Manuscript Releases, vol. 9 [Nos. 664-770]

MR No. 736—Jewish Leaders Turned People From Christ

The Lord invites men to fully investigate His claims, that they may understand His will. His Word is to be searched. It challenges full investigation. It is error that loves darkness and refuses to come to the light.... 9MR 265.1

When Christ was upon this earth, the great mass of the common people would have accepted Him had it not been that they were afraid of what the Scribes and Pharisees might do. These leaders, sitting in Moses’ seat, claiming to know God, saw that Christ was drawing the attention of the people from them. They determined to oppose His work, and once started in the path of opposition, no evidence had any weight with them. The wonderful works Christ did were denied. The gracious words which fell from His lips were misstated and misconstrued. They regarded the rejoicing shown because of Christ's works of compassion and miracles of healing as a personal slight to themselves. The appeals which Christ made, appeals which were freighted with love, the conclusive arguments He presented, only kindled fires of hatred in the hearts which, once convicted, had refused the light. Christ came to His own, and His own received Him not. He had to forsake Judea in order to preserve His life till the fullness of the time. “After those things,” we read, “Jesus walked in Galilee: for He would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill Him” (John 7:1).—Manuscript 14, 1900, pp. 3, 10, 11. (“Offer Unto God Thanksgiving,” February 11, 1900.) 9MR 265.2

White Estate

Washington, D. C.,

August 1, 1979.