<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Bread of Life

Samuel Tsoutsouvas

The Desire of Ages (Samuel Tsoutsouvas)

Chapter 01: God With Us

Chapter 02: The Chosen People

Chapter 03: The Fullness of the Time

Chapter 04: Unto You a Savior

Chapter 05: The Dedication

Chapter 06: We Have Seen His Star

Chapter 07: As a Child

Chapter 08: The Passover Visit

Chapter 09: Days of Conflict

Chapter 10: The Voice in the Wilderness

Chapter 11: The Baptism

Chapter 12: The Temptation

Chapter 13: The Victory

Chapter 14: We Have Found the Messiah

Chapter 15: At the Marriage Feast

Chapter 16: In His Temple

Chapter 17: Nicodemus

Chapter 18: He Must Increase

Chapter 19: At Jacob’s Well

Chapter 20: Except Ye See Signs and Wonders

Chapter 21: Bethesda and the Sanhedrin

Chapter 22: Imprisonment and Death of John

Chapter 23: The Kingdom of God Is At Hand

Chapter 24: Is Not This the Carpenter’s Son

Chapter 25: The Call by the Sea

Chapter 26: At Capernaum

Chapter 27: Thou Canst Make Me Clean

Chapter 28: Levi-Matthew

Chapter 29: The Sabbath

Chapter 30: He Ordained Twelve

Chapter 31: The Sermon on the Mount

Chapter 32: The Centurion

Chapter 33: Who Are My Brethren

Chapter 34: The Invitation

Chapter 35: Peace Be Still

Chapter 36: The Touch of Faith

Chapter 37: The First Evangelists

Chapter 38: Come Rest Awhile

Chapter 39: Give Ye Them to Eat

Chapter 40: The Night on the Lake

Chapter 41:  The Crisis in Galilee

Chapter 42: Tradition

Chapter 43: Barriers Broken Down

Chapter 44: The True Sign

Chapter 45: The Foreshadowing of the Cross

Chapter 46: He Was Transfigured

Chapter 47: Ministry

Chapter 48: Who Is The Greatest

Chapter 49: At the Feast of Tabernacles

Chapter 50: Among Snares

Chapter 51: The Light of Life

Chapter 52: The Divine Shepherd

Chapter 53: The Last Journey From Galilee

Chapter 54: The Good Samaritan

Chapter 55: Not With Outward Show

Chapter 56: Blessing the Children

Chapter 57: One Thing Thou Lackest

Chapter 58: Lazarus, Come Forth

Chapter 59: Priestly Plottings

Chapter 60: The Law of the New Kingdom

Chapter 61: Zacchaeus

Chapter 62: The Feast at Simon’s House

Chapter 63: Thy King Cometh

Chapter 64: A Doomed People

Chapter 65: The Temple Cleansed Again

Chapter 66: Controversy

Chapter 67: Woes On the Pharisees

Chapter 68: In the Outer Court

Chapter 69: On the Mount of Olives

Chapter 70: The Least of These My Brethren

Chapter 71: A Servant of Servants

Chapter 72: In Remembrance of Me

Chapter 73: Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Chapter 74: Gethsame

