And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marvelled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”
Matthew 9:33-34 (ESV)
Why was Jesus misunderstood?
Jesus met a lot of people during His public ministry time of about three years. He encountered a variety of people – the rich, the powerful, the sick, the dying, the old, the young, and everyone in between. He spoke clearly to everyone He met, but unfortunately, most people misunderstood Jesus. Many used Him for their convenience. Almost all of the religious leaders were against Him and thought Jesus’ power and authority came from the dark side. Even the closest people to Him, His twelve disciples, with whom He spent a significant amount of time, often misunderstood Him and His mission. The disciples only opened their eyes after Jesus’ resurrection. Why was Jesus not understood well?
Many Jews at that time were expecting a political and military-type Messiah, someone who would liberate them from their Roman oppressors. Many had a preconceived notion of what kind of Messiah Jesus should be, and because of that, their expectations of who the Messiah should be were very different from who Jesus actually was. Another thing is that religious leaders during Jesus’s time became blinded as they focused on the letter of the Law rather than the spirit of the Law. They knew the Torah and the prophecies of the past, but they did not recognise Jesus as the Messiah. Along the way, the religious leaders also became selfish and greedy, living a life of hypocrisy and deceit. The religious establishment then became very strong and powerful, and many people did not dare oppose them.
Even those in dire need, the hungry, the sick, and the lepers, often failed to understand Jesus and His mission. After receiving the help they sought, many turned their backs on Him. Some even stayed around, not out of gratitude or wanting to know Him better, but to take more advantage of His generosity. Only a few truly appreciated His miracles and teachings; those are the few who chose to follow Him.
Do we stop short of who Jesus truly is?
But who was Jesus? He was a great moral teacher, a miracle worker, a speaker with authority, and a man who knew the minds and hearts of the people around Him. He was not an ordinary person. He had great powers no mere mortals had. He was the Messiah sent by God to liberate humanity from oppression – not by the Romans, but by sin and death, for all humanity and not just for Israel. The people around Him did not truly understand Him and His mission. He came to rescue us from our sins by taking our place on the cross. He came into the world to save everyone, all cultures, tribes, nations, and all those who chose to follow, love and serve Him. He was indeed the Emmanuel, God with us.
How about us – do we really understand why Jesus came into the world? Many people nowadays think that Jesus was a great moral teacher, and then stop with that. Many people, like the sick and the needy during Jesus’ times, only want to use Jesus when they need Him; once their needs have been met, then that is the end of that, and they go on their merry ways. Many do not really care about who Jesus was – their pursuit of success, vain glory and self-fulfilment blinds them from knowing that there is more to life than happiness and good times.
What is Jesus after us? Basically, a relationship, if you will, a friendship. He is knocking at the door of our hearts, waiting for us to open our hearts and dine with us. But why? In reality, He does not need us. We are like dirty cockroaches before Him. But He does not see our filth, ugliness and brokenness; He loves us so much that He wants to share His life with us. He desires a people who would freely love Him back in return, and He will share His divine life with us. He wants to give us eternal life in fellowship with the Triune God and all those who choose to love and serve Him.
We have been given a very clear mission
One thing Jesus was very clear – our mission here on earth.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)
He wants to share His goodness with all who choose to follow Him, and He wants us to be agents and ambassadors of His great love for us. Are we ready to share our personal testimonies with our friends and neighbours? When was the last time we shared the Good News? Can we explain the Good News? Are we following His call for us? If not, why not? Are we prepared to share the Good News with all whom we meet?
The Bible teaches us the value and urgency of Jesus’ command to share the Gospel. The eternal destination of all we love and care about is at stake. Let us be true to Jesus’ calling to fulfil His mission for us. The Lord is counting on us to be His mouths and voices in this dying and dark world, looking for His light.
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”
2 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV)
Top image credit: Searching the scriptures by candlelight, from Bigstock.com, © by Ale-ks, stock photo ID: 7290393. Used with permission.
Tom Caballes is a National Coordinator of the Lamb of God, a community of the Sword of the Spirit with seven branches located throughout New Zealand. Tom and his wife Mhel and their two daughters [with his son-in-law and grand-daughter] live in Wellington, New Zealand.