Crisis in Galilee
325
Voluntarily He had made Himself of no reputation, and taken upon
Him the form of a servant. But His words and works revealed His
character. All whose hearts were open to divine illumination would
recognize in Him “the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth.”
John 1:14
.
The prejudice of the Pharisees lay deeper than their questions
would indicate; it had its root in the perversity of their hearts. Every
word and act of Jesus aroused antagonism in them; for the spirit which
they cherished could find in Him no answering chord.
“No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me
draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the
prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore
that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me.” None
will ever come to Christ, save those who respond to the drawing of the
Father’s love. But God is drawing all hearts unto Him, and only those
who resist His drawing will refuse to come to Christ.
In the words, “They shall be all taught of God,” Jesus referred
to the prophecy of Isaiah: “All thy children shall be taught of the
Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.”
Isaiah 54:13
. This
scripture the Jews appropriated to themselves. It was their boast that
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God was their teacher. But Jesus showed how vain is this claim; for
He said, “Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the
Father, cometh unto Me.” Only through Christ could they receive a
knowledge of the Father. Humanity could not endure the vision of His
glory. Those who had learned of God had been listening to the voice
of His Son, and in Jesus of Nazareth they would recognize Him who
through nature and revelation has declared the Father.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath ever-
lasting life.” Through the beloved John, who listened to these words,
the Holy Spirit declared to the churches, “This is the record, that God
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath
the Son hath life.”
1 John 5:11, 12
. And Jesus said, “I will raise him
up at the last day.” Christ became one flesh with us, in order that we
might become one spirit with Him. It is by virtue of this union that we
are to come forth from the grave,—not merely as a manifestation of
the power of Christ, but because, through faith, His life has become
ours. Those who see Christ in His true character, and receive Him
into the heart, have everlasting life. It is through the Spirit that Christ