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Among Snares
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ers had repeated with great effect the prophecies concerning the
Messiah, that He would “reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and
before His ancients gloriously,” that He would “have dominion also
from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah
24:23
;
Psalm 72:8
. Then they made contemptuous comparisons
between the glory here pictured and the humble appearance of Jesus.
Had the people studied the Word for themselves, they would not
have been misled.
Isaiah 61
testifies that Christ was to do the very
work He did. Chapter 53 sets forth His rejection; and chapter 59
describes the character of the priests and rabbis.
Power to Discriminate Between Right and Wrong
God does not compel men to give up their unbelief. He designs
that men shall decide not from impulse but from weight of evidence,
carefully comparing scripture with scripture. Had the Jews com-
pared written prophecy with the facts, they would have perceived a
beautiful harmony between the prophecies and their fulfillment in
the life and ministry of the lowly Galilean.
Many are deceived today in the same way as were the Jews.
Religious teachers read the Bible in the light of their traditions; and
the people do not search the Scriptures for themselves, but yield up
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their judgment, and commit their souls to their leaders. Whoever
will prayerfully study the Bible that he may obey it, will receive
divine enlightenment. He will understand the Scriptures. “If any
man’s will is to do His will, he shall know whether the teaching is
from God or whether I am speaking on My own authority.” RSV.
On the last day of the feast, the officers who had been sent to
arrest Jesus returned without Him. They were angrily questioned,
“Why have ye not brought Him?” They answered, “Never man spake
like this Man.”
Hardened as were their hearts, they were melted by His words.
While He was speaking, they had lingered near, to catch something
that might be turned against Him. But as they listened, Christ re-
vealed Himself to their souls. They saw that which priests and rulers
would not see—humanity flooded with the glory of divinity.
The priests and rulers, on first coming into the presence of Christ,
had felt the same conviction. Their hearts were deeply moved and