Ghosts of Pride and Ignorance ...

Word of mouth, or a good recommendation from someone you know, might be the best publicity out there.  No matter how it comes to you, the opinion of someone you know and perhaps trust, will outweigh what billboards, or advertising, or any other paid medium can offer.  When we connect with someone, understand where they are coming from, have memories of shared experiences, it gives us a much better context for something they like when they recommend it to us.  This is a basic human phenomenon that has existed long before mobility gave us pictures, and 140 characters to disseminate data to our collection of friends.  In the time of Christ, it was the only vehicle for spreading the good news.  The fame of Jesus was spreading widely already, but instituting His followers and sending them out 2-by-2 had exponentially increased the word of mouth regarding the Messiah.  Instead of only Jesus performing miracles on a grand scale, now 12 other followers were doing it too.  At this rate, there would hardly be a demon-possession or sick person left in all of Israel.  The nation itself was moving from weakness to strength in so short a time, every disciple was certain the Messiah was soon to fulfill the mission they all believed He came for … to become our earthly King.

But there was already a king of the Jews, or at least a tetrarch.  Herod Antipas, was still formally in charge of Israel (or this part of Galilee).  The Romans had dispatched a governor to maintain military discipline, but continued to honor their original agreement with Herod the Great, dividing his kingdom into three parts at his death and letting his sons rule in each section of the greater Palestine area.  Herod Antipas in our section had no great military ambition, and was more focused on insuring a relative peace, in order to maintain his rule, than to see it given over to one of his brothers Archelaus or Phillip, or another Roman puppet altogether.  He spent the majority of his life attempting to maintain what he had been given.  But this Herod Antipas had grown up in Israel, he had learned from his father who was familiar with Jewish scripture.  Herod remembered the act of his father murdering the baby boys up to 2 years old in Bethlehem to prevent the coming Messiah and deny scripture its fulfillment.  Herod’s son Antipas developed an intelligence network to keep an “eye” on goings on that may indicate the Messiah had come anyway.  And this intelligence network yielded its first real person of interest in the form of John the Baptist.

The scribes, priests, Rabbi’s, Pharisees and Sadducees; basically the entire ruling class, was easy enough for Herod Antipas to deal with.  They were greedy and power hungry themselves, so their motives were easy to read, and their actions followed their hearts.  They may have spoken about religion and tradition, but their focus had nothing to do with the changing of hearts or minds, only of maintaining the flow of offerings to the Temple (and themselves by proxy).  The laws of Moses were generally restrictive in nature, and where Moses had left off, the Temple traditions had added a whole host of further restrictions required in order to achieve piety.  These additional man-made restrictions also greatly increased the profitability of the Temple (and its servants).  So this very corrupted religious institution was well known to Herod, and he never paid it that much credence.  When his brother Phillip’s wife caught his eye; when she clearly made it known, she wanted Antipas, not her husband Phillip, Herod decided too many restrictions prevent happiness and he took her home with him.  In the eyes of Herod Antipas, taking a woman who wants to be taken is hard to call a sin, particularly if he was willing to marry her as well, and treat her like a wife.  After all, Herod was not establishing a multi-wife situation, he was only stealing one.

Herodias however, came with Phillip’s daughter Salome.  She had baggage, but the apple did fall far from the tree and Salome had a reputation for excellence at exotic dancing.  Herod Antipas was now quite comfortable.  He the wife of his choosing, despite some regrettable acquisition details.  He had the clergy under his thumb.  He had the people relatively calm.  Then came John the Baptist.  John was unlike the hypocrites Herod was familiar with.  John was real.  He lived in humility and preached it.  He had no monetary ambitions, and Herod’s spies quickly figured out that John was not looking to become king of anything, so he was no threat; at least no military threat.  John however, was endowed with the Holy Spirit and his preaching was powerful and convicting.  In fact, Herod secretly went to hear John preach, and despite John’s call for repentance, Herod “heard him gladly”.  Herod liked John.  He liked his authenticity.  He liked the power in his message.  He did not even mind when John called him out on it not being lawful to have his brother Phillip’s wife as his own.  Herod knew John was right, and because of his admiration for John, he was OK with it.  He was not ready to give her up, but he knew John was right, Herod was sinning against his brother Phillip.

