Those in search of Christian truths often consult a variety of sources, including the Bible, religious texts, church doctrines, and Christian writings. However, the varied representations of Christianity can easily lead to confusion. A fundamental understanding of Christianity is that Jesus is the sole informant. There is no need to heed any other source, except as it points to Jesus, who proclaimed, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have concealed these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Matthew 11:25). Paul expressed a similar view in his letters to the Corinthians.
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord’” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV).
It is crucial to explore why God’s truth is often revealed through the despised rather than the learned. Gamaliel, a distinguished and widely respected scholar during Jesus’ time, used his expertise to save the apostles from execution when the Jews were intent on killing them. His advice was sought after by everyone. Today much remains the same; for a doctrine to be accepted, it typically requires the endorsement of a renowned scholar. Yet, despite Gamaliel’s extensive scholarly knowledge, he failed to recognize the truth of Jesus.
When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go” (Acts 5:33-40 NKJV).
Here is an intriguing exposition: The Jews held Gamaliel’s words in high regard due to his educational stature. It was presumed that anything uttered by Gamaliel was beyond dispute, as he was celebrated as the most knowledgeable. From a human perspective, detracting from Gamaliel’s merit would seem unjust. While many of his peers engaged in various pursuits to fulfil their life’s purposes, Gamaliel devoted himself to the study of God’s word. How could any sincere individual criticize such a person? What reasonable person could find fault with someone dedicated to studying the Scriptures? Is there anything of greater importance than this in life?
Whether God will reward Gamaliel for saving the apostles’ lives remains a mystery until the time of Jesus. Interestingly, there is no record of Gamaliel’s public conversion. The general populace was ready to accept his words as authentic, even though they were not directly from the source. Jesus professed to be directly from the source, yet they did not believe Him. His disciples were the most knowledgeable of that era, having been taught by Jesus, who claimed to originate from the source. Nevertheless, the devout Jews were mysteriously sceptical. This underscores the truth in Jesus’ words to Peter: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:17).
Would it not be more effective for the gospel if God utilized scholars, who would be readily listened to by the masses? Suppose Jesus had exercised due diligence and inducted only esteemed technocrats like Gamaliel for apostleship, wouldn’t the gospel become readily accepted? This seems to be common sense, and relevant to all humanity. Yet, why did Jesus choose the most challenging path, appointing the despised of the world for a mission as crucial as spreading the gospel? Jesus, himself, was born in the most humble of circumstances, in the scorned city of Nazareth. Why would God select such conditions for someone as significant as Jesus? The answers to these questions may hold the key to the simplest path to the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is regarded as the Messiah and is one of the most venerated figures to have ever existed. While Jews acknowledged His role as humanity’s redeemer, they did not foresee Him defying their expectations. His association with the marginalized of society led to a mismatch with their anticipated Messiah. Despite His profound wisdom, His image was met with disdain and sometimes deemed scandalous. He lacked the characteristics they expected of the prophesied Messiah, and the sacred Scriptures did not depict Him with the majesty they had envisioned. Nevertheless, the prophecies they cherished seemed to suggest something of that nature.
“For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The
chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:2-6 NKJV).
From a common sense perspective, it is perplexing how the Lord could place upon Him the iniquity of us all. It seems more logical for us to lay down our lives for Him, instead. This could be one of the prophecies that caused the Jews to misunderstand, as this does not align with human reasoning. Jesus was born to be a King, and thus, His time on earth should be honoured as the Prince of Peace. Yet, it is contemptible for a Prince of Peace to be subjected to such treatment by sinful humanity. Those who profess to follow Him must have a profound understanding of the principle of the cross. Thus, in Christianity, glory is not deemed enviable.
To grasp divine concepts, one should not rely solely on empirical evidence. Truth often emerges from the world’s most challenging conditions. Understanding that divine truth is not unveiled through human means, is crucial. This aligns with Jesus’ teaching that no one can come to Him unless drawn by the Father who sent Him (John 6:44). Therefore, if these words resonate, it would be inappropriate to praise the writer of this blog. Modern authors are held in esteem akin to Gamaliel, celebrated for their insightful wisdom, yet divine wisdom does not stem from those considered wise by worldly standards.
Only those whom God has truly enlightened can unravel these mysteries. While they remain incomprehensible to some, fortunate are those who grasp them. The subtle clue offered by James is: “Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10). Within human constraints, it’s disconcerting to observe those from whom one would expect an appreciation of God’s truth not doing so. Conversely, witnessing its recognition from the most unexpected quarters is truly astonishing. Even Jesus expressed astonishment at this occurrence.
Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it”
Of all the people, this was a gentile Army General, expected not to be familiar with Jewish religion. But He expresses the kind of understanding that is unexpected from someone with his rank. He would have considered what Jesus said unrespectful of his rank. But he went to show that He had some understanding of the Prince of Peace.
Jesus expressed surprise, expecting understanding solely from those acquainted with prophetic Scriptures. This phenomenon persists in our time. The unmarketable nature of God’s truth often fails to provoke reactions from anticipated sources, contributing to the mysteries of God’s Kingdom. Even for those to whom God speaks, certainty remains elusive.
When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour” (Matthew 8:5-13 NKJV).
Contrary to popular belief that Jesus was predictable and always diplomatic, the Bible portrays Him differently. He delivered truths, difficult for the proud to accept, resonating only with those humble enough to embrace them. This principle continues, influencing individuals who may not be traditionally viewed as Christian. Following God’s laws is not just about piety or dignity; it’s about humility and willingness to learn.
This is illustrated in His parable of two men praying: a Pharisee and a Tax Collector. Mercy was granted to the Tax Collector, not the Pharisee who was a strict adherent of the Law (Luke 18:10-14). Moreover, Jesus also demonstrated a less-than-diplomatic approach with a Gentile. The humility displayed by the Canaanite woman, who could have taken offence at Jesus’ response, stands as one of the most remarkable examples of this virtue.
Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her, not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour (Matthew 8:21-28 NKJV).
Jesus was cognizant of the treatment meted out to the Gentiles and employed a term commonly used to refer to them as ‘dogs.’ When Jesus used this term, it seemed as though he intended to insult her. Yet, instead of taking offence, the woman responded unexpectedly, displaying humility that even Jesus did not anticipate. This incident mirrored the encounter with the Centurion. The Jews were expected to learn from such encounters with ordinary people.
Approaching Jesus’ teachings with an open mind, free from pride, renders them accessible and comprehensible. It is not necessary to believe that God favours certain individuals while neglecting others based on their background. Those who are humble recognize the futility of living only in the physical realm. Jesus embraced this humility in His submission to the cross, which transforms what was once considered dishonourable into something honourable.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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