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WHAT'S-HIS-NAME
#1 · April 2, 2004, 11:54 am
Posted by: henkf <henkf@...>
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"WHAT'S-HIS-NAME"
John 14:15-24
John 14:15-24
In the fifth century, St. Jerome called the apostle we are
considering in this sermon "Trinomius," which means "the man with
three names." In Mark he is called Thaddeus (3:18), in Matthew he is
called Thaddeus or Lebbaeus (10:3), and in Luke he is called Judas,
the son of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).
considering in this sermon "Trinomius," which means "the man with
three names." In Mark he is called Thaddeus (3:18), in Matthew he is
called Thaddeus or Lebbaeus (10:3), and in Luke he is called Judas,
the son of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).
If the Gospels cannot agree on this man's name, how can we ever hope to get it straight?
Well, I have recently read an advertisement from one of those sheets which
fall out of the newspaper, an advertisement for a "14K gold
microned" Religious Keepsake Watch, with "Genuine Leather-Backed
Strap." It is only $8.88 and, instead of having the twelve hours on
its face, it has a picture of Jesus--sort of like on a "Mickey Mouse"
watch--and it has the twelve apostles instead of the twelve hours.
Nine o'clock is listed as "Jude," a form of Judas. That settles the
question. Or does it? Perhaps the manufacturers chose "Jude" because
it fit in the space provided for nine o'clock. I doubt whether they
had the advantage of any advanced Biblical scholarship. I have not
ordered the watch. I tend to agree with the nineteenth-century French
social philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville who once said, "Religious
insanity is very common in the United States." And I remember that
H. L. Mencken said, "Nobody ever went broke overestimating the bad
taste of the American public."
Whereas Bartholomew had no name, this apostle had too many!
So I have chosen to call him "What's-his-name." Perhaps you have
heard the whimsical saying, "I never will forget good old What's-his-
name." Well, the apostle we are considering in this chapter is
representative of all those who appear briefly on the pages of the
Bible and human history, make their contribution, and then disappear
into the mists of history.
fall out of the newspaper, an advertisement for a "14K gold
microned" Religious Keepsake Watch, with "Genuine Leather-Backed
Strap." It is only $8.88 and, instead of having the twelve hours on
its face, it has a picture of Jesus--sort of like on a "Mickey Mouse"
watch--and it has the twelve apostles instead of the twelve hours.
Nine o'clock is listed as "Jude," a form of Judas. That settles the
question. Or does it? Perhaps the manufacturers chose "Jude" because
it fit in the space provided for nine o'clock. I doubt whether they
had the advantage of any advanced Biblical scholarship. I have not
ordered the watch. I tend to agree with the nineteenth-century French
social philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville who once said, "Religious
insanity is very common in the United States." And I remember that
H. L. Mencken said, "Nobody ever went broke overestimating the bad
taste of the American public."
Whereas Bartholomew had no name, this apostle had too many!
So I have chosen to call him "What's-his-name." Perhaps you have
heard the whimsical saying, "I never will forget good old What's-his-
name." Well, the apostle we are considering in this chapter is
representative of all those who appear briefly on the pages of the
Bible and human history, make their contribution, and then disappear
into the mists of history.
I. WHAT LITTLE WE KNOW ABOUT THIS MAN!
In the first three Gospels no word or deed of Thaddeus (or whatever
his name was) is recorded. But in the fourth Gospel he appears under
the name "Judas, not Iscariot." Judas was a good name--until Judas the
Betrayer besmirched it. So it is understandable that the Gospel
writer should make emphatic note that this other Judas was not Judas
Iscariot.
At the Last Supper Jesus told His students that He was going
away. They were puzzled. He mentioned His coming death, and Peter was
quick to jump in with his pompous declaration that he would go to die
with Him! Jesus replied by predicting Peter's denial. Thomas told
Jesus he did not know where He was going, and didn't know the way.
