If social media had existed back then, Jesus and the Apostles probably would've used it. So too would Socrates, the Buddha and Confucius had it been available to them. People wrote propaganda and biased accounts long before the first computer or the first smartphone.
Perhaps you could say 'at first he didn't realise the door was ajar,' as he clearly does realise eventually. Nonetheless its good for a first attempt. Your protagonist and his feelings are totally convincing.