“Don’t get into things!”
How many times did you hear that directive as a kid. Mom had to run to the store for a minute or Dad was tied up on a project in the garage. Knowing what children will do when left to their own devices, the last ditch effort of “out‑of‑sight” parenting is the generic and ultimately unenforceable order — “Don’t get into things!”
Like that ever stopped kids from burrowing into the back of closets as Christmas closed in. Like that ever kept the curious chemist from testing things like putting Mentos in soda bottles or trying to melt chocolate chunks into “hot chocolate.” Being empowered by freedom coupled with being unsupervised makes it far too tempting for any and all of us to “get into things.”
Jesus’ resurrection was the miraculous “happy ending” his disciples had never imagined possible. His physical presence in their midst, eating and talking with them, filled them with wonder and confused joy. Then his “opening up the Scriptures” opened their blurry eyes to read God’s drama of salvation, of which they were now a part. Receiving Jesus’ blessing and witnessing his ascension finally brought these disciples to a place of faith that they had never before inhabited. They were first-hand believers in the resurrection. They took to heart his promise of the gift of the Spirit. Their faith went almost overnight from being unhinged to being untinged and untroubled by doubt.
In this newfound joy and confidence the disciples obediently stayed in Jerusalem, praying in the temple, offering blessings to God, and waiting for the other shoe to drop. Jesus had specifically told them to “stay there and wait” for the promised gift of the Spirit that was to come. Jesus told his disciples, “Don’t get into things” until his presence, in the form of the Holy Spirit, returned to them.
But Peter.
But Peter got antsy. He needed to DO something. Peter had always responded to miracles with a physical “do something” energy. At the Transfiguration, instead of wondering at the glory of the heavenly presence of Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus, Peter is all set to break out the tools and physically build a holy encampment for these heavenly visitors — a kind of Moses-Elijah-Jesus museum. When Jesus miraculously appears walking on the water towards his boat bound disciples, Peter is the one who eagerly jumps ship to join him. Peter is a man of action. Sitting and waiting on the Lord is not his style.
Peter had also denied Jesus three times. Judas’ traitorous actions led to Jesus’ arrest, but Peter’s cowardly denials denigrated his own status as disciple. Although there were strong symbolic reasons to have twelve disciples, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, Peter’s actions surely shifted the focus on failed disciples fully onto Judas — and away from himself.
So despite the direct instructions of Jesus to “Do nothing” until the Holy Spirit comes, Peter “got into things.”
You say: But nothing bad happened from the disciples going out on their own, “getting into things,” and choosing Matthias as the “replacement” for Judas.
Really? First of all, nothing particularly good happened either. Acting without the living presence of the Spirit the disciples were able to achieve some “apostolic accounting,” presenting good numbers. But their action had no tangible consequence. Their reaching on their own the Number 12 had no transformative power, no transmitted message. For their “divinely” chosen candidate Matthias sinks into a historical abyss. Unlike all the other disciples, his name is never mentioned again in any scriptural text, and can only be found once in the history of the church (and even then we’re not sure it’s this Matthias).
Second, who knows what might have happened, or who might have been chosen, if the disciples had done as they were told and waited to take any action until after the Spirit had come in its fullness. Who knows what surprises God had up the Spirit’s sleeve if only we had followed our instructions?
Sometimes “staying in Jerusalem,” not “getting into things,” is the hardest thing to do. But God’s plan of salvation and redemption did not come to an end at the moment of Jesus’ ascension. There was more to come. Jesus’ “stay in Jerusalem” directive cautioned his disciple/witnesses to not get ahead of God, to not go ahead of Jesus. Disciples are followers — and no one can follow if they have run off ahead of their leader.
When Moms and Dads warn the kids “don’t get into things” it is because they know that children do not yet have the tools and talents to navigate the dangers of this world. The same concern and compassion for his children had Jesus order his disciples to sit still and sit tight in Jerusalem, until the coming of the Holy Spirit. Once empowered, once united by the Holy Spirit, these “children of God” would be ready to take on the world. But not before.
We are still commanded to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit, the living presence of the risen Christ, before we strike out into the world. Jesus’ disciples were always such a diverse, disparate group. They got‑along to get‑along, but they operated as individuals, jockeyed for the position of “favorite,” worried about their individual reputations. After Pentecost those Jesus had chosen became an impenetrable force of faithfulness and fearless witnesses to the world.
In today’s text when Peter decides it is time to elect a new disciple, he stands alone before the gathered group of believers and pitches his plan. After Pentecost, even though Peter still often acts as spokesman, he is described as “standing with the eleven” (Acts 2:14). When Peter stands alone, he gets in trouble. When Peter “stands with the eleven,” he is upheld, empowered, and informed by the uniting presence of the Holy Spirit of Christ. Individual disciples, “Twelve tribes,” have been transformed into a coherent community of faith. It is as a Spirit‑driven community, not as individuals, that the witnessing mission of the gospel goes out into the world.
The most recent movie to break all box‑office records is “The Avengers.” Yes, it is just another bunch of comic‑book heroes waging yet another cool 3‑D battle against bad guys. But “The Avengers” offers one new note to this traditional tale.
In previous movies, comics, and adventures, these super‑heroes proved their “super‑ness” by using their own unique powers to overcome the forces of evil and destruction. In “The Avengers” not one of these chosen heroes are enough on their own. They MUST work together as a team in order to achieve save the world. A uniting force must drive them and bind them to work together so that they might succeed.
