What causes misunderstandings? There are several causes. One may be the lack of information, not having all the facts together. Or it may be inability to communicate, that is, not able to tell it like it really is.
There may be another cause for misunderstanding, that of not hearing correctly. I may say a word that you do not quite understand. If you do not understand what I am saying then you may misunderstand what I mean.
How can misunderstanding be corrected? It is quite simple. Gather all the information that you can, sift the facts from the falsehoods, and listen carefully so as to understand.
I believe among the subjects most frequently misunderstood is the nature and mission of Jesus of Nazareth. On that subject, though, hangs the most serious of life’s outcomes.
My dear friend, it is very important that you understand as well as possible who Jesus of Nazareth is and what His mission is. From John 10:31-42 I want to show you how Jesus helps you to CORRECT YOUR MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.
41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
42 And many believed on him there.
Here then in these verses we have the DETAILS which clear up most misunderstandings about the person and work of Jesus.
The first Detail:
The Condemnation.
They were about to render an execution without trial. Moses’ law required the execution of a heretic, but not without a hearing. He was to be brought before the elders, and people were to testify of his unsound faith, and after careful examination, then, they were to stone or execute the person.
So, Jesus protested. He said, “Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?” Their reply is very significant, because they said, “For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
You see, there is one of the misunderstandings that they had because it was not really that at all. They lacked information. One cause for misunderstanding is lack of information. And they lacked information. They thought that Jesus, being a man, was trying to be God. But it’s the other way around. Here was God being man and they were not understanding this at all. So they sought to condemn Him and stone Him without a trial.
Here is the second Detail which helps to clear our understanding of Jesus.
The Vindication.
Jesus made an appeal to the Word of God. He said there was a Scripture where people were called gods. Here is the exact quote: “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” I found it located in Psalm 82:6. The people were called gods. They were mortal, yet they were called the children of God.
Now Jesus raised a very important question on that and vindicated Himself because He said, “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?”
A part of the problem was that they did not understand the nature of this miracle of God becoming man. I am trying to point out to you that Jesus vindicated His position and His statement, “I and the Father are one.” Because this was the miracle of God becoming man. And they misunderstood that.
Do you understand it? They needed to accept His statement and so must you. He is the sanctified sent One and is indeed the Son of God.
The third Detail follows:
The Verification.
The record continues that Jesus left that part of the country and went over beyond the Jordan where John had been baptizing and many of the people came unto Him and many believed on Him. He found a place where He would not be harassed and where they would not be threatening to stone Him, in the place where John the Baptist had been ministering and most likely where John the Baptist had baptized Jesus. There He found a kind of resort or retreat.
Many of the people came unto Him and from them the response was that everything that John the Baptist said about this man is coming true. John the Baptist performed no miracles, but his prophecies regarding this man are coming true. And many believed on Him there.
When you take it all together, the evidence is convincing. The verification is absolutely established. How can you still hesitate when many today are believing? Letters come from radio listeners in many countries telling us, “I am a believer.”
Why don’t you take that step, too, and become a believer? If you have any misunderstandings about Jesus, consider with care these details: the condemnation without a trial; the vindication and the appeal to God’s Word; the verification that many believed on Him. Surely these can be helpful to you. These details give us certainty of the truth.
Correct your misunderstanding, and learn to know who Jesus is by accepting Him, the Son of God, as your personal Saviour.