Training the Kingdom's Messengers 

The last eight years of Jesus’ life were a training period for his believers, beginning in April of 22 CE, with a tour around the Mediterranean. On that tour, he taught individuals he sought out in Rome and other stops along the way. In January of 26 CE, he began training groups of men and women in his homeland, Palestine. These two phases of training, private and public, created a foundation for the religion about Jesus that came into being following his death.

Jesus’ training method was fourfold, he taught by example, by question and answer, by actual experience, and by parables. Jesus lived his sublime teachings and that was perhaps his most effective way of training his apostles and disciples. But he was also feared for what he taught and the miracles he performed. The religious authorities were afraid of a divine being claiming to be a "Son of man and a Son of God," someone with such power. He paid with his life for his words and deeds. Despite this resistance, his teachings lived on in those he so thoroughly trained, the many messengers who adored him and carried his saving gospel to the world.

After returning to Palestine from his Mediterranean tour, Jesus was baptized by John on January 14, 26 CE. Jesus’ life mission was to reveal God to the world, and he knew he could not do it alone. After his baptism, he retreated to Mount Hermon for forty days to develop a strategy on how best to train his messengers for the long-term spiritual welfare of the world. When he came down from the mount, his first act was to choose six ordinary men to be his apostles. These six he trained for four months, instructing them how and what to teach others.

At the end of this training period, Jesus told his six apostles to prepare to go into the cities around the Sea of Galilee with the gospel message but not to do any public preaching. This two-week missionary tour was very successful. They discovered the value of direct and personal contact, and that there was a great hunger for their message. They realized the wisdom of sending them out to labor in a quiet and personal manner before launching their public efforts. They also realized the need for helpers. Jesus had planned for this need and asked them each to select one more from the new converts to become fellow apostles. When the second six apostles joined, Jesus and the first six trained them.

On Sunday, January 12, 27 CE, Jesus called the twelve together and formally ordained them as his ambassadors. Soon thereafter, they started on the first of several public preaching tours around Palestine.

Teamwork and coordination were at the top of the training program. Throughout their training, Jesus stressed the importance of unity. He taught them to work together, to support and encourage one another. Each apostle was given an area of responsibility. Andrew was their chairman, Peter, John, and James were Jesus’ personal companions, Philip provided food, Nathaniel watched over the needs of their families, Matthew gathered funds, Thomas saw to their itinerary and lodging needs, the Alpheus brothers did odd jobs and managed the crowds, Simon was in charge of recreation and relaxation, and Judas was their treasurer.

The Master’s primary training method was instruction followed by actual experience. The instruction was a combination of discourses, practical experience, and personal guidance. He would often gather his followers in intimate settings, like gardens or homes, to convey important instructions and guidance. He would hold sessions in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings, always endeavoring to ensure they received thorough training. He encouraged his hearers to ask questions and engage in discussions. He emphasized the importance of faith and trust in God, teaching them to rely on divine guidance in their ministry. Jesus also emphasized the need for humility and service, teaching them that true greatness comes from serving others.

One obstacle, perhaps the greatest one in training Jesus’ followers, was the idea that his mission was to be a Jewish king, a liberator and a ruler. When this idea would not yield, he decided to use the term “Kingdom of Heaven” to differentiate it from earthly kingdoms. Still, many of his followers, even his apostles, clung to the hope that he would become a political leader, to sit on the throne of David and throw off the Roman yoke that oppressed the Jewish nation. The training of his messengers was always complicated and delayed by these erroneous beliefs about his mission and his motive. And the Roman authorities were always watchful and quick to put down any threat to their rule.

One constant feature of training was relaxation for one day each week. As a rule, Jesus suspended regular activities on Wednesday. He did not actually require this day of rest; he did so because he knew it was best for his human associates.

To provide funding for their needs at the beginning of their four-year training, Jesus periodically sent the apostles out fishing in the Sea of Galilee. Later on, when believers were many, the treasury was replenished by donations. Jesus insisted that his apostles always have enough money to support their families so that they would not be distracted from training. And he released them occasionally to visit their families. Jesus knew that the family was the centerpiece of religious living. When his own father died, he spent fifteen years in training as a father of his eight siblings.

