Leo Tolstoy Archive
Written: 1908
Source: From RevoltLib.com
Transcription/Markup: Andy Carloff
Online Source: RevoltLib.com; 2021
Jesus went and preached in the towns and villages himself, but, in addition, he sent his disciples in those places where he wanted to go himself. He said to them: “Many people don't know the blessing of real life, and I feel sorry for all of them, and would like to open what I know to everyone. As a master is not able to handle the entire field and gets workers to harvest it, so do I. Go to different cities and proclaim the teaching of the kingdom of God everywhere. Tell people the commandments of the kingdom, and fulfill these commandments yourself. I am sending you like sheep amid wolves. Be wise as serpents, and pure as doves. First of all, have nothing of your own, do not take anything with you: neither bag nor bread nor money, have only a dress on your body and shoes. And make no distinction between people, do not choose the hosts of places you enter. But to whichever first home you’ll come, stay in there. When you enter a house, greet the hosts. If they will welcome you, come in; if they won’t - go to another place. People will hate you for what you will say, and will attack you, and will chase you out from place to place, but don’t lose heart. And when they will drive you away from one village, you go to another, and when from another, go to the third one. They will drive you out like the wolves chase sheep, but you don’t be intimidated. And they will take you to courts, and beat you, and will bring you to their superiors so that you would defend yourselves in front of them. And when they will bring you to the courts and to the superiors, don't ponder about what to say, but know that the spirit of your Father lives in you, and it will tell what you need to say. People can kill your body. But to your souls they can do nothing, and so do not be afraid of people. But fear for your soul not to die together with your body, if you back away from the will of the Father, - that's what you should fear. No bird perishes without the will of the Father. Without his will, not a single hair will fall off your head. If you are in the will of the Father, what is there to be afraid of? (Luke 10, 1-7; Matthew 10, 7-12, 16-31)
Questions:
1) Where and why did Jesus send his disciples?
2) What did he command them to be like?
3) How did he tell them to act?
4) How did he tell them to tolerate everything?
5) Why should they not be afraid of anything?