Why did Jesus come? In his own words (Luke 12:49-53, cf. Matthew 10:34-35):
“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
We have seen earlier in this series that Jesus came to free us, to give his life for us, to rescue us, to give us life. All of these are true, and on the surface they fit into the domesticated vision of Jesus that is so common today. One hears of multi-reigious gatherings “in the spirit of Jesus,” which typically seems to mean, in the spirit of love (and often, justice for the oppressed) that he taught and exemplified.
If I may quote myself from earlier in this series, though,
If, however, that’s all you think of when you think of Jesus, pause a moment and ask yourself this. If that one-dimensional view of him were true, would he have proved to be the single most significant figure in all of human history, as he has? We’ll continue to look at why Jesus came, and we’ll see that the picture is nowhere near that simple. Not even close.
It’s time to complicate that picture. He came to “cast fire,” not to give peace but rather division, to set families against each other. How does that fit with “the spirit of Jesus?” In his trial before Pontius Pilate he states his purpose for coming (John 18:33-38); and this may help us to understand the fire he casts:
So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am 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 the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” 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.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
This is the only place recorded where Jesus used the term, “for this purpose I have come;” and he emphasized it by stating it twice. He came to bear witness to the truth. As Del Tackett of the Truth Project observes, the reason he was bearing witness to the truth is because truth itself was on trial (cf. John 14:6). “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice,” said Jesus. Implied: those who are not of the truth do not listen. Pilate asked his poignant question in response, and then walked away. He did not listen; he was not of the truth.
There is a dividing line, and it is the line of truth. Peace, joy and love are of the Lord. Justice for the oppressed is certainly of the Lord. Mercy is certainly of the Lord. So are patience, hope, kindness, and faithfulness. But they are only of the Lord as they express his truth, his way, and his life; for not all expressions of religion, and not all apparent acts of righteousness, are true in God’s eyes.
Everyone who is of the truth listens to Jesus’ voice. He speaks to all who will listen, but some will not, though it is never too late for them to change their minds. I do not want to be misunderstood here. There is a dividing line, even within families, as Jesus so forcefully phrased it; but it is not between bad people and good people. It is between people who need freedom, forgiveness and rescue and have not accepted it as Jesus offers; and people who need freedom, forgiveness, and rescue and have embraced it. Those who refuse it embrace a lie instead.
Why did Jesus come? In this series I have only examined passages where he himself spoke to that question. This does not comprise the whole story. It is one focused look at his purposes. He came, he said, to free us, to bring forth righteousness, to give his life for us, to rescue us, to bring us true life, and for many most surprisingly, to bring division on the earth, which I believe revolves around his other purpose, his bearing witness to the truth.
There is another sense in which the dividing line is Jesus Christ himself. Men and women are separated in families and in nations over him; not because he separates them, but because we separate ourselves. We choose where we will stand in relation to him. It is a most momentous choice, for he is the most momentous of persons.
Good post. I have always found it fascinating that Pilate asked “What is Truth” while He was talking to The TRUTH.