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Among Snares
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were fighting against Infinite Power. But they refused to be warned.
They determined to conceal their murderous plans. Evading the
question, they exclaimed, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to
kill You?”
Christ ignored the insinuation that an evil spirit had prompted His
wonderful works. He went on to show that the Jews’ own interpre-
tation of the Sabbath law justified His work of healing at Bethesda.
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According to the law, every male child must be circumcised on the
eighth day. If the appointed time fell on the Sabbath, the rite must
be performed then. How much more must it be in harmony with the
spirit of the law to make a man “completely well on the Sabbath.”
He warned them, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge
with righteous judgment.” His reasoning silenced the rulers.
Erroneous Ideas of the Messiah and His Coming
Many who lived at Jerusalem felt drawn to Christ by an irre-
sistible power. The conviction grew on them that He was the Son
of God. But Satan was ready to suggest doubt. People generally
believed that Christ would be born at Bethlehem, but that after a time
He would disappear, and when He appeared again no one would
know where He came from. Many held that the Messiah would have
no natural relationship to humanity.
While the people were wavering between doubt and faith, Jesus
spoke about their thoughts: “You both know Me, and you know
where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent
Me is true, whom you do not know.” Christ’s words repeated the
claim He had made in front of the Sanhedrin many months before,
when He declared that He was the Son of God.
Among the people, many believed on Him and said, “When the
Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has
done?” The leaders of the Pharisees, watching the course of events,
caught the expressions of sympathy among the crowds. Hurrying to
the chief priests, they made plans to arrest Him when He was alone,
because they did not dare seize Him in the presence of the people.
The false reasoning of the priests and rabbis misled many who
were convinced that Jesus was the Son of God. These teachers had
impressed the people by repeating the prophecies concerning the