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　sought　out　His　enemies；　for　they　were　in　harmony　with　their　spirit　and　work。　They　misinterpreted　His　words；　falsified　His　statements；　and　impugned　His　motives。　They　sustained　their　course　by　gathering　up　every　item　that　could　be

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turned　against　Him；　and　such　indignation　was　stirred　up　by　these　false　reports　that　His　life　was　in　danger。

The　news　spread　swiftly　that　by　His　own　confession　Jesus　of　Nazareth　was　not　the　Messiah。　And　thus　in　Galilee　the　current　of　popular　feeling　was　turned　against　Him；　as；　the　year　before；　it　had　been　in　Judea。　Alas　for　Israel！　They　rejected　their　Saviour；　because　they　longed　for　a　conqueror　who　would　give　them　temporal　power。　They　wanted　the　meat　which　perishes；　and　not　that　which　endures　unto　everlasting　life。

With　a　yearning　heart；　Jesus　saw　those　who　had　been　His　disciples　departing　from　Him；　the　Life　and　the　Light　of　men。　The　consciousness　that　His　compassion　was　unappreciated；　His　love　unrequited；　His　mercy　slighted；　His　salvation　rejected；　filled　Him　with　sorrow　that　was　inexpressible。　It　was　such　developments　as　these　that　made　Him　a　man　of　sorrows；　and　acquainted　with　grief。

Without　attempting　to　hinder　those　who　were　leaving　Him；　Jesus　turned　to　the　twelve　and　said；　〃Will　ye　also　go　away？〃

Peter　replied　by　asking；　〃Lord；　to　whom　shall　we　go？〃　〃Thou　hast　the　words　of　eternal　life；〃　he　added。　〃And　we　believe　and　are　sure　that　Thou　art　that　Christ；　the　Son　of　the　living　God。〃

〃To　whom　shall　we　go？〃　The　teachers　of　Israel　were　slaves　to　formalism。　The　Pharisees　and　Sadducees　were　in　constant　contention。　To　leave　Jesus　was　to　fall　among　sticklers　for　rites　and　ceremonies；　and　ambitious　men　who　sought　their　own　glory。　The　disciples　had　found　more　peace　and　joy　since　they　had　accepted　Christ　than　in　all　their　previous　lives。　How　could　they　go　back　to　those　who　had　scorned　and　persecuted　the　Friend　of　sinners？　They　had　long　been　looking　for　the　Messiah；　now　He　had　come；　and　they　could　not　turn　from　His　presence　to　those　who　were　hunting　His　life；　and　had　persecuted　them　for　becoming　His　followers。

〃To　whom　shall　we　go？〃　Not　from　the　teaching　of　Christ；　His　lessons　of　love　and　mercy；　to　the　darkness　of　unbelief；　the　wickedness　of　the　world。　While　the　Saviour　was　forsaken　by　many　who　had　witnessed　His　wonderful　works；　Peter　expressed　the　faith　of　the　disciples；〃Thou　art　that　Christ。〃　The　very　thought　of　losing　this　anchor　of　their　souls　filled　them　with　fear　and　pain。　To　be　destitute　of　a　Saviour　was　to　be　adrift　on　a　dark　and　stormy　sea。

Many　of　the　words　and　acts　of　Jesus　appear　mysterious　to　finite　minds；　but　every　word　and　act　had　its　definite　purpose　in　the　work　for　our　redemption；　each　was　calculated　to　produce　its　own　result。　If　we

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were　capable　of　understanding　His　purposes；　all　would　appear　important；　complete；　and　in　harmony　with　His　mission。

While　we　cannot　now　comprehend　the　works　and　ways　of　God；　we　can　discern　His　great　love；　which　underlies　all　His　dealings　with　men。　He　who　lives　near　to　Jesus　will　understand　much　of　the　mystery　of　godliness。　He　will　recognize　the　mercy　that　administers　reproof；　that　tests　the　character；　and　brings　to　light　the　purpose　of　the　heart。

When　Jesus　presented　the　testing　truth　that　caused　so　many　of　His　disciples　to　turn　back；　He　knew　what　would　be　the　result　of　His　words；　but　He　had　a　purpose　of　mercy　to　fulfill。　He　foresaw　that　in　the　hour　of　temptation　every　one　of　His　beloved　disciples　would　be　severely　tested。　His　agony　in　Gethsemane；　His　betrayal　and　crucifixion；　would　be　to　them　a　most　trying　ordeal。　Had　no　previous　test　been　given；　many　who　were　actuated　by　merely　selfish　motives　would　have　been　connected　with　them。　When　their　Lord　was　condemned　in　the　judgment　hall；　when　the　multitude　who　had　hailed　Him　as　their　king　hissed　at　Him　and　reviled　Him；　when　the　jeering　crowd　cried；　〃Crucify　Him！〃when　their　worldly　ambitions　were　disappointed；　these　self…seeking　ones　would；　by　renouncing　their　allegiance　to　Jesus；　have　brought　upon　the　disciples　a　bitter；　heart…burdening　sorrow；　in　addition　to　their　grief　and　disappointment　in　the　ruin　of　their　fondest　hopes。　In　that　hour　of　darkness；　the　example　of　those　who　turned　from　Him　might　have　carried　others　with　them。　But　Jesus　brought　about　this　crisis　while　by　His　personal　presence　He　could　still　strengthen　the　faith　of　His　true　followers。

