Chapter 4—Denouncing the Pharisees
The common people heard Jesus gladly and gathered about him in
the temple to receive his teachings. Never before had such a scene been
enacted. There stood the young Galilean, bearing no earthly honor nor
royal badge. His dress was coarse and travel-stained. Surrounding him
were priests in their gorgeous apparel, rulers with robes and badges
significant of their exalted position, and scribes with scrolls in their
hands to which they made repeated reference. Yet Jesus stood calmly
with the dignity of a king invested with the authority of Heaven looking
unflinchingly upon his adversaries, who had rejected and despised his
teachings and had long thirsted for his life. On this occasion they had
assailed him in great numbers with a determination to provoke him to
utter words which would ensnare him and serve as means by which
they might condemn him. But their questions only opened the way for
him to set before them their real condition, and the fearful retribution
that awaited them if they continued to provoke God by their many and
grievous sins.
The interest of the people steadily increased as Jesus boldly met
challenge after challenge of the Pharisees and presented the pure,
bright truth in contrast with their darkness and error. They were
charmed with the doctrine he taught, but were sadly perplexed. They
had respected their acknowledged teachers for their intelligence and
apparent piety. They had ever yielded implicit obedience to their au-
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thority in all religious matters. Yet they now saw these very men trying
to bring Jesus into disree, a teacher whose virtue and knowledge shone
forth brighter than before from every assault of his adversaries. They
looked upon the lowering countenances of the priests and elders, and
there saw discomfiture and confusion. They marveled that the rulers
would not believe on Jesus, when his teachings were so plain and
simple. They themselves knew not what course to take, and watched
with eager anxiety the movements of those whose counsel they had
always followed.
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