Jesus, Rabbi, Teacher and His 12 Students

Maybe it's because I go back to school two weeks from today, but yesterday's Gospel made me think of Jesus as a fellow teacher. As an English teacher, I constantly use metaphors to explain things (especially during the dreaded grammar units), or I'm explaining metaphors authors use in the literature the students read. So when we heard another parable from Jesus, I couldn't help but recognize Jesus as the Rabbi that He was.

Not only does Jesus use lots of examples to make His point, but He tries to get his students, the Apostles, to understand what he's saying. I don't know about you, but I am usually a little confused when listening to the parables in the Gospels, usually needing the guidance of someone who has attended a seminary. So I can only imagine when the Apostles, a group that often seems confused by what Jesus says and misunderstands Him, think about the parables. That is why in yesterday's Gospel, I love that when Jesus asks the Apostles if they understood what He was saying, they simply say "Yes." I sense that they were more confused than they wanted to let on, just like my students after I discuss, say, noun clauses as the object of a gerund phrase.

"Yeeaaahhh. . . we get it. But will this be on the test, Jesus?" they seem to be saying.

During yesterday's sermon, I must confess that I let my mind wander on this topic, and I started to amuse myself by thinking of the Apostles as students.

Naturally, Peter would be the class leader, despite the fact that he isn't the best student or that he gets carried away by extraneous projects. think about his behavior during the Transfiguration. After experiencing this miraculous event, this amazing meeting among the leading prophets of Judaism, all Peter can think about is doing an extra credit project: building tents for the prophets to stay in, even though they are gone. And the rest of the Apostles follow along with what Peter says, no matter if he loses his temper or doesn't understand what's going.

James is said to be Jesus' favorite, but isn't that just a euphemism for Teacher's Pet?

Thomas, of course, is the student who doesn't believe anything that the teacher says, arguing every point, just generally the student I hate having in class. (Personal note: these are the students I usually get exasperated with at some point during the year and ask them which university awarded them their English degree. When they answer they don't have a degree, I tell them they probably should listen to the person who does, me.)

Judas is the rare student who is always looking for the teacher to break the rules so that they can rat him out to the principal. Relationships with these students often end badly.

Sadly, the rest of the Apostles are like many students. They do their work, answer the occasional question, but for the most part they are quiet and don't stand out, which is why we rarely hear about them.

Except for Andrew. Since he is traditionally considered the first Apostle, the one who first recognized Jesus for what he was, I consider Andrew to be the best, and most intelligent student in the class.

But I might be biased.