Basic HTML Version
352
From Heaven With Love
Hypocritically professing ignorance, they said, “We cannot tell.”
“Neither tell I you,” said Christ, “by what authority I do these things.”
Priests and Rulers Silenced
Baffled and disappointed, scribes, priests, and rulers all stood
with lowering brows, not daring to press further questions on Christ.
The people stood by, amused to see these proud, self-righteous men
defeated.
All these sayings and doings of Christ were important, and their
influence was to be felt in an ever-increasing degree after His cruci-
fixion and ascension. Many were finally to become His disciples,
first drawn by His words on that eventful day. The contrast between
Jesus and the high priest as they talked together was marked. The
proud dignitary of the temple was clothed in rich and costly gar-
ments. Upon his head was a glittering tiara, his bearing majestic,
[396]
his hair and beard silvered by age. Before this august person stood
the Majesty of heaven, without adornment or display, His garments
travel-stained, His face pale, expressing a patient sadness. Yet writ-
ten there were dignity and benevolence. Many who witnessed the
words and deeds of Jesus in the temple from that time enshrined
Him in their hearts as a prophet of God. But as the popular feeling
turned in His favor, the hatred of the priests toward Jesus increased.
It was not Christ’s purpose to humiliate His opponents. He
had an important lesson to teach. The acknowledged ignorance of
His enemies in regard to John’s baptism gave Him opportunity to
speak, presenting before them their real position, and adding another
warning to the many already given:
“What think ye?” He said. “A certain man had two sons; and he
came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He
answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and
said, I go, sir: and went not. Whither of them twain did the will of
his father?”
This abrupt question threw His hearers off their guard. They
immediately answered, “The first.” Fixing His steady eye on them,
Jesus responded in stern and solemn tones: “Verily I say unto you,
that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before