Why Did They Not Believe?

Introduction

Good morning. If you’ll open your Bibles to John chapter 11. In John chapter 11. We’ll pick up the reading in verse 38. But as you’re turning there, consider the words of Acts chapter 2 and verse 36. At the punctuation of Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, he says, Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that this Jesus. This Jesus. Well, what Jesus is he speaking of? What did God do with Jesus? What did they do with Jesus? You see, this is really interesting. Before we conclude, verse 36, consider Acts chapter 2. He says, Let all the house of Israel know that what has happened, that you have taken Jesus, whom God has sent to the world. This Jesus is both Lord and Christ.

And you crucified him.

Imagine the guilt. Imagine the shame, and it’s no wonder that in verse 37, then their hearts were moved. And they asked the question, What must I do to be saved? You see, it’s very easy to look back in 2015 and say, How did they not know? How did they not see that Jesus was the Christ? And you think about all the mysteries that the Bible contains. You wonder what the Garden of Eden looked like. And you think about all these different questions that we truly can’t get an answer to while we’re living in this life. But there’s one question that has really bugged me, and as I study the New Testament, I come to it over and over again, particularly in the Gospels, and that’s why did they not believe?

And it wasn’t just the Jews in general, it was all of them. It was the Jews, it was the religious leaders, it was the disciples, even who forsook Jesus before he was crucified. And you think over and over to yourselves, how did they not know? Jesus showed who he was time after time. He worked miracles, he spoke things, he fulfilled prophecies. But perhaps no event was more moving than this one found in John chapter 11. Find me in verse 38 as we begin the reading. Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave. And a stone lay against it. Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, who is Lazarus, said to him, Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.

Lazarus was dead, and he wasn’t just asleep, as the disciples thought Jesus meant when he earlier in the chapter said that he has fallen asleep, that he was dead, so much so that they were worried about an odor. But Jesus says in verse 40, did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? So they took away the stone, and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me. When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth.

Jesus said to them, unbind him and let him go. And short of the resurrection that he did himself, short of the fact that Jesus was crucified and he was resurrected into his bodily form, this is perhaps the strongest example that Jesus was from God, because he had just raised someone from the dead. Consider with me the power of that. Somebody had been dead and buried for four days. He was wrapped in cloth. Four days. And Jesus was able to raise him from the dead. And you think, now there is no way that no one will not understand who he is. Everyone will know that Jesus must be the Christ. He must be the Messiah. That of all things the people of the Jewish nation were waiting for.

They were hoping for. Surely they’ll know this is him. But look with me in verse 45. Many of the Jews, therefore, had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, You know nothing at all, nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.

I love this note. Note the accuracy of what he said and why in verse 51. He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on, they made plans to put him to death. Caiaphas was right. It was better in the sense that one man should die. But he was wrong in the sense that what they should have done is put their belief in Jesus, put their belief in the Messiah, the Christ who had come. And that seems simple, doesn’t it? Just believe in this man who just made this other man rise up from the dead.

1. The Leaders Envied Him and Loved the Praise of Men

Seems pretty straightforward. You have all these prophecies, and you know that they’re saying, check, check, check. Why didn’t they believe? What was their problem? Well, I think you see it in verse 53. What did they do from that day on? They made plans to put him to death. Well, not only was this not necessarily belief, why we call beliefs accepting Jesus and truly acting on that belief. But they wanted him out of the picture. They wanted him gone. I think that starts to reveal motive, doesn’t it? Look at chapter 12, beginning in verse 9. When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

So the chief priest made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. So see, now the council has a problem. The high priest has an issue because if he’s not going to follow Jesus, if he’s not going to submit to him, then what is his choice? Well, what they’ve chosen is we’re going to knock him out of the way. So why do you knock someone out of the way? Well, Mark chapter 15 and verse 10, it reveals that it was understood that they turned Jesus over because of envy. And in fact, on the other side of the resurrection, after Jesus had lived 40 more days on this earth, in Acts chapter 5, it was noted that the leaders there were jealous of the following that was being had by Christians.