Compassionate　Redeemer；　who　in　the　full　knowledge　of　the　doom　that　awaited　Him；　tenderly　smoothed　the　way　for　the　disciples；　prepared　them　for　their　crowning　trial；　and　strengthened　them　for　the　final　test！




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　42

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Tradition


The　scribes　and　Pharisees；　expecting　to　see　Jesus　at　the　Passover；　had　laid　a　trap　for　Him。　But　Jesus；　knowing　their　purpose；　had　absented　Himself　from　this　gathering。　〃Then　came　together　unto　Him　the　Pharisees；　and　certain　of　the　scribes。〃　As　He　did　not　go　to　them；　they　came　to　Him。　For　a　time　it　had　seemed　that　the　people　of　Galilee　would　receive　Jesus　as　the　Messiah；　and　that　the　power　of　the　hierarchy　in　that　region　would　be　broken。　The　mission　of　the　twelve；　indicating　the　extension　of　Christ's　work；　and　bringing　the　disciples　more　directly　into　conflict　with　the　rabbis；　had　excited　anew　the　jealousy　of　the　leaders　at　Jerusalem。　The　spies　they　sent　to　Capernaum　in　the　early　part　of　His　ministry；　who　had　tried　to　fix　on　Him　the　charge　of　Sabbathbreaking；　had　been　put　to　confusion；　but　the　rabbis　were　bent　on　carrying　out　their　purpose。　Now　another　deputation　was　sent　to　watch　His　movements；　and　find　some　accusation　against　Him。

As　before；　the　ground　of　complaint　was　His　disregard　of　the　traditional　precepts　that　encumbered　the　law　of　God。　These　were　professedly　designed　to　guard　the　observance　of　the　law；　but　they　were　regarded　as　more　sacred　than　the　law　itself。　When　they　came　in　collision　with　the　commandments　given　from　Sinai；　preference　was　given　to　the　rabbinical　precepts。

Among　the　observances　most　strenuously　enforced　was　that　of　ceremonial　purification。　A　neglect　of　the　forms　to　be　observed　before　eating

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was　accounted　a　heinous　sin；　to　be　punished　both　in　this　world　and　in　the　next；　and　it　was　regarded　as　a　virtue　to　destroy　the　transgressor。

The　rules　in　regard　to　purification　were　numberless。　The　period　of　a　lifetime　was　scarcely　sufficient　for　one　to　learn　them　all。　The　life　of　those　who　tried　to　observe　the　rabbinical　requirements　was　one　long　struggle　against　ceremonial　defilement；　an　endless　round　of　washings　and　purifications。　While　the　people　were　occupied　with　trifling　distinctions；　and　observances　which　God　had　not　required；　their　attention　was　turned　away　from　the　great　principles　of　His　law。

Christ　and　His　disciples　did　not　observe　these　ceremonial　washings；　and　the　spies　made　this　neglect　the　ground　of　their　accusation。　They　did　not；　however；　make　a　direct　attack　on　Christ；　but　came　to　Him　with　criticism　of　His　disciples。　In　the　presence　of　the　multitude　they　said；　〃Why　do　Thy　disciples　transgress　the　tradition　of　the　elders？　for　they　wash　not　their　hands　when　they　eat　bread。〃

Whenever　the　message　of　truth　comes　home　to　souls　with　special　power；　Satan　stirs　up　his　agents　to　start　a　dispute　over　some　minor　question。　Thus　he　seeks　to　attract　attention　from　the　real　issue。　Whenever　a　good　work　is　begun；　there　are　cavilers　ready　to　enter　into　dispute　over　forms　or　technicalities；　to　draw　minds　away　from　the　living　realities。　When　it　appears　that　God　is　about　to　work　in　a　special　manner　for　His　people；　let　them　not　be　enticed　into　a　controversy　that　will　work　only　ruin　of　souls。　The　questions　that　most　concern　us　are；　Do　I　believe　with　saving　faith　on　the　Son　of　God？　Is　my　life　in　harmony　with　the　divine　law？　〃He　that　believeth　on　the　Son　hath　everlasting　life：　and　he　that　believeth　not　the　Son　shall　not　see　life。〃　〃And　hereby　we　do　know　that　we　know　Him；　if　we　keep　His　commandments。〃　John　3：36；　1　John　2：3。

Jesus　made　no　attempt　to　defend　Himself　or　His　disciples。　He　made　no　reference　to　the　charges　against　Him；　but　proceeded　to　show　the　spirit　that　actuated　these　sticklers　for　human　rites。　He　gave　them　an　example　of　what　they　were　repeatedly　doing；　and　had　done　just　before　coming　in　search　of　Him。　〃Full　well　ye　reject　the　commandment　of　God；〃　He　said；　〃that　ye　may　keep　your　own　tradition。　For　Moses　said；　Honor　thy　father　and　thy　mother；　and；　Whoso　curseth　father　or　mother；　let　him　die　the　death：　but　ye　say；　If　a　man　shall　say　to　his　father　or　mother；　It　is　Corban；　that　is　to　say；　a　gift；　by　whatsoever　thou　mightest　be　profited　by　me；　he　shall　be　free。　And　ye　suffer　him　no　more　to　do　aught　for　his　father　or　his　mother。〃　They　set　aside　the　fifth　commandment　as　of

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no　consequence；　but　were　very　exact　in　carrying　out　the　traditions　of　the　elders。　They　taught　the　people　that　the　devotion　of　their　property　to　the　temple　was　a　duty　more　sacred　than　even　the　support　of　their　parents；　and　that；　however　great　the　necessity；　it　was　sacrilege　to　impart　to　father　or　mother　any　p