He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents (with their hands), and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mk 16,15-18)
This passage gives us a very positive picture of the disciples and their life as missionaries.
But St. Paul gives us a different picture of what he received as a disciple. It was not an easy, working miracles and healing ministry.
It is enough to see the litany of sufferings that he underwent to bring the word of God to the people.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I am talking like an insane person.) I am still more, with far greater labours, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches.
(2Cor 11, 23-28)
If Paul became a Christian, a disciple, a missionary for Mk 16, 15-18
then what he received was 2 Cor 11, 23-28.
then what he received was 2 Cor 11, 23-28.
