What was Jesus Mission?

What was Jesus’ Mission?

Was it to revive the essence of Judaism or was it to die?

Let’s have a look at what the scriptures say:

Brief picture of the context of Jesus Ministry:

The situation of Judaism was bleak when Jesus arrived on the scene.  The religious leaders had become immersed in self grandiose and lost sight of their role in teaching people the best way of living.  They had inherited the seat of Moses,  who was a guide to mankind towards their Lord - but now they abused the seat.  

This was the situation that Jesus had arrived in.  The Jewish people were oppressed not only by the Romans but also by the religious leaders who were the people that were supposed to ease their burden in this world.  

Jesus heart was filled with compassion for his people and angry at the religious leaders who were not fulfilling their duty.  

1.   Matthew 15:14 “Jesus answered, "I was sent only to the people of Israel. They are like lost sheep.”

Why did he come to them if they had the law for adequate guidance?  Religious leaders and other Jewish people in general were very focused on keeping the law to the degree that they forgot what the purpose of the law was. It was about mercy, kindness and love towards God, their family and the people around them.

Matthew 15:25-26:  "The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Why would Jesus call this woman a dog?  Insult or compliment?

He made it clear that his mission was only to the lost tribe of Israel.  Often enough, when preaching on this particular verse, priests and pastors will say something like, “Jesus didn't realize just how persistent this woman could be!” Or, “This Gentile woman taught Jesus that he had been sent to all and not just the Jews.”

How much more absurd it is to think that Jesus did not know his own mission?  Why did he give in to healing the woman's daughter and what did that mean in terms of the sphere of his mission?  Was it expanded to gentiles at that point - or was what transpired an exception?  

More on that later

2.   Matthew 23:4 “ They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them.”

         

To begin with, they spend all their energy creating massive burdens to place upon the people, and yet will not lift so much as a finger to help people with these burdens

3.   Matthew 11:28-30  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”

While the Religious leaders do not have any compassion towards those they lead, they delight in the honor and status that these common folks bestow upon them. They love the places of honor and the titles that set them apart from and above the rest. The people are burdened with the religion because it lacked the spirit, the soul the essence -being love. Jesus was showing that the leaders made the religion look ugly, burdensome and he had come to bring back the balance.

4.   Matthew 23:5-7   ⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries( wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷ they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.”

       

The whole purpose of Jesus coming was to revive the Jewish people’s love for God and the spiritual aspect of the law.  They kept the law but their hearts were far from God.  Jesus came to show them that the intention behind keeping the law had to be for the love of God which translated as becoming a mercy unto people.  Many of the Pharisees and the Sadducees kept the law to show off that they were religious.  Their hearts were far from God.  When Jesus said he came to “fulfil” the law – he meant to demonstrate that the law had to be filled with love – the law as was being practised by the teachers of the law was empty of love for God and compassion for people.

People followed the law for wrong reasons.  They were like robots – their hearts were far from God.  They would do everything the right way but would not have love, kindness and humility in their hearts towards people. 

This is why Jesus came – to fulfil the law with love, justice, compassion, vitality etc – not to do away with it – but to show that to follow the law without the spiritual component of love – made obedience to the law like an empty shell – void of meaning and heart. 

Jesus demonstrated this when he said that what goes into your mouth does not make you unclean  - it may make you physically ill – but he meant the spiritual component.  Anyone who keeps the law to the notch without love for God in his heart or compassion for his fellow brothers in humanity – has missed the whole point.  Like an atheist.

Jesus did not mean – don’t keep the law – he meant don’t be dogmatic about it to such an extent you forget what the bigger picture is. Click here for the link to Did Jesus come to do away with the law?

CONCLUSION:

Does loving God negate the law?

Jesus came to revive the spiritual aspect of Judaism.  Although he carried a universal message - it was very specific for a Jewish people who practiced Judaism.  It was not a new religion he was bringing to the world.  He clearly said that he did not come to do away with the law - but rather he expanded on the principle of love and compassion behind the law.  This is what the essence of Judaism is.  To love God by obeying his laws.  The nuanced problem was that the Jews were keeping the law without really loving God.  

The other extreme side of the coin which other Christians focus on to such a degree that they forget the law component is the LOVE component.  Just love – forget the law.  

They forget that that obedience to God’s law is the FUNDAMENTAL part of LOVE.  HOW else can you be submissive – what are you submitting yourself too?