The Signs of the Times
May 1, 1901
The Divine Teacher
In His manner of teaching, Christ has given us the secret of all effectual teaching. He did not appeal to the understanding merely. He sought to reach the heart. With the greatest simplicity He presented sublime, eternal truths. ST May 1, 1901, par. 1
Christ's words were forcible and easy to be understood. His illustrations were those best calculated to impress with convincing power the minds of all classes of people, the learned as well as the unlearned. By the objects with which His hearers were most familiar, on which their eyes rested daily, He illustrated His lessons. A city set on a hill, salt which has lost its savor, the candle set in a candlestick, the vine and the branches, the shepherd and the sheep, the fruitless tree, the narrow gate, thru which men seek to enter but are not able, the wide gate, which admits the multitude, the sower and the seed, the tares among the wheat,—by these things Christ illustrated divine truths, knowing that afterward, whenever His hearers should see these objects they would recall the words He had spoken. ST May 1, 1901, par. 2
Christ spoke with clearness, and in a distinct, melodious voice. His tones were natural and even. Had He raised His voice to an unnatural key, as so many speakers today do, its pathos and melody would have been destroyed, and much of the force of the truth would have been lost. ST May 1, 1901, par. 3
The Jewish teachers had taken away from the people the key of knowledge. The rabbis had shut the kingdom of heaven against the poor and ignorant, leaving them to perish. Christ came to proclaim the Gospel to all humanity, high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned. ST May 1, 1901, par. 4
Christ is the originator of all truth. By the work of the enemy the precious gems of truth had been torn from their setting and placed in a frame-work of error. Christ came to replace the jewels of truth in their rightful position. He rescued them from the rubbish of error, gave them a new power, and bade them stand fast forever. He could use these truths with perfect freedom; for He was their author. He had cast them into the minds of each generation; and when He came to the world, He vitalized and re-arranged the truth which Satan had robbed of life. Clothing them with more than their original freshness and power, He gave them to the world for the benefit of future generations. ST May 1, 1901, par. 5
To us has been given the precious legacy of Christ's teaching. This is recorded in His Word. In order to make it our own, we must search the Word diligently. Many truths are hidden, as the precious ore is hidden in the earth. And we must not only search; we must ask God for wisdom to aid us in searching. The truths essential for us to know are too deeply buried to be discovered by unaided human research. ST May 1, 1901, par. 6
Satan has misrepresented God's purpose, and caused man to look upon Him in a false light; yet thru the ages God's love for man has never ceased. Christ, the divine Teacher, came to reveal the Father as a merciful, compassionate Being, full of goodness and truth. The Saviour swept back the shadow in which the enemy had enveloped the Father, declaring, “I and My Father are one; look on Me and behold God.” ST May 1, 1901, par. 7
Christ came to give knowledge to the ignorant and hope to the despairing. He offered men wisdom which would make them wise unto salvation. He sought to lighten their self-imposed burdens of worldly anxiety and care. He invited them to come to Him, to exchange their cumbrous, galling yokes for His yoke, which is light. And down thru the ages have been sounding the gracious words of invitation, “Come unto Me, ... and I will give you rest.” ST May 1, 1901, par. 8
Christ has most precious lessons for us to learn. Strength of purpose and moral courage are obtained thru His grace. He is made unto us “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” His treasures of truth have been opened to us, that we may understand the great love wherewith God has loved us. “Wherefore grid up the loins of your mind; be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” ST May 1, 1901, par. 9
Mrs. E. G. White