Herodias however, was NOT OK with it.  She wanted John dead, and would have gotten it right away, but her husband had zero intention of putting innocent blood on his own hands, particularly of someone he admired.  But that is exactly what happened because of pride, and of ignorance.  After being sent out 2-by-2 the disciples uncovered this story.  Peter recalls to John Mark in his gospel in chapter six beginning in verse 14 saying … “And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.”  Herod’s first response reflected both fear, and hope.  He imagined that the great miracles going on in Israel, the idea that the disciples were also healing and casting out demons, might mean that John the Baptist had risen from the dead and was responsible for all of this.  Perhaps John would forgive Herod for his death.  After all, both Andrew and John the beloved, were both originally disciples of John the Baptist.  And 2 other disciples were their brothers including Peter.  So at least 4 disciples had direct connections to John the Baptist, and it was through the Baptist that they had met Christ.  To Herod this idea made good sense.

But despite wishful thinking on Herod’s part, it was not a risen John the Baptist, nor any ghost version of him that was behind the miraculous transformation of Israel from extreme weakness to extreme strength.  Herod’s intelligence network and the people at large had other ideas.  John Mark continues in verse 15 saying … “Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.”  The coming of Elias (or Elijah) had also been prophesied, and perhaps he or one of his other contemporaries had arisen in Israel.  The question raised was the most key issue then and now.  Who exactly is Jesus Christ?  If Jesus is only a prophet, then His divinity is moot, and our salvation along with it.  If Jesus is only a good teacher, an upright man, then His life is no more meaningful than any other good soul who has ever lived.  But if Jesus is the only Son of God, then there can be no salvation from our desire to sins, outside of coming to Him in surrender.  This has been, and always will be the key question every man must answer for himself, who is Jesus Christ.  Herod remained unconvinced of these other theories.

John Mark continues in verse 16 saying … “But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.”  This was Herod’s greatest wish.  He wanted John back from the dead.  He wanted to be forgiven for making John a headless corpse.  He, like Saul of old, wanted to hear a word from the Lord from the mouth of His prophet.  But Herod had made himself blind to the fact that he could have word directly with the Lord who truly was responsible for the miracles everyone was reporting.  This set of scripture begins with Herod’s recognition of the name of Jesus Christ being reported to him.  But Herod twisted the identity of Jesus, transforming Him into a risen John instead; because that idea made Herod happier.  If Jesus was not John, then John remained dead, and Herod figured he could never be forgiven.  How like us.  We attempt to transform God into the image we want, in order to gain acceptance for the sins we commit, instead of seeking forgiveness and transformation from them altogether.

Peter then recalls the story of John the Baptist that he and the other disciples had uncovered in their mission of ministry.  Mark transcribes it beginning in verse 17 saying … “For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. [verse 18] For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.”  No whore likes being called that.  John the Baptist had out’d Herodias as being an adulteress.  John had made it known to Herod, it was a sin to keep her.  And Herodias had no intention of being sent back to Phillip, or kicked out on the street.  John posed a threat, and she wanted him dead.  So after nagging Herod to death, likely withholding sex, and making his life miserable, Herod finally agreed to put John in prison, where at least he could not publicly call her a whore anymore.  Even though Herod would still regularly visit John there.  Mark continues in verse 19 saying … “Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: [verse 20] For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”

Herod “did many things” based on the preaching and message of John the Baptist.  Herodias perceived the threat as being even greater to her, now that John was in prison where Herod could see him regularly.  In fact scripture says that Herod “heard him gladly”.  Herod embraced the true message of repentance John was preaching.  He did not make him shut up, instead he wanted more.  He began to reform his actions because of it.  Herodias rightly reasoned, that if this kept up, she would be back in Phillips home, or out on the street in no time at all.  Something had to be done.  Mark continues in verse 21 saying … “And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; [verse 22] And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. [verse 23] And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.”

