The apostles being sent out for the first time on their own to “proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:1-6), were being directed to take the next step in their apprenticeship. I suspect the concept of apprenticeship was more familiar in times past than it is now. It was the customary way in which a person would learn a trade. A certain of amount of time would be agreed upon for a novice to come under the tutelage of one accomplished in a particular skill, a Master, with the idea that, eventually, the apprentice would become a “journeyman” like the one instructing him. The practice still exists in trade unions and, one could say, in such things as the summer internships that many students undertake. The novice observes, listens, asks questions, does a lot of grunt work, all with the hope of acquiring the necessary skills to carry out the particular trade.
This is the point of this adventure for the apostles, for as New Testament scholar, Robert Stein, suggests, the mission of the twelve "served as an apprenticeship for their ultimate mission.” With the outpouring of the promised Spirit on Pentecost, the apostles exhibit their journeymen status by healing and preaching with convicting power (take a look at Acts 4:13 and see how this concept helpfully informs what you read there), but at this point in their tenure with the Master they have yet to have their mettle tested. But after enduing them with power and granting authority to minister in his name, Jesus sends them out. This experience will prove to be significant when later they serve as “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word” to men such as Luke (Luke 1:20).
The apprentice to journeyman status can be a helpful way to think of every believer’s discipleship. As the writer of Hebrews teaches, we start with “milk,” but eventually we are expected to eat meat (Hebrews 5:12-13). As a community of New Covenant believers the resources we need are available (see Jeremiah 31:31-34). But it doesn’t just happen. There’s intentionality in Jesus actions, and it would be wise for us to think about how the church goes about making journeymen and women for Christ. Soli deo gloria!
