Honestly, I find John chapter 7 a little weird. There aren’t any fun stories or miracles. There’s just a lot of people misunderstanding Jesus. His brothers think he wants to be famous. Some in the crowd think he’s demon-possessed. Others think he can’t be the Messiah because they know his hometown. The religious leaders want to arrest him. Throughout all this controversy and misunderstanding, Jesus is still there, doing what he’s called to do.
It should be noted that Jesus doesn’t really get involved in the controversy around him. He rejects his brother’s offer to go to Jerusalem with them to show off. He doesn’t try to prove his sanity in any large stunt or speech. He doesn’t address the objections that people have to him being the Messiah. He just keeps on his business, teaching and trying to explain what God is doing.
The Controversy Continues
If we think about it, the same thing is still happening today. People are still misunderstanding Jesus. Some say he’s just a great moral teacher. Others think that he and his church are responsible for every evil in our society. Some put Jesus in a category with Martin Luther King and Gandhi. Others would categorize him with Jim Jones and other cult leaders. The world still doesn’t know what to do with Jesus.
Despite that, Jesus is still at work in the world. He is using his people, the church, to continue the work that God has to do. Through the church, people are still being healed, learning about God, and coming to faith in Christ. Misunderstanding doesn’t stop the work that God is doing in the world. However, it is something we need to be aware of.
If people misunderstand Jesus, they’re also going to misunderstand us too. Jesus tells his followers later in John “A servant is not greater than his master.” (John 15:20) He warns his disciples that if people hated Jesus, they’re going to hate his followers too. If they persecuted him, they’re going to do the same to us.
What We Should Expect
We should expect that people are going to misunderstand us and maybe even slander us. However, that doesn’t mean we should stop doing the good work that God has called us to. Below are some ways that Jesus was misunderstood and what we can learn from him.
People will misunderstand your motives.
Jesus’ own brothers thought he was just trying to make himself famous. They didn’t understand why he was out there teaching and doing miracles. They thought he was only in it for themselves. They didn’t see the bigger picture of what was happening.
The same is still true today. People often don’t understand what motivates Christians to do the things they do. They might think you’re just trying to make yourself look good or heap guilt on others. Despite what people think, God calls you to keep fighting the good fight, continually motivated by God’s love and mercy and showing that love and mercy to others.
People will think you’re a little crazy.
People thought Jesus was possessed by demons or maybe insane. The things he did often didn’t make sense to them. He rarely met the expectations of anyone: his disciples, the crowds, or the religious leaders. They didn’t have a box they could put him in, so they called him crazy.
We can expect that people will think we’re crazy too. Often, Christians are not called to do what is most rational or obvious. We’re called to do crazy things like move to a foreign country, befriend the unlovable, serve the poor, and treat people with respect, even those who don’t respect us. If people start calling you crazy, there’s a good thing you’re doing exactly what God wants you to.
People will discount you because of your background.
The crowds and religious leaders in John 7 didn’t think Jesus could be the Messiah because of where he came from. They thought he came from the wrong neighborhood to be God’s Chosen One. They didn’t really bother to get to know his history (that he actually did fulfill the prophecies about the Messiah). They just wrote him off.
People may write you off too. They may say your background is too jaded so they can’t trust you. On the opposite side of the spectrum, they may say your life has been too perfect and sheltered so you can’t relate. They may remember your past and doubt that you could really have changed. Regardless, we are called to do the same thing Jesus did: do the work that the Father has given us to do.
People will try to hurt you.
Pretty early in his public ministry, people started trying to arrest or kill Jesus. They didn’t like what he was saying and they felt threatened by him. They were disappointed he didn’t meet their expectations. They tried to force him to do things (like forcing him to be king in chapter 6). Eventually, they plotted to kill him.
There’s a good chance that if you’re in America, no one is going to try to kill you because of your faith. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t meet other forms of resistance and even violence. People may try to force you to do things that are against your beliefs. They may mock you for how you live your life. They might even try to hurt you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They might even succeed. You can take comfort knowing that God is with you no matter what happens. He sees. He knows. In the end, he will make all things news.
If you feel misunderstood. You’re in good company. May that give you hope and encouragement as you seek to be like Jesus, regardless of the consequences.