Jesus's Humanity

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. 

Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'" (Luke 10:1-9)

Seventy-two in pairs means 36 pairings having to travel far and wide to cure the sick and make visible the Kingdom of God.  That’s quite an advance team for Jesus and a lot of ground to cover.  The 72 had to be scared to death because Jesus told them they were “lambs” sent among “wolves.”  Perhaps the instruction to carry no money bag, no sack, and no sandals would have made them unattractive to the wolves – the thieves – who would have seen no profit in robbing apparent vagabonds.  

The television show “The Chosen” highlights the reservations of the 72, especially the small group of close followers. Here’s an excerpt from an article in America Magazine (July 2, 2021) by Mary Grace Magano: 

(begin) I finally gave the show a chance this past Easter when Season 2 premiered. From the very first episode, I was floored. I watched the entire first season in a matter of days. I wanted more. I wanted to watch and see and be with Jesus. The acting is excellent, the visuals stunning, the artistry superb, and it pays careful attention to historic details and Jewish culture. But perhaps the show’s most important feature is that it portrays the characters as human, especially Jesus. Many previous attempts to depict Christ on the screen have focused on his divinity, but what I appreciate about “The Chosen” is that its creators acknowledge that we can never fully grasp his divinity. But Jesus’s humanity? Yes, that we can understand. And that is what this show captures so well.

The church needs this show. The faithful need this show. It sounds strange to say, but in all the books, podcasts, homilies, catechesis and education I have encountered that have formed my faith, it never occurred to me that the apostles had full lives with families, jobs, commitments and challenges, just like I do—and that Jesus disrupts all of that when he arrives. They were faithful Jews (and I’ve learned so much about the Jewish faith by watching the show!) awaiting a Messiah. And following Jesus required real sacrifice and faith. But like any decision made by a human being, it involved questioning, doubt, faith and trust. (end)

I agree with her: We can never fully grasp his divinity. "But Jesus’s humanity? Yes, that we can understand.”  I’ve always preferred to focus on Jesus’s humanity which is why the Gospel of John isn’t my favorite, although our Church seems to give that Gospel preference due to its focus on Jesus’s divinity. She is quite correct: “Following Jesus required real sacrifice and faith. Like any decision made by a human being, it involved questioning, doubt, faith and trust.”  I can relate to that.

Deacon David Pierce