And so we know that that is a major part of why the rulers didn’t believe, and we’ll come back to that momentarily. But consider of all people, why these leaders should have known. In fact, some of them did know. In fact, some of them even believed. Can I ask you? No pun intended. Do you believe that? Look at me in John chapter 12. John chapter 12 and verse 42. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees. They did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue.

Would you believe that some of them did know who he was, and they still didn’t accept him? They still didn’t exalt him as the ruler that he was. They still led the charge against him to have him crucified. That’s right. Those who crucified Jesus, some of them did believe that he was who he claimed to be.

And what was that specific part about being cast out of the synagogue? They loved the praise of men. Do you see that in verse 43? They loved the praise of men. Can you imagine losing your soul? Because you like the way that people think about you or the following that you have? After all, who were these leaders of? Well, the Jews, literally, but what was their position? They were religious leaders, weren’t they? These were men skilled in the law and the prophets. And so they envied him. Because Jesus was taking away their following. Jesus was changing their status. If people were following Jesus and they were denying him, then if Jesus rises, it’s at the expense of their following, of their leadership. And while that seems pretty crooked, unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there.

2. Fear of the Pharisees

Why did the Jews not accept Jesus? You’d say, well, okay, it’s fine for the Pharisees. Well, think about, in fact, it might have been because in part of the fear of the Pharisees. Look in John chapter 9, just a few chapters over. In John chapter 9, and notice in verse 18 through 23, what’s interesting about this is Jesus has once again worked a miracle that should substantiate he is who he claims to be. He has healed the blind man, and you find this in chapter 18. The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, Is this your son who you say was born blind?

How then does he now see? His parents answered, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind. But how he now sees, we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age, he will speak for himself. And that sounds like a relatively okay answer, but look at why in verse 22. His parents said these things because they feared the Jews. For the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. And so undoubtedly, some of the Jews would not have accepted Jesus because of fear of the Pharisees, because of fear of being put out of the synagogue, because of fear of losing their place in society and their standing, and all that came with following this Jesus man, even if it does seem like it leads to the fact that he is the Christ.

3. They Had the Wrong Idea of Jesus

But maybe it was because they had the wrong idea of Jesus. If you look at me first in John chapter 18, if you’ll turn with me in John chapter 18, this seems to be the key of the disciples’ confusion, of even the leader’s confusion, and of course of the Jews themselves’ confusion. In John chapter 18, when Jesus is in front of Pilate, it says in verse 33, so Pilate enters his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered, Did you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? Pilate answered, Him I a Jew, your own nation, and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from this world. And Pilate said to him, So you are a king. And Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born, and for this purpose, I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. What was Jesus’ point? My kingdom is not earthly, it is not fleshly. And what might the Jews have missed in that? Well, as Luke chapter 24 and verse 41 reveals, when the men that Jesus was with said that we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel, what’d they say that right after the fact that Jesus had been crucified?

Well, we hoped in chapter 24 and verse 41, we hoped that he was going to be the one to redeem Israel, but he was crucified. So I guess not. Well, that stands to follow, logically, if you ignore all of Jesus’ other teachings. Jesus repeatedly taught, My kingdom is not of this world. Where is Jesus’ kingdom? It is a spiritual kingdom, and we benefit from that, brothers and sisters. Praise be to God that he has created a kingdom that we can be a part of. Amen? We can be a part of this kingdom because it is a spiritual kingdom. Because he didn’t come to sit on a literal throne and rule literal Israel and to take over the world in a literal, fleshly way. But he is very real.

