The Secret of the Kingdom - The call of discipleship
In our modern age of digital connectivity, the word "follower" has been cheapened. We "follow" people on social media with the click of a button, often out of idle curiosity or a desire for entertainment. We consume their content, scroll past their struggles, and hit "unfollow" the moment they cease to amuse or interest us.
But when we step into the world of the Gospels, we encounter a word that carries a weight so heavy it can transform a fisherman into a martyr and a tax collector into an evangelist. That word is Disciple.
At Pax and Ponder, we often speak about the "Radiating Truth." But truth does not radiate in a vacuum; it requires a medium. It requires men and women who are willing to be more than just "fans" or "admirers" of Jesus. It requires disciples—those who have entered the "Forge" of Christ's presence to be shaped into his likeness.
Today, I want to dive deep into what discipleship truly means, why Jesus insisted on having an "inner circle," and I want to share a personal struggle I had with a specific passage of Scripture that nearly derailed my return to the Faith—and the profound talk that finally opened my eyes.
What is a Disciple?
The word "disciple" comes from the Greek mathetes and the Latin discipulus which literally means "learner" or "pupil." However, in the context of the 1st-century Jewish world, it meant much more than a student sitting in a classroom.
To be a disciple of a Rabbi was to enter into a total apprenticeship of life. You didn't just learn the Rabbi’s words; you watched how he tied his sandals, how he ate his meals, how he treated the poor, and how he prayed. The goal was simple but staggering: to become exactly like the Master.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1533) reminds us, the Christian vocation is by its very nature a "call to the apostolate." We are called to be learners who eventually become heralds.
The Calling of the Twelve
Jesus didn't just wander around throwing truths into the air for anyone to catch. He specifically "called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach" (Mark 3:13-14).
Notice the order: to be with Him, and then to be sent.
You cannot be sent by someone you do not know. Discipleship is the process of "being with" the Master until His heart becomes your heart. It is the transition from the "Crowd" - those who want what Jesus can do, to the "Disciples" - those who want who Jesus is.
Why Did Jesus Have Disciples?
A question often asked by seekers is: "If Jesus is God, why did He need an inner circle? Why not just appear to everyone at once?" The answer lies in the way God has always worked with humanity: through the Principle of Mediation. God uses people to reach people.
To Create a New Israel
By choosing twelve men, Jesus was intentionally signaling the restoration of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was building a "New People of God," a structured community that would carry His authority. The Twelve weren't just students; they were the foundation stones of the Church.
To Preserve the "Why"
As we discussed in our reflection on Philosophy vs. Science, the world is great at the "How" but poor at the "Why." Jesus used His disciples as the repository for the "Why." While the crowds saw the miracles (the How), the disciples were given the "Secret of the Kingdom" (the Why). He was training the future teachers of the nations.
The Forge of Friendship
Jesus understood that "iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17). By bringing these men together—men who likely would have hated each other in secular life, like Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot—He created a "Forge" where they had to learn charity, forgiveness, and Pax in real-time.
My Personal Hurdle:
The "Harshness" of Luke 8:9-10
As I was coming back to my Catholic faith and really beginning to "Ponder" the Gospels for the first time with an adult mind, I hit a massive roadblock. I was reading the eighth chapter of Luke, and I came across this interaction:
“And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand’” (Luke 8:9-10).
I remember closing my Bible and feeling a profound sense of discomfort. It felt... elitist. It felt harsh.
I thought to myself: "Wait a minute. I thought Jesus came for everyone. I thought He was the Light of the World. Why is He intentionally speaking in riddles so that 'others' won't understand? Isn't that the opposite of what a savior should do?"
At the time, I viewed the "Crowds" as the victims of a Divine gatekeeping. I struggled with the idea of a God who would "hide" the Truth from those who were standing right in front of Him. It felt like the Church I was trying to join was more interested in "inner circles" than in universal love.
The Breakthrough: The Call to Imitation
The turning point for me didn't happen in a library, but in a pew at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Houston. It was 2016, and I was attending the National Bible Conference. The speaker was Dr. John Bergsma, and he began to unpack the theology of discipleship in a way I had never heard before.
Bergsma explained that discipleship isn't about some secret, gnostic knowledge meant to make one person "better" than another. Instead, he pointed us to the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."
