From this point on, the accounts of Jesus' movements in the four Gospels
are so confusing and contradictory that the only feasible plan seems to
be to follow one Gospel to its end, noting similarities or differences
in the other Gospels as they occur in the course of the narrative.
But, before starting on this, it seems necessary to grasp clearly just
what was Jesus' basic purpose in this, His life-work. Probably nine out
of ten of His followers of today would say that it was to redeem mankind
and convert the world to His teachings. Now, the evidence of the four
Gospels is directly contrary to this view. Jesus had little regard for
the Gentiles or Heathen, and no interest whatever in their conversion.
His references to them are usually derogatory and rather contemptuous
(Matt. VI:32; X:18; XVIII:17; XX:19; Mark X:33, 42, 43; Luke XXII:25),
although there are one or two exceptions, when He is upbraiding the Jews
for their unbelief (Matt. VIII:10; XI:21).
Apparently He never preached to the Gentiles, and was loath to exercise
His healing powers for their benefit. When the woman of Canaan besought
Him to cure her daughter, He at first refused on the ground that His
healing powers were reserved for the Jews. "It is not meet to take the
children's bread and cast it to _dogs_" (Matt. XV:26).
In His instructions to His apostles and disciples (Matt. X; Mark
VI:7-13; Luke IX:1-6), He does not enjoin on them to preach to the
Gentiles, but, on the contrary, expressly prohibits them from doing so.
"Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and, into any city of the
Samaritans, enter ye not" (Matt. X:5; see also Matt. X:23).
The apostles, as judges in heaven, are to have jurisdiction, not over
the Gentiles, but only over Jews. "Ye, also, shall sit upon twelve
thrones, judging the _twelve tribes of Israel_" (Matt. XIX:28).
The angel who announced Jesus' conception to Joseph said that "He shall
save _His people_ from their sins"--not the whole world or "all nations"
(Matt. I:21). So the angel who announced the conception of Jesus to Mary
said that God should give unto Him the throne of His father David, and
that He should "reign over the _house of Jacob_ forever" (Luke I:32,
33).
One of the first recorded utterances of Jesus is: "Think not that I come
to destroy the Law or the prophets. I am not come to _destroy_, but to
_fulfill_" (Matt. V:17). The converted Paul, with the over-zeal that
often marks converts, conceived that his own mission was to _destroy_
the old Jewish law, and worked most successfully towards that end,
overcoming the opposition of Peter, James, John and other intimate
associates of Jesus (Gal. Chap. II). But Jesus, in adhering to the old
Law, necessarily excluded from His scheme of redemption all Gentiles and
others who did not practice circumcision and similar obligatory rites of
the Jewish faith.
Finally, we have Jesus' own clear and positive declaration of His
understanding of His mission. "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of
the house of Israel" (Matt. XV:24).
As against this explicit statement of His position, the two ambiguous
references to some future (apparently after His death) preaching of His
Gospel "for a witness unto all nations," or that it "must first be
published among all nations," can have no weight (Matt. XXIV:14; Mark
XIII:10).
The evidence establishes beyond a doubt that the characterization of
Jesus by Paul and others who had never heard or seen Him, as an evangel
to the Gentiles and a redeemer of mankind, was not only not authorized
by Jesus, but was explicitly repudiated by Him. His only mission, as He
conceived it, was to bring back the Jews to the true, simple worship of
the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.[14]
That Jesus failed in this mission must be admitted. At first the people
flocked in multitudes to listen to His preaching. This was due in part
to their expectation of a coming Messiah and, no doubt, in part to the
effect of John's work. But what the Jews expected was an earthly
kingdom and a ruler who would give them victory over the heathen. They
had no interest whatever in a spiritual kingdom. Their disappointment
was bitter when they found that Jesus promised them only a kingdom in
heaven. Nor were they affected by such miracles as healing the sick,
making the blind to see, the lame to walk, etc. The miracles they
demanded were those of the Old Testament, when the Lord of Hosts visited
His overwhelming wrath upon the armies of their enemies.
His neighbors of Galilee were the first to fall away from Jesus, and
apparently He felt this defection deeply (Compare Matt. IV:25 with Matt.
XIII:57, 58; Mark I:28 with VI:4, 5, 6). Even His own brothers did not
believe in Him (John VII:5).
This opposition to Him spread (Matt. XI:20; XIII:57), and gradually
deepened into active animosity, so that He was on occasions driven out
of different places, or was in danger of stoning or death (Matt.
VIII:34; Luke IV:29; John VII:I, 19, 44; VIII:59; X:39).
Finally the end came at Jerusalem, when His personal adherents had
apparently dwindled down to a few besides His apostles. Jerusalem had
always shown Him little favor, but, at this time of the Passover, it was
filled with Jews from all parts of their country. Yet, when Pilate
offered to release Him to the people, there was none to ask for His
freedom. At the very last, even all His disciples fled from Him (Matt.
XXVI:56).
Some small bands or sects of Jewish followers survived His death, but
their numbers constantly diminished, and all of them disappeared within
a few centuries after His death. From that time to this the Jews have
consistently, and practically unanimously, rejected Jesus' teachings and
His claims to be their Messiah.[15]