We’re going through the New Testament now trying to come to a deeper understanding of the doctrine of Trinity. For the past 2 weeks nearly, we’ve been looking at the prologue to John. We spent three days on the first verse and now we’re spending a day on each verse. Today, we’re going to be looking at verse 11.
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
Last night, we noted how tragic verse 10 was. It is stated that the world did not receive him. One can picture an Israelite thinking the people of Israel are better. The sad truth is that they weren’t. John says that his own did not receive him.
The battle had begun back in the Garden of Eden. I don’t care if you’re OEC or YEC, it had been a long time ago. It had been prophecied that one would come. The battle between good and evil would be ended. Satan would be defeated. The curse would end. Israel would live in a golden era.
Abraham had been told about one. He was told that through his seed, his offspring would be reckoned. Who was the one who would come who would be of the lineage of Abraham?
Moses told the people that God would send a prophet like him to the people and that they were to listen to him. Moses was the highest authority at the time of Christ. A good rabbi would not dare go against Moses. Pharisees and Sadducees all agreed. Moses was the authority. Surely we should heed who he told us to heed.
David is told that he would have one of his sons sit on the throne forever. Messianic interest was building. By the time we get to the time of Christ, Messianic pretenders show up regularly. There was one on every street corner.
Jesus shows up at this point in time. Hopes are high. Rome is a dominant power. Israel longs to be free. Here now comes the one that has been prophesied. This is the one who is the seed of Abraham. He is of the tribe of Judah. He is the prophet Moses spoke of. He is of the lineage of David. He comes from Bethlehem. The time of Daniel is upon us! Finally! The story will have a happy ending!
Yet Israel rejected their Messiah.
One could hardly find a sadder thought. The one who had come to save them was the one they rejected. He fit God’s criteria, but he did not fit Israel’s criteria. He did not come to deliver from Rome. He came instead to deliver from sin. He did not come as a warrior. He came as a prophet and a preacher.
We can say “How could they do such?” We’re ones to talk. We’re not much better. We often want deliverance that is on the same level. We want deliverance from sickness or from poverty or something of that sort. That’s not a bad desire, of course, but it could be God has a better desire.
Do we reject him also because he doesn’t meet our criteria?
It’s the main thought of our society. We want God to act on our terms. Do we want to act on his?
We want him to accept us as we are. Do we accept him as he is?
Well?
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