Christ as Teacher
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when men could not discern the most simple, plainly stated truths, how
could they understand mysteries which were hid from mortal eyes?
Jesus did not disdain to repeat old, familiar truths; for He was the
author of these truths. He was the glory of the temple. Truths which
had been lost sight of, which had been misplaced, misinterpreted,
and disconnected from their pure position, He separated from the
companionship of error; and showing them as precious jewels in
their own bright luster, He reset them in their proper framework, and
commanded them to stand fast forever. What a work was this! It was of
such a character that no finite man could comprehend or do it. Only the
divine Hand could take the truth which, from its connection with error,
had been serving the cause of the enemy of God and man, and place
it where it would glorify God, and be the salvation of humanity. The
work of Christ was to give again to the world the truth in its original
freshness and beauty. He represented the spiritual and the heavenly,
by the things of nature and experience. He gave fresh manna to the
hungry soul, presented a new kingdom which was to be set up among
men.
The Jewish rabbis presented the requirements of the law as a wear-
ing round of exactions. They did just what Satan is doing in our
day,—presented the law before the people as a cold, rigid code of
commands and traditions. Superstitions buried the light, the glory, the
dignity, and far-reaching claims of the law of God. They professed
to speak to the people in the place of God. After the transgression of
Adam, the Lord spoke no longer directly with man; the human race was
given into the hands of Christ, and all communication came through
Him to the world. It was Christ who spoke the law on Mount Sinai, and
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He knew the bearing of all its precepts, the glory and majesty of the
law of heaven. In His sermon on the mount, Christ defines the law, and
seeks to inculcate in the minds of His hearers the far-reaching claims
of the precepts of Jehovah. His instructions came as a new revelation
to the people; and the teachers of the law, the scribes and the Pharisees,
as well as the common people, were astonished at His doctrine. The
words of Christ were not new, and yet they came with the force of
revelation; for they presented the truth in its proper light, and not in
the light in which the teachers had set it before the people. He showed
no regard for the traditions and commandments of men, but opened the
eyes of their understanding to behold wondrous things out of the law