•           mentor & protégé – Elijah, the prophet similar to Moses and the one who rises above the other prophets of the period, is taken up to heaven.  Verses 11-12 form the climax of the lesson:  “. . . suddenly a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire came . . . and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind” (tev).   The second part of the lesson focuses on Elijah’s protégé, Elisha who, as the writer indicates, will become the worthy successor of the great Elijah.

•           leadership – This story reminds us that God is faithful to raise up new voices for each generation who will proclaim the word of God.  The mantle passes on from generation to generation as leaders arise by God’s prompting to fill needed roles and leadership.  Elisha does not wrest the mantle from his mentor; it falls to him.  Leaders in the community of faith are not self-appointed.  Rather, they are sealed by God’s Spirit, empowered, but just as importantly, are attested and affirmed by the community.[1]

•           the learning curve – The disciple follows the master resolutely, until he has given the gift of the spirit for his task.  The main point of the passage is, in fact, the continued availability of people who would proclaim the word of the Lord.  The people of God are not left forlorn, it seems.  As one prophet passes on, another is immediately raised.  The ministry is God’s name will go on.[2]

 

[3]

 

•           What role did you assume in the family, in middle or senior high school, at work?

•           Why does Elijah tell Elisha to stay put?  What do their words/actions reveal about each one’s sense of mission and the relationship to each other?

•           In what way have you become one of these characters—the one who passes on mission and blessing or the one who receives a commissioning from another?

•           block #1 – Retell the story, trying to recreate some of its rhetorical impact.  Note how the leave-taking of Elijah confirms Elisha’s succession.

•           block #2 – Parallel the story with the congregation’s own story about calling and confirmation.   We are ordained to the priesthood of all believers in our baptism; we lay hands in ordination to the ministry of Word and Sacrament.  We commission people for various ministries and pray for them to receive the gift of the Spirit. 

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[1] James M. Childs, Jr. in New Proclamation  (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 2002), page 128.

[2] The New Interpreter’s Bible III (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999), page 179.

[3] Serendipity Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Co., 1998).