f years, and 10--the Messiah in person was
listening to his reading!

All the controversies in the synagogues and in the streets of Jerusalem
were merely repeated platitudes, when a man appeared in Galilee, who
claimed the highest authority and showed the greatest humility at the
same time. The Law was the highest authority for the Jews, and the
Emperor of Rome the highest authority for Pilate. But Jesus declared
himself to be the bearer of an authority which was incomparably higher
than any authority existing on earth. He did not beg either Andrew or
Peter or John and James, to follow Him; He commanded them: "Follow Me!"
Speaking with authority He gained the confidence of His first followers,
and showing humility He also gamed their love. Authority and
humility--two qualities which not often were united in the character of
the church-leaders, a good reason why many of them were feared and many
others pitied, instead of being respected and loved as Jesus was
respected and loved by the first Church. For fear and pity are the
degenerate forms of respect and love.

What we call the first Church represented in reality the smallest Church
in number as well as in time and space, but the richest in its dramatic
changes and conflicts.

Some few fishermen were called by Christ, and this call meant real
baptism for them. He let Himself be baptised but He did not baptise His
disciples otherwise than by His personal calling to them to follow Him;
Pentecost was their "confirmation." The history of the first Church
comprised a time not of some hundred years but of some hundred days.
When Andrew and Peter followed Jesus the formation of the Church
started. There were already two gathered in His name and conducted by
Him in person. As a matter of fact, they followed Jesus at first merely
with their eyes and feet, but with their hearts they still followed
Moses and the Law. The Twelve Disciples were at first nothing more than
twelve insignificant grains of sand placed upon a big rocky foundation
of a palace, which had to be built. Only after their confirmation by the
Holy Spirit did they become the real pillars of the palace. They were
uncertain about their Master and everything He said, and they quarrelled
about many things. I think they represented through their differences
not one church but twelve churches, but by their common respect and love
for their Master they represented one Church only. What a prophetic
image of the Church