Chapter 75: Before Annas and the Court of Caiaphas

Chapter 76: Judas

Chapter 77: Before Pilate’s Judgment Hall

Chapter 78: Calvary

Chapter 79: It Is Finished

Chapter 80: In Joseph’s Tomb

Chapter 81: The Lord Is Risen

Chapter 82: Why Weepest Thou

Chapter 83: The Walk to Emmaus

Chapter 84: Peace Be Unto You

Chapter 85: By the Sea Once More

Chapter 86: Go Teach All Nations

Chapter 87: To My Father and Your Father

Chapter 66 controversy. The priests and rulers had listened in silence to Christ's pointed rebukes. They could not refute his charges, but they were only the more determined to entrap him and with this object they sent to him, spies, which should feig themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words that so they might deliver him under the power and authority of the governor. They did not send the old Pharisees whom Jesus had often met, but young men who were ardent and zealous and whom they thought Christ did not know. These were accompanied by certain of the Herodians who were to hear Christ's words that they might testify against him. At his trial, the Pharisees and the Herodians had been bitter enemies, but they were now one in enmity to Christ. The Pharisees had ever shaped under the exaction of tribute by the Romans, the payment of tribute they held to be contrary to the law of God. Now they saw opportunity to lay a snare for Jesus. The spies came to him and with a parent sincerity as though desiring to know their duties said, master, we know that th sayers can teach us rightly neither accept us, thou the person of any, but teach us the way of God. Truly is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar or no? The words we know that th sayers and teach us rightly had they been sincere would've been a wonderful admission, but they were spoken to deceive. Nevertheless, their testimony was true. The Pharisees did know that Christ said and taught rightly and by their own testimony will they be judged. Those who put the question to Jesus thought that they had sufficiently disguised their purpose. For Jesus read their hearts as an open book and sounded their hypocrisy. Why tempt me? He said, thus giving them a sign they had not asked, but showing that he read their hidden purpose. They were still more confused when he added, show me a penny, they brought it and he asked them whose image and superscription have it? They answered and said, Caesars pointing to the inscription on the coin, Jesus said, render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods. The spies had expected Jesus to answer their question directly in one way or the other. If he should say it is unlawful to give tribute to Caesar, he would be reported to the Roman authorities and arrested for inciting rebellion, but in case he should pronounce it lawful to pay the tribute they designed to accuse him to the people as opposing the law of God. Now they felt themselves baffled and defeated. Their plans were disarranged the summary manner in which their question had been settled. Let them nothing further to say. Christ's reply was no evasion but a candid answer to the question holding in his hand. The Roman coin upon which was stamped the name and image of Caesar, he declared that since they were living under the protection of the Roman power, they should render to that power the supported claimed. So long as this did not conflict with a higher duty, but while peaceably subject to the laws of the land, they should at all times give their first allegiance to God. The savior's words render unto God the things that are God were a severe rebuke to the intriguing Jews. Had they faithfully fulfilled their obligations to God, they would not have become a broken nation subject to a foreign power. No Roman enzyme would've waived over Jerusalem. No Roman Sentinel would've stood at her gates. No Roman governor would've ruled within her walls. The Jewish nation was then paying the penalty of its apostacy from God. When the Pharisees heard Christ's answer, they marveled and left him and went their way. He had rebuked their hypocrisy and presumption and in doing this, he had stated a great principle, a principle that clearly defines the limits of man's duty to the civil government and his duty to God. In many minds, a vexed question had been settled ever after they held to the right principle, and although many went away dissatisfied, they saw that the principle underlying the question had been clearly set forth and they marveled at Christ's fare discernment. No sooner were the Pharisees silenced than the Sadducees came forward with their artful questions. The two parties stood in bitter opposition to each other. The Pharisees were rigid adherence to tradition. They were exact in outward ceremonies, diligent in washings, fastings and long prayers and ostentatious in arms giving. But Christ declared that they made void the law of God by teaching for doctrines the commandments of men as a class they were bigoted and hypocritical. Yet among them were persons of genuine piety who accepted Christ's teachings and became his disciples. The Sadducees rejected the traditions of the Pharisees. They prefers to believe the greater portion of the scriptures and to regard them as the rule of action, but practically, they were skeptics and materialists. The Sadducees denied the existence of angels, the resurrection of the dead and the doctrine of a future life with its rewards and punishments. On all these points, they differed with the Pharisees between the two parties. The resurrection was especially a subject of controversy. The Pharisees had been firm believers in the resurrection, but in these discussions, their views in regard to the future state became confused. Death became to them an inexplicable mystery. Their inability to meet the arguments of the Sadducees gave rise to continual irritation. The discussions between the two parties usually resulted in angry disputes leaving them farther apart than before. In numbers, the Sadducees fell far below their opponents and they had not so strong ahold upon the common people, but many of them were wealthy and they had the influence which wealth in parts in their ranks were included. Most of the priests and from among them the high priests was usually chosen. This was, however, with the expressed stipulation that their skeptical opinion should not be made prominent on account of the numbers and popularity of the Pharisees. It was necessary for the Sadducees to concede outwardly to their doctrines when holding any priestly office, but the very fact that they were eligible to such office gave influence to their errors. The thees rejected the teaching of Jesus. He was animated by a spirit which they would not acknowledge as manifesting itself. Thus and his teaching in regard to God and the future life contradicted their theories. They believed in God as the only being superior to man, but they argued that an overruling providence and a divine foresight would deprive man of free moral agency and degrade him to the position of a slave. It was their belief that having created man, God had left him to himself independent of a higher influence they held that man was free to control his own life and to shape the events of the world that his destiny was in his own hands. They denied that the spirit of God works through human efforts or natural means. Yet they still held that through the proper employment of his natural powers, man could become elevated and enlightened that by rigorous and austere exactions, his life could be purified. Their ideas of God molded their own character as in their view he had no interest in man, so they had little regard for one another. There was little union among them refusing to acknowledge the influence of the Holy Spirit upon human action. They lacked his power in their lives like the rest of the Jews, they boasted much of their birthright as children of Abraham and of their strict adherence to the requirements of the law, but of the true spirit of the law and the faith and benevolence of Abraham. They were destitute. The natural sympathies were brought within a narrow compass. They believed it possible for all men to secure the comforts and blessings of life, and their hearts were not touched by the wants and sufferings of others. They lived for themselves by his words and his works. Christ testified to a divine power that produces supernatural results to a future life beyond the present to God. As a father of the children of men ever watchful of their true interests, he revealed the working of divine power and benevolence and compassion that rebuked the selfish exclusiveness of the sades. He taught that both for man's temporal and for his eternal good God moves upon the heart by the Holy Spirit. He showed the era of trusting to human power for that transformation of character which can be wrought only by the spirit of God. This teaching the Sadducees were determined to discredit in seeking a controversy with Jesus, they felt confident of bringing him into disrepute even if they could not secure his condemnation. The resurrection was the subject on which they chose to question him. Should he agree with them, he would give still further offense to the Pharisees should he differ with them. They designed to hold his teaching up to ridicule. The sades reason