The disciples thought Jesus was immediately going to set up his kingdom on earth. They had been taught since children that the Christ would come and defeat the enemies of Israel. What better time was there to deliver Israel than during the Roman occupation?
So when Jesus said to his disciples that in a little while the world would not see him, but the disciples would see him, the men were puzzled (John 14:19). And when Jesus said he would manifest himself to them, but not be seen by the world a heavy fog of confusion enveloped their thinking. Judas, not Iscariot, logically asked, "How can you manifest yourself to us and not to the world?" (John 14:22).
His kingdom is in our hearts. Yet I too sometimes marvel how it is that he has shown himself to me and yet so many others do no perceive him (John 14:21, 23-28).
