place.

Who is Jesus? This is the basic question that everyone faces when they encounter him! Herod was intrigued, with a mix of interest and fear. He had put John the Baptist to death for challenging his morality and now people were saying that Jesus was John resurrected.

Later, in response to the Pharisees who said that Herod wanted to kill him, Jesus calls Herod a fox, an animal characterised by its cunning, devious nature, a lone destroyer. Jesus, alternatively, refers to himself as the hen wanting to protect her brood of chickens.

Herod finally gets to meet Jesus after his arrest, when sent to him by Pilate the Roman consul. The relationship between Herod and Pilate changed subsequently, from hatred to friendship, the two men with the power to release or crucify Jesus.

Jesus said nothing to Herod. He remained silent. Why did he not use the opportunity to speak directly to him? Jesus did have a major impact on people in Herod’s household (Joanna and Manaen) but had no interest in any involvement with Herod.

Some may state "If only our leaders responded to, and followed Jesus, then everything would be fine". However, Jesus deliberately avoided this. He did not confront the existing leadership but demonstrated an alternative.

As his name implies Herod means hero, heroic, heroism. He did not live up to his name. He ended his life in exile in France having been double-crossed by his brother when petitioning Caligula to be recognised as a King and not just a tetrarch.

Heroism is not something that is celebrated in the bible. The bible refers to courage and boldness (in the Spirit), glory but not heroics. Heroism came into Greek thinking particularly in relation to a heroic death being the greatest purpose in life, celebrating warriors who died in battle. This same approach dominates our current thinking as can be seen in films and other forms of entertainment. This is contrary to Jesus’ teaching. Death is linked to sin not heroism. There was nothing heroic about death on a cross, only shame.

Glory is about resurrection, new life in Jesus, relationships not an individual's importance, not about who is the greatest. It is not about rulers and kings but about family.

The approach Jesus has to power, rule and authority was so different to Herod that he had nothing to say, no point of interaction at all with him!