In the Bible, Jesus explains His decision not to reveal Himself to the world in some miraculous act but instead to work through His disciples. One of the primary reasons for this is the nature of faith and the role of personal belief in the process of salvation.
- Relationship and Obedience: Jesus emphasizes that those who love Him will obey His commands. By choosing to work through His disciples, Jesus establishes a personal and intimate relationship with His followers. Through their obedience and active participation in His mission, the disciples would experience a deeper connection with Him. Jesus desires a relationship of love, trust, and obedience rather than simply performing miracles to gain attention.
- The Power of Testimony: Jesus entrusted His disciples with the task of sharing the Good News and spreading His teachings to the world. By working through His disciples, Jesus intended to impact the world through their testimonies and witness. Their firsthand experiences with Jesus, their transformed lives, and their proclamation of His teachings would carry more weight and credibility than a singular miraculous act.
- Continuity and Multiplication: Jesus knew that His time on earth was limited, and He wanted to ensure the continuity of His mission beyond His physical presence. By investing in His disciples and empowering them with the Holy Spirit, Jesus intended for His work to continue through successive generations. The disciples were to make more disciples, who would, in turn, continue the mission of spreading the Gospel and making Jesus known.
- Faith and Belief: The decision not to reveal Himself to the world in a miraculous way also highlights the importance of faith and belief. God desires that people come to Him through faith, willingly choosing to believe in Him rather than being compelled by extraordinary signs and wonders. Faith involves a personal response to God’s love and grace, and it requires a genuine seeking of Him.
Through these explanations, the Bible suggests that Jesus’ decision to work through His disciples was intentional and purposeful. By entrusting them with the task of proclaiming the Gospel, Jesus established a relational approach to salvation, empowering His followers to be active participants in His mission and to bear witness to His transformative power.
- Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV):
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'”
Explanation: In this passage, known as the Great Commission, Jesus commissions His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. He grants them the authority to carry out this mission, emphasizing the importance of teaching others to obey everything He has commanded. Jesus assures them that He will be with them always, indicating His ongoing presence and support. This scripture supports the decision for Jesus not to reveal Himself to the world in a miraculous act but to work through His disciples. It highlights the disciples’ role as ambassadors of the Gospel, responsible for spreading Jesus’ teachings and making new disciples. Jesus entrusts them with the task of carrying His message forward, relying on their faithfulness and obedience to impact the world.
- Acts 1:8 (NIV):
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Explanation: In this verse, Jesus speaks to His disciples just before His ascension into heaven. He promises them that they will receive power through the Holy Spirit, who will come upon them. Jesus declares that they will be His witnesses, starting from their immediate surroundings in Jerusalem and extending to Judea, Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. This scripture affirms Jesus’ decision to work through His disciples rather than revealing Himself to the world in a grandiose manner. The disciples are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bear witness to Jesus and His teachings. They are called to share their personal experiences and the transformative impact of Jesus in their lives. This verse emphasizes the disciples’ active involvement in spreading the Gospel and their reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit to carry out this mission effectively.
These scriptures support the decision of Jesus to work through His disciples, highlighting their role in proclaiming the Gospel, making disciples, and being witnesses to the world. Jesus entrusted His followers with the responsibility of carrying forward His message and relied on their obedience, faithfulness, and the power of the Holy Spirit to impact the world with the good news of salvation.