Jesus replied, "I am the Way...." Philip, you remember said, "Lord,
show us the Father and we will be satisfied." Jesus told him, "Have
I been so long with you, Philip, and have you not known me? The one
who has seen me has seen the Father." He then gave them (and us)
that immortal promise: "Because I live, you shall live also." Jude
(or Thaddeus, or Lebbaeus, good old what's-his-name) was still
puzzled. "Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, `Lord, how is it that
you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?'" (Matthew
14:22)
He may have meant, "Lord, how on earth will you do it? How
can you show yourself to us and yet be hidden to the world?" Or he
may have meant, "What do you mean? What purpose would be served by
showing yourself to us and not to the world?" A strong tradition
suggests that this man, too, was tinged with Zealot sympathies. He
was still looking for a visible kingdom of God on earth, led by
Jesus, who would slay His foes and lift high His friends, and he
hoped to be one of the Twelve who would sit on thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel. (Cf. Matthew 19:28) But Jesus' answer
caught this fellow off guard, and may well be taken as a rebuke to
his violent Zealot sympathies. Jesus said to him, "If a man loves me,
he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come
to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not
keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine, but the
Father's who sent me." (John 14:22-24)
In order to resolve my confusion about this fellow's name, I
looked him up in my trusty Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible. It
said: "Thaddeus: See Judas." Thanks a lot. There are some ten
Judases in the Bible. But I also learned that the name Thaddeus may
mean "Great Heart." In Biblical times names were given to correspond
to a person's nature. (That is why Moses was so concerned about
getting God's name right in Exodus, Chapter 3.) The name Jacob means
"the supplanter," Israel means "One who strives with God," David,
"the beloved," Andrew means "brave," Peter, the "rock," etc. And in
the Book of Revelation, when John talks about those who have been
redeemed, he adds that Christ said, "I will write upon them my new
name."
Jude is the same as Judas, named after great Judas Maccabee,
Israel's warrior-king. Lebbaeus means "courageous, hearty." Thaddeus
means "lively, vivacious, great-hearted." This may give us a clue to
the personality of this shadowy figure in the background in the New
Testament. He was evidently one of those people referred to in the
poem by Ralph Spaulding Cushman: "There are two kinds of people, you
know them,/ As you journey along on life's track,/ The ones who take
all of your strength from you, and the others who put it all back."
So this last of the original twelve we are considering was a
man who had three names! What shall we make of that?
his name was) is recorded. But in the fourth Gospel he appears under
the name "Judas, not Iscariot." Judas was a good name--until Judas the
Betrayer besmirched it. So it is understandable that the Gospel
writer should make emphatic note that this other Judas was not Judas
Iscariot.
At the Last Supper Jesus told His students that He was going
away. They were puzzled. He mentioned His coming death, and Peter was
quick to jump in with his pompous declaration that he would go to die
with Him! Jesus replied by predicting Peter's denial. Thomas told
Jesus he did not know where He was going, and didn't know the way.
Jesus replied, "I am the Way...." Philip, you remember said, "Lord,
show us the Father and we will be satisfied." Jesus told him, "Have
I been so long with you, Philip, and have you not known me? The one
who has seen me has seen the Father." He then gave them (and us)
that immortal promise: "Because I live, you shall live also." Jude
(or Thaddeus, or Lebbaeus, good old what's-his-name) was still
puzzled. "Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, `Lord, how is it that
you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?'" (Matthew
14:22)
He may have meant, "Lord, how on earth will you do it? How
can you show yourself to us and yet be hidden to the world?" Or he
may have meant, "What do you mean? What purpose would be served by
showing yourself to us and not to the world?" A strong tradition
suggests that this man, too, was tinged with Zealot sympathies. He
was still looking for a visible kingdom of God on earth, led by
Jesus, who would slay His foes and lift high His friends, and he
hoped to be one of the Twelve who would sit on thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel. (Cf. Matthew 19:28) But Jesus' answer
caught this fellow off guard, and may well be taken as a rebuke to
his violent Zealot sympathies. Jesus said to him, "If a man loves me,
he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come
to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not
keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine, but the
Father's who sent me." (John 14:22-24)
In order to resolve my confusion about this fellow's name, I
looked him up in my trusty Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible. It
said: "Thaddeus: See Judas." Thanks a lot. There are some ten
Judases in the Bible. But I also learned that the name Thaddeus may
mean "Great Heart." In Biblical times names were given to correspond
to a person's nature. (That is why Moses was so concerned about
getting God's name right in Exodus, Chapter 3.) The name Jacob means
"the supplanter," Israel means "One who strives with God," David,
"the beloved," Andrew means "brave," Peter, the "rock," etc. And in
the Book of Revelation, when John talks about those who have been
redeemed, he adds that Christ said, "I will write upon them my new
name."
