13. Was the mission of the son of God perceived as a failure?

Jesus failed to measure up to the expectations of the Jews and so pride, hypocrisy and legalism continued to thrive amongst the Pharisees. Jesus told his captors that his “kingdom was not of this world” when they chided him for being powerless and ineffective. He said, “My kingdom is from another place”. That hardly inspired confidence in any of the doubters, and so in their confusion and misunderstanding, the leaders placed a thorn crown upon his head and nailed him to the cross. In his agony his purple robe was covered in blood and dust, but they were scornful and laughing and teased him and then they crucified him.

God had wanted a response of reception and love for His son, not a response to miracles and power displays. Jesus evaded those expectations by limiting the displays and he downplayed the miracles. “Tell no one”, he said. We know the miracles and power did not work in the OT, when there were many opportunities and abundant displays for his children to see His care and love. God knew those manifestations would not work again in the long term, but the people still craved them again. God also knew that His powerful miracles did not foster faith in the faithless. So He used the miracles only to reinforce the faith in the already faithful.

The Transfiguration with Jesus’ dazzling appearance, with his robe shining white as snow, in the presence of Elijah and Moses, did not confirm any long lasting faith in even his disciples, Peter James and John. He said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death”. Matthew 26:38, and it was, as he agonized with his Father, that they slept and “could not watch with him one hour”. So a big display then did not even now confirm lasting faith in his disciples. God already knew that what He wanted from the people could not be won over using power displays.

Jesus prayed, “Thy will be done”. He died and was taken to his grave, without calling down any legions of angels. God did what He said He would do, without summoning His power to save His son. The life and death of His son became history and then evil took over once more from righteousness. This son of God died in a terrible crucifixion and immediately God’s creation seemed to reply to that evil. The ground shook, and the tombs cracked open, former dead people wandered around, the sun hid, the sky went black. Then the Temple curtain ripped from top to bottom. Significantly the Most Holy Place was now open, so every man could walk with God.

When there was no answer from God to the forsaken cry of His son, with no rescue effort to save His son, this seemingly silent Father disappointed those around the cross who misunderstood Christ’s mission. God’s non intervention at the cross brought a terrible grief to his disciples and the believers became a laughing stock. That death still causes mockery even today.

God did not intervene, but in that non intervention He made an access to Himself in the Most Holy Place, for all of us who would also take up our cross. He showed that it was a greater love that the son laid down his life for those he loved. The end Kingdom, where righteousness will be again, required this apparent silence of God. “He saved others, himself he cannot save”, they mocked. How could this man hanging on the cross have ever cried, ”I have overcome the world”?

If some saw the cross as a failure, God did not, for it was all in His fore knowledge. He meant it to pave the way for us to likewise suffer, even unto death, and so have our path laid out to His door. “I am the Way” Jesus said.

But others might say in their misunderstanding -

* Why do wicked people flourish and evil generations prosper?

* Why is there poverty and depravity, where people make riches and evil the gods of their lives?

* Why is there no answer when we plead for God to come down, to send His son, and still justice does not prevail?

Because that is the Way of God for now.