Rejected by Jews and Christians?  John 1.10-13

What did the first-century world do with the arrival of Jesus?

John writes, “He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” John 1.10-13

How is it, that Jesus came to the Jewish people – came to his own people—steeped in the Scriptures, actually looking for a Messiah, regularly celebrating symbolic holy-days awaiting his arrival, and they rejected him?  why did the jews reject jesus?   Because Jesus came humbly.  The Jews were expecting someone who would free them from the tyranny of the harsh Roman government … a messiah who would make them into a world power again, like they had been under King David.  They were expecting a conquering king, not a baby born in a manger to a peasant woman and her carpenter husband.  He did not fit their mold. 

Here’s the thing:  when Jesus came to earth, born as a human being, grown to be a man, he came to establish the kingdom of God in the hearts of men.  Jesus showed us the way to live, he taught about it, and then he gave up his life, so that we might live with him forever.  The Jews had nothing in their minds about a dying messiah, so they rejected him.  The next time Jesus comes, however—his second coming—he will come as conquering king, not as a baby, and not humbly.   It will be with trumpet fanfare and blast, in the clouds for all to see and hear.  And then, true enough, all will know that his kingdom has no end.

But I have been thinking …

Christians reject Jesus too these days.  Huh?  Every time Christians adopt a little of ‘this’ from one false teaching, and a little of ‘that’ from another false teaching, they reject Jesus Christ.  When Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life … he finished the sentence, no one comes to the Father, except through me. John 14.6  

Come on, people, you must hear and accept the truth of this matter—you can and must be tolerant of people of all faiths—but don’t adapt biblical Christianity to make their beliefs correct.  What is correct?  Read the aforementioned quote, in red, made by Jesus.  It is clear, and very straightforward.  It is not Jesus + anything else.

 [Do not confuse the word ‘tolerant’ . . .  Love people, accept them where they are, for whatever they believe or don’t believe … but don’t make a paradigm shift in your own mind to say ‘it is all the same … as long as people believe in God, that is all that matters.’  It might be all that matters to make a nicer, gentler society, but if we are talking about Christianity, and we are—John 1.10-14—about Jesus Christ, then what matters is correct doctrine.] 

 It was not God the Father’s plan for Jesus to die if there were more than one way to get to Heaven … if so, that would make him cruel, at best.  Jesus would not have suffered as he did, if other ways would were just as good … if sincerity were enough.  No he said it quite clearly, no one comes to the Father except through me.

Nough said.

Christine