|
by
Doug Ward |
A primary goal of the four Gospels is to demonstrate that
Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah whose coming is promised in the Hebrew
Scriptures (John 20:31). Based on Deut 18:15-18, Jews during
the Second Temple Period anticipated that the Messiah would be "a prophet
like Moses." As a result, the Gospel writers tend to highlight the
ways in which Jesus resembles-and frequently surpasses-Moses.
One
way in which Jesus followed in the footsteps of Moses was in establishing a
leadership structure for the people of God. In particular, there are a number
of parallels between Numbers 1-11 in the Torah and Luke 9-10 in the Gospels.1
To investigate these parallels, let's go first to the book of Numbers.
|
Leadership
at Sinai |
As the second year of the Exodus began, the Israelites prepared to
depart from the foot of Mount Sinai and travel toward the Promised Land. The
preparations included a census of Israel's potential soldiers, men at least
twenty years old (Num 1:1-3). To assist in the census, Moses and Aaron enlisted
the assistance of twelve leaders chosen by God, one from each of the tribes of
Israel (vv. 4-16).
Given
Israel's calling to be a blessing to all nations (Gen 12:3), it is fitting that
other nations were also represented in the camp at Sinai. Some of Moses'
in-laws were among these additional people (Num 10:29-32), along with the
"mixed multitude" that had joined Israel in fleeing Egyptian
oppression (Exod 12:38). When this latter group
bemoaned their limited dietary options (Num 11:4), discontent spread through
the camp, and Moses begged God for help (vv. 10-15). God directed Moses to
choose seventy elders, who would be equipped with the Holy Spirit to assist him
(vv. 16-17). The number seventy in the Bible traditionally represents the
number of nations in the world.
We
are not told whether these elders were the same as the seventy elders who had
shared a covenant meal with Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu about a year earlier, and had a special experience of
God's presence (Exod 24:9-11). In any case, these
seventy prophesied briefly when they received the Holy Spirit (Num 11:25). Two
men, Eldad and Medad,
continued to prophesy after that (v. 26).
Interpretations
vary on whether or not Eldad and Medad
were two of the seventy elders. (In one retelling of the incident, Moses
initially picked six men from each tribe, and then seventy were chosen from
this group by lot, with Eldad and Medad
being the two who were not chosen.) Either way, Moses' aide Joshua was
disturbed that Eldad and Medad
were prophesying outside the supervision of Moses (v. 28). Moses, however, was
not concerned, and he expressed the wish that all of God's people would receive
the Holy Spirit: “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put
his Spirit on them!” (v. 29)
This
response of Moses shows both his characteristic humility (Num 12:3) and his
wisdom. Indeed, it was God's plan that one day many would be led by the Spirit,
as Moses and the prophets later would reveal (Deut 30:6; Jer
31:33-34; Ezek 11:19-20; Joel 2:28-29).
|
Proclaiming
the Gospel |
Now fast forward to the first century A.D., when
Jesus chose twelve disciples to lead a renewed Israel. In the future
these twelve will "sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of
Israel" (Luke 22:30). At that time, Jesus "sent them out to proclaim
the kingdom of God and to heal" (Luke 9:2).
The
twelve and other disciples would eventually be sent to all nations. We are
reminded of the difficulty of this task when we read that Jesus and his
disciples were turned away from a Samaritan village (Luke 9:51-56).
Anticipating the future global outreach (Luke 10:2), Jesus set apart either
seventy or seventy two additional disciples (manuscripts differ on this point)
and sent them out in pairs to towns that he would soon visit (Luke 10:1-12). He
empowered them for their task (vv. 17-20), as the seventy (or seventy two)
elders were empowered at Sinai. These additional disciples did not experience
the Transfiguration with Peter, John, and James (Luke 9:28-36), but they still
were the beneficiaries of special revelation (Luke 10:24), like the seventy
elders in Exodus 24.
Another
miracle worker, not under the direct supervision of Jesus, cast out demons in
his name. John, like Joshua, questioned his activities (Luke 9:49); but Jesus, like
Moses, was in favor of his work. “Do not stop him,
for the one who is not against you is for you,” Jesus said (v. 50).
We
find an additional set of parallels in the book of Acts. On Pentecost many were
empowered with the Holy Spirit, an event recognized as a fulfillment of the
prophecy of Joel 2:28-29 (Acts 2:14-21). The number of believers in Jerusalem
grew rapidly, forming a community that included Jews from around the
Mediterranean world. Soon the apostles received complaints from Greek-speaking
Jews that their widows were being neglected (Acts 6:1). Following the examples
of Moses and Jesus, the apostles set apart seven (rather than seventy)
Spirit-led elders to assist them (Acts 6:2-6). Among
the seven were two who might be called "sons of Eldad
and Medad", powerful preachers named Stephen and
Philip whose efforts were not discouraged by the apostles. Philip proclaimed
the gospel in Samaria (8:4-8), preparing the way for
the apostles (vv. 14-17) as the seventy two had prepared the way for Jesus.
Several
lessons are suggested by these correspondences among Moses, Jesus, and the
apostles. First, we are reminded that the Gospel writers often portray Jesus as
the Messiah by emphasizing the ways in which Jesus is a new Moses. Second, we
see that the early Church viewed its mission in continuity with that of Israel
and looked to the Torah and Israel's experience for guidance. Third, we
recognize that the Great Commission is a major assignment, requiring the
participation of many Spirit-empowered believers-modern children of Eldad and Medad-in order to be
accomplished. Heeding the instruction of our Master (Matt 28:18-20), we strive
to do our part. In particular, we "pray earnestly to the Lord of the
harvest to send out laborers into his harvest" (Luke 10:2).
1See
"The Ministry in the New Testament" by A. M. Farrer,
pp 115-182 in The Apostolic Ministry: Essays on the History and Doctrine of
the Episcopacy, Kenneth E. Kirk, editor, Hodder
and Stoughton, London, 1946.
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translated from TEX by TTH,
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On 24 May 2016, 23:12.