So there are a few things to consider in this sequence of events.  First, it is highly likely Herod was not getting any with Herodias because she still wanted John dead.  So as a gesture to put Herodias in her place, Herod asks her talented daughter to dance at his party for him.  This was meant to further un-nerve Herodias, and it worked at first.  But Ghosts are created by pride, and exist in ignorance.  Herod had made his birthday celebration a public one with only the ruling class of important attendees.  Where better to show off his niece’s dancing skills, and the wealth and privilege he had amassed.  Word of mouth was important, perhaps more so in his own day.  And the word of a king had to be trusted and absolute, or the monarchy would degenerate into chaos.  But parties then and now, are opportunities for people to let their hair down, and have a good time.  Herod would not be driving so why not take in a little wine, and add drunkenness to the enjoyment of the day.  Drunkenness was another one of those restrictions the Rabbi’s were always making too much of anyway.  But in this condition, it seemed reasonable to offer the dancer anything she wanted.  It would be another slight to her mother for not being willing to keep Herod entertained.  Herod’s lack of clarity of mind, clouded his judgment, and he over-promised, not thinking what she might ask for.

John Mark records what happened next in verse 24 saying … “And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. [verse 25] And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.”  Salome was no innocent, she was the daughter of a whore, and appeared to have taken up the family profession.  She had succeeded in arousing the passion of the king, who was thinking to buy her intimacies later this evening for his birthday.  But Salome would ultimately share the fate of her mother.  If her mother were sent back to Phillip or cast out on the street, she would follow.  John the Baptist did not tolerate partial sins, he was looking to free his audience from all of them.  Herod could not marry his niece any more than he could lawfully steal her mother.  So if the threat of John persisted, she would be cast out as well.  She did not argue with mom, or even suggest an alternative, rather she embellished her demands by wanting John’s head in a basket for her to toy with.  She returned to the king “straightway with haste”.  Not tempted by immediate rewards like jewels or wealth or land, she would rather play the long game and terminate the threat of John, so ultimately she could inherit it all.

Mark records the outcome in verse 26 saying … “And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. [verse 27] And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, [verse 28] And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.”  Ghosts are created by pride.  The king had sworn an oath.  He could have argued with her.  He could have simply refused her, and had her executed herself from making such a request.  If he was worried about maintaining his power, that would have sent a strong message to those in attendance.  But Herod was weak in sexual matters.  This is how Herodias gained entrance into his home in the first place.  It was now, his weakness that would submit to his pride, and end the life of the only holy man he knew, and admired. 

Herod was “exceeding sorry”.  The repentance John had been preaching was now fully in the heart of Herod, but alas his pride remained greater.  The daughter of the whore, took the head to her mother, and despite his weakness, Herod would not want to be seduced any further on this birthday, he had already lost too much.   It was in this context, that Herod so desperately wanted to believe that Jesus was a risen John.  He wanted a second chance.  He wanted to undo the consequences of his sins.  But Herodias and Salome had remained in his home, and in his heart, and in his weakness.  So while Herod preferred a better Ghost story, he had denied himself access to the only person who had the power to free him from his sinful and addictive desires.  By denying the identity of Jesus Christ, Herod had cut himself off from his only cure.  When later Herod would be given power over the fate of Christ, his only interest would be in seeing a miracle for himself.  By then the corrupting influence of the whores in his life, would have sapped all the repentance he had ever felt when listening to John.

Peter contacted Andrew and John to collect the remains as Mark writes in verse 29 … “And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.”  Herod released the body to the disciples of John the Baptist, but never bothered to know who it was they served now.  His interest in Jesus would only be if it could confirm what he wanted Jesus to be.  Finding out directly from the disciples that his theories of God were incorrect was not something he wanted to hear.  Are we any different?  When we concoct our images of who God is, do we craft Him in our image instead of the other way around?  Do we attempt to rationalize or minimize the effects and consequences of our sins, instead of seeking a freedom from them in the first place?  It would have been hard for Herod to let go the love of his life, and the seductress of his bedroom.  It was harder still for Solomon of old, to let go 600 wives, 900 concubines, and nearly 4000 of his own children and keep only one… but that is what he did when his conversion finally took hold.  It was hard for Abraham to lose Sarah.  But life goes on.  And Herod could have trusted in God to find him a helpmate that was good for him not only sexually, but spiritually. 

