Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is often depicted as a teacher and a guide to his disciples. He spent years preparing them for the mission that they would soon undertake, but why did Jesus prepare his disciples? Let’s take a closer look.
The Purpose of Jesus’ Ministry
Jesus’ ministry on Earth had one overarching goal: to spread the good news of God’s love and salvation to all people. He preached about the Kingdom of God and performed miracles to demonstrate his power and authority. However, he knew that he could not accomplish this mission on his own.
Training His Disciples
To help spread the message of salvation, Jesus called twelve men to be his disciples. He spent three years training them, teaching them about God’s love and grace, and preparing them for their eventual mission. Jesus knew that he would not be with them forever, so he needed to equip them with the tools necessary to continue spreading the gospel after he was gone.
Teaching through Parables
One of the ways that Jesus taught his disciples was through parables. These were simple stories with deep spiritual meanings that helped convey important lessons about God’s kingdom and what it means to follow him.
For example, in Matthew 13:1-23, Jesus tells a parable about a farmer sowing seed on different types of soil. He explains that some people will receive the message of salvation with joy but quickly fall away when faced with challenges or temptation. Others will receive it with sincerity but become distracted by worldly concerns and never fully mature in their faith.
Through this parable (and many others), Jesus was teaching his disciples about the importance of cultivating a strong faith in God that would withstand trials and temptations.
Miracles as Signs
Another way that Jesus prepared his disciples was through performing miracles. These miracles were not just displays of power, but also signs that pointed to his divinity and the coming of God’s kingdom.
For example, in John 9:1-12, Jesus heals a man who was born blind. This miracle not only physically healed the man but also demonstrated Jesus’ power over sickness and disease. It also served as a sign of God’s love and compassion for all people.
Through these miracles, Jesus was showing his disciples that God’s kingdom was breaking into the world through him, and that they too would be empowered to continue this work after he was gone.
The Great Commission
After his death and resurrection, Jesus gave his disciples one final commandment: to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). This commandment is known as the Great Commission, and it is the culmination of all that Jesus had been preparing his disciples for during his ministry on Earth.
Through his teachings, parables, miracles, and personal example, Jesus had equipped his disciples with everything they needed to continue spreading the gospel after he was gone. They were now ready to take up the mantle of leadership and become ambassadors for God’s kingdom.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jesus prepared his disciples because he knew that he could not accomplish his mission on Earth alone. He needed faithful followers who would carry on his work after he was gone.
Through years of teaching, training, and personal example, Jesus equipped his disciples with everything they needed to spread the good news of salvation to all people. Today, we too are called to be disciples of Christ and carry on this important work in our own lives.