Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/60

 mission; but  Christ  was  sent  by  the  Father  as teacher,  priest,  and  king.

As a  teacher  He  taught  everywhere,  first  of all  in  the  Temple,  then  in  the  synagogues,  in towns  and  villages,  on  mountains,  on  the  Lake of Genesareth,  in  the  desert,  and  so  on. And since Christ  knew  quite  well  that  the  apostles were but  human,  and  as  such  might  err  and make mistakes,  He  expressly  added  to  the  words we quoted  above:  "I  am  with  you  all  days, even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world."

Now everything  was  provided  for. And with the consciousness  of  a  mission  that  was  directly divine, the  apostles  proceeded  for  the  future. They did  not  ask  permission  of  the  emperor Tiberius, for  they  were  sent  by  Christ.

4. Furthermore,  Christ  was  a  priest;  He officiated  as  such,  He  absolved  souls  and  healed them, He  offered  up  Himself  on  Mount  Calvary. In like  manner  were  the  apostles  also  sent  as priests. They had  partaken  of  the  Sacrifice  at the  last  supper,  and  by  Christ's  command  they were to  offer  it  up  in  future:  "Do  this  in  commemoration of  Me!" He gave  them  power  to forgive  sins :  "  Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  they are  forgiven  them";  also  to  baptize:  "Going, therefore,  baptize  all  nations."

5. In  a  similar  way  was  Christ  sent  as  a shepherd,  as  a  king:  Ego  sum  rex,  "  I  am  a King." But He  is  not  a  king  like  other  monarchs;  "My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world." Earthly kings  care  for  the  natural,  temporal, civil welfare  of  their  subjects,  Christ  for  the supernatural, spiritual,  and  eternal.

The apostles  were  likewise  shepherds  and kings, and  as  such  possessed  a  threefold  power : to give  laws,  to  pass  judgment,  and  to  inflict