Scriptures a Safeguard
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When Christ came to speak the words of life, the common people
heard him gladly; and many, even of the priests and rulers, believed on
him. But the chief of the priesthood and the leading men of the nation
were determined to condemn and repudiate his teachings. Though
they were baffled in all their efforts to find accusations against him,
though they could not but feel the influence of the divine power and
wisdom attending his words, yet they encased themselves in prejudice;
they rejected the clearest evidence of his Messiahship, lest they should
be forced to become his disciples. These opponents of Jesus were
men whom the people had been taught from infancy to reverence, to
whose authority they had been accustomed implicitly to bow. “How is
it,” they asked, “that our rulers and learned scribes do not believe on
Jesus? Would not these pious men receive him if he were the Christ?”
It was the influence of such teachers that led the Jewish nation to reject
their Redeemer.
The spirit which actuated those priests and rulers is still manifested
by many who make a high profession of piety. They refuse to examine
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the testimony of the Scriptures concerning the special truths for this
time. They point to their own numbers, wealth, and popularity, and
look with contempt upon the advocates of truth as few, poor, and
unpopular having a faith that separates them from the world.
Christ foresaw that the undue assumption of authority indulged by
the scribes and Pharisees would not cease with the dispersion of the
Jews. He had a prophetic view of the work of exalting human authority
to rule the conscience, which has been so terrible a curse to the church
in all ages. And his fearful denunciations of the scribes and Pharisees,
and his warnings to the people not to follow these blind leaders, were
placed on record as an admonition to future generations.
The Romish Church reserves to the clergy the right to interpret the
Scriptures. On the ground that ecclesiastics alone are competent to
explain God’s Word, it is withheld from the common people. Though
the Reformation gave the Scriptures to all, yet the self-same princi-
ple which was maintained by Rome prevents multitudes in Protestant
churches from searching the Bible for themselves. They are taught to
accept its teachings as interpreted by the church; and there are thou-
sands who dare receive nothing, however plainly revealed in Scripture,
that is contrary to their creed, or the established teaching of their
church.