Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
The officers sent to arrest Jesus were so moved by His words that they returned without Him, declaring that no man ever spoke like Him. The Pharisees and chief priests answered with angry scorn, Are ye also deceived, showing contempt and hostility toward all who believed in Him. They dismissed the officers' conviction instead of fairly weighing what Jesus said and did, though they themselves had felt the same conviction and stifled it, and they tried to turn others away by claiming that none of the rulers believed and that the people were ignorant. Their rejection came not from honest search for truth but from prejudice, envy and unwillingness to obey, so that clear evidence from His wisdom, teaching and works carried no weight, and they were themselves deceived. That same question still stands as a great barrier that keeps very many, especially those with responsibility and ability, from joining God's people, when the rejection by respected leaders leads others to dismiss the truth without examining it.
Officers Confronted by Leaders
The officers had been sent to arrest Jesus, but His words moved and softened their hearts so that they returned without laying hands on Him. They reported as their reason that never a man spoke as He spoke. It was the chief priests and Pharisees who then answered them.
They answered with anger and scorn, demanding whether the officers also had been deceived. That question expressed contempt for everyone who believed in Him, and hostility toward Jesus and toward the officers for being affected by Him. It revealed envy and malice against any faith shown toward Him and refusal to recognize His influence.
Instead of fairly weighing what Jesus had said and done, they dismissed the officers' conviction with that accusation. The leaders themselves had already felt the same conviction from His teaching, but had stifled it rather than yield to it. The truly deceived were therefore those who stifled conscience and turned from the truth and light they had received.
To discourage further belief they appealed to their own unbelief, claiming that no ruler or Pharisee believed in Him. At the same time they condemned the common people who did believe as ignorant of the law. By this use of their authority and example they sought to lead others to dismiss His teaching without examining its claims and the evidence of His words and works.
Leaders' Blindness and Guilt
The scornful question put to the officers did not spring from an honest search for truth but from prejudice, self-righteousness, envy and malice, from unwillingness to do God's will and from a desire to evade the truth. Rather than yielding to the same conviction that had moved the officers, the leaders clung to self-righteousness and dismissed that conviction as deception. Their prejudice was so settled that even convincing arguments for Him carried no weight with them. Neither the evidence of His divine wisdom and power nor the force of His teaching and works could move them, for they resisted that evidence instead of acknowledging it.
In asking whether others were deceived, they were themselves deceived into misjudging Him. They stifled conscience and turned from truth and from the light they had received, refusing to yield to the Spirit. Their own opinions were then used to distort the plain teaching of Scripture. In rejecting Him they rejected the foundation of the Jewish ceremonies and the Maker of the law who had proclaimed it at Mount Sinai. Because they would not do God's will and sought to evade the truth, they could not recognize His teaching as from God.
Not all the rulers shared that open hostility, for some of them believed in Him. Those believing rulers were kept by blindness and darkened understanding from acknowledging their faith, because they feared the people's reproach more than God. The prejudice and authority of the chief priests and Pharisees over the people thus helped lead the nation to reject Him despite the evidence of His words and works.
Warning for Later Believers
The officers sent to take Jesus returned with a favorable report of Him, and the Pharisees met it by asking whether they too had been misled, pointing to the lack of belief among the rulers and Pharisees and condemning the common people as ignorant of the law. That whole account of opposition to Christ is the kind of experience that some of God's people in later times will likewise face. The leaders' dismissal of the officers' testimony that no one had ever spoken as Jesus did shows how rejection of Christ's teaching by religious leaders can lead others to set it aside without examining its claims.
The same scornful question put to the officers after they refused to bring Christ because no one ever spoke like Him is still asked today. It stands as a great barrier that keeps very many, especially those with responsibility and ability, from connecting with God's people. This happens because such persons look at the kind of people who have joined, and because the enemy sows weeds among the wheat. Therefore labor must not cast the net only for the most objectionable class but must be given to both classes, with more earnest and decided effort for those who have ability and talents. Those of ability and talent, if converted, will become channels of light, and faithful medical missionary work will bring many conversions among the higher classes.
The chapter containing this incident gives instruction urged for daily practice. Its lessons are not being lived when believers fail to love one another. Christ's love in the heart should end backbiting and criticism.
