"If even the closest, most beloved disciples missed the message - that the Messiah wasn’t a material liberator, but a spiritual one - what does it say about the Chosen People missing the message?" I would offer that THAT is why Jesus told the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to be given and then He, The Holy Spirit would lead them in all things. Again, God's timing is exactly carried out because at Pentecost (the prescribed time Jews had been practicing for generations) God's Spirit came upon the believers in Jerusalem and His Spirit has been with us even unto today, just as Jesus promised. But scripture tells us that His Spirit will not always strive with men. Your salvation and mine depend upon the integrity of God, not the best I can do to obtain His Grace. When He promised the comforter would come and would remain with men until a prescribed hour, Salvation was immediately based on His integrity not mine or yours.
When He promised His Spirit would remain with us until the last hour, He is great enough to have kept His promise right throughout the past 2000 years. In this simple thing, Christinaity is at variance with the founding assertions of Mormonism. Men may argue how He has kept His promise--the myriad of denominations and the apparent dichotomy of Catholicism and Protestanism evidence men's arguing over the 'hows'--but one ought not doubt that He is powerful enough to keep His promises.
How about a formatting truce? ;-]
Would you mind reposting that one with paragraphs?
I really do want to continue, but the word density boggles my limited mental resources.