Discipleship in Mark’s gospel is open to ALL people women or man, rich or poor. Society at that time was prejudice against women (2nd class) but Jesus treated them equally. Discipleship was also open to outcasts as I said before like Matthew the tax collector.
Also there were disciples who were ordinary people like you and me who varied in commitment. You could just be a Christian and by going to church you are showing that you are following Jesus Christ and God so in that way you are some sort of disciple. So in this way we can do all we can to be a good disciple by being good and loyal, even saying a prayer every night is good enough as you are talking to Jesus.
The calling of the disciples (Simon, Andrew, James and John) is an important event. Jesus was walking along by the Sea of Galilee where he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in a lake – for they were fishermen. Jesus said “follow me and I will make you into fishers of men”. They left their net immediately and followed him because that is the kind of person he is. Jesus also saw James and John later on and asked them to follow him, which they did straight away leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed.
The mission of the 12 is also important as it show Jesus sending the 12 out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. He made them take nothing except for a staff so that they could travel quickly. They were to wear sandals but not take a spare tunic. He told them to stay where they can and if people don’t welcome them or refuse to listen to them they should shake off the dust from their sandals as a sign to them. So the 12 set off to preach repentance and they cast out many devils and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.
Being a disciple though came at a cost as it meant giving up everything including family, possessions and life and could mean being an outcast and unpopular. You would also suffer and make enemies.
But Jesus gave rewards as they were earthly (common) and he also promises eternal life. James and John are looking for an earthly reward.
But disciples have strengths and weaknesses. Peter was a great leader saying, “You are the Christ” to Jesus. But they were also week as they never really understood Jesus and ran away when he was crucified.
Marks gospel gives very clear points about Christian discipleship. He emphasises cost a lot to be a disciple. Explaining that it is not at all easy or simple and is very hard work with both physical and mental demands. It has to be thought about a lot as the rich young man found out as he thought about it but realised he was not up to the task.
Explain how this teaching about discipleship might affect the life of a Christian today.
Christians must realise that Mark’s gospel was written nearly 2000 years ago. In that time the world was a completely different place to what it is today. This of course makes it very difficult for us to apply the teachings of Mark in his gospel as they were taught back then in that civilisation and it makes it hard for the teachings to be followed in this day and age. Maybe it isn’t possible to do so? If so it is very difficult.
Every Christian says being a Christian involves being a disciple by following Christ, but how do we do this? Christian opinions vary. To be honest there is no one way of being a disciple. Some Christians feel they are called to Christ because of religious experience. Other Christians may ‘feel’ it is the right thing to do. Each Christian is different so how they respond to the call of Christ is going to be different aswell. Some people feel that there are a whole different variety of levels that you can be a disciple. Jesus tells people to give up everything and different people take this different ways. For example a monks and nuns are very extreme disciples and they would give up absolutely everything they have to be a disciple as they feel this is what they should do. What Jesus told then to do. This is rather like some missionaries. But what other Christians feel and how I feel is that they try and apply the words of Jesus in Mark’s gospel into everyday life. People may think that just by being good they are being good to Jesus and God and therefore they are being a disciple. I feel that doing something good towards God and thinking about what you are doing and realising if you are doing wrong and trying to redeem yourself is being a disciple as you are thinking about Jesus and God and thinking about what they would like you to do and what they have taught you.
Of course this question again brings up the strengths and weaknesses of disciples. Peter is a good one to focus on. Peter was both strong and weak and showed that all disciple will be the same, both strong and weak. Mother Teresa gave up a comfortable life to help other in desperate need. She begged for money for the dying, which you may feel is wrong. But her intentions were completely right and show what a good disciple she was as she gave up her life for the sake of helping others. Martin Luther King junior is another great example. He was a black American trying to support civil rights. He fought for blacks and he was killed for his cause, but he did it as a follower of Christ. The most admirable though has to be Pope John Paul the 2nd. Someone tried to assassinate him once and instead of turning his back on them he thought of the teachings of Jesus for which he served his life and went to see the man in prison and forgave him right there.
So overall there is no right or wrong way to be a disciple as long as you are acting in a way that Jesus Christ taught. Mark’s Gospel does affect us in some way but that is another age so we must also work out what Jesus meant for ourselves aswell and act in the best way we see possible.
“Children can’t be disciples so they can’t be Christians either.”
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have considered more than one point of view.
I totally disagree with this statement and think that the teachings of Jesus also back this up.
Some people say that children are too young to be disciples as they do not know fully about the teachings of Jesus in Mark’s gospel and are not mature enough to understand and commit to being a disciple. These people claim that Jesus’ teachings were meant for adults and that is why his followers were only adults, but when did Jesus ever say “what I teach is only for adults” or “no children allowed to follow me.” They argue that Jesus did not say that but his teachings hinted that and that children would not have understood what he was teaching or value the meaning of these words.
Other people on the other hand say that children can be disciples as anyone who believes in Jesus and understands what they have to do to be a disciple can be one. They say that children are possible even the best disciples as they are young enthusiastic and can pass the knowledge that they know and gain through the years to another people and too their kids when they older so by becoming a disciple at a young age they are committing to Christ and showing strength to do so.
My personal opinion is that it is fine for children to become disciples and I have information to back this up. For example the story of Jesus and the Children shows that Jesus values children in society just as much as anyone else. In this story adult disciples turn the children away as they feel that the children were not important enough to see Jesus, but Jesus told the children to come to him and he praised and blessed them. The question itself is also questionable as Dominic Savio for example came to Don Bosco at the age of 12 and dies in 1857 at the age of 14. He died a saint so surely this confirms that children can be as high in life as any other individual and I think that children can become disciples as long as they are prepared to commit to Jesus and be aware of what they have to do. They must act by the teachings of Jesus in the best way they see fit.
