Jesus could not trust the people he came to save. His lack of trust had nothing to do with unfounded or half-baked suspicion – like so many of us and our distrust of others. Nor was it a “once-burned-twice-shy” kind of distrust. Rather, he knew what was in man.
He knew in absolute and no uncertain terms what people were thinking and feeling. He knew exactly how easy it is for people to praise and worship today and scream, “Crucify! Crucify!” tomorrow.
He knew the exact length of their attention spans and exactly when their distractions turned to lust, or envy, or greed, or fear, or anger -- or arrogant boredom.
He knew their mental twitches of impatience as they listened to the very Word made flesh. He knew their belief had yet cost them anything, how untested their faith was, how the praise of men is a never-absent motivation.
He knew every sinful thought and word and deed that oozes and spews from sin-sick deceitful hearts.
He knew how miraculous and spirit-wrought saving faith is.
He knew all that and much, much more and still he went to the cross in their place – in my place – knowing all people and what was in all people.
In this is love not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – I John 4:10
-- TWMathis
