Unrequited Love
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Jesus came as the long-awaited Messiah—but His own people did not receive Him. A few individuals accepted Him, among them, the Twelve and a little company of men and women. These were ardently devoted to Him. They believed in His Messiahship, although they did not understand what it meant. But the Jewish nation did not receive Him. The rulers never believed in Him. They opposed Him from the beginning, and their opposition grew in bitterness until at last they nailed Him on a cross! This was theirreturn—for His love.
Christ's reproofs of the Jewish people for their rejection, were very severe. Some of them were spoken in the temple, before He finally left it. Some were spoken to the disciples from the Mount of Olives. He laid bare the hearts of the religious teachers and rulers. They bound heavy burdens on the people—but they themselves did not touch them with one of their fingers. They devoured widows' houses, and then made long prayers—that men might think them 'holy'. They paid tithes of the smallest things—but judgement, mercy and faith they omitted from their lives. They were careful to keep their dishes clean—but they paid no heed to their own inner lives!
It was with breaking heart, that He told them of the doom that was impending. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent unto her! How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings—and you would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate!"
There are two marvels here. One is that the religious leaders could have rejected Jesus Christ! He came doing good, going about in a marvellous ministry of mercy. He came offering them all the blessing of eternal life. How could they despise and reject Him?
The other marvel is that Jesus kept love in His heart, through all their rejection! On Palm Sunday, as He was riding into the city amid the acclaim and enthusiasm of the people, when He passed the crest of the hill and the city came into His view, He broke into loud weeping and cried, "If you had known, in this your day, even you, the things which belong to they peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes!" The love of Christ failed not, though unrequited, though treated so unjustly, though the response to it was the cross! His answer to the rejection—was redemption!
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