The officers sent to arrest Jesus were so moved by His words that they returned without Him, declaring that no man ever spoke like Him. The Pharisees and chief priests answered with angry scorn, Are ye also deceived, showing contempt and hostility toward all who believed in Him. They dismissed the officers' conviction instead of fairly weighing what Jesus said and did, though they themselves had felt the same conviction and stifled it, and they tried to turn others away by claiming that none of the rulers believed and that the people were ignorant. Their rejection came not from honest search for truth but from prejudice, envy and unwillingness to obey, so that clear evidence from His wisdom, teaching and works carried no weight, and they were themselves deceived. That same question still stands as a great barrier that keeps very many, especially those with responsibility and ability, from joining God's people, when the rejection by respected leaders leads others to dismiss the truth without examining it.
Officers Confronted by Leaders
The officers had been sent to arrest Jesus, but His words moved and softened their hearts so that they returned without laying hands on Him. They reported as their reason that never a man spoke as He spoke. It was the chief priests and Pharisees who then answered them.
They answered with anger and scorn, demanding whether the officers also had been deceived. That question expressed contempt for everyone who believed in Him, and hostility toward Jesus and toward the officers for being affected by Him. It revealed envy and malice against any faith shown toward Him and refusal to recognize His influence.
Instead of fairly weighing what Jesus had said and done, they dismissed the officers' conviction with that accusation. The leaders themselves had already felt the same conviction from His teaching, but had stifled it rather than yield to it. The truly deceived were therefore those who stifled conscience and turned from the truth and light they had received.
To discourage further belief they appealed to their own unbelief, claiming that no ruler or Pharisee believed in Him. At the same time they condemned the common people who did believe as ignorant of the law. By this use of their authority and example they sought to lead others to dismiss His teaching without examining its claims and the evidence of His words and works.
Leaders' Blindness and Guilt
The scornful question put to the officers did not spring from an honest search for truth but from prejudice, self-righteousness, envy and malice, from unwillingness to do God's will and from a desire to evade the truth. Rather than yielding to the same conviction that had moved the officers, the leaders clung to self-righteousness and dismissed that conviction as deception. Their prejudice was so settled that even convincing arguments for Him carried no weight with them. Neither the evidence of His divine wisdom and power nor the force of His teaching and works could move them, for they resisted that evidence instead of acknowledging it.
In asking whether others were deceived, they were themselves deceived into misjudging Him. They stifled conscience and turned from truth and from the light they had received, refusing to yield to the Spirit. Their own opinions were then used to distort the plain teaching of Scripture. In rejecting Him they rejected the foundation of the Jewish ceremonies and the Maker of the law who had proclaimed it at Mount Sinai. Because they would not do God's will and sought to evade the truth, they could not recognize His teaching as from God.
Not all the rulers shared that open hostility, for some of them believed in Him. Those believing rulers were kept by blindness and darkened understanding from acknowledging their faith, because they feared the people's reproach more than God. The prejudice and authority of the chief priests and Pharisees over the people thus helped lead the nation to reject Him despite the evidence of His words and works.
Warning for Later Believers
The officers sent to take Jesus returned with a favorable report of Him, and the Pharisees met it by asking whether they too had been misled, pointing to the lack of belief among the rulers and Pharisees and condemning the common people as ignorant of the law. That whole account of opposition to Christ is the kind of experience that some of God's people in later times will likewise face. The leaders' dismissal of the officers' testimony that no one had ever spoken as Jesus did shows how rejection of Christ's teaching by religious leaders can lead others to set it aside without examining its claims.
The same scornful question put to the officers after they refused to bring Christ because no one ever spoke like Him is still asked today. It stands as a great barrier that keeps very many, especially those with responsibility and ability, from connecting with God's people. This happens because such persons look at the kind of people who have joined, and because the enemy sows weeds among the wheat. Therefore labor must not cast the net only for the most objectionable class but must be given to both classes, with more earnest and decided effort for those who have ability and talents. Those of ability and talent, if converted, will become channels of light, and faithful medical missionary work will bring many conversions among the higher classes.
The chapter containing this incident gives instruction urged for daily practice. Its lessons are not being lived when believers fail to love one another. Christ's love in the heart should end backbiting and criticism.