When John the Baptist was executed, Jesus invited John’s twelve apostles to join his twelve. To work out their differences, Jesus left the twenty-four alone for two weeks. This was a successful training technique and the two groups functioned smoothly from that point on, going on tour after tour. With each tour, Jesus expanded his ministry and as the Master’s fame grew, so did the number of his followers.

Women were not excluded, Jesus openly declared that women had equal rights with men. In the summer of 28 CE, at another camp, Jesus established a hospital that employed twenty-five women. In January of 29 CE, he created and commissioned a women’s evangelist corps having ten members (later expanding to twelve). The whole country was stirred up by this, but women everywhere stood behind their chosen sisters and voiced approval of this acknowledgment of women’s place in religious work.

In November of 29 CE, Jesus ordained a corps of seventy. This corps consisted of Abner and ten of the former apostles of John, fifty-one of the earlier evangelists, and eight other disciples who had distinguished themselves in service.

Jesus continually instructed his ever-growing band of followers. He patiently and cheerfully answered their questions before sending them out for practical experience. He always prepared them for the difficult time after his death when they would be on their own.

Jesus would pause during a profound discourse and go out in the road to speak good cheer to a passing woman laden with her burden of body and soul. He would interrupt a serious conference with his apostles to fraternize with an intruding child. Nothing ever seemed so important to Jesus as the individual human who chanced to be in his immediate presence. He was master and teacher, but he was more – he was also a friend and neighbor, an understanding friend. He never showed or taught any form of prejudice.

Jesus’ last and most dramatic lesson was in the way he courageously entered Jerusalem, taught in the temple, cleared the stables, cleansed the temple of moneylenders, and then calmly and confidently faced condemnation and death. During his trial, never once did he show contempt, complain of cruel treatment, or protest unjust punishments. Among his last words were, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” There is no greater love than to request mercy for one’s enemies. The last act of this divine being has inspired countless millions to carry on in the face of the most trying of circumstances and to triumph in faith.

To those he taught the most, Jesus said the least. He did perform several miracles, even raising the dead. But he preferred to teach by loving service. It was ever true, he did good "as he passed by."

Jesus became so popular that he no longer needed to take his message on tour. Instead of touring, he established tented camps where truth-hungry souls could come to him to be trained as messengers of his gospel. From May to October of 28 CE, he taught hundreds at a seaside campsite on the northwestern shore of Galilee. At their Pella camp, in March of 30 CE, more than four thousand were taught by Jesus, or Peter, each morning.

Jesus taught all his trainees what their attitude should be toward the various religious groups and the political parties of Palestine. He told them: “We are seeking to win all of them, but we are not of any of them.” And, “If the civil rulers are to be rebuked, leave that task to me. See that you make no denunciations of Caesar or his servants.”

Jesus tried to avoid controversies in everything except the wrong concepts of God. Parables were used to train his followers and, simultaneously, deflect the opposition of religious authorities and the suspicion of civil rulers. In the latter part of his life, telling stories with spiritual lessons became central to his public teachings. The good Samaritan, the prodigal son, the ten talents, and the lost sheep were just a few of the parables that made his followers think and remember his teachings.

Instead of political or social statements, he instructed his teachers to “show forth love, compassion, and sympathy.” He taught them that the kingdom of heaven was a spiritual experience having to do with the enthronement of God in the hearts of believers. All were invited and faith, sincerity, and service were all that was required.

Jesus employed common people to accomplish his mission and went about his Father’s business despite opposition from blind and prejudiced religious authorities. The training was broad and some of what Jesus taught was not understandable to his friends or his enemies. They both tried to fit Jesus’ teachings into their old religious beliefs. They could not grasp the idea that Jesus had come to proclaim a new gospel of salvation and to establish a new way of finding God, through faith and love. Jesus’ followers found it very easy to love and admire him but very difficult to understand many of his teachings.

Again and again, Jesus tried to clarify the difference between his teachings and the teachings about him. Unfortunately, his followers did not understand, and, after he died, a religion about his resurrection and miracles sprang up while his teachings about the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of humanity faded into the background. These latent teachings of Jesus will someday emerge, and love will be the motivating factor of his followers.

The training of Jesus’ messengers has not stopped, it continues to this day under the tutelage of his Spirit of Truth. His message will someday conquer the whole world for God, and the earth will blossom in light and life.