that if the body is to be composed of the same particles of matter in its immortal as in its mortal state, then when raised from the dead, it must have flesh and blood and must resume. In the eternal world, the life interrupted on earth. In that case, they concluded that earthly relationships would be resumed, husband and wife would be reunited. Marriages consummated and all things go on the same as before death. The frailties and passions of this life being perpetuated in the life beyond. In answer to their questions, Jesus lifted the veil from the future life in the resurrection. He said they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. He showed that the Sadducees were wrong in their belief, their premises were false. Ye do earth. He added not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. He did not charge them as he had charged the Pharisees with hypocrisy, but with error of belief. The sades had flattered themselves that they of all men adhered most strictly to the scriptures. But Jesus showed that they had not known their true meaning. That knowledge must be brought home to the heart by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, their ignorance of the scriptures and the power of God, he declared to be the cause of their confusion of faith and darkness of mind. They were seeking to bring the mysteries of God within the compass of their finite reasoning. Christ called upon them to open their minds to those sacred truths that would broaden and strengthen the understandings. Thousands become infidels because their finite minds cannot comprehend the mysteries of God. They cannot explain the wonderful exhibition of divine power in his providences. Therefore, they reject the evidences of such power attributing them to natural agencies, which they can comprehend stillness. The only key to the mysteries that surround us is to acknowledge in them all the presence and power of God. Men need to recognize God as the creator of the universe, one who commands and executes all things they need. A broader view of his character and of the mystery of his agencies. Christ declared to his heroes that if there were no resurrection of the dead, the scriptures which they professed to believe would be of no avail. He said, but as touching the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying, I am the God of Abraham And the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. God counts the things that are not as though they were. He sees the end from the beginning and beholds the result of his work as though it were now accomplished. The precious dead from Adam down to the last saint who dies will hear the voice of the Son of God and will come forth from the grave to immortal life. God will be their God and they shall be his people. There will be a close and tender relationship between God and the risen saints. This condition which is anticipated in his purpose, he beholds as if it were already existing that dead live unto him by the words of Christ. The Sadducees were put to silence. They cannot answer him. Not a word had been spoken of which the least advantage could be taken for his condemnation. His adversaries had gained nothing but the contempt of the people. The Pharisees, however, did not yet despair of driving him to speak that which they could use against him. They prevailed upon a certain Leonard scribe to question Jesus as to which of the 10 precepts of the law was of the greatest importance. The Pharisees had exalted the first four commandments, which point out the duty of man to his maker as a far greater consequence than the other six, which define man's duty to his fellow man. As the result they greatly failed of practical godliness. Jesus had shown the people their great deficiency and had taught the necessity of good works declaring that the tree is known by its fruits. For this reason, he had been charged with exalting the last six commandments. Above the first four, the lawyer approached Jesus with a direct question, which is the first commandment of all. The answer of Christ is direct and forcible. The first of all, the commandments is here. Oh, Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shall love the Lord. Die God with old I heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. The second is like the first set Christ for it flows out of it. Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none of the commandment greater than these on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. The first four of the 10 commandments are summed up in the one great precept. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. The last six are included in the other thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Both these commandments are an expression of the principle of love. The first cannot be kept and the second broken, nor can the second be kept while the first is broken. When God has his rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves and only as we love God supremely. Is it possible to love our neighbor impartially? And since all the commandments are summed up in love to God and man, it follows that not one precept can be broken without violating this principle. Thus Christ taught his heroes that the law of God is not so many separate precepts, some of which are of great importance while others are of small importance and may with impunity be ignored. Our Lord presents the first four and the last six commandments as a divine whole and teaches that love to God will be shown by obedience to all his commandments. The scribe who had questioned Jesus was well-read in the law and he was astonished at his words. He did not expect him to manifest so deep in thorough knowledge of the scriptures. He had gained a broader view of the principles underlying the sacred precepts before the assembled priests and rulers. He honestly acknowledged that Christ had given the right interpretation to the law saying Well done. Master Val said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but he and to love him with all the hurt and with all the understanding and with all the soul and with all the strength and to love his neighbor as himself is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. The wisdom of Christ's answer had convicted the scribe. He knew that the Jewish religion consisted in outward ceremonies rather than inward piety. He had some sense of the worthlessness of meres ceremonial offerings and the faithless shedding of blood for expedition of sin, love and obedience to God and unselfish regard for man appeared to him of more value than all these rights. The readiness of this man to acknowledge the correctness of Christ's reasoning and his decided and prompt response before the people manifested a spirit entirely different from that of the priests and rulers. The heart of Jesus went out in pity to the honest scribe who had dared to face the frowns of the priests and the threats of the rulers to speak the convictions of his heart. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, the heart not far from the kingdom of God. The scribe was near to the kingdom of God in that he recognized deeds of righteousness as more acceptable to God than burnt offerings and sacrifices. But he needed to recognize the divine character of Christ and through faith in him receive power to do the works of righteousness. The ritual service was of no value and less connected with Christ by living faith. Even the moral law fails of its purpose unless it is understood in its relation to the savior. Christ had repeatedly shown that his father's law contains something deeper than mirror. Authoritative commands in the law is embodied the same principle that is revealed in the gospel. The law points out man's duty and shows him his guilt to Christ. He must look for pardon and for power to do what the law enjoins. The Pharisees have gathered close about Jesus as he answered the question of the scribe. Now turning, he put a question to them, what thinky of Christ, whose son is he? This question was designed to test their belief concerning the Messiah, to show whether they regarded him simply as a man or as the son of God. A chorus of voices answered the son of David. This was the title which prophecy had given to the Messiah. When Jesus revealed his divinity by his mighty miracles, when he healed the sick and raised the dead, the people had inquired among themselves Is not this the son of David, the Sian woman, blind bar mayors and many others had cried to him for help Have mercy on the old Lord thou son of David. While riding into Jerusalem, he had been hailed with a joyful shout hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord and the little children in the temple had that day echoed the gladest description, but many who called Jesus the son of David, did not recognize his divinity. They did not understand that the son of David was also the son of God. In reply to the statement that Christ was the son of David, Jesus said, how then death David in spirit, the spirit of inspiration from God call him Lord, saying the Lord said unto, unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand till I make bad enemies. Th footstool. If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word. Neither does any man from that day. Fourth ask him anymore questions.

