THEORETICAL “CHRISTIANS”

Tuesday, in the Passion Week, is the most silent of all. There are no grand events taking place, nor any dramatic events. After the triumphal entry on the Palm Sunday, and the driving out of the brokers, peddlers and their wares, by the LORD Jesus, burning with holy raging anger, on the Monday, settles for teaching in the temple, on Tuesday. 

If we were to look closely at what John writes in chapter 12:20-50, we see Jesus teaching cardinal truths about the kingdom of God, in the temple. I picked a few verses from the entire portion, without distorting the John’s narrative.
– “20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”…23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain…31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.” – John 12:20-21; 23-24; 31-33

When Jesus finishes these words, the Jews who were listening to Him intently, raise a question, which reveals the whole conflict between the religious heads, and the LORD Jesus Christ.
– “34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” – John 12:34

The crux of the problem is that the religious authorities were teaching one kind of a Messiah; but God, all through His prophetic revelation about the Messiah, was teaching them something. The two views are in contradiction with each other, even though what the religious teachers taught was partially true. The view, when closely observed, is diametrically opposite to what God thought about, because the view of the Jewish religious heads is incomplete, and heavily tilted and biased towards, a political Messiah, which suits the narrative of the religious heads.  This is probably the reason why the Wisemen visited the royal palace, despite the star, and the religious heads, though read the prophecy about the place of the birth of the Messiah, correctly, as Bethlehem, Ephrathah, but never cared to pay a visit to the Messiah.

The Jews believed in a political Messiah, who would come a defeat the Roman oppressor and the occupier, and that the Messiah’s kingdom would last forever, and there would be no end to His reign. They were not looking for someone who would offer Himself as a sacrifice, for the redemption of the sins of the whole world, and thus brining life to the dead world, and light to the people who are in darkness – which would naturally include, the abominable gentiles, the detestable, much hated Romans, the cruel and oppressive occupiers of their exclusive “Promised Land” given by YAHWEH.

The feeding of such a narrative about the Messiah of God, was from the highest religious seat. Herein lies the fault, and the presence, and the prevailing of the dark forces, taking over the control of the narrative, so that, the masses would continue to be held captive in darkness, and to dark powers, through the human agents. 
– “Jews do not believe Jesus fulfilled the messianic prophecies outlined in the Tanakh, nor did he embody the personal qualifications of the Messiah as described by the Prophets.” – Google AI observations
– “The people had been taught only the passages from the law (the Old Testament) which spoke of the triumph of the Messiah. They were mostly unaware of the passages that spoke of His suffering (such as Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53). It made them wonder if Jesus was really the Messiah, the Son of Man.” – David Guzik
– “There were several passages that spoke of the perpetuity of his reign, as Isa 9:7; Eze 37:25; Da 7:14, they probably confounded the one with the other, and thus drew the conclusion, The Messiah cannot die; for the Scripture hath said, his throne, kingdom, and reign shall be eternal.” – Adam Clarke

This was never God’s intention, and He had made it plain and clear, in many passages in the Old Testament, about His Messiah – like Psalm 22, Isaiah 53. When we selectively pick and choose scripture portions, then we can make the Word of God speak, whatever we want. Beware the deception dear brothers and sisters. Especially these last days, where deception is the dice that, Satan will roll, and if we are not alert, we would fall for such deceptions. 

Lesson from the life of the great C. S. Lewis, is a witness to this malady. On *15 April 1958* Lewis wrote in “Letters to an American Lady”
– “I had been a Christian for many years before I really believed in the forgiveness of sins, or more strictly, before my theoretical belief became a reality to me.”

May the LORD grant us His grace to pay close attention to His Word, and help us, to arrive at proper and accurate conclusions. If not, we will end up being THEORETICAL “CHRISTIANS” – beware dear friends.