From Instruction to Imitation
Suddenly, the "harshness" of Luke 8 evaporated. Bergsma’s talk helped me realize that Jesus was speaking to the disciples differently not to exclude the crowds, but to equip the disciples.
He was teaching the Twelve how to do exactly as the Master does. He was giving them the "secrets"—the internal logic and heart of the Kingdom—so that they could go out and live it. The goal was for the disciples to become so "Christ-like" that when the crowds looked at Peter, James, or John, they would see a living reflection of Jesus.
The "Secrets of the Kingdom" weren't meant to stay secret. They were meant to be incarnated in the lives of the disciples. Jesus was telling them the "Why" so that they could show the world the "How" of holy living. St. Paul understood this perfectly: his authority to tell people how to live came from the fact that he was a disciple who had meticulously imitated the Master.
I realized that the "Crowds" weren't being left in the dark; they were being given a future gift. They were being prepared to see the Truth through the lives of the men Jesus was currently forging. Discipleship is the process of becoming an icon of Christ so that others have a path to follow.
The "Secrets of the Kingdom" (What Disciples Know)
What are these "secrets" that the disciples were given? They aren't magical spells; they are the deep theological and philosophical truths that underpin reality—the truths that allow us to imitate Him.
The Secret of the Cross: That victory comes through surrender. This is absolute nonsense to the "Crowd," but to the disciple who imitates Christ’s sacrifice, it is the only way to triumph.
The Secret of the Eucharist: That God gives Himself as food. To the casual listener, this is a "hard saying" (John 6:60). To the disciple, it is the daily nourishment required to maintain the "Christ-like" life.
The Secret of Pax: That peace is not found in the absence of trouble, but in the presence of the Master.
As the CCC 546 explains: "Jesus' invitation to enter his kingdom comes in the form of parables... only those who 'know the secrets of the kingdom of God' receive the word." This "knowing" is the prerequisite for "imitating."
Modern Discipleship
Today, the "Crowd" still exists. It exists in the millions of people who "like" Catholic content or attend Mass out of habit but remain at a distance.
Discipleship is the move from being a consumer of religion to being an apprentice of the Lord. It means looking at the life of Jesus and saying, "I want to tie my sandals like Him. I want to treat my enemies like Him. I want to pray like Him."
The "Shield" of Accountability
In our Forge & Shield study, we will emphasize that you cannot imitate Christ in a vacuum. Just as Jesus sent the disciples out "two by two," we need brothers who will hold up a mirror to our lives and ask: "Are you acting like the Master today, or are you acting like the world?" Enlist and sign in for Forge and Shield today!
The "Forge" of Prayer
If you find yourself struggling with a "hard saying" of Jesus, remember my experience at the Bible Conference. Don't walk away in frustration. Stay in the pew. Stay with the Word. That struggle is the "Forge." It is God inviting you into the "inner circle" so that He can prepare you to be His witness.
The Mission
Jesus didn't train the disciples so they could have a private "holy club." He trained them so they could radiate.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19).
The world doesn't need more "admirers" of Jesus. It needs disciples. It needs people who are so well-trained in the "secrets of the Kingdom" that they can say to their neighbors, their coworkers, and their children: "Imitate me, as I imitate Christ." It requires men who are willing to be "Forged" in the heat of sacrifice and "Shielded" by the grace of the Sacraments so that they can become a living Gospel for those who haven't yet read the Book.
Pondering Wrap up
If you are reading this and you feel like you are standing in the "Crowd"—looking at the Church from a distance, confused by her "riddles," or finding her teachings "harsh"—I want to give you the same invitation Jesus gave the Twelve.
Come closer.
Don't judge the "Secret of the Kingdom" from the outside. Enlist in a study. Start a routine of prayer.
When I finally moved past my hurdle with Luke 8 through that talk in Houston, I found a God who wasn't "hiding" Truth, but a God who loved the world enough to train a few men perfectly so that the Truth could reach everyone. He is a God who wants to share His secrets with you, but He requires your heart to be "Pondering" and your will to be "Forged."
The crowds will eventually go home. The disciples will change the world.
Which one will you be?
Points for Pondering:
If someone were to "imitate me" today, would they be brought closer to Christ or further away?
What "hard saying" of Jesus am I currently avoiding, and how can I stay with Him to ask for its meaning?
How am I moving from "knowing about" Jesus to "imitating" Him in my daily routines?
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 11:1