If Herod had been willing to trust his sexuality in the hands of His God, the outcome of his life might have been an order of magnitude better.  To experience real love is far cry better than lust that masquerades as love.  To know intimacy not only with a woman, but a woman who is equally intimate with God, allows God a level of access into our family units that is how it was intended to be.  Herodias and her daughter were not fans of God, they were his enemy.  They used their feminine powers of seduction to get what they wanted, but were incapable of intimacy with God or man, because they had cut themselves off from the source of love and intimacy.  We are quick to criticize Herod for his pride, lack of judgment, and willingness to sin for sex.  But we are slow to look into the mirror, and lay the love of our lives on the same altar of our God.  We are slow to pledge to God ahead of our own sexual interests.  Instead like Herod, we want both.  We want a religion and set of restrictions than is not too tight for us to enjoy what we have, instead of being open to so much more that God might have in mind for us.  Our sin limits us, it does not free us.  Our sins enslave us, and keep us bound to pain and mediocrity, instead of allowing our God to offer us His boundless treasures that no one can take away.

Perhaps the only real winner in this tragedy is Phillip.  Phillip was rid of the whore who masqueraded as his wife.  While he lost his daughter as well, perhaps Phillip feared she too was beyond the desire for redemption.  Perhaps were Antipas would not accept the identity of Christ, Phillip might be better inclined to listen.  At least he would be free of the corrupting influence of a woman who knows the boundaries of lust, but has yet to discover the bliss of love.  If we are to live differently than Herod, and see another outcome in our lives, we must begin to trust God with our MOST cherished possessions, the core of who we are.  We need the Lord in our homes, in our hearts, in our bedrooms, and at the core of our marriages.  If we shut God out of these things, we deny ourselves the potential for bliss He so longs to give us.  Better the bliss of God, than the counterfeit his enemy offers that brings only pain and regret.  Let us make no Ghosts from pride, and let none exist from our willful ignorance.

Gathering Disciples ...

In the gospel of John, chapter one, and in verse 38, John records the first verbal exchange he and Andrew had with Christ.  As they began to follow Him, Jesus turns to them and says … “What seek ye”?  A very good question for them, but also for us; what do you want from God?  Our first responses are often like those of a child talking to a mythical Santa Clause; we begin with a list of things (often material) that would make our lives “better”.  Then as we catch a breath, we realize we might just be being a bit greedy, so perhaps we begin to ask for things (again often material), for others who we know and love.  Then when our list is winding down, we begin to think about spiritual things and maybe what we might need in those areas.  How much different would be our relationship if the first answer that sprang to mind was … “save me from all the evil that lies within me”.  What if what we wanted more than anything else was to truly be saved from ourselves?  What if our highest ambition was to be fully transformed into the perfect image or reflection of the God we stood before?  This accomplished, no material thing in the world would matter again.  This accomplished, the length of our lives in this world would be irrelevant.  This accomplished, our very next thought would no longer be for ourselves, but for those we love, and now, for those who refuse to love us.  The question appeared to surprise the two would-be disciples and the best answer they could think of on the spot was … “Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, as Master), where dwellest thou”?  That’s it!?  You want to know where He lives?  His address? 