After Pentecost the disciples, the “chosen twelve,” and the 120 of the other faithful, and all those who were to come, were joined together on the same team. They were given the same “super hero” strength of the Holy Spirit, not to act alone, but to act together as a body, the body of Christ in the world.
The only special “numerology” that is required to make a difference, to make a mark, is ONE — for we together are ONE in the Spirit, ONE in the Lord.
When we stand alone, we get in trouble — little more than momentary stays against the confusion and chaos.
But when we stand together, we stand as ONE — more than conquerors, through the One who loved us and sent us his Spirit.
The Power of ONE has never been greater.
Will we stand together this week, as ONE?
COMMENTARY
The text read this week for Ascension Day (May 17), and the text read for the seventh Sunday of Easter (May 20), describes the end of a beginning and the beginning of a life lived towards a new end. Luke concludes his first volume, his “gospel,” with Jesus’ final earthly directives to his disciples. The emphasis of these final words from Jesus is on how all aspects of scripture “the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms” were fulfilled through his suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection.
Jesus redefines his “disciples” now as “witnesses” to this new truth, this new reality. Luke’s text provides some tension as Jesus offers his last words. Jesus pledges that he is “sending” (“apostello”) that which the father has “promised” — the Holy Spirit. But it is a “not yet” event. This promise is joined to a final directive to the disciples — that they “stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” In other words, Jesus promises that a tremendous power is to be bestowed upon them, but for now these “witnesses” are to sit tight and do nothing but wait.
Jesus’ ascension is described by Luke with language that recalls events in the life of Moses, both as he raises his hands (see Exodus 17:11) and as he offers his blessing (see Exodus 29:43). There are also priestly overtones (see Leviticus 9:22‑23) to this telling of the story.
The disciples’ response to Jesus’ ascension “into heaven” is appropriate. They “worshipped him” (“proskyneo”), literally prostrating themselves as an act of homage. Unlike the first “joyful” response the disciples experienced upon seeing the risen Christ, which was muddled with “disbelieving” and “wondering,” this second experience of “great joy” is unmarred by confusion. In obedience to Jesus’ directive these overjoyed disciples return to Jerusalem and concentrate their energies on “blessing God” while they await the new beginning of their life in the Spirit.
But Jesus’ disciples — now “witnesses” — seemed to grow a bit impatient with their regime of waiting and witnessing. In this Sunday’s Acts text Luke continues their story, focusing on this odd interstitial period between the Ascension of Jesus and the Day of Pentecost. The disciples are “witnesses” to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. But they have not yet been empowered with the transformative gift of the Holy Spirit that will give their words wings.
Not surprisingly Peter steps forward in this moment and takes it upon himself to orchestrate some seemingly essential “housekeeping” tasks. The betrayal and death of Judas Iscariot had reduced the number of Jesus’ chosen ones from the symbolically significant number of twelve to the awkward prime number of eleven. Peter decides that now is the time to rectify that problem and restore their numbers.
Luke is concerned enough about this apostolic accounting that he inserts this lengthy description of events between his reiteration of Jesus’ ascension and the dramatic Day of Pentecost. Throughout Luke’s gospel, and in Acts, there is an ongoing affirmation of First Testament scripture and prophecy as it was being fulfilled in Jesus’ life and death, his message and his ministry. Just as Jesus had described the necessity for his own suffering, death, and resurrection as being in accordance with and fulfillment of scripture, so now restoring the number of disciples to Jesus’ chosen number of twelve is seen as a “necessity.” The twelve disciples were viewed as the representatives of the twelve tribes, the people of Israel. If all Israel was to be redeemed and restored then all twelve tribes, all facets of the population, must be represented. The concern is that the apostolic circle must be complete before the miracle of Pentecost occurs.
As he had been as Jesus’ disciple, the “witness” Peter takes it upon himself to be “large and in charge.” He stands before the gathered group of believers and takes on the touchy subject of Judas. Peter reminds those present, first of Judas’ treachery, becoming “a guide for those who arrested Jesus,” and then of the official status Judas had held within the community of disciples — “he was allotted among us.” And he shared “in this ministry.” Luke describes Judas and the other disciples as being “allotted” (“lanchano”) their role in Jesus’ ministry — language that prepares for the “casting of lots” practice described in v.26.
Peter cobbles together some texts from the Psalms (108:8; 68:26) to provide additional scriptural validations for the necessity of choosing a new member to be apart of the inner circle, The Twelve. Just as it was “necessary” to fulfill scripture that Judas betrayed Jesus, so it is now “necessary” for a new member be selected to take his place. Peter himself then proposes the requirements for “applicants” — one who had been present since Jesus’ baptism at John’s hand and who was present as a “witness” to his resurrection. There is some discrepancy among manuscripts about whether the two candidates ultimately offered up were put forward by a plurality (“they”) or by a singular nominator — that is, by Peter himself. Neither of the two candidates had been mentioned before in the gospels. Remarkably, neither are ever identified after this event (although Acts 15:22 does mention a “Judas, the one called Barsabbas.”).
The choosing of this new disciple is achieved through prayer and the casting of lots. Casting lots to determine important decisions was traditional in Israel. The rationale? God’s decision was already made and was simply made known to others through this human activity.
In other words, without the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide them, the disciples rely on the methods of the Old Israel to determine the newest member of a group that was to represent the New Israel. The redeemed community of faith was the New Israel, and it was this community that was called to interface with the world. Matthias is chosen to fill the void left by Judas’ defection from faithfulness, based on a simple throw of the dice.