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The Desire of Ages
find some excuse for evading it; Christ showed that this was why they
did not understand His teaching.
He now gave a test by which the true teacher might be distinguished
from the deceiver: “He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own
glory: but he that seeketh the glory of Him that sent him, the same
is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.”
John 7:18
, R. V. He that
seeketh his own glory is speaking only from himself. The spirit of self-
seeking betrays its origin. But Christ was seeking the glory of God.
He spoke the words of God. This was the evidence of His authority as
a teacher of the truth.
Jesus gave the rabbis an evidence of His divinity by showing that
He read their hearts. Ever since the healing at Bethesda they had been
plotting His death. Thus they were themselves breaking the law which
they professed to be defending. “Did not Moses give you the law,” He
said, “and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill
Me?”
Like a swift flash of light these words revealed to the rabbis the
pit of ruin into which they were about to plunge. For an instant they
were filled with terror. They saw that they were in conflict with Infinite
Power. But they would not be warned. In order to maintain their
influence with the people, their murderous designs must be concealed.
Evading the question of Jesus, they exclaimed, “Thou hast a devil:
who goeth about to kill Thee?” They insinuated that the wonderful
works of Jesus were instigated by an evil spirit.
To this insinuation Christ gave no heed. He went on to show that
His work of healing at Bethesda was in harmony with the Sabbath
law, and that it was justified by the interpretation which the Jews
themselves put upon the law. He said, “Moses therefore gave unto
you circumcision; ... and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man.”
According to the law, every child must be circumcised on the eighth
day. Should the appointed time fall upon the Sabbath, the rite must
then be performed. How much more must it be in harmony with the
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spirit of the law to make a man “every whit whole on the Sabbath day.”
And He warned them to “judge not according to the appearance, but
judge righteous judgment.”
The rulers were silenced; and many of the people exclaimed, “Is
not this He, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, He speaketh boldly, and