is stop being confused (Luke 17 - 23)

Jesus is asked when the Kingdom will arrive and says that it doesn’t work that way that we won’t be able to say here is the kingdom because the KINGDOM IS WITHIN YOU.  That really surprised me.  If the Kingdom is within us then we can enter the kingdom at anytime.  But then he adds that the Son of Man will return causing devastation like that seen by Noah and Lot. 

 

I admit to being totally confused.  Jesus tells us how to behave.  But he also puts unrealistic expectations on us (give up everything including your family).  He tells us of a coming kingdom when bodies will be resurrected but also tells us that the kingdom is within.   

I have been reading these gospels without reading any other sources where other interpretations may help me out.   I just wanted to figure out what the book says to me.  I think I can summarize to this point:  "Be kind.  You will gain inner peace."  There is certainly nothing wrong with that, but I am not sure if that is what Jesus and especially his later followers (the church) were saying.  

Jesus continues with the parables, enters Jerusalem, continues to teach about the coming Kingdom and after the last supper is betrayed by Judas and arrested.  (I know I am going quickly here.)

Luke has much more detail about the humiliation that Jesus endured during and after his trial.  Luke also has Pilate even more unwilling to have Jesus killed.  He keeps saying that Jesus has done nothing deserving of death, that he will just whip him and let him go.  The crowd will not accept that.  Pilate even goes so far as to send Jesus to Herod who also views Jesus as a non threat.  He sends him back to Pilate.  Pilate again says that he sees no reason to kill Jesus but the crowd demands Barabbas be saved and Pilate finally consents. 

  

Clearly Luke is emphasizing Pilate’s innocence as well as Herod’s innocence.  The crowd are the guilty ones.  But who is this crowd?  Up to this point, Jesus has been followed by thousands of people who have been fed, cured of disease, promised a great future even after death.  Where are all the people that supported Jesus all through his ministry?  And where did this huge rabble of opponents come from?  Where were their criticisms earlier?  We know that scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the law were worried about Jesus and were plotting to have him arrested and killed but they feared the crowd surrounding Jesus.   I didn’t think the crowd could be swayed so easily.