How in the world did Jesus trust his disciples?

We see clearly in Luke 22:24-30 that the disciples fully expected Jesus to become a military/political king who would take power in such a way that they would also have posts of power according to their perceived ‘greatness’, like ministers in a cabinet. Even after Jesus shared his last supper with them, talking about how he would not drink of the fruit of the vine again until the Kingdom of God comes and describing this cup as his blood poured out, they argued about who would be the greatest. In hindsight, we can mock the disciples, but we would probably be the same in their position. Even today we often miss the point that Jesus was explaining here that the Kingdom of God comes about through sacrifice and pouring oneself out for others.

But what most amazes me, is how Jesus could entrust his entire mission to these clueless disciples. On the eve of his crucifixion, the climax of his Kingdom in-breaking (or at least penultimate climax to the ultimate climax in the resurrection), the disciples still did not get it, after having been with Jesus for three years. They did of course get it, after the resurrection and after the ascension, when finally at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given to them. But how could Jesus be so confident? How did he know they would finally get it? They were so prone to totally mistaking his ‘kingdom talk’ for the ways of the world and even personally rejecting and denying him as we soon see later in chapter 22. This ragtag bunch of fishermen, zealots, and tax collectors is going to be the crew that Jesus entrusts his whole message and kingdom to? Really?

If I were Jesus, I would’ve sat down with the disciples at some point and asked them, “Hey do you fools get it yet? My kingdom isn’t like you think it is. Its like this….” Wait, Jesus did do that several times. But yet they still didn’t get it. If I were Jesus, I would have said, “Hey, look! If you’re going to follow me, it will mean taking up your own cross and being willing to suffer just like I will….” Oh wait, Jesus did do that. Yet, they still didn’t get it. But if I were Jesus, I would not have just gone ahead and taken on the final climax, dying on the cross, at this time. I would have waited. “When are they going to get it? These fools!” I would have thought as I waited and waited. They may never have gotten it. Jesus, in hindsight, was so smart. He just went ahead and did/accepted what was the clearest illustration of what his Kingdom was all about. Until the disciples had all their dreams of power and greatness crashed and broken to pieces by seeing their ‘king’ arrested and crucified, they were never going to get it. Until they saw him do what he did, accepting the arrest, enduring the false accusations with dignity, enduring the flogging, literally pouring out his blood on the cross, they would never understand that this is what Jesus meant. They still didn’t as they saw it. They were just crushed.

But later, when Jesus rose from the dead, they were perplexed and amazed. I think the gears started turning then.

We often tend to think of discipleship as mostly a post-conversion process. Somebody understands the gospel and believes it and then they commit themselves to it and we teach them to grow in Christ after that. Jesus’ own model was decidedly different. He took this ragtag bunch and traveled around with them for three years, and during that time, none of them fully understood what his gospel was all about. But he spent a lot of quality time with them. They may not have understood his message, but his life was rubbing off on them, little by little. They may not have perceived the nature of his kingdom, but they were committed to him, even if they would in the pressure moment reject and deny him. Jesus just built a strong personal relationship with these fools and showed them over three years and one very important long weekend what his kingdom was. After he ascended into heaven and left them, they still didn’t fully get it. They had just asked him whether he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel at this time. But he entrusted his kingdom to them, and had such confidence in them to say,

“I confer on you…a Kingdom…and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Jesus was so confident. At the end of his life, he would appear to be a failure. His followers did not understand his message, the principalities and powers did not understand his message (though perhaps better than his followers did). Perhaps the only ones who understood what he was about were the demons. Yet, Jesus did not fret and worry about his legacy. He just moved forward in what he knew he was to do. He trusted that his followers would get it after he was gone.

God have mercy on us today. We too are fools, who all too often just don’t get it. Help us to understand your Kingdom. And give us confidence like you had to teach and model your kingdom, even when it seems like our disciples take so long to get it.