‘The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach’ (Acts 1:1).
Auguste Rodin is one of the most famous artists of the last few centuries, specifically in the field of sculpting. If you are unfamiliar with his name, perhaps you will recognise his most famous piece, The Thinker. The statue was originally a part of a series of sculptures based on Dante’s Inferno. Initially small in size, The Thinker was eventually recast into the monument-size work that most of us would recognise. Today, different versions of this pensive piece can be found around the world in places like Paris, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, and Stockholm.
In fact, not all versions of The Thinker that are in the world today were made in Rodin’s lifetime. The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that: ‘Enlargements of Rodin’s original clay figures were mostly executed by his studio assistants.’ That’s right, Rodin acted as the designer and his assistants carried out his vision. Yet these pieces are still considered works of Rodin. Art historian Didier Rykner put it this way: ‘Legally, they are originals.’
Continuing in Jesus' footsteps
Just as Rodin’s assistants carried out his work after he left this world, the followers of Jesus were charged with a comparable task in the book of Acts. As Luke’s second volume, Acts documents the history of the early church after the events of the Gospels. Acts 1:1 describes Luke’s Gospel as a record of ‘all that Jesus began both to do and teach’.
There’s a key word in this verse, ‘began’, as it implies that the work would continue. Christ had ascended into Heaven, yet His work was just beginning. How is this possible? How could He continue to ‘both do and teach’ from Heaven? The answer was simple: the followers of Jesus would continue on in His footsteps.
Yet, we must ask, how could we possibly do the kinds of things that Christ did? Jesus is both God and man, the God-man. We, on the other hand, are merely human. We have a significant disadvantage. We are cowardly, weak, and fickle beings. Well, God’s wisdom knows no bounds and He knew that leaving us alone to our own devices would be problematic. That’s one of the reasons why the Holy Spirit of God was sent to indwell believers. Jesus told His apostles before His ascension that ‘you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’ and that they will be ‘clothed with power from on high’. The Holy Spirit dwelling in the apostles would aid them in their mission, emboldening them in the face of persecution.
'Instead of one God-man, we now see God living in many men.'
Consider for a moment the grand design of God. While Christ was on earth, He was never in more than one place at a time. However, with the church spreading worldwide, the scope of its work could be much greater (John 14:12). Instead of one God-man, we now see God living in many men. This paradigm shift has made global missions possible.
Rodin’s works are still being made to this day. During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, museums were in financial distress due to the lack of visitors. However, Musée Rodin (The Museum of Rodin) continued to use Rodin’s moulds to make new works to sell. This no doubt provided stability for the institution, as Rykner notes: ‘It’s good because it brings money for the museum.’
Similarly, the works of Christ are still being carried out by His followers. However, our Lord is not a dead artist, but a living king. Christ said: ‘Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do’. So, if you believe in Jesus, you should be doing the same kinds of works that He did. We shouldn’t call ourselves disciples of Christ if we aren’t emulating Him. Let us then, with the help of the Holy Spirit, carry on what Jesus began to do and teach.
