January
7, 2003
NO
MAN EVER SPOKE LIKE THIS MAN!
"Then
the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who
said to them, 'Why have you not brought Him?' The officers
answered, 'No man ever spoke like this Man!' " (John
7:45, 46, NKJV).
"All
who heard the Saviour 'were astonished at His teaching, for
His word was with authority.' 'For He taught them as one having
authority, and not as the scribes' (Luke 4:32; Matthew 7:29).
The teaching of the scribes and elders was cold and formal,
like a lesson learned by rote. To them the word of God possessed
no vital power. Their own ideas and traditions were substituted
for its teaching. In the accustomed round of service they
professed to explain the law, but no inspiration from God
stirred their own hearts or the hearts of their hearers.
"Jesus
had nothing to do with the various subjects of dissension
among the Jews. It was His work to present the truth. His
words shed a flood of light upon the teachings of patriarchs
and prophets, and the Scriptures came to men as a new revelation.
Never before had His hearers perceived such a depth of meaning
in the word of God...
"He
spoke as one who had a definite purpose to fulfill. He was
bringing to view the realities of the eternal world. In every
theme God was revealed. Jesus sought to break the spell of
infatuation which keeps men absorbed in earthly things. He
placed the things of this life in their true relation, as
subordinate to those of eternal interest; but He did not ignore
their importance. He taught that heaven and earth are linked
together, and that a knowledge of divine truth prepares men
better to perform the duties of everyday life. He spoke as
one familiar with heaven, conscious of His relationship to
God, yet recognizing His unity with every member of the human
family.
"His
messages of mercy were varied to suit His audience. He knew
'how to speak a word in season to him that is weary' (Isaiah
50:4); for grace was poured upon His lips, that He might convey
to men in the most attractive way the treasures of truth.
He had tact to meet the prejudiced minds, and surprise them
with illustrations that won their attention. Through the imagination
He reached the heart. His illustrations were taken from the
things of daily life, and although they were simple, they
had in them a wonderful depth of meaning. The birds of the
air, the lilies of the field, the seed, the shepherd and the
sheep,-- with these objects Christ illustrated immortal truth;
and ever afterward, when His hearers chanced to see these
things of nature, they recalled His words."-- The
Desire of Ages, pp. 253, 254.
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