Levi-Matthew
225
The Pharisees were silenced for the time, but only became more
determined in their enmity. They next sought out the disciples of John
the Baptist, and tried to set them against the Saviour. These Pharisees
had not accepted the mission of the Baptist. They had pointed in scorn
to his abstemious life, his simple habits, his coarse garments, and
had declared him a fanatic. Because he denounced their hypocrisy,
they had resisted his words, and had tried to stir up the people against
him. The Spirit of God had moved upon the hearts of these scorners,
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convicting them of sin; but they had rejected the counsel of God, and
had declared that John was possessed of a devil.
Now when Jesus came mingling with the people, eating and drink-
ing at their tables, they accused Him of being a glutton and a winebib-
ber. The very ones who made this charge were themselves guilty. As
God is misrepresented, and clothed by Satan with his own attributes,
so the Lord’s messengers were falsified by these wicked men.
The Pharisees would not consider that Jesus was eating with pub-
licans and sinners in order to bring the light of heaven to those who
sat in darkness. They would not see that every word dropped by the
divine Teacher was a living seed that would germinate and bear fruit
to the glory of God. They had determined not to accept the light; and
although they had opposed the mission of the Baptist, they were now
ready to court the friendship of his disciples, hoping to secure their
co-operation against Jesus. They represented that Jesus was setting
at nought the ancient traditions; and they contrasted the austere piety
of the Baptist with the course of Jesus in feasting with publicans and
sinners.
The disciples of John were at this time in great sorrow. It was
before their visit to Jesus with John’s message. Their beloved teacher
was in prison, and they passed their days in mourning. And Jesus was
making no effort to release John, and even appeared to cast discredit
on his teaching. If John had been sent by God, why did Jesus and His
disciples pursue a course so widely different?
The disciples of John had not a clear understanding of Christ’s
work; they thought there might be some foundation for the charges
of the Pharisees. They observed many of the rules prescribed by the
rabbis, and even hoped to be justified by the works of the law. Fasting
was practiced by the Jews as an act of merit, and the most rigid among
them fasted two days in every week. The Pharisees and John’s disciples