Gathering in His name

Our biblical authors deliberately choose their words. Before the rise of redaction criticism 50 years ago, translators weren’t always too scrupulous in rendering identical terms used in two different passages by the same author in the same way.

For instance, though John employs the same Greek word in Jesus’ statement, “My hour has not yet come,” as he uses in his observation, “From that hour the disciple took her into his home.” Old-time translators often rendered the latter, “From that time,” or “From that moment.”

Words matter

No translator today would make such a mistake. Specific words and terms convey each biblical author’s unique theology. Today they’re translated in such a way as to show that uniqueness. The same words are translated the same way, no matter in what part of the work they’re found.

That’s why it’s important to know the exact title Matthew employs for those whom Jesus addresses in today’s gospel. Some Church documents falsely refer to them as “apostles.” Yet the first verse of chapter 18 tells us that it was Jesus’ “disciples” who approached him on that occasion and His “disciples” to whom he directs His teaching.

Disciples matter

There’s a huge biblical difference between disciple and apostle. The former is what all authors of the Christian Scriptures label anyone who follows Jesus, either Jew or Gentile, slave or free, man or woman. In Greek, the word simply means a “go behinder.” (It now makes sense why last week Jesus told Peter, “Get behind me Satan!” Disciples are never to get in front of the person they’re supposed to be following.”)

An apostle, on the other hand, is a disciple who’s been sent out on a special mission. Though the biblical distinction is clear, problems arise toward the end of the second century when some Church authorities start to imitate the hierarchical structure of the Roman Empire, and begin to equate apostle with bishop.

We are Church

Thankfully, there’s no such confusion in today’s narrative. What Jesus says, he says to all Christians, not just to those in the hierarchy. All disciples are to accept responsibility for one another’s behavior, even to the point of confrontational interventions.

As the bishops of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s stressed, our call to follow Jesus and the responsibilities which flow from it aren’t brokered through the Church’s authority structure.

All of us are the people of God: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Matthew’s Jesus presumes all Christians now assume Ezekiel’s role as watchman; all are responsible for the community’s behavior.

A state of mind

Paul understands that Jesus didn’t set up a specific, structure to carry on His ministry. He simply implanted a frame of mind in the disciples which would continue His ministry.

“Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another,” the Apostle writes, “for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

We, as Church, have spent too much time and effort developing and defending the limits and extent of the rights of those in authority, instead of, as Jesus commanded His disciples, exploring how to do the right thing.

(09/04/08)