But our Savior in His tender mercy, does not ridicule their answer, nor give them the brush off, nor reject their attempts to follow Him.  As He does with us, when our prayers and requests are far from perfect, He accepts them anyway.  And with a tone of love in His voice, He responds to them … “Come and see”.  And they went and spent the day with Him.  It was only one day.  But it was one day in the literal presence of God on earth.  And for both of them, one day was all that was needed.  It took only that long for Andrew to decide that his brother Simon (later called Peter) needed to come and follow Christ.  What Andrew was actually proposing to his brother was a radical idea, whether back then, or even now in modern times.  Andrew was not asking his brother to take a part time job, so he could study scriptures in the evenings as time permits, and when it was convenient.  Andrew was literally asking his brother to drop everything, quit your job, give up all assurances you won’t starve to death.  Leave your family behind, leave every other responsibility you have in this world, and at present trust me, I have found the Messiah all Israel has been waiting for.  In essence, Andrew asked his brother to give up his entire life, and begin a new one.

Simon Peter was not rich.  He had no mansions to dispose of, or tax shelters to wrangle out of.  But he did have a life he was familiar with.  He made enough money to eat, cloth himself, and take care of his family.  It was something to him, like our lives are something to us.  But perhaps based on the fervor in the eyes and expression of Andrew, Simon knew he had to check this out.  Andrew brought him to Jesus, but before he could introduce him to Jesus, He called him out by name.  And what is more He gave him a new nickname, “a stone” or perhaps better interpreted “a pebble”.  Simon Peter must have liked the idea, and he stayed, leaving as Andrew had proposed his entire former life behind, in exchange for the complete unknown of following this Son of Man.

The next day, Jesus went into Galilee into the same home town of Andrew and Simon Peter and found Phillip.  And in verse 43 Christ calls out to Phillip and says … “follow me”.  To me this is the essence of our Lord and our Gospel.  Those who, what looks like on their own, are seeking God – find Him.  John and Andrew found Christ because they were looking for Him at the side of John the Baptist.  Christ accepted them as followers.  Simon Peter was called by his brother, and came to Jesus based on the words and witness of one who he trusted, even though up to then, he had no personal experience with Jesus.  But Jesus accepted him as well.  Phillip however, was at home going about his daily routines.  He had no one to call him into service, he had no expectations to meet the Messiah.  But Phillip was about to have the best day of his life, when out of nowhere, comes the God of the Universe, to ask him specifically to … “follow me”.  Whether it is we who are looking for God, we who will find God through the testimony of another, or we who find God because God is looking for us – there is no distinction on the part of God to accepting us into His service.  Phillip, being called, did not delay, he immediately followed.

Phillip knew in less time than it took Andrew, who it was who called him.  His first thought was to call his brother as well.  So in verse 45, Phillip calls to Nathaniel his brother and says … “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”  Phillip appeared to know this in an instant.  That is the mark of being touched by the Holy Spirit, to find wisdom in a spiritual matter that you had no inherent reason to know.  Phillip did not hedge his bets.  He did not say it “might” be him.  He did not appear to doubt, and perhaps in a further rebuke to the priests of his day, Phillip cited the very patriarch of their religion Moses, and all the prophets who followed, as the evidence that this was the Messiah.  Nathaniel however, was a skeptic.  Nathaniel would have made an excellent modern day American Christian.  For his first response was … “can any good thing come from Nazareth?”

Nathaniel felt like Nazareth was the Harlem of his day, a neighborhood known more for crime than for accomplishment.  Given that Jesus was supposed to have come from such a wicked place, how could he be the one they were looking for?  For Nathaniel where you come from mattered.  Phillip does not ridicule him for his response.  He does not judge his brother harshly, or rebuke his lack of faith and trust in pretense.  Instead, with a faith in Christ that could have only originated outside of himself, having just met Jesus only a little while ago, he responds … “come and see”.  I doubt Phillip knew he was actually quoting the words the Savior Himself used with Andrew and John only a day ago.  But those words imply Phillip had no doubt about who he was following, and he knew too, when Nathaniel saw for himself, he would be convinced.