Jude is the same as Judas, named after great Judas Maccabee,
Israel's warrior-king. Lebbaeus means "courageous, hearty." Thaddeus
means "lively, vivacious, great-hearted." This may give us a clue to
the personality of this shadowy figure in the background in the New
Testament. He was evidently one of those people referred to in the
poem by Ralph Spaulding Cushman: "There are two kinds of people, you
know them,/ As you journey along on life's track,/ The ones who take
all of your strength from you, and the others who put it all back."
So this last of the original twelve we are considering was a
man who had three names! What shall we make of that?
II. IT OCCURS TO ME THAT GOD, TOO, HAS THREE NAMES!
We have heard the distinctively Christian way of speaking of God
for so long that perhaps we have come to take it for granted, but it
is really a remarkable statement of faith. We talk of God as "Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit." This is not merely theological mumbo-jumbo
designed by theologians to confuse and befuddle the unwary layperson.
It refers to the Christian's concrete experiences of God at work in
human history. And it does not need to be as confusing as it sounds.
Recall that the symbol for the Holy Spirit is a descending dove.
British mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, in one of her books, told of
the Oriental gentleman who saw this symbol and said: "Honorable
Father very good; Honorable Son very good; Honorable bird I don't
understand at all!" He's not alone. The Trinity, however, does not
refer to three different gods, but three different aspects of the one
God, three different ways of experiencing God: God is Creator,
Redeemer, and Spirit within.
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit." That is the language used by all Christians, everywhere in
the world, to baptize their children, marry their spouses, bury their
dead, and celebrate their faith. The Trinity refers to our
experience of God in three different ways. My point is that just like
one of the apostles may have had three names, so also our Christian
God has three names. The name I like best for this apostle is
"Thaddeus:" Thaddeus, the "great-hearted" one.
for so long that perhaps we have come to take it for granted, but it
is really a remarkable statement of faith. We talk of God as "Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit." This is not merely theological mumbo-jumbo
designed by theologians to confuse and befuddle the unwary layperson.
It refers to the Christian's concrete experiences of God at work in
human history. And it does not need to be as confusing as it sounds.
Recall that the symbol for the Holy Spirit is a descending dove.
British mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, in one of her books, told of
the Oriental gentleman who saw this symbol and said: "Honorable
Father very good; Honorable Son very good; Honorable bird I don't
understand at all!" He's not alone. The Trinity, however, does not
refer to three different gods, but three different aspects of the one
God, three different ways of experiencing God: God is Creator,
Redeemer, and Spirit within.
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit." That is the language used by all Christians, everywhere in
the world, to baptize their children, marry their spouses, bury their
dead, and celebrate their faith. The Trinity refers to our
experience of God in three different ways. My point is that just like
one of the apostles may have had three names, so also our Christian
God has three names. The name I like best for this apostle is
"Thaddeus:" Thaddeus, the "great-hearted" one.
III. THERE IS A FASCINATING LEGEND ABOUT THADDEUS.
Thaddeus is connected with one of the loveliest legends in the early Church.
It is preserved by both Eusebius and Jerome. This legend tells of a
correspondence between Jesus and a man named Abgarus, King of Edessa,
which was a city in Northern Mesopotamia near the Euphrates, perhaps
now a part of southern Russia. Eusebius claims to have seen this
correspondence in the archives and public registers of Edessa and to
have translated it himself from the Syriac language. It begins with a
letter from Abgarus to Jesus. The letter says: "Abgarus, ruler of
Edessa, to Jesus the excellent Saviour who has appeared in the
country of Jerusalem, greeting. I have heard the reports of thee and
of thy cures as performed by thee without medicine and without herbs.
