Among Snares
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they say nothing unto Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the
very Christ?”
Many among Christ’s hearers who were dwellers at Jerusalem,
and who were not ignorant of the plots of the rulers against Him, felt
themselves drawn to Him by an irresistible power. The conviction
pressed upon them that He was the Son of God. But Satan was ready
to suggest doubt; and for this the way was prepared by their own
erroneous ideas of the Messiah and His coming. It was generally
believed that Christ would be born at Bethlehem, but that after a time
He would disappear, and at His second appearance none would know
whence He came. There were not a few who held that the Messiah
would have no natural relationship to humanity. And because the
popular conception of the glory of the Messiah was not met by Jesus
of Nazareth, many gave heed to the suggestion, “Howbeit we know
this Man whence He is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth
whence He is.”
While they were thus wavering between doubt and faith, Jesus
took up their thoughts and answered them: “Ye both know Me, and
ye know whence I am: and I am not come of Myself, but He that sent
Me is true, whom ye know not.” They claimed a knowledge of what
the origin of Christ should be, but they were in utter ignorance of it.
If they had lived in accordance with the will of God, they would have
known His Son when He was manifested to them.
The hearers could not but understand Christ’s words. Clearly they
were a repetition of the claim He had made in the presence of the
Sanhedrin many months before, when He declared Himself the Son of
God. As the rulers then tried to compass His death, so now they sought
to take Him; but they were prevented by an unseen power, which put
a limit to their rage, saying to them, Thus far shalt thou go, and no
farther.
Among the people many believed on Him, and they said, “When
Christ cometh, will He do more miracles than these which this Man
hath done?” The leaders of the Pharisees, who were anxiously watch-
ing the course of events, caught the expressions of sympathy among
the throng. Hurrying away to the chief priests, they laid their plans to
arrest Him. They arranged, however, to take Him when He was alone;
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for they dared not seize Him in the presence of the people. Again Jesus
made it manifest that He read their purpose. “Yet a little while am I