The Secret Disciples
Secrecy,also called clandestinity is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups, perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is hidden is known as a secret. Secrecy is often controversial,depending on the content of the secret,the group or people keeping the secret and the motivation for secrecy.
Animals conceal the location of their den or nest from predators. Squirrels bury nuts hiding them and they try to remember their locations later. Humans attempt to consciously conceal aspects of themselves from others due to shame, or from fear of violence,rejection, harassment, loss of acceptance, or loss of employment. Humans may also attempt to conceal aspects of their own self which they are not capable of incorporating psychologically into their conscious being.
Loyalists of religions in the world usually hold firmly their beliefs and are made to preserve their teachings from any form of 'corruption'. Somehow, people originally in a particular sect come to believe the teachings of another but find it difficult to make public their newly found faith. They keep hiding until an opportunity comes around for them to make known their convictions.
Jesus had many disciples of which twelve were closer to Him. These 'public' disciples of Jesus probably were not members of the Jewish leaders. They were common men who had no qualms believing Jesus and publicly following Him. They were free to go to any lenghth in their bid to follow Jesus. Unlike this group, few others hadn't all the liberty to show their loyalty to Jesus.
Have you ever wondered how a secret disciple of Jesus thinks and acts? What motivates a secret disciple of Jesus to remain underground? Where do you find those who are secret disciples of Jesus?
If there is any passage of the Scripture that should bring about righteous indignation for a follower of Christ, it is the recorded actions of the Sanhendrin just prior to the crucifixion of Jesus. The elite religious council of seventy was looking for false evidence against Jesus to put him to death. This council went to extremes to humiliate Jesus when they spit in His face and struck Him with their fists(Matt. 26:59,67).
A council involved in this abhorrent activity would seem the least likely place to find secret disciples of Jesus.This means that a true disciple of Jesus can be found anywhere. Joseph of Arimathea is identified specifically as a secret disciple of Jesus(John 19:38). Another member of the council, Nicodemus is very strongly implied to be a secret disciple of Jesus too. Not only do we find two extraordinary disciples of Jesus among this infamous council, but also we find them at the forefront during the most critical three-day juncture of human history.
The sanhendrin is made up of chief priests, scribes and elders with the presiding officer being the Jewish High Priest. The council was the highest final court of appeal for matters regarding mosaic law. The sanhendrin influenced the circumstances of Jesus arrest and trial for their purposes. They wanted to see Jesus put to death. Even without the direct authority to execute anyone(Jn 18:31), this council managed to manipulate Pilate to bring about the crucifixion of Jesus. They persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus. They even mocked Jesus while He was hanging on the cross.
Out of this heinous council emerged Joseph of Arimathea, the secret disciple and Nicodemus who much earlier had approached Jesus at night under the cover of darkness.
Following Jesus' death, one might have expected representatives of the Jewish authorities to have carried out the removal of Jesus' body from the Cross and its subsequent burial in a common grave reserved for jewish wrong-doers. In this event, things worked out differently. The Jewish authorities disappeared and Jesus' friend, Joseph of Arimathea entered the scene. He was a key character in the whole episode. The Gospel accounts present him as someone of great importance in social and religious terms. He did not agree with the decision against Jesus.
John brings into scene a second notable disciple, who teams up with Joseph. Nicodemus, who at the beginning o Jesus' ministry had come to visit Him at night, and had received from Him the proclamation of the new life.
These two illustrious characters, members of the Sanhendrin and secret disciples of Jesus moved by supreme proof of love of their Master,came out of the shadows and invested with an extraordinary courage. They openly showed themselves to be disciples of the Crucified One and each offers Him a gift:Nicodemus,precious spices and perfumes for anointing and Joseph, his new tomb.
Despite his 'fear of the Jews' which forced him and maybe Nicodemus into hiding,the little opportunity they had was used to publicly declare their loyalty to Jesus and show in clear terms that they belong to Jesus.
Let every disciple of Jesus follow Him and remain faithful!
Animals conceal the location of their den or nest from predators. Squirrels bury nuts hiding them and they try to remember their locations later. Humans attempt to consciously conceal aspects of themselves from others due to shame, or from fear of violence,rejection, harassment, loss of acceptance, or loss of employment. Humans may also attempt to conceal aspects of their own self which they are not capable of incorporating psychologically into their conscious being.
Loyalists of religions in the world usually hold firmly their beliefs and are made to preserve their teachings from any form of 'corruption'. Somehow, people originally in a particular sect come to believe the teachings of another but find it difficult to make public their newly found faith. They keep hiding until an opportunity comes around for them to make known their convictions.
Jesus had many disciples of which twelve were closer to Him. These 'public' disciples of Jesus probably were not members of the Jewish leaders. They were common men who had no qualms believing Jesus and publicly following Him. They were free to go to any lenghth in their bid to follow Jesus. Unlike this group, few others hadn't all the liberty to show their loyalty to Jesus.
Have you ever wondered how a secret disciple of Jesus thinks and acts? What motivates a secret disciple of Jesus to remain underground? Where do you find those who are secret disciples of Jesus?
If there is any passage of the Scripture that should bring about righteous indignation for a follower of Christ, it is the recorded actions of the Sanhendrin just prior to the crucifixion of Jesus. The elite religious council of seventy was looking for false evidence against Jesus to put him to death. This council went to extremes to humiliate Jesus when they spit in His face and struck Him with their fists(Matt. 26:59,67).
A council involved in this abhorrent activity would seem the least likely place to find secret disciples of Jesus.This means that a true disciple of Jesus can be found anywhere. Joseph of Arimathea is identified specifically as a secret disciple of Jesus(John 19:38). Another member of the council, Nicodemus is very strongly implied to be a secret disciple of Jesus too. Not only do we find two extraordinary disciples of Jesus among this infamous council, but also we find them at the forefront during the most critical three-day juncture of human history.
The sanhendrin is made up of chief priests, scribes and elders with the presiding officer being the Jewish High Priest. The council was the highest final court of appeal for matters regarding mosaic law. The sanhendrin influenced the circumstances of Jesus arrest and trial for their purposes. They wanted to see Jesus put to death. Even without the direct authority to execute anyone(Jn 18:31), this council managed to manipulate Pilate to bring about the crucifixion of Jesus. They persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus. They even mocked Jesus while He was hanging on the cross.
Out of this heinous council emerged Joseph of Arimathea, the secret disciple and Nicodemus who much earlier had approached Jesus at night under the cover of darkness.
Following Jesus' death, one might have expected representatives of the Jewish authorities to have carried out the removal of Jesus' body from the Cross and its subsequent burial in a common grave reserved for jewish wrong-doers. In this event, things worked out differently. The Jewish authorities disappeared and Jesus' friend, Joseph of Arimathea entered the scene. He was a key character in the whole episode. The Gospel accounts present him as someone of great importance in social and religious terms. He did not agree with the decision against Jesus.
John brings into scene a second notable disciple, who teams up with Joseph. Nicodemus, who at the beginning o Jesus' ministry had come to visit Him at night, and had received from Him the proclamation of the new life.
These two illustrious characters, members of the Sanhendrin and secret disciples of Jesus moved by supreme proof of love of their Master,came out of the shadows and invested with an extraordinary courage. They openly showed themselves to be disciples of the Crucified One and each offers Him a gift:Nicodemus,precious spices and perfumes for anointing and Joseph, his new tomb.
Despite his 'fear of the Jews' which forced him and maybe Nicodemus into hiding,the little opportunity they had was used to publicly declare their loyalty to Jesus and show in clear terms that they belong to Jesus.
Let every disciple of Jesus follow Him and remain faithful!
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