Jesus, knowing all things, decides to give Nathaniel a boost in his faith, and seeing him coming he declares to those around Him … “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”  A rather nice compliment, but as Nathaniel is quick to perceive, you would have to know me for quite a while, in order to know I am an honest man in my dealings.  Nathaniel challenges this new Jesus in verse 48 … “Whence knowest thou me?”  So when did we meet, and how do you what kind of person I am.  Jesus responds with an answer only God could know.  It is clear these two have never met.  It is clear Nathaniel is trying to call out Jesus by challenging Him in how He might know what He is talking about.  But the answer Jesus offers is a private one to Nathaniel.  For only Nathaniel knew where he poured out his own heart to God in prayer.  He did this only when he was alone.  He did not pray in the temple and under the spectacle of a public audience.  Instead he sought solitude before he came to God to confess the private thoughts and feelings of his heart.  He craved solitude to do this and he had found a private spot where he knew he would be alone when he did it.

Verse 48 continues … “Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”  Jesus was saying directly to Nathaniel, something private, that only Nathaniel would understand; you sir, were praying to me, I am the God who heard your words under that tree when you were alone to pray.  The rest of the disciples might have simply thought that Jesus had seen Nathaniel before, or had encountered him some time in the past.  Nathaniel knew this was not the case, and knew that only God could know what Jesus knew.  In verse 49 Nathaniel responds to Jesus saying … “Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.”  Nathaniel first acknowledges Christ as the Son of God.  He marks His divinity first, as he knows the private answer Christ has given, having heard the prayers of Nathaniel.  He then proceeds to reveal he shares the common misconception that the Messiah is there to restore the kingship to Israel.

Jesus responds in verse 50 saying … “Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.”  He continues in verse  51 … “And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”  In a subtle way, Jesus turns the attention away from the misconception about which Kingdom He is here to establish, and points them forward to His ultimate ascension into heaven where they who were gathered there would all be a witness to.  At the same time Jesus confirms His divinity by stating that Angels would be attending to Him, and that indeed He saw Nathaniel where no one else knew he went to pray.  Jesus also addressed Nathaniel’s skeptism, by saying to him, “thou shalt see …”.  If Nathaniel must see to believe, as his brother Phillip had responded when he first challenged the Messiah, Christ lets him know, there is far greater things which he will see as they move along together.  Nathaniel had already been convinced.

The lesson is perhaps more for us.  It is Christ who hears the desperate prayers of our hearts, no matter where we are when we give them voice.  He hears them even when they are nothing more than thoughts in our brains.  There is no privacy when it comes to us and our God.  There was never supposed to be the need for privacy, as an intimate relationship was always the intent of our God with us.  Our nakedness was never a barrier to spending time with God, nor was our union between man and woman in the sacred vows of marriage.  Our God desires to be with us at all times, and is unashamed to call us His children, despite what we do, and what we desire.  His goal is to see us freed from our sins and bondage to pain and evil.  His goal is to see us restored to the perfection He intended.  Therefore Jesus points out to Nathaniel and to us, is it HE who hears our prayers when we think ourselves alone.  It is HE who meets the needs of our hearts, and longs to show us His great love for each of us.  It is HE who values the prayers of a single person, and knows us better than we know ourselves.  This is the lesson of the discipleship of Nathaniel, despite our skepticism, Christ is still here to save and redeem us.

All throughout these first few encounters, our responses to God are far from perfect.  We come with the baggage of our own misconceptions about the interpretation of scripture and the mission of the Messiah.  Yet our God is patient with each of us.  He does not rebuke our lack of faith, or judge us as we deserve.  He does not cast our efforts aside, or reject our service because of our imperfections.  He did not tell a single person who wished to follow Him, that they were not welcome.  Only Phillip had been directly called to that point in time, yet 4 others were there and welcomed as well.  Even in the earliest part of his ministry, while he was still gathering disciples, Jesus was not condemnatory, judgmental, or requiring that his followers have a perfect understanding of truth.  Instead He was happy to welcome them into a collective mission to redeem mankind, a service oriented mission in which they would be a part.  This is the mission, in which He still welcomes us today.  Christ knew then, as He knows now with us, a perfect understanding of truth can only happen as we spend more time with Him.  Only then will our errors and misconceptions about scripture, be corrected in the face of the love of Christ.  It is with Him that truth can be revealed, for He is truth.  It is we who are changed and molded by the encounter.