Last Teachings (Luke 22:24-38)
Luke now comes to the final teachings of Jesus before His crucifixion. These actually started with the establishment of the Last Supper and the announcement of the betrayal, but continue here with teachings on greatness and leadership in the Kingdom, and instructions for the mission after Jesus’ departure.
The disciples begin to argue about who will be the greatest of them in the coming kingdom. Who will be the second in command to Jesus? Jesus takes this opportunity to teach that the values of the Kingdom of God are reversed from those of the world. Whereas leaders in the world are served by their followers, in the Kingdom of God, the greatest are those who serve the rest. Leadership in the church is servant-leadership. This is illustrated in John by Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet. Luke leaves the point to the cross and Jesus’ sacrifice.
He also warns the disciples of the tremendous threat for leaders in the Kingdom in our “already-no-yet” time. The adversary has a target on leaders. Peter has been singled out by Satan as Job was. He will be tested. Jesus tells Peter that He is praying for His faith. Endurance and steadfastness in the faith is key for all believers, but especially so for leaders. We see this today in the way that pastors fall all around. They are under tremendous strain. Partly, this is because the servant leadership has become an assumption that ands squarely on pastors’ shoulders. People forget that all believers are to serve one another; they are even to their “leaders.” However, it is also true that leaders in the church come under attack as much or more than others.
Jesus then reminds the disciples of when they were sent out by Him. Then, they did not take provisions. Their needs were supplied in the harvest. After He is gone, they will need to take provisions on their mission. Physically and spiritually, believers on mission need to take care that they are being cared for. The Catholic tradition sees here and allegory for worldly authority (governments) and spiritual (the Church). That is too allegorical. However, I do think there is a possibility of seeing Scripture in the idea of the swords. Jesus’ followers, after He and the disciples were gone, needed a tangible guide to help them avoid mission and vision drift.
The disciples begin to argue about who will be the greatest of them in the coming kingdom. Who will be the second in command to Jesus? Jesus takes this opportunity to teach that the values of the Kingdom of God are reversed from those of the world. Whereas leaders in the world are served by their followers, in the Kingdom of God, the greatest are those who serve the rest. Leadership in the church is servant-leadership. This is illustrated in John by Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet. Luke leaves the point to the cross and Jesus’ sacrifice.
He also warns the disciples of the tremendous threat for leaders in the Kingdom in our “already-no-yet” time. The adversary has a target on leaders. Peter has been singled out by Satan as Job was. He will be tested. Jesus tells Peter that He is praying for His faith. Endurance and steadfastness in the faith is key for all believers, but especially so for leaders. We see this today in the way that pastors fall all around. They are under tremendous strain. Partly, this is because the servant leadership has become an assumption that ands squarely on pastors’ shoulders. People forget that all believers are to serve one another; they are even to their “leaders.” However, it is also true that leaders in the church come under attack as much or more than others.
Jesus then reminds the disciples of when they were sent out by Him. Then, they did not take provisions. Their needs were supplied in the harvest. After He is gone, they will need to take provisions on their mission. Physically and spiritually, believers on mission need to take care that they are being cared for. The Catholic tradition sees here and allegory for worldly authority (governments) and spiritual (the Church). That is too allegorical. However, I do think there is a possibility of seeing Scripture in the idea of the swords. Jesus’ followers, after He and the disciples were gone, needed a tangible guide to help them avoid mission and vision drift.
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