From Heaven With Love

Jesus Set Their Real Condition Before Them

The words of Jesus to His hearers struck at the root of their self-righteousness. Every word cut like a knife as their real condition was set before them. They now scorned the faith with which Jesus had at first inspired them. They would not admit that He who had sprung from poverty and lowliness was other than a common man. Their unbelief bred malice. In wrath they cried out against the Saviour. Fierce national pride was aroused, and His words were drowned in a tumult of voices. Their prejudices offended, they were ready to commit murder. HLv 152.4

The assembly broke up, and laying hands on Jesus they thrust Him from the synagogue and out of the city. Eager for His destruction, they hurried Him to the brow of a precipice, intending to cast Him down head-long. Shouts filled the air. Some were casting stones at Him when suddenly He disappeared. Heavenly messengers were with Him in the midst of that maddened throng and conducted Him to safety. HLv 153.1

So, in all ages, the confederacy of evil is arrayed against Christ's faithful followers; but armies of heaven encamp about all who love God, to deliver them. In eternity we shall know that messengers from God attended our steps from day to day. HLv 153.2

Not without one more call to repentance could Jesus give up His hearers in the synagogue. Toward the close of His ministry in Galilee, He again visited the home of His childhood. The fame of His preaching and miracles had filled the land. None in Nazareth could now deny that He possessed more than human power. About them were whole villages in which He had healed all the sick. HLv 153.3

Again as they listened to His words the Nazarenes were moved by the Divine Spirit. But even now they would not admit that this Man, brought up among them, was greater than themselves. Still there rankled the bitter memory that while He had claimed to be the Promised One, He had really denied them a place with Israel; for He had shown them less worthy of God's favor than a heathen man and woman. Though they questioned, “Whence hath this Man this wisdom, and these mighty works?” (Matthew 13:54), they would not receive Him as the Christ of God. Because of their unbelief, the Saviour could not work many miracles among them, and reluctantly He departed, never to return. HLv 153.4

Unbelief, having once been cherished, continued to control the men of Nazareth, the Sanhedrin, and the nation. Their rejection of the Holy Spirit culminated in the cross of Calvary, in the destruction of their city, in the scattering of the nation. HLv 154.1

Christ longed to open to Israel the precious treasures of truth! But they clung to their creed and useless ceremonies. They spent their money for chaff and husks, when the bread of life was within their reach. Again and again Christ quoted from the prophets, and declared, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” If they had honestly searched the Scriptures, bringing their theories to the test of God's Word, Jesus need not have declared, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Luke 13:35. The calamity that laid their proud city in ruins might have been averted. HLv 154.2

But the lessons of Christ demanded repentance. If they accepted His teachings, their practices must be changed, and their cherished hopes relinquished. They must go contrary to the opinions of the great thinkers and teachers of the time. HLv 154.3

The Jewish leaders were filled with spiritual pride. They loved the highest seats in the synagogue. They were gratified with the sound of their titles on the lips of men. As real piety declined, they became more jealous for their traditions and ceremonies. Their minds darkened by selfish prejudice, they could not harmonize the power of Christ's convicting words with the humility of His life. His poverty seemed wholly inconsistent with His claim to be the Messiah. Why was He so unpretending? If He was what He claimed to be, why was He satisfied to be without the force of arms? How could the power and glory so long anticipated bring the nations as subjects to the city of the Jews? HLv 154.4

But it was not simply the absence of outward glory in His life that led the Jews to reject Jesus. He was the embodiment of purity, and they were impure. His sincerity revealed their insincerity, and discovered iniquity to them in its odious character. Such a light was unwelcome. They could have borne the disappointment of their ambitious hopes better than Christ's reproof of their sins, and the reproach they felt even from the presence of His purity. HLv 154.5