WHEN ‘WOULD NOT’ BECOMES ‘COULD NOT’
“They would not believe in Him; … they could not believe…” (John 12:37, 39).
The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up?” (crucified – John 12:34).
First century Israel’s religious leaders bypassed the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus’ suffering and resurrection. It was deeply embedded in the national consciousness of first century Israel that Messiah would never allow Himself to endure pain, and certainly not the suffering and shame of crucifixion. Simply put, Rome would not be able to make Messiah suffer (John 12:34). This misunderstanding of the Scriptures could have enlightened John the Baptist’s questions from his dungeon: “Are you the one who is to come or do we look for another?” (Luke 7:19-20). Israel’s first century teachers of the Law and their rabbis did not believe whole sections of their Bible (the Old Testament). It meant they developed their own self-righteousness and did not teach their people the whole counsel of God (see Isaiah 53 for one example).
How tragic when pastors and teachers reject their Bible and fail to teach their people the whole counsel of God. The result is they rewrite their Bible, usually by ignoring certain parts. The Apostle Peter wrote that “judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it begins first with us, what shall the end be of those who do not obey the gospel?” (1 Peter 4:17 KJV). It means their people will be lost forever.
Isaiah certainly taught Messiah would suffer and be “cut off” (crucified) and have “a grave with the wicked and with the rich in His death.” Isaiah also taught Messiah would be raised from the dead and His victory would “swallow up death forever” (see Isaiah 53:7-12; 25:7-8; and Daniel 9:26 and Zechariah 12:10). But first century Israel ignored Isaiah’s prophecies.
Israel’s teachers taught a big lie that went back to Eden. Satan said to Eve, you won’t die if you go ahead and eat the fruit! (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:3-4). That lie, you can sin and get by, has deceived millions through the centuries since.
In fact, the very idea of a suffering Messiah made them spurn Jesus as Messiah. This same thinking also made the priestly leaders reject Jesus as the Son of God. When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one,” they “picked up stones to kill Him” because they said Jesus was speaking blasphemy: “You a mere man are claiming to be God!” (John 10:31-33).
The heart of the gospel is that Messiah came from God in an incarnation without a sexual union and was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The antidote for sin required the sacrifice of God’s sinless Son on a cruel cross in a perfect sacrifice of His own blood. On that cross He would drink the cup of God’s wrath against sin to the last drop. Only Jesus’ holy blood, not the blood of a lamb, would cure the malady of fallen man’s condition. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).
The sons of Abraham saw the blood of lambs as the cure for their sins. But Jesus came to change that and it cost Him His own blood to do it. The blood of a lamb simply was not adequate. The cure to this day is Jesus’ own blood, with Jesus Himself as the perfect High Priest. He – Jesus personally – made the sacrifice with His own blood.
First century Israel did not know the righteousness that comes from God. Instead, Paul said they sought their own righteousness and did not submit to God’s righteousness. Jesus Himself in His own blood ended the Law so that henceforward righteousness would come by grace through faith. Jesus the Messiah is the end of the ‘law’ so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Romans 10:4).
But “Who has believed our message,” Isaiah wrote, “and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (John 12:37). Their own self-righteousness blinded them so that they “would not believe” in Jesus as their Messiah (John 12:37-38).
How did it happen that they reached the point “they could not believe?” (John 12:37, 39). The raw evil of illegal narcotic drugs makes a good illustration.
The beginning use of heroin gives a big thrill. But addiction soon follows and progresses to the point a person becomes a slave to the drug and cannot say “NO!” The bondage is so compelling he will even break the law to get the next pill.
These Jewish leaders were not predestined to reject their Messiah (see Isaiah 6:10). Instead, in their God-given freedom to make decisions and be responsible for their consequences, they chose to reject Jesus. In that process they moved from the choice not to believe (“would not believe”) to the point where they “could not believe.”
Amazingly, Jesus’ teaching about His pending suffering made these Jewish leaders even more certain Jesus was not the Messiah. Another cause for rejection was Jesus did not even carry a sword, and everybody knew the only way to overthrow Rome was with a sword. (sic)
The Lord walked away and hid from them (John 12:36). He knew their rejection was final and any further discussion would only be an argument.
“At the same time many even among the Jewish leaders believed in [Jesus]. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue. They loved praise of men more than praise from God” (John 12:42).
How scary, oh how scary, when Jesus walks away and leaves us to the consequences of our choices (Romans 2:24-28). The Lord’s prophecies came true about forty years later with Jesus’ predictions about the fall of Jerusalem (Luke21:24). Israel rebelled against Rome and Caesar sent his legions. Israel was destroyed, men, women, children, even infants. The walls of the city, including the temple – everything was left beyond repair.
Israel did not become its own nation again until 1948.
The question remains, why did the leaders of Israel reject Jesus so decisively? Even after Jesus had done so very many miracles in their presence, “they still would not believe in Him.”
Why?
The answer is linked in six words. Israel had developed their own way of living, their self-righteousness. Like opium it moved them from would not believe, to could not believe, and it left no room for Jesus as their Messiah. Instead, they concluded they had to kill Jesus to protect their righteousness (Romans 10:1-4.
