Why People Reject Jesus

John 1:10-11 says, "He (Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him."

When it says that Athe world did not recognize [or know] Him,@ it means they did not know Him in a saving way. They could not comprehend that the carpenter=s son, who was Athe son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon@ (Mk.6:3, NKJV) was the Messiah. John 7:5 tells us that Aeven His brothers did not believe in Him@ (NKJV). The apostle John records Jesus= own words as to why His people rejected Him.

In John 5:38 he said it was because they did Anot have His Word abiding in [them]. And because of this they were Anot willing to come to [Him] that [they] may have life@ (v.40). In John 6:36 He gives a second reason why they rejected Him: They did not believe He was the Messiah. Jesus said, ABut I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe@ (NKJV). AgainCthey could not get past the fact that they knew His parents, brothers and sisters. They believed when the Messiah would come they would now know where He would come from. In John 6:37-40 He gives a third reason for His rejection. It is because the Father did not give them to Him. He says, AEveryone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me: that I should lose none of those He has given Me but should raise them up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day@ (NASB). The fourth reason goes along with the thirdCthe Father did not grant them the privilege to come to Him. Jesus said in John 6:65, ATherefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father@ (NKJV).

God did not give them to Jesus nor did He grant them the privilege of coming to Him for salvation because He did not choose them before the foundation of the world. The fifth reason why they rejected Jesus is because they were not His sheep. Jesus said in John 10:26-30, ABut you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 "I and the Father are one@ (NASB). When Jesus was in the world, the world rejected Him. When He came to His own people, the Jews, they did not Areceive Him@ (v.11, NASB). The word Areceive@ is paralambano. It means Ato take to one=s self@ (GING) or Awelcome@ (Robertson). They did not embrace or welcome Him. Instead they crucified Him. Man in his natural fallen state will always reject the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. His sin, as Joseph Alleine says, Ahas made [him] little better than the devils.@