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Chapter 7
29, 30 (
Matthew 13:15
;
John 12:39, 40
). Pharisees Did Not
Blindly Oppose Christ
—The scribes, Pharisees, and rulers were
determined that they would not see the evidences of truth, and they
evaded the most manifest conclusions. To justify their course of
stubborn unbelief, they lost no possible opportunity of seizing upon
anything in the teaching of Jesus that they could misconstrue, mis-
apply, or falsify. When there was no possibility of misapplying the
truth of Christ’s words, these men who rejected the counsel of God
against themselves, started questions that had no reference to the
matter in hand, so as to attract the attention of the people away from
the lesson that Jesus sought to teach, and adroitly evade the truth.
The Pharisees were not blindly opposing the doctrines of Christ; for
the truth made deep impressions upon their minds; but they resisted
truth, and went contrary to their convictions, closing their eyes lest
they should see, hardening the heart, lest they should perceive, and
be converted, and Christ should heal them (
The Review and Herald,
October 18, 1892
).
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