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
