Some Popular Misconceptions in the Time of Christ
Popular misconceptions distort the truth of the Bible and result in doctrinal error.
1 John 6:42; 7:27; “When Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence He is.”
The people had a false notion that the Messiah, when He came, would be of mysterious origin; that He would be an other-worldly figure Who would suddenly appear full-grown and mighty in military power. This notion was popularly accepted because it was what the people wished to hear.
The Scriptures, however, had given the prophecy that the Savior would come as a babe, born of a virgin, that He would grow up as a tender plant, that He would suffer and die to save His people from their sins. The darkened minds of the people did not see their sins as the problem, – they saw only the oppression of the Romans and Jewish leaders. Their most fervent desire was for a Champion Who would enable them to gain controlling power so that they might render to Caesar the wrath and vengeance which he now dealt to them.
This tragic misconception of the role of the Messiah has its counterpart in today’s “prophets” who foretell the coming of Christ as a time when the “Christians” will reign as “conquerors” and will lord it over the peoples of the world. This idea is wholly incompatible with the spirit of Christ.
Jesus’ clear answer to this misunderstanding was not acceptable to the Jews, (John 7:28-30).
“Shall Christ Come out of Galilee?” (John 7:41)
They thought that the Messiah could not come out of Galilee. They assumed that Jesus was a Galilean by birth and on the basis of this false assumption they concluded that He therefore could not be of the seed of David and of the town of Bethlehem.
Christians now should be very careful to base their assumptions on true facts. It is well worth the bother to find an authoritative answer to an important question. One of the most widespread misconceptions of our day is concerning the identity of the so-called “Jews”. Actually these “Jews” are not a racially identifiable group, but rather are identified by their religion. They have no basis for claiming genetic descent from Abraham. However, many religious leaders are spreading this misconception. The “Jews” are exploiting this false teaching in order to mold public opinion toward favoring them in claiming the land of Palestine as their right. Secretly, however, the “Jews” themselves had to face up to the fact that they do not have any identifiable link to Abraham or even any common nationality whatsoever as far as blood lines are concerned. Ironically, while the common people so glibly proclaim them as the “seed of Abraham” and the “fulfillment of prophecy” they, furtively, behind the closed doors of their Knesset, debate the question of “Who is a Jew?” After years of debating, the question is still unresolved.
This modern misconception is fast bringing about a crisis in which multitudes of people will depart from the Christian faith and have even already made certain tragic steps in that direction. Even as the people of Christ’s day refused to believe on Him because He (they thought) was a Galilean, so today many will depart from the true faith and doctrine of Christ to some form of Judaism because of the misconception that they are the “elect”, “Chosen of God”, “heirs of the promises”.
That Elias Would Be Bodily Resurrected before Christ Came.
This misconception was based on Malachi 4:5: “Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Since it was Scripturally based, they believed it was infallible. However, they did not have the spiritual discernment of this Scripture.
Even the disciples were confused as to the proper interpretation of this Scripture, (Matt. 17:10-13). Jesus clearly showed them that this Scripture was fulfilled in John the Baptist. In fact, Luke 1:17 shows that the angel told Zecharias, when announcing the birth of John the Baptist, that the child to be born would go before Jesus “in the spirit and power of Elias.” This is an important principal. It clearly refutes the notion of physical reincarnation, so popular in our modern world. It does show, however, that the Spirit can be re-embodied as when Christians are filled with the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Christ. On the negative side, it shows that the anti-Christ spirit can also be re-embodied. Even in the New Testament era, there were many anti-Christs, (1 John 2:18). Many historical figures have been identified as the anti-Christ; for example, Hitler, Khrushchev, etc. When these men died without conquering the world, many said that those who identified them as anti-Christ were false prophets, but they were not necessarily wrong, for the spirit of anti-Christ can infect as many people as will allow it to enter their hearts. The anti-Christ is the devil himself.