John 2:22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

The Disciples had known Jesus for about three years at the time of the Resurrection. They did believe early on, mostly because of the signs he performed. Their faith was in what they conceived as the Messiah. There is no indication that they expected a crucifixion and resurrection.

Most of the disciples had their own ideas about what the Messiah should be and do. They expected the Messiah to lead a revolt against Rome, to overthrow the bonds and restore the throne of Israel in Jerusalem. They were expecting a total fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, which we now know is yet to be.

Throughout the gospels we see the disciples frequently misunderstanding Jesus. Some of them maybe have been so intent on having the political revolution that they didn’t even hear the things he said.

None of them really thought he would die. Maybe they expected him to start the revolution after his arrest. Remember Peter rebuking Jesus for talking about dying on the cross. After his death they certainly were not expecting a resurrection, even though he had said he would rise again. In verse 19, he gave the veiled sign to the Jewish leadership, destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. The Jewish leadership didn’t get it, and the disciples didn’t either until after the resurrection.

With the disciples it started with turning the water into wine. There they believed he was at least a miracle worker. Further signs showed them he was at least a prophet of God. Their faith grew little by little, even though none of them really understood Jesus’ mission.

John 6:15 says, “ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”

It was not until after the resurrection that they totally understood. When it says, they then believed, it means that their faith had deepened. They finally understood. There would be no political revolution, but there would be a spiritual revolution that would change the world.

Today our own faith grows as we see things happen. Sometimes it can grow through the bad things that happen, as well as the good things. As we move in faith and see it work, our faith grows. Many people have strange ideas about who Jesus is and what Christianity is all about. Often when people are disappointed with God, it is because they have a faulty understanding of what God and Jesus are all about. No doubt the disciples were terribly disappointed when Jesus died. We may not know what God is up to, but we can be sure that all things work together for good to those that belong to Jesus.

So when you are in a trial, remember at the end you will be able to look back and see how the Lord worked. It is an opportunity for faith to grow.