Continuing my foray into the life and 70-day ministry of Yeshua HaMashiach through Rood’s Chronological Gospels, today’s corresponding passage or event was found in Matthew 8:18-27 (also mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25). The passage reads as follows:
“When Yeshua saw great multitudes about Him, He gave the command to depart to the other side of the Kinneret. There a certain scribe came to Him and said, ‘Master, I will follow you wherever you go. ‘Yeshua said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ Another disciple said to Him, ‘Master, let me first to go and bury my father.’ But Yeshua said to him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.’ When He entered into a boat, His disciples followed Him. A great tempest arose in the sea, so that the ship was covered with the waves, but Yeshua was asleep. His disciples came to awaken Him, saying, ‘Master, save us, or we will die!’ He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose, and He rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. The men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey Him?’
It would seem from following Rood’s Chronology these past few days, that Yeshua’s ministry at this point in the overall time-line was in high swing. Commensurate to that, however, was the press of people that were constantly hounding the Master for His attention and the likely continuous demands of would be followers and disciples. The Master in these passages was still in the region of Kfar Nahum (which Rood considers to be the temporary headquarters and abode of the Master during this time period). Mashiach over the previous days had been besieged by seeming legions of would be “interested and disinterested” parties as He taught them using parables from His temporary home. I noted interested and disinterested for good reason of course. Certainly, the vast majority of adherents here were drawn to the Master’s teaching prowess and His amazing miracles, but were never interested in the foundational message that the Master brought. I imagine the life of most Jews during this period in history was mundane and difficult and Yeshua’s appearance and charisma and His associated miracles brought to the region tremendous fervor and release from that mundane and difficult life. Despite the many healing miracles wrought by the Master during this time, the greatest miracle was and should have been His message regarding the Kingdom of Yehovah. Consequently, the vast majority of would be followers were disinterested in His seemingly strange and hard if not impossible messages to understand. Many of these folks were looking for entertainment and maybe even a free meal. Some, believing Him to be the long-prophecied Messiah, sought to hear a message that would spark a rebellion against the Roman occupation of their nation. When such messages failed to emerge, many of these individuals departed in utter disappointment. The Master of course, filled with the Ruach Kodesh, had the fullest gift of discernment and had absolutely full understanding of the hearts and intentions of these hangers-on.
Yet there were those precious few who latched on to every word that came from the Master’s mouth. These few realized the unparalleled treasure that flowed from Yeshua’s mouth. These few would likely later compose the 70-disciples that were sent out on the very first missions trip as recorded in Luke 10:1. Many of these same disciples would later find themselves in Yerusalayim on Sunday, June 20, 28 C.E., all in one place on the Temple Mount on that great day of Shavuot (aka Pentecost) and would receive the Ruach Kodesh and seed the renewed covenant Church. I believe this sends a tremendous message to those of us in the Hebraic Roots and Messianic community. As disappointed as I often become over the relatively small numbers of adherents to our Faith–which I truly believe to be the closest of any to that True Faith that was once delivered to the first century saints by Yeshua and His appointed Apostles–reading passages such as this serve to solidify in my mind and heart that this Faith is not for everyone. Jesus Christ seems to get top billing these days and is a rock star, especially in our Westernized Christian society where stadium sized Churches, pop-music praise and worship and kick-back-don’t worry be happy messages have become the religion of choice. Conversely, Yeshua haMashiach and His message of the true Gospel which is Torah-based is imperceivable to most everyone in the world and the demands associated with being a part of His movement does not appeal to the vast majority of the world’s population.
This particular passage details the well-known story of a scribe who was so taken by the Master’s message and His works that He made an emotional response to follow Messiah as He spread the Gospel throughout the region. Yeshua obviously discerned this seemingly well meaning adherent’s enthusiasm as superficial and basically called him out on his desire and commitment to become part of His movement. That scribe’s impediment seemed to be more related to life-stability which is not always compatible to the work of the true Gospel. The same thing applied to another would be follower who was more concerned about inconveniences that would affect his life and that was associated with the call to follow the Master.
What this says to us is quite clear. The true Hebraic Roots and Messianic Faith, if it is to remain viable and relevant to the work of the True Gospel, must never water down its requirements and adherence to the principles and teachings of Yeshua and its inextricable and insistence that her members observe and obey Torah and the commandments of the Master. This life, couple with any obedience on our part to fulfill the great commission, is not going to have any significant following or attention. However, the race is not given to the swift or the strong but to those who endure to the end (reference 2 Tim. 4:7 & 8).