For it is said that thou makest the blind to see and the lame to
walk, that thou cleansest lepers and casteth out impure spirits and
demons, and that thou healest those afflicted with lingering disease,
and raisest the dead. And having heard all these things concerning
thee, I have concluded that one of two things must be true: either,
thou art God, and having come down from heaven thou doest these
things, or else thou who doest these things art the Son of God. I
have therefore written to thee to ask thee that thou wouldst take the
trouble to come to me and heal the disease which I have. For I have
heard that (enemies) are murmuring against thee and are plotting to
injure thee. But I have a very small yet noble city which is big
enough for us both."
According to the ancient legend, Jesus' reply to Abgarus goes
this way: "Blessed art thou who hast believed in me without having
seen me. For it is written concerning me that they who have seen me
will not believe in me, and that they who have not seen me will
believe and be saved. But in regard to what thou hast written to me,
that I should come to thee, it is necessary for me to fulfill all
things here for which I have been sent, and after I have fulfilled
them thus to be taken up again to him that sent me. But after I have
been taken up I will send to thee one of my disciples, that he may
heal thy disease, and give life to thee and thine." (William Barclay,
THE MASTER'S MEN, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1959, p. 121-122)
And guess who was sent: Good old "what's-his-name."
Thaddeus, the Great Hearted. That's the way Christ gets His work
done. "After I am taken up I will send to thee one of my disciples."
Disciple means "student." "Apostle" means "one sent with a message
to deliver." That's the way God usually gets things done in this
world--through persons.
It is preserved by both Eusebius and Jerome. This legend tells of a
correspondence between Jesus and a man named Abgarus, King of Edessa,
which was a city in Northern Mesopotamia near the Euphrates, perhaps
now a part of southern Russia. Eusebius claims to have seen this
correspondence in the archives and public registers of Edessa and to
have translated it himself from the Syriac language. It begins with a
letter from Abgarus to Jesus. The letter says: "Abgarus, ruler of
Edessa, to Jesus the excellent Saviour who has appeared in the
country of Jerusalem, greeting. I have heard the reports of thee and
of thy cures as performed by thee without medicine and without herbs.
For it is said that thou makest the blind to see and the lame to
walk, that thou cleansest lepers and casteth out impure spirits and
demons, and that thou healest those afflicted with lingering disease,
and raisest the dead. And having heard all these things concerning
thee, I have concluded that one of two things must be true: either,
thou art God, and having come down from heaven thou doest these
things, or else thou who doest these things art the Son of God. I
have therefore written to thee to ask thee that thou wouldst take the
trouble to come to me and heal the disease which I have. For I have
heard that (enemies) are murmuring against thee and are plotting to
injure thee. But I have a very small yet noble city which is big
enough for us both."
According to the ancient legend, Jesus' reply to Abgarus goes
this way: "Blessed art thou who hast believed in me without having
seen me. For it is written concerning me that they who have seen me
will not believe in me, and that they who have not seen me will
believe and be saved. But in regard to what thou hast written to me,
that I should come to thee, it is necessary for me to fulfill all
things here for which I have been sent, and after I have fulfilled
them thus to be taken up again to him that sent me. But after I have
been taken up I will send to thee one of my disciples, that he may
heal thy disease, and give life to thee and thine." (William Barclay,
THE MASTER'S MEN, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1959, p. 121-122)
And guess who was sent: Good old "what's-his-name."
Thaddeus, the Great Hearted. That's the way Christ gets His work
done. "After I am taken up I will send to thee one of my disciples."
Disciple means "student." "Apostle" means "one sent with a message
to deliver." That's the way God usually gets things done in this
world--through persons.
Someone once said that the best way to
communicate an idea is to wrap it up and send it in a person. That's
what God did when he sent Christ into the world.
communicate an idea is to wrap it up and send it in a person. That's
what God did when he sent Christ into the world.
But Christ sent others, called "apostles," "ones with a message to deliver."
And you and I have a message to deliver.
