In the movie, The Matrix, Neo, the protagonist, is gifted with abilities that make him the one who will save humanity. His mentor, Morpheus, calls on the Oracle to confirm Neo's calling, only to have this esteemed authority deny it. Toward the end of the movie, Neo saves Morpheus revealing incredible abilities which can only reinforce his mentor's claim. Morpheus congratulates Neo but the hero demures, "the Oracle said that I am not the one." Morpheus seems defeated, Neo should have been quite sure of his status. Morpheus takes the opportunity to teach Neo a lesson, "you must learn the difference between knowing the path and walking the path." The Oracle told Neo just what he needed to hear to perform the rescue that would confirm his gifting. Ok, so maybe using a Wachowski brothers film is not the most pious analogy for the Gospel of Mark, but there is something here. Jesus, in his teaching, does not simply describe the path, he shows them what it means to walk the path.
Jesus did not come to teach a lecture series on the Kingdom of God, but rather to build it. Neither the Sadducees nor the Pharisees wanted to hear him but more so, they did not want him. They waited for an earthly nation led by a warrior king while the Christ laid the cornerstone of an eternal city. Maybe most frustratingly, rather than assuming a military role, Christ would suffer the death of a tiny, historically insignificant seed - only through worldly failure would He be reborn as a mighty tree. Paul explains in Philippians that Jesus' obedience laid the groundwork for the law of humility which His subjects would imitate to populate the heavenly empire. So the kingdom came right before their eyes, established by the Son of God who talked in profound mysteries so that no one would miss the fact that He walked the walk.
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