Sárospataki Füzetek 20. (2016)
2016 / 2. szám - MISCELLANEOUS / SONSTIGES - Rob van Houwelingen: Follow int he Steps of Christ
MISCELLANEOUS / SONSTIGES Rob van Houwelingen FOLLOW IN THE STEPS OF CHRIST “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps ...by his wounds you have been healed. ”(I Peter 2:21,24) Trackers search for traces left by people or animals. These might be footprints, bloodstains or broken twigs. Ecologists follow such traces to determine the movements and activities of animals in their natural environments. Forensic investigation follows a similar process, to track down criminals or to gather evidence for prosecution. At a more existential level: in the course of their lives, some people may lose their way completely; it is as if their moral compass has stopped working. Then they may search for the right direction, and attempt to get their lives back on track. Itinerant rabbis In Bible times, people sometimes followed an itinerant rabbi. Day and night, you would accompany such a teacher, make him your example, and devote your whole life to him. Disciples in Israel were shaped by intensive personal training. Follow the rabbi, and your life will gain direction! Jesus of Nazareth, while no ordinary rabbi, also left such a path to follow, as he travelled around the land of Israel. Sometimes he followed well-travelled paths, sometimes he chose less-obvious routes. And all the while, he taught. You could follow him by joining his company. Or rather: by giving heed to his invitation: ‘follow me’. This is how he gathered a company of pupils, and as they followed, he instructed them. Most of the time, Jesus was accompanied by followers: a small inner circle of twelve young men, with a somewhat larger fixed group around them, who in turn were surrounded by a varying number of interested spectators. It was not long before this rabbi’s 2016-2 Sárospataki Füzetek 20. évfolyam 95