Each of us, like the travelers in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, has a story to tell, and it
is our business to know and to tell that story. Our world is only one
generation from paganism. If we, and others like us, do not care
enough about the Gospel to tell it to those who come after us, there
will soon be no gospel to teach. That's the way God usually works:
through persons whose lives touch other persons. When God wanted the
Gentile world to hear the good news, he sent the apostle Paul. When
God wanted a Reformation in the Church, He sent Martin Luther. When
He wanted a revival in the Church of England, He sent John Wesley.
Perhaps God is just waiting to send you to go someplace where only
you can go with the good news. The legend of Abgarus and Thaddeus is
a lovely legend, and a fitting place for us to consider one of the
Twelve Apostles--for it was their calling (and ours) to know
Jesus, and then to carry that knowledge out to the furthest ends of
the earth.
I read of an interesting Parent-Teacher meeting in Fort
Worth, Texas, awhile back. It seems that James Bailey is the
Superintendent of the Fort Worth schools, and during this meeting he
tried to emphasize his openness and accessibility. He told the
audience that he would be pleased to speak with them any hour of the
day or night. "In fact," said he, "here's my telephone number..."
and proceeded to recite it. There was a sudden outcry from Assistant
Superintendent Joe Ross. "Hey," he said, "That's my telephone
number!" Bailey was just having some fun with his assistant
superintendent, but isn't it true that when God wants something done,
most of us really hope that He will call somebody else's number?
Mother Teresa, or the Pope, or Billy Graham, or at least the pastor.
But God has got our number and, upon occasion, He does call each of
us. We, too, are "apostles," sent with a message to deliver.
There is a familiar poem by Annie Johnston Flint (1862-1932)
which says it well:
Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today;
He has no feet but our feet to lead men in His way;
He has no tongue but our tongues to tell men how He died;
He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.
We are the only Bible the careless world will read;
We are the sinner's gospel, we are the scoffer's creed;
We are the Lord's last message given in deed and word
What if the line is crooked? What if the type is blurred?
What if our hands are busy with other work than His?
What if our feet are walking where sin's allurement is?
What if our tongues are speaking of things His lips would spurn?
How can we hope to help Him unless from him we learn?
is our business to know and to tell that story. Our world is only one
generation from paganism. If we, and others like us, do not care
enough about the Gospel to tell it to those who come after us, there
will soon be no gospel to teach. That's the way God usually works:
through persons whose lives touch other persons. When God wanted the
Gentile world to hear the good news, he sent the apostle Paul. When
God wanted a Reformation in the Church, He sent Martin Luther. When
He wanted a revival in the Church of England, He sent John Wesley.
Perhaps God is just waiting to send you to go someplace where only
you can go with the good news. The legend of Abgarus and Thaddeus is
a lovely legend, and a fitting place for us to consider one of the
Twelve Apostles--for it was their calling (and ours) to know
Jesus, and then to carry that knowledge out to the furthest ends of
the earth.
I read of an interesting Parent-Teacher meeting in Fort
Worth, Texas, awhile back. It seems that James Bailey is the
Superintendent of the Fort Worth schools, and during this meeting he
tried to emphasize his openness and accessibility. He told the
audience that he would be pleased to speak with them any hour of the
day or night. "In fact," said he, "here's my telephone number..."
and proceeded to recite it. There was a sudden outcry from Assistant
Superintendent Joe Ross. "Hey," he said, "That's my telephone
number!" Bailey was just having some fun with his assistant
superintendent, but isn't it true that when God wants something done,
most of us really hope that He will call somebody else's number?
Mother Teresa, or the Pope, or Billy Graham, or at least the pastor.
But God has got our number and, upon occasion, He does call each of
us. We, too, are "apostles," sent with a message to deliver.
There is a familiar poem by Annie Johnston Flint (1862-1932)
which says it well:
Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today;
He has no feet but our feet to lead men in His way;
He has no tongue but our tongues to tell men how He died;
He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.
We are the only Bible the careless world will read;
We are the sinner's gospel, we are the scoffer's creed;
We are the Lord's last message given in deed and word
What if the line is crooked? What if the type is blurred?
What if our hands are busy with other work than His?
What if our feet are walking where sin's allurement is?
What if our tongues are speaking of things His lips would spurn?
How can we hope to help Him unless from him we learn?
How, indeed? Amen.
....
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