4. The Veil Remains Unlifted

And Jesus is very truly sitting on, sitting at the right hand of God. He is ruling right where he has always been destined to be, at the right hand of God. He is on the throne of David, despite what the Jews would have thought in that physical sense. And so they had the wrong idea of Jesus. Perhaps that messed them up. But I want to talk about how some of the scriptures comment on these other ways that some of these Jews may not have accepted Christ for. Look with me in 2 Corinthians chapter 3. Maybe they were caught up in other ways. In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, notice that there’s going to be a veil that’s going to separate the people. See, what was that veil and what would lift the veil?

Think about that as we read. What is the veil and what would lift the veil? In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, beginning in verse 12. Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face, so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. See this part with me in verse 14. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted. Because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day, whenever Moses has read, a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. So what was leaving the veil in place? The law of Moses. You see, when I think about myself and I consider, how did these people not know that Jesus is the Christ? I give myself a little too much credit. Can you imagine if you had done something your entire life? If you had thought one way about something for decades, and then evidence, but strong evidence that is to the contrary of your beliefs. Strong evidence that says what you have known is no longer taking place. You either missed the boat, or now it’s time for something new in the case of what would apply to the Jews in the first century.

Can you imagine what would be your response to that? Would you say, Whoo, sign me up, I’ve been wrong my whole life? I wouldn’t. I don’t even like trying new food. I don’t want to try something different that would change my whole life. It’s hard to think that I could be wrong. Or what about those leaders? If I’m a Jew and the religious leaders that I’ve submitted to for the length of my days, are saying that Jesus is not the Christ, you are not to follow him. Well, who am I to say that they’re wrong? The scribes are the authorities, they know the law. The Pharisees were teaching, they were converting, although Jesus warns of that type of conversion in Matthew chapter 23.

5. Seeking Righteousness Apart From Faith

What is the big deal with the old law? The problem is the old law was keeping them from seeing Christ. Verse 16, but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Who are we to turn to? The Lord, who do we serve? Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God. And perhaps they also were seeking righteousness apart from faith. If you look at me in Romans chapter 9. In Romans chapter 9 and verse 30. What shall we say then? That the gent that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it? That is a righteousness that is by faith? But that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works, they have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.

Do you see verse 1 of chapter 10? Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. All this comes to a head. Look at verse 4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. It’s no longer about keeping the law perfectly. It’s not about a righteousness of our own. It’s about believing in that rock of offense. Believing in that rock of stumbling. Would you believe that Jesus is referred to as a stone of stumbling? It’s kind of weird, isn’t it?

6. Why Did the Disciples Flee?

How is Jesus a stone of stumbling? Well, you see at the end of verse 33 how he’s not. Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. Who decides if Jesus is a stumbling block? If you’re seeking the old ways instead of Christ. If you’re stuck in the old, and if you’re trying to seek out your own righteousness, if you’re appealing to God based on what you’ve known, what you’ve done, rather than trusting in the Lord, turning to Christ, that removes the veil. That gives us the hope. That is everything. We must believe that righteousness comes from Christ. Christ is the end of law to righteousness to everyone who believes. So we see this other group before we conclude and make some applications. Why did the disciples flee?

How did they not know? In fact, they were told several times that Jesus was going to die. And in Matthew chapter 26, if you’ll turn with me there, park with me in Matthew chapter 26 for a moment. Jesus even tells them that they’re going to flee. If you want to make a personal application of where we would be, I know we like to think of ourselves as close followers of Christ. So maybe we would be the disciples. Let’s see about them. In verse 31 of Matthew chapter 26. Then Jesus said to them, You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.

Peter answered him, though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away. So Jesus said to him, truly I tell you, this very night before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And what happened? Peter denied him three times. And we say, Peter, what a fool. But note with me in verse 35. Peter said to him, Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you. Normally we stop there, but see that last part. And all the disciples said the same. So they’re all on record. This isn’t just Peter here. They are not going to forsake Jesus, even though he just told them they would. Look with me in verse 56. Jesus is approached by Judas. He’s being taken.

And in verse 56, Jesus concludes, but all this has taken place that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled.

