The Travesty of Arguing Disciples

I would like to start things off with an exciting update: our team here has been recently blessed by the arrival of 2 separate summer teams!  They have been building relationships in new places, having deep and meaningful conversations early and often, and growing in awesome ways. The Lord has used them as a blessing to our residential team and has been working through them in our community as well.  Unfortunately, when they initially arrived I was struggling with horrible feelings of jealously and resentment toward them. I didn’t like that I felt this way, but I couldn’t put my finger on why it was happening.

A few weeks later I was reading Luke 9:46-48, and for the first time ever I was struck by the fact that His disciples where arguing about something as twisted as rankings of greatness.  This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord if he would open my eyes to see into the background of what led to this argument.  

By the time verse 46 rolls around a lot has happened to the Apostles in Luke 9.  They--and likely other disciples--have come to the confident realization that they are following the promised Messiah (see Lk 9:18-20).  But they had been taught by many Jewish leaders that when the Messiah came he was going to liberate Israel and establish an earthly, political kingdom.  They frequently heard Jesus talking about “the Kingdom” (see Lk 9:11), but it was concealed from them that He meant this in a totally different sense than what their previous leaders had in mind (see Lk 9:21-22, 44-45).  So, in all likelihood, they ended up with a reinforced mental image of an impending political kingdom. Added to this misconception was the increasing power, responsibility, and authority from the Leader of the Movement Himself (see Lk 9:1-6).  A select few had even been chosen to go up the mountain with Jesus (see Lk 9:28-36)--note that these three didn’t share what they saw until much later on (see Lk 9:36). And while this select group was getting extra time with Jesus, the rest of the disciples failed publicly at exercising authority over a demon (see Lk 9:40)--something they were supposed to be able to do (see Lk 9:1)--who utilized intimidation and fear creating tactics (see Lk 9:39).  

All of this is what Luke records as preceding the argument about greatness. And when you take it all into account, it isn’t all that surprising that some of the Apostles would be feeling puffed up and entitled while others where struggling with insecurity and defensiveness--a mixture which rarely doesn’t lead to arguments rooted in pride and jealousy.

I think we can break it down the recipe for the argument into 4 basic ingredients:

1. Misunderstanding/presumption about Jesus’ vision and what the Kingdom was going to look like in their lives.
   1. They had in mind a new political kingdom lead by their Teacher, and figured to be important figures in the new hierarchy.  
2. Growing pride in their own role/power/purpose/authority
   1. We know James and John struggled a bit with selfish ambition (see Mk 10:35ff), and I believe an incorrect view of the source authority and power was part of the problem with casting out the demon in Lk 9:37-43 (especially vs41).
3. Spiritual warfare and fear
   1. The evil spirit in 9:37-43 used fear/intimidation tactics (see vs 39, especially syntribō=maul/shatter).  In addition, we know the enemy is always seeking to divide and thereby destroy (1 Pet 5:8)
4. Lack of communication
   1. Peter, James, and John do not share with the others what they saw on the mountain, thereby sharing the joy with others.  They keep it to themselves, so the others have no idea why they went up the mountain. Also note that the disciples did not speak up about their failure in exercising authority in the spiritual realm.  Neither burdens or joys are being shared.

After reflecting on these ingredients for a few minutes, I realized that these same things were creating and feeding my jealousy (essentially an unspoken argument of comparative greatness) of the summer teams.  

1. I was presuming that the Lord’s plan was to use our residential team to build meaningful relationships in the community, to use us to plant seeds and see fruit.  I presumed that His vision for the short term teams was simply to meet people to introduce to the residential team so that we could follow up with them. I presumed that the Lord’s vision for his kingdom is to be slowly emerging, and that because of that short term teams had extremely limited use.
2. Number one ties directly into my sinful pride in MY purpose here, and the skills I bring to the table, in MY hard work living here.  This took the place of focusing on His purpose in this nation, on His purpose in bringing me here, and on His power to do all things according to his will.
3. The enemy was whispering lies reenforcing my pride and presumption, as well as attempting to create insecurity. For example, “look at how bold they are being!  They are already having spiritual conversations after only a few days. You haven’t been nearly as faithful or devoted as they are. You are letting these guys make you look bad!” Or, “Look how quickly so-and-so is picking up language.  Your dumb compared to him. If the Lord were going to use you here, he would have blessed your language learning in a more significant way.”
4. The above things kept me from fully engaging with the summer team members, and so we where not sharing with one another what we were all learning and seeing the Lord do, reducing opportunities to rejoice together in Him.

I confessed my multitude of sins to the Lord and then to my wife immediately after.  The joy that followed was significant, and since I have been freed to rejoice with the summer team members and have truly felt blessed to see what the Lord is doing with them here.  My hope is that all who read this would fight not to get into arguments (or fall prey to jealousy) with fellow disciples, but instead faithfully fight forward together in this war that has been Won.

--Richard

Photo by Jonathan Sharp on Unsplash