Today we hear about a group of people gathered together in a room secured by a lock on the door. The text says these folks are the disciples. Let's focus ...

Focus on the text and word “disciple.” Let us define disciple – a student or a person who has tethered him or herself to a master teacher. The disciple listens and learns from the master teacher. A contemporary image for a disciple is that of an apprentice.

Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha would have fit the description of a disciple. In Luke (10:38-42) we hear that Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to him speaking. Mary is a disciple, listening and learning from the master teacher.

Earlier in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 8:1-3) we hear of some other women who followed Jesus presumably as disciples. These women are named Mary Magdalene, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chua, and Suzanna. Luke says “and many others” but does not give any more proper names. Luke goes onto say these women provided for Jesus and the twelve out of their resources. In modern language, the women “fronted the money.” They were not only disciples but benefactors!

YES women were disciples of Jesus.

Now let us focus on the word “apostle” and what does that word mean. An apostle is one being sent on a mission. Especially in the New Testament the word apostle refers to the Twelve (or Thirteen after Judas’ death and replacement) men that were hand selected by Jesus and sent by him to proclaim the Good News. To do this mission, the apostles had to learn from the master teacher, Jesus, so they would also be disciples.

To some folks this exercise in semantics is not really important but I beg to differ. We need to reread the scriptural text with new eyes, with critical ears and an open mind. The difference between the words apostle and disciple is significant.

So let us look at the text once again. “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews…”

The text says disciples and not apostles. So who might these disciples be? Well later in the text we hear, that “Thomas…one of the Twelve was not with them when Jesus came”. So we know that ten of the apostles are present. But who else might be in the locked room? Think back to the John’s Gospel account of the crucifixion of Jesus. Mary, Jesus’ mother is present along with Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary of Magdala and the disciple/apostle that Jesus loved (aka John). Jesus says to his mother, “woman behold your son” and then to the disciple John, “behold your mother.” The Gospel writer continues, “And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27).

Why is this important to note – a woman in the time of Jesus needed to be in the company of a male, either her husband, father, son or another male relative (even if the male relative would have been an infant or child). Without a male she could not be accepted as valued person in the community. A woman without her male benefactor could not move around freely in society, she was an outcast and she might have been an easy target for criminals. So now Mother Mary goes where John goes, they are a team so to speak. It would only make sense that if John is in the locked room with the other nine apostles/disciples Mother Mary would have been him.

To continue on this train of thought specific women are mentioned being present at the crucifixion of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. The women named are: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and John, and Salome. So if these women were brave enough to stand and be present at the crucifixion, wouldn’t it make sense that they too, would have been in the locked room with the men? Remember our text states, “…when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews”. Don’t you think these women were afraid too? Do you think the men were so cowardly that they would have left the women alone, to fend for themselves?

We need new ears to hear the words of scripture. For over 20 centuries this story of Jesus coming through the locked doors into the room where the disciples were has been told. Thinking back on my religion classes in Catholic School, I distinctly remember being told that the Apostles (10 men only) were in the room. Jesus appeared and said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And breathed on them (apostles) saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

In sacramental theology and from what I had been taught in Catholic school, this passage is the scriptural foundation for the Sacrament of Confession (now also known as Penance or Reconciliation). But let’s move beyond that narrow interpretation.

The Master Teacher, the Risen Jesus, is still teaching his disciples in this scenario. He had often taught on the topic of forgiveness of others and the place it had in relationship to sin. More than once he taught that his disciples needed to forgive others as they themselves have been forgiven. To drive this point home, he taught the disciples to pray what we now call the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father.

As the Master Teacher, Jesus knew that a lesson must be presented more than once for it to be effective. He also knew that sometimes a lesson needs a visual presentation or a personal connection to the student’s life. Jesus, always the Master Teacher, gave his disciples one final lesson from the cross when he prayed, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

So let’s now return to the scriptural text we are reflecting upon, “…Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Instead of perceiving this as referring to a legalistic directive to a hierarchical church establishment let us view it as a continued teaching from the Master Teacher.

Each disciple is given this powerful teaching and the accompanying authority. Can we as disciple apprentices accept that each of us has the power to forgive sins, those sins we commit and those sins that are done to us? Forgiveness is empowerment and leads to new life. Retention of sins holds one in captivity and servitude. New life cannot take place where unforgiven sin remains. Our Risen Master Teacher knows this reality.

Master Teacher Jesus spent many lectures and lessons imparting this reality. Concepts that are difficult to grasp and take to heart need to be repeated often. To help disciples to accept this teaching the Holy Spirit accompanies the Risen Jesus into the locked room, and into the locked rooms of our hearts. She empowers all apprentice disciples to accept Jesus’ teaching.

As always, the Risen Jesus offers freedom and life. Forgive sins or Retain sins, the choice is up to each disciple and us. He will not interfere in our decision as to when to forgive. A teacher, even the Master Teacher can only do so much. Now it is up to the student, the disciple to act upon the teaching, the belief.

Do not persist in your unbelief, but believe!

NOTES

April 3, 2016

Second Sunday of Easter, Year C

Image: "Jesus, Mary, and Martha" courtesy of Ashley D. Farmer in 2015