Ellen G. White

Book

The Desire of Ages (Samuel Tsoutsouvas)

Chapter 66: Controversy

Read by Samuel Tsoutsouvas

Parent Series

Sponsor

Other Teachings in Series

Chapter 01: God With Us

Chapter 02: The Chosen People

Chapter 03: The Fullness of the Time

Chapter 04: Unto You a Savior

Chapter 05: The Dedication

Chapter 06: We Have Seen His Star

Chapter 07: As a Child

Chapter 08: The Passover Visit

Chapter 09: Days of Conflict

Chapter 10: The Voice in the Wilderness

Chapter 11: The Baptism

Chapter 12: The Temptation

Chapter 13: The Victory

Chapter 14: We Have Found the Messiah

Chapter 15: At the Marriage Feast

Chapter 16: In His Temple

Chapter 17: Nicodemus

Chapter 18: He Must Increase

Chapter 19: At Jacob’s Well

Chapter 20: Except Ye See Signs and Wonders

Chapter 21: Bethesda and the Sanhedrin

Chapter 22: Imprisonment and Death of John

Chapter 23: The Kingdom of God Is At Hand

Chapter 24: Is Not This the Carpenter’s Son

Chapter 25: The Call by the Sea

Chapter 26: At Capernaum

Chapter 27: Thou Canst Make Me Clean

Chapter 28: Levi-Matthew

Chapter 29: The Sabbath

Chapter 30: He Ordained Twelve

Chapter 31: The