The Jews of Jerusalem certainly did not have the real Jesus in mind when they were thinking Messiah.  The Messiah was the King of Glory, and the Jews had shown an unfortunate stubborn streak when asking for their first king in 1 Samuel 8.  Samuel had done his best to discourage having a king. “Watch out! Kings will take all your best people into their service as soldiers, serfs, and slaves.  Kings will tax away all your grain, grapes and flocks. Kings are into perfumers; they value people who can trick out their latest chariot models; they will make you a curious status symbol as you run in front of their chariots.  Kings will take all your stuff and give it to their friends.”

But the Israelites did not hear Samuel.  They really, really wanted a king!  “Everyone else has one, and we don’t want to look bad to all the neighbors.” To their credit, the people did recognize that even though Samuel, Eli and other named judges had been good guys, it seemed that most of the judges’ heirs sank quickly to the depths of bribery and perverted justice. We can give them the benefit of the doubt that they were looking for something better; they did not recognize that having God as their King was the best it could be. Unfortunately, most of the kings they got turned out to be as described by Samuel. And foreign kings were even worse, especially the Romans.

So the first century Jews still had an idea of a powerful redeemer with swords and chariots who would overthrow the Romans, and Jesus did not look like much.  HIS kingdom was full of mustard seeds, fertile soil, lamps under baskets, and unrighteous judges.  He did not have a sword; he went around healing people!  His main claim to fame was dying on a cross and being raised from the dead. What kind of king is that? 

Fortunately, the One True God was working his plan even back in the day when the Israelites whined for a king. The good king David was eventually placed on the throne, and his heir would be the true Messiah.  It is good to remember that Samuel was surprised with the choice of David; he thought David’s older brothers looked the part of a monarch. Ruddy-faced shepherd boy David had beautiful eyes but did not yet look much like a king (1 Samuel 16.6-13).