Separating Truth from Perspective: Why People Misunderstood Jesus’ Purpose
Are our beliefs hindering our understanding of Jesus? When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, He was met with a hero’s welcome; however, the reason for their celebration was misguided. What was Jesus’ purpose? How can we become truth seekers instead of truth twisters?
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1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt,[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
What Defines Reality?
JESUS: “The truth will set you free.” John 8:32
More than 2000 years ago, Jesus had recently raised Lazarus front the dead, prompting the religious to their final straw. This miracle provoked the religious leaders to plot how to kill Jesus.
However, when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, He was not greeted by angry religious leaders clutching swords. Instead, He was received a hero’s welcome.
On this triumphant day, Jesus was met by the masses who laid palm branches at His path as he entered the city. Their savior had returned. However, the causation of their perspectives was not the reality.
They falsely thought Jesus was about to become their earthly King and that Jesus was going to overthrow the Roman powers to set up an earthly kingdom. They falsely thought, “happy days are here again,” and we will experience a political revolution serving our best interest.
As a result, they praise Him not for who He is but for who they want Him to be.
Jesus tells his followers twice in Matthew that He would be crucified in Jerusalem. In the book of Mark, Jesus predicts His death three times.
JESUS: “The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.” Mark 8:31
“He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days, he will rise.’” Mark 9:30-32
Jesus “began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed….” Matthew 16:21-28
“Now, as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.’” Matthew 10:17-19
Jesus is going to Jerusalem to die.
Yet, that’s not what people believed. Instead, the people believed Jesus was going to Jerusalem to begin His political revolution. The people thought Jesus was going to rule on their behalf.
Separating Own Desires From Reality
Why did people buy into the falsehood of such proportions that Jesus would be a political savior?
I can’t answer that question in all of its complexities and nuances. However, one sociological model gives us some insight: the echo chamber.
Observers of journalism in the mass media have recognized that an echo chamber effect is occurring in media discourse. One purveyor of information will make a claim, which many like-minded people repeat, overhear, and repeat (often in an exaggerated or otherwise distorted form) until most people assume that some extreme variation of the story is true.
While we often see this happening in workplaces, families, and even nations through propaganda, echo chambers can exist in various forms. They can also exist in our minds and hearts.
I have a beloved family member who’s been a church member her entire life. She is highly educated, with multiple masters; however, several years ago, she shared a personal belief contradicting Jesus’ teaching. When I told her what she said didn’t align with the Gospel revelations, she responded, “I don’t know, I still believe it because it works for me.”
Nothing is new under the sun.
That story of my family member isn’t new. We’ve seen it repeatedly through the hearts of fallen human nature throughout history. Oswald Chambers said, “When men depart from the Bible, ‘god’ is simply the name given to the general tendencies which further men’s interests.”
Unfortunately, even in our Christian journey, we can allow subjectivism to dictate our paths. But, if we are not cautious, we can set ourselves up for what happened on the day of His triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
Principle: The Christian faith is not true because it works; it works because it’s true.
Reality: The world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
When we misunderstand who Jesus was and is, we’re reminded that He is not our mascot for religion but the Messiah. Jesus is God made flesh. It was Jesus who revealed in Scripture to testify to the importance of valuing what’s true.
JESUS: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17
JESUS: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
JESUS: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:33
“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18
“Love rejoices with the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:6
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
We have been called to be a people of the truth.
We are to love the truth.
We are to rejoice in the truth.
We are to abide in the truth.
We are to know the truth.
We become the people of truth because our God is truth – and we reflect His glory by honoring His truth.
Truth Seekers, Not Truth Twisters
While on a mission trip to India, one night at dinner, I overheard one of the local men at our table claim that the North American church is a glamour church. The man who made this comment was highly intellectual, and the phrase caught my attention, so I asked him to continue sharing his thoughts.
“The Bible points out that we are not only truth seekers, but that we are truth twisters.”
He said, “I’ve seen the churches on YouTube with fog machines and fancy light shows, but that’s not what I’m referencing. My concern is that you are persecuted in my country when you are a Christian. Your children may not receive an education. Your business may suffer. Law enforcement may be unfair. However, when the truth is lifted in the North American church, people will change churches because they don’t like what they hear.”
My opinions, and many of the opinions circulating in an echo chamber, will not set you free. Only Jesus, who is the truth, will set you free and transform your life. Truth will set you free, and that Truth is a Person, and He is walking into Jerusalem on this day.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, He did so in a spirit of love because He knew the purpose of going to Jerusalem. But, instead, He was going to the cross for our sins.
He was aiming for the cross.
The reality behind that aim is that love aims at the truth. Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but it rejoices with the truth. So 1 Corinthians 13:6 tells us, “Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.”
Love is glad when truth is spoken. Therefore love aims at truth. It supports truth. Love speaks the truth personally, doctrinally, and with compassion. Love speaks truth because it will deliver, heal and set you free in the name of Jesus.
TL;DR
Jesus entered Jerusalem 2,000 years ago and was met by a crowd who laid palm branches at His path. They thought He was going to become their earthly King and were mistaken.
They praised Him not for who He was but for who they wanted Him to be. The sociological model, the echo chamber effect, can cause people to buy into falsehoods.
We must be cautious and not allow subjectivism to dictate our paths.
The Christian faith is not true because it works; it works because it’s true.
Jesus is God made flesh, and we must value what’s true to understand who He is.
Related Reading
The Hope of the Empty Tomb by Brad Bogue
The Two Sides of the Crucifixion by Bro. Chris Carter
