A Fearful Responsibility by Joseph E. Steed

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 1, 1916

A Fearful Responsibility

By Joseph E. Steed

JOSEPH E. STEED

“His blood be upon us, and on our children.” Matt. 27: 25. What a fearful request! How little they thought of the awful consequences that they were calling upon themselves! Led by Satan to show their bitterness and hatred against an innocent man, reason gave place to madness, and without considering the consequences, they were willing to take upon themselves a responsibility refused by Pilate, the Roman governor.

So blind were they that they had forgotten the many parables spoken by this great teacher and so-called impostor, wherein he had revealed to them that the blessings and promises upon which they claimed to hope, were soon to be taken from them and given to others whose faith would bring forth fruits of righteousness.

Let us look at some of the wonderful truths revealed in parabolic language to these very people by this despised Nazarene. In the parable of the vineyard, recorded in Matt. 21: 33–46, not only is the unfaithfulness of their forefathers placed before them, but their own verdict against themselves, when asked what the owner of the vineyard would do to those wicked husbandmen who slew his son. Their answer was, “He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” Then we read in verse 45, “When the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.” There are other parables teaching the same great truths in different ways, and emphasizing the peril of that nation in failing to respond to God’s offers of mercy in the day of its visitation. Among these parables we have that of the prodigal son.

By means of these parables the Promised One caused many rays of light to shine on their pathway to try to save that nation from filling up its cup of iniquity by calling for his blood. The Jewish leaders claimed that the shedding of his blood was the only way to save their nation from the Roman power. See John 11: 47, 48. And when called on to make a decision on the question of their allegiance to their own King, the King of kings, or to the Roman emperor, they refused to recognize their right to have a king other than Cæsar. See John 19: 15. And then how soon they were ready to turn back on their request! When, soon after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the disciples were preaching with holy boldness that these men had fulfilled the prophetic word in crucifying the Prince of glory, some of the very ones who had called for his blood before Pilate, charged the disciples with an attempt to bring Christ’s blood on them. See Acts 5: 28.

Soon Jesus will come as King of kings. In that day there will be two prayer meetings. If you are alive, dear reader, you will be in one of these two meetings. In one meeting, the righteous will be praying, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa. 25: 9. In the other prayer meeting, there will be many of those that clamored for his blood when before Pilate. They recognize him as the King of kings, and begin to pray—but to what? the Lord of glory?—No. Too late! too late! They pray to the rocks and the mountains to fall on them and to hide them from his sacred presence.

New Zealand.