How can that happen? Jesus told them that he was going to die in Matthew chapter 16, Matthew chapter 17, and Matthew chapter 20. He told them at least three times he was to be crucified. They knew this was going to happen. He had told them in John chapter 2 that he was going to be resurrected. His body would be lifted up. They knew this was the plan because Jesus told them this was the plan.

Jesus was going to be crucified. And you can’t have a Messiah who’s dead. That doesn’t help you much. At least that would be the thought process. Peter, when he rejected Jesus in Matthew chapter 16, one of the first times that Jesus would have projected his crucifixion. Peter rebukes him. He says, Far be it from you, Lord. Peter showed just how little he and perhaps the other disciples with him understood about what Jesus’ purpose was, what his mission was. What kingdom was Jesus seeking to establish? A spiritual kingdom. If you believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and he told you that he was going to be crucified, and he was going to be raised when he’s crucified, what should you be thinking?

This is according to plan, at minimum. You can, there’d definitely be sorrow. There would definitely be hard to watch this Jesus the Christ, who you believe in be tortured and crucified on the cross. But you would know if you believed him that this is what was going to happen. This was what was supposed to happen. This is what the scriptures said would happen. And yet it seems they didn’t know. Jesus had told them of his death, as I mentioned in Matthew chapter 16, 17 and 20. And yet, find me in John chapter 20. In John chapter 20, note what Peter and another disciple say. In John chapter 20, beginning in verse 8, they’re at the tomb. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed.

They believed it when they saw him resurrected, for as yet they did not understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead. They didn’t know until they were in the tomb with Jesus out of it. That tells me they did not fully understand.

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and see my hands and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve but believe. Why do we call it? What do we call him? Doubting Thomas. Why do we call him that? Because he would not believe until he could see it, until he could see it and place his finger into the mark of the nails and put his hand in his side. Thomas answered him in verse 28, my Lord and my God. But the question is, how did they not know in the process?

Conclusion

Why did they not believe? And it makes me wonder. Well, we accept Jesus. I want to think about that first point with the Pharisees who believed in John chapter 12. In John chapter 12 and verse 42 and 43. This verse kind of flies in the face of some modern day understanding of Christianity. Did you notice that? Nevertheless, many, even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. They believed. Do any of us think that these men who believed but would not confess Jesus because they loved the praise of men rather than the glory of God, because they were afraid of the Pharisees, so they would not confess Jesus?

Do we believe that this is a saving faith? And what about the idea that all you have to do is mentally accept that Jesus is the Christ? What about all you have to do is say that Jesus is the Christ? There’s more to it than that. The Bible makes that clear. This group is a living example, and outside of James chapter 2, there might not be a more clear example of this statement. But I have to consider do I believe enough to act? Or do I just say that? Do I just play Christian on Sunday? Or am I committed to serving him no matter what? That’s a strong challenge. Will we confess him? No matter what the authorities say about it. We don’t face that problem here, but other Christians do around the world.

Do I have a faith in God? Do I believe that Jesus is the Christ so much that I will give up my life for him? Peter claimed it. There was nothing wrong with Peter’s claim that the disciples all agreed to in Matthew chapter 26. The problem was they didn’t do it. They claimed they would even die for Jesus, but they fled instead. That is not belief. That is cowardice. That is not faith. We need to show faith that clings to Jesus. Consider also, will we accept the true Christ, not our version? Do you remember that that was the problem with some of the Jews? That they were expecting a physical king? They were looking for this God, this Christ who would come and he would lead them in a battle.

He was going to sit on the throne. Israel was going to be back in charge. That’s what they were waiting for. But that’s not what Jesus was coming for. Jesus came to die on the cross because Greg Klein was going to sin. Because all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. He came to establish his spiritual kingdom that he is king of, that he is king of kings and Lord of Lords. That is true. That is literal. But it wasn’t what they thought. And I wonder do we sometimes believe in a God that is not the true one? Consider with me what is what image of God have I sculpted? Have I sculpted this grandfather God who doesn’t care what I do?

He just, after all, just wants me to be happy. And if I have to miss meeting with the saints a few times, you know what? It’s not really that big of a deal. Or if you know what, I just, I really like to do this, and it’s not that big of a deal. It doesn’t matter that I’m not helping my brothers and sisters. They don’t really talk to me as much as I would like anyway. It’s okay because God just wants me to be happy. Is that the image of God we have? Because that’s certainly not the image that the Bible suggests. What about the other way? Do we believe in a God that is there to strike us down anytime we mess up? That God is waiting there and saying, Gotcha.

You messed up. You’re stuck. You can’t do it anymore. I am holy, you’re to be like me, but guess what? You missed your chance. What is God truly? How is his character truly revealed to us? God is a God who desires that all men be saved. We need to make sure that when we worship God, when we think of God, when we praise Him, when we obey His will, we know the right God. We know the true Christ. And we don’t worship some false impression that we make up in our minds. And how do we check that? The word of God. Well, we adhere to the one gospel. In Galatians chapter 1, Paul is warning them. He was astonished that they had already deserted the gospel.

This was at the time that he wrote the letter to the churches of Galatia. And you know, you come back to that other question, will we accept the true version of Christ? The true version of Christ is that he had one body. And with one body means there’s one church. And if there’s one church, one Savior, I better be a part of that one group. And it doesn’t matter what other people say about it. It doesn’t matter how I feel about it, it matters what the gospel says. What are the words of God? You know what was stunning? Look with me back at Romans chapter 9. What’s stunning about that passage, in addition to Jesus being a rock of stumbling or a rock of offense? Is did you notice who was being condemned versus who was being accepted?

The Gentiles. They were in the good place in this time, in these verses. In verse 30, what shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it? How did the Gentiles attain it? Verse 31, but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. What was the difference? The Gentiles went with what’s said in Romans chapter 1 and verse 16 and 17. For I am not ashamed of the gospel. Why? For there’s the power of God into salvation to everyone who believes. Do you see that the Gentiles turned to a righteousness attained by faith in Christ? They didn’t turn to any shell. They didn’t turn into any portion. It’s all or nothing. Will we pick up our cross and follow after Jesus?

It doesn’t do good to take the cross a couple yards and lay it down and say that’s enough. Brothers and sisters, we are charged with following God every minute of every day. And if I am going to say that I accepted Jesus, I need to be different than the Jews and the Pharisees and even the disciples before the resurrection. And I need to realize that what Jesus has said is true and right. And Jesus spoke the words that will judge us in the last day. Will I believe that Jesus is both Lord and Christ? Jesus has done so much for me. He has done so much for us. Consider with his blood being shed on the cross. It’s easy for us to realize what Jesus was doing because we can read the words, we can read Colossians chapter 1 and see how his kingdom is established, how we’ve been taken out of the domain of darkness.

But consider that every time you sin, you needed not the physical Messiah, not some sort of physical king of Israel. We needed Jesus the Christ. We needed the Son of the living God to fulfill the plan according to Scriptures, to fulfill the plan that God made available. We needed his body to be broken on the cross, and we needed his blood to be shed for the forgiveness of sins and to be the blood of the new covenant. Without the true Jesus, without God’s wonderful love, grace and mercy, we have nothing. But because he died for us, we can take advantage of that grace and mercy. Will you believe in Jesus this morning? Will you accept him not in the way that the Pharisees believed him but were afraid to confess?

But in the sense that says, Jesus, I am yours. Your will be done. It takes great sacrifice. It takes great effort. But if it doesn’t have the best benefits plan I’ve ever seen, I don’t know what does. Turn to God today. Trust in the Lord. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. If we can help you restore your faith or come to Jesus in baptism, be a part of the church that God has established. Do that this morning as we stand and sing the invitation song.