Elisha even called Elijah “father” when he saw him go up in a heavenly chariot. Nothing Elijah said could make Elisha turn away. In 2 Kings 2, Elijah ordered Elisha to stay behind when he knew God was about to take him. We also learn about how devoted and loyal Elisha was to Elijah. We see this in Elisha when it says he became Elijah’s attendant, his mesharet (1 Kings 19:21), who humbly served his needs. A disciple was supposed to serve his rabbi and emulate him in his way of life, like an apprentice serving a master. The relationship wasn’t about academic learning, like a student taking notes from a teacher. Utter DevotionĪ disciple was supposed to be utterly devoted to his rabbi, to love him like his own father. By alluding to the plow, he is recalling the scene when Elisha makes the same request of Elijah. A potential disciple asks to delay his commitment to following Jesus for the sake of family, and Jesus informs him that he needed to abandon everything to be a part of the kingdom of God. Compare this with a scene from when Jesus was speaking to a would-be disciple:Īnother also said, “I will follow You, Lord but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9: 61-62) Elisha responded by burning his plow to show his total commitment to following Elijah, even over supporting his own family. When Elisha asks to say good-bye to his family, Elijah’s responds angrily, because Elisha was delaying his answer to the calling that God had given him. Then he arose and followed Elijah and became his attendant. He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. And Elijah passed over to Elisha and threw his mantle on him. So he (Elijah) departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. Let’s look at Elijah and Elisha’s relationship: God told Elijah to chose Elisha to succeed him as prophet, and when Elisha was called, Elisha left everything to live with and serve Elijah. The Elijah/Elisha relationship served as a model during Jesus’ time of what was expected of the rabbi/disciple relationship. Since Jesus tells us to make disciples out of all nations (and be disciples ourselves), we will be enriched to understand what exactly was expected of a disciple.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |