The Disciples' Misplaced Expectations of Christ

I believe we shouldn't be critical of the way Christ's disciples behaved while he was still with them.  We tend to misplace our expectations too, especially when it comes to electing politicians or trusting friends.

In the first century, Rome ruled over Israel with rigger. Israelites felt especially affronted by these pagans bringing in their images and their false religions. They took seriously what God commanded in exodus 20:4 and 5 (BBE). "You are not to make an image or picture of anything in heaven or on the earth or in the waters under the earth: You may not go down on your faces before them or give them worship: for I, the Lord your God, am a God who will not give his honour to another; and I will send punishment on the children for the wrongdoing of their fathers, to the third and fourth generation of my haters;"

People at that time expected the arrival of Messiah. Consequently, we read of Peter's excitement in John 1:41 (BBE) when, "Early in the morning he came across his brother and said to him, 'We have made discovery! It is the Messiah!' (which is to say, the Christ)."

The Jews of that time remembered Daniel 9:25 and 26 (BBE) which prophecied, "Have then the certain knowledge that from the going out of the word for the building again of Jerusalem till the coming of a prince, on whom the holy oil has been put, will be seven weeks: in sixty-two weeks its building will be complete, with square and earthwork."

But they didn't understand Daniel 9:26 (BBE) which said, "And at the end of the times, even after the sixty-two weeks, one on whom the holy oil has been put will be cut off and have no ...; and the town and the holy place will be made waste together with a prince; and the end will come with an overflowing of waters, and even to the end there will be war; the making waste which has been fixed."

The crucifixion of Christ was such a shock to them, even though he said plainly he would die and be lifted up again. That's why Acts 1:6 (BBE) says, "So, when they were together, they said to him, 'Lord, will you at this time give back the kingdom to Israel?"

They didn't understand that Christ spoke of a spiritual kingdom which they were a part of.

On Thursday, unless Christ returns, I hope to post about my youthful materialism and how I've changed since the seventies.

Which Jesus are They Talking About?

People sure do have erroneous ideas of who Jesus is. Muslims think he was a prophet. Nominal Christians figure he was a good teacher. Some folks think Christ was a sort of first-century hippie who got killed for telling people how to be nice to one another. All of these views are misinformed because they'ren't biblical.

This is nothing new. The Bible tells us how many people in Judea were misinformed about Jesus. Luke 9:18-20 (BBE) reads, "And it came about that when he was in prayer, by himself, and the disciples were with him, he put a question to them, saying, 'Who do the people say I am?' And they, answering, said, 'John the Baptist; but others say Elijah; and others, that one of the old prophets has come back.' And he said, 'But who do you say that I am?' And Peter, answering, said, 'The Christ of God.'" Jesus didn't deny it but praised Peter for the revelation God gave him.

A woman in Samaria also realized who Christ was. In John 4:29 (BBE) she spread the news to her village, saying, "Come and see a man who has been talking to me of everything I ever did! Is it possible that this is the Christ?"

The villagers also believed when the Lord spoke to them. John 4:42 (BBE) records, "And they said to the woman, 'Now we have faith, but not because of your story: we ourselves have given ear to his words, and we are certain that he is truly the Saviour of the world.'"

Other disciples of Christ likewise believed he was the Saviour as well. John 1:41 (BBE) tells us about Andrew's revelation. "Early in the morning he came across his brother and said to him, 'We have made discovery! It is the Messiah!' (which is to say, the Christ)."

Better still, we learn that Jesus is God. The Pharisees became angry when, in John 10:30 (BBE), he said he was of the same essence as God. "I and my Father are one." The Pharisees thought it was blasphemy but he truly was part of the Trinity.

Paul also expressed the truth that Jesus is god in Colossians 1:16-19 (BBE). "For by him all things were made, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, authorities, lords, rulers, and powers; all things were made by him and for him; He is before all things, and in him all things have being. And he is the head of the body, the church: the starting point of all things, the first to come again from the dead; so that in all things he might have the chief place. For God in full measure was pleased to be in him;"

I'll be emphasizing the divine nature of Christ in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Accepting that Jesus is part of the Godhead is crucial to salvation. If he's a mere person, faith in him is pointless and blasphemous.

On Thursday, I'll post about the downside of devotional books.

Has The Messiah Come?

Like the Apostle Paul, I feel sad for the Jews. As he wrote in Romans 9:1 to 5 (BBE), "I say what is true in Christ, and not what is false, my mind giving witness with me in the Holy Spirit, That I am full of sorrow and pain without end. For I have a desire to take on myself the curse for my brothers, my family in the flesh: Who are Israelites: who have the place of sons, and the glory, and the agreements with God, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the hope offered by God: Whose are the fathers, and of whom came Christ in the flesh, who is over all, God, to whom be blessing for ever. So be it."

With the clear revelation of God throughout the Old Testament, they still didn't understand that faith in God was what they were supposed to have. By the time Christ was born, the Pharisees had made Judaism into a burdensome religion rather than a love relationship with the heavenly Father.

Jesus proved himself to be the Christ, the long-awaited saviour of the world. John 1:41 (KJV) relates what Andrew did when, "He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, 'We have found the Messias,' which is, being interpreted, the Christ."

But in spite of all the miracles Jesus did, the religious rulers refused to believe him. We can see that demonstrated easily at his mock trial. Luke 22:67 (KJV) says, "'Art thou the Christ? tell us.' And he said unto them, 'If I tell you, ye will not believe:'"

I think it's also ironic that the gentiles were easier to reach than the Israelites. John 4:25 and 26 (KJV) shows how a whole Samaritan village came to believe in the Lord. "The woman saith unto him, 'I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.' Jesus saith unto her, 'I that speak unto thee am he."

So why do the Jews still refuse to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah? The Apostle Paul explained it using the incident of Moses coming down from meeting with God and he had to put a cloth over his face since it shone. The people asked Moses to be a go-between to God for them. Paul noted in 2 Corinthians 3:15 (KJV),  "But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart."

I could write so much more on this subject but I'll save it for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Through many infallible proofs, Jesus showed himself to be God incarnate. People must either believe or reject him. There's no neutral position.