Unfortunately, whether due to the influence of Hellenism or the spiritual blindness that existed in Israel, several sects appeared by the 1st century: the Essenes, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Zealots, each with their own peculiarities and differing opinions regarding the Messiah and his coming. Many expected Him to deliver them from their enemies, others expected Him to demonstrate the character and power of the God of Israel, and still others awaited a Messiah capable of leading a rebellion against the Romans.

However, there were also aspects they were not expecting, such as a liberator who would shame and infuriate a large number of their religious leaders, or who would show them how badly they misunderstood their God and how misdirected their attitudes towards moral law were.

In many ways, the people who saw Jesus witnessed what their nation should have been expecting in the Messiah. Throughout antiquity, many prophets spoke clearly to the people about God’s salvation, his character, and his power; and the Jesus that the people saw demonstrated that truth and power in such an irrefutable way that they marveled at what he did and said. What they saw and heard should have made them think about what they should expect from their Messiah.

So, if Jesus showed them what they were looking for, why did they not recognize him? Was it because he told them he could not deliver them from Rome’s imperial oppression? Was it because he said he had to suffer and die for their sins? Or was it truly due to their blindness as a nation on such an important issue? The people of Israel had received enough information to be prepared for the Messiah’s arrival. Why did they not see Jesus’ messiahship clearly?

The problem was not simply one of perspective but of presuppositions. The reality was that there were prejudices in Jewish thought that limited their vision. Clearly, this problem had a significant impact on the ability of 1st-century religious leaders to recognize Jesus as their Messiah. Despite the teachings of Moses and the prophets, they had added an oral tradition to what the Scriptures actually said. Many of these additions to the law seemed, at first glance, to honor the Scriptures, but often the changes focused more on external aspects than on the spiritual formation of the heart in light of the spirit of the law.

The result was that Israel’s religious leaders found ways to excuse their own mistaken motives by focusing more on ritual than on the spiritual. Many gradually assumed they could be right with God on their own terms and by their own efforts.

When Christ came as the spiritual rescuer, they did not see the need for any kind of personal rescue. In fact, they were not seeking personal forgiveness from God or mercy for their widespread wrongdoing. They wanted a Messiah who would confirm and enforce the rules they mistakenly thought were divinely inspired. As a result, when Jesus presented the vision of God, it did not fit their expectations, and the leaders of the time concluded that he was not the authentic Messiah they were waiting for. Jesus presented a vision of the Father that was not what the Scriptures taught the Israelites to expect, and yet what they saw surprised them. It was a perspective that continually baffled the people because Jesus not only revealed the character and power of God but also revealed to the Jews the heart of God. He came to provide the perfect balance between grace and truth to a generation that mistakenly thought it could reinvent truth and manipulate God’s grace.

Author: Julio Hernández