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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2
all wisdom. No natural talent nor acquired learning can supply the
place of a knowledge of the will of God. A willingness to obey the
requirements of the Lord opens the mind and heart to candid inquiry,
and diligent searching for the doctrine of truth. He declares that, with a
mind thus open, men can discern between him who speaks in the cause
of God and him who speaks for his own glory for selfish purposes. Of
this latter class were the haughty priests and Pharisees.
Jesus spoke upon the subject of the law. He was in the presence of
the very men who were great sticklers for its exactions, yet failed to
carry out its principles in their lives. These persons persecuted Jesus,
who taught so pointedly the sanctity of God’s statutes, and freed them
from the senseless restrictions which had been attached to them. Since
Jesus had healed the paralytic on the Sabbath day, the Pharisees had a
determined purpose to compass his death, and were eagerly watching
for an opportunity to accomplish their design. Jesus, penetrating their
purposes, inquired of them:—
“Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the
law? Why go ye about to kill me?” This pointed accusation struck
home to the guilty consciences of the Pharisees and rulers, but only
increased their rage. That this humble man should stand up before
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the people and expose the hidden iniquity of their lives, seemed a
presumption too great to be believed. But the rulers wished to conceal
their evil purposes from the people, and evaded the words of Jesus,
crying out, “Thou hast a devil; who goeth about to kill thee?” In these
words they would insinuate that all the wonderful works of Jesus were
instigated by an evil spirit. They also wished to direct the minds of the
people from the words of Jesus revealing their purpose of taking his
life.
But “Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work,
and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; not
because it is of Moses, but of the fathers; and ye on the Sabbath day
circumcise a man.” Jesus referred to his act of healing the man on the
Sabbath, and showed that it was in accordance with the Sabbath law.
He alluded also to the custom among the Jews of circumcising on the
Sabbath. If it was lawful to circumcise a man on the Sabbath, it must
certainly be right to relieve the afflicted, “to make a man every whit
whole on the Sabbath day.” He bade them “judge not according to
appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” The boldness with which