The Making of an Apostle

by R. J. Campbell

As an example of Jesus's ways of dealing with His servants the life of the Apostle Peter is most suggestive. In the first place, because he was admitted to be the leader of the Apostles, or at any rate occupied the position of greatest prominence amongst them, and also because we are able by the comparative method to obtain from the Gospels sufficient information for a history of his character, if not of his career during the three most formative years of his life.

I.

Simon Meets with Jesus.

We are fortunate in possessing an account of the first occasion on which Simon, the Galilean fisherman, met with Jesus of Nazareth. We are told (John i. 35-42) that immediately after the Baptism of Jesus, and, therefore, before His public ministry began, John the Baptist made a semi-public declaration that He was the long-expected Holy One of Israel. His words, as recorded in the Fourth Gospel, are: "I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, He said unto me, Upon whomsover thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon Him, the same is He that baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." With the exception of the mother of Jesus, John the Baptist appears to have been the only person, who, at this particular time, was perfectly convinced, without a word from Jesus Himself, that the long-expected Messiah had appeared. His declaration just quoted must have been made in the presence of a certain number of His disciples, though with what effect we are not told.

In a sense the ministry of Jesus begins with the declaration of John, and a certain importance must therefore attach to the historicity of the account of it. If John recognised, as we are entitled to think he did, that Jesus was the very person whose advent it had been his mission to inaugurate, then Jesus's own work must in its initial stages have been greatly simplified. There could be no possibility of rivalry between the teachers, nor was there any necessity for Jesus to exactly imitate the procedure of John, and to commence unaccredited the work of evangelising an unresponsive people. John had prepared the minds of his more spiritual and earnest followers for just such a revelation as Jesus was about to give. We may say without irreverence that our Lord appropriated the results of the preaching of John. The latter beheld without jealousy or disquietude the departure of his best disciples to the side of Jesus, and his own magnanimous statement in view of this change has exalted him to a high pinnacle in the esteem of Christendom: "He must increase, but I must decrease." His work was not necessarily done when Jesus arrived upon the scene. The austere and noble-hearted prophet was still able to continue doing his best to prepare the way, to strengthen the hands of Jesus and to stir the hearts and awaken the spiritual susceptibilities of his countrymen. What a majestic self-devotion!

It is not surprising that attempts should have been made at intervals to discredit the Gospel account of the close connection between John and Jesus in doctrine and discipleship. M. Rénan,[[1]] for instance, regards the Messianic proclamation as unhistorical. He thinks the story sufficiently refuted by the fact that John afterwards sent to inquire whether Jesus really was the promised Messiah. (Matt. xi. 2 et seq., Luke vii. 18 et seq.) John's inquiry in this case was certainly very peremptory. "Art Thou the Christ, or look we for another?" But an easy explanation is to be found in the history of the time that lies between the Messianic proclamation after the Baptism and the date of his own arrest and imprisonment. John's idea of Messiahship did not exactly accord with that of Jesus. He was surprised to find that Jesus went on quietly preaching and healing, saying little or nothing about His own personal claims, and assuming neither state nor retinue. This course of action puzzled the fiery prophet who had foretold One mightier than himself, a Messiah who should impress the imagination of the world, and render to every man according to his deeds. Jesus's procedure disappointed, and perhaps irritated him, hence the abrupt inquiry, which seems to contradict his assurance at the outset of our Lord's ministry.

Supposing, therefore, that John really did proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, we should expect the announcement to kindle a very great interest in those who understood the Baptist best. From the first chapter of the fourth Gospel we may infer that John had a school of disciples to whom he gave esoteric teaching. These few intimates were, no doubt, eagerly anticipating the near advent of Him who should restore the kingdom to Israel. We do not know how many were included in this group of enthusiasts, but it is more than probable that all, or nearly all, of the names which formed the nucleus of Jesus's first band of disciples were originally regarded as the followers of John the Baptist. These were precisely the kind of men to whom Jesus would be drawn and upon whom He could rely for the sort of exalted disinterestedness which, in some degree at least, He required from them at the very outset of their acquaintance with Himself.

But to return to the narrative of that introduction: "On the following day," the writer of the Fourth Gospel goes on to say: "John was standing, and two of his disciples; and he looked upon Jesus as He walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus." Doubtless they were influenced to do so because of the announcement of the day before. The disciples of John were all well aware of the fact that John was the herald of a greater to come. John's statement in regard to Jesus, therefore, which statement he now repeated to themselves alone, stimulated their eager interest, and leaving their master, they followed the Nazarene. The opportunity was an easy one; there was no crowd, John was simply talking to his two followers; Jesus was alone. The sequence of events was very simple; Jesus turned, saw them following, and asked what they sought. Their reply was the counter question, "Rabbi, where abidest Thou?" "Come," said He, "and ye shall see." "They came, therefore," continues the story, "and saw where He abode, and they stayed with Him that day; it was about the tenth hour." Here we have a complete little narrative, full of beautiful and natural suggestion. These two men evidently had a long conversation with Jesus, perhaps far into the night, nor did they leave Him the next day, save for a purpose to which we must presently refer. A sacred intimacy was begun in those hours of association with the new teacher.

"One of the two that heard Jesus speak and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother." Who was the other? Could it be the writer of the Fourth Gospel himself, John the Divine? If so we have here the record of the beginning of a holy friendship, which so long as the Church of God lasts will be spoken of. John enjoyed the singular privilege of being "the disciple whom Jesus loved," though he was not the one chosen to lead the little band of adherents whom Jesus left behind Him. To observe this first mention of John the Divine is not a digression, for the life of the Apostle John is linked in a very special way with that of the rugged fisherman whom Jesus called to the foremost place.