Not of this World

On the Life and Ways of Jesus Christ. ‘Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’' (John 18:36)

Jesus did not pursue success – or influence or impact – in the way of the world. He worked in an almost completely opposite way to what we consider ‘natural’.

When Jesus healed a person, he would often ask the healed person to not tell anyone. At other times he would only partially heal, and send the person away from the crowds, from the onlookers, to experience the rest of the healing.

When Jesus changed water to wine, he only allowed the servants to see and know what he was doing. Everyone at the wedding tasted the miracle, and in a sense it was the rich that benefitted from it, but it was the poor that were actually shown the miracle. And so they went home that night richer than the guests, more honored by God.

Jesus hid his glory from the wealthy and proud, and revealed his glory to the lowly and humble. These ‘ways’ of Christ frustrated his own brothers, his family. Once they said to him:

‘No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Show yourself to the world.’ (John 7:4)

Jesus did not act in a way to become a public figure, because he did not want to become a public figure. That’s a status and a type of power that belongs to a worldly kingdom; Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ (John 18:36)