Just some random thoughts on this. No malice intended, just like the discussion.
1. “The Way” – the phrase or the understanding is certainly NOT “deeply rooted” in the New Testament. Numerically, it’s only mentioned 5 times and at that all in Acts. Paul, Peter, Jude, even John never mentions it as a name for their religious practices or inclinations. Reject Paul as “nexus,” but now your prooftexting your whole argument on merely red lettering – enter Thomas Jefferson. for that matter ignore everyone except Peter and John – they are actual disciples, not a lot of emphasis, actually no emphasis. What does John emphasize? Being found “in the light,” “in him and him in us.” Peter actually goes further with this idea – we become like Gods, deification, 1 peter 1:4. The concern here is not following, but indwelling. Let’s be careful what we leave in, leave out, and what is important. Let’s not pick and choose.
2. Forget numerically, go with intent. Jesus does say “way” a lot, follow me a lot, do as I do a lot – the intent is there. Here’s the problem – Jesus saying “follow” me in person is different than Paul, John, Peter – any of the other NT saying “follow Jesus.” From an eschatological standpoint, Jesus’ personal use of words and their meaning are in a completely different than anyone else and any other situation, its even different than the presence of the Spirit, as Jesus himself points out, “you’ll have me more” and that whole narrative. The passage that speaks to me the most is the John 15 passage that talks about vine, branches, “remain in me” so on and so forth. This is far from a “following” passage – this is an “indwelling” passage. Outside of me, you’re dead. Here is why you cannot ignore Paul, John, or the rest – or frankly the OT narrative on original sin and “death.”
When you are doing as Jesus did – you are not following. Jesus is doing it through you – its Him and not you. It’s not following – its destruction of the self. Ephesians 2 – “dead in your transgression,” Romans – “not one good thing,” etc. 1 John 4 – “he lives in us.” Anything that is dead doesn’t follow – that’s the bad news. When we do as Jesus did, its not following – we are dead – its him doing it. Like his righteousness that gets credited to us.
Jesus saying “follow me” and them failing miserably needs to be read eschatologically and within the context of OT theology. This is no more poignant than after his resurrection he returns to Peter – if you love me, feed my sheep. Peter is now no longer doing it on His own. With the the death and resurrection of Jesus – Peter will be able to keep Jesus’ command, but not because he is able – he hasn’t changed. he now understand the meaning of “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Sorry, the follow narrative falls short – both theologically and Biblically. We don’t become Christians or are good Christians by “Following Him” – we fulfill our purpose and life given to us. Peter goes into this ad nauseam in 1 Peter 4 relative to meaning and purpose for our suffering. ”Participation” is a word used all the time. The word is one that suggests not equal participation, but one serving another (us serving Jesus) – His suffering, His purpose, His new life. There is no sense of follow here.
This is not merely a linguistic issue, its a theological one at the core. The means of our new life and the new life itself finds its genesis and substance in the logos. Therefore there is no “following” – there is only dying each day – allowing the old “sarx” to pass away.
This also, BTW – was the reading of both the Western church fathers (i.e. Augustine) and the Eastern fathers (Gregory of Nyssa, Nazianzen, and the Great) – the East emphasizes deification SO MUCH MORE than the West (read: they ignore Paul’s emphasis on original sin and the juridical sense of justification).
Also, for good measure, historically the phrase “following Jesus” is not a common one. While it is mentioned throughout history, it came into its own in the 17th century with the Pietists and was then spread to American through the Moravians, Dutch, and Swedes with Reformed and Lutheran traditions. Once they were here they built on the already built tradition of the pilgrims from England via Netherlands (birds of a feather). This idea of following has its roots in the traditional understanding of works righteousness in Calvinism and neo-Lutheran Orthodoxy. It has become very “Americanized” as we are a “doing” sort of people. It fits our democratized, unionized, and overmoralized outlook on the world. In other words, its just more popular than the idea of indwelling.
It doesn’t pass the theological (both O and NT) test, and, despite “overlooking” Paul, it isn’t confirmed in the writings of actual apostles (Peter and Paul), nor does it pass the litmus test of Jesus’ words and narrative.
Welcome comments from all 
Books I Read in 2009
January 2, 2010This is as much for my info as it is for people reading . . . helps me to remember what tracks I covered
. No order, just listed as I remember them. These are books NOT RELATED to my academic research.
Magazines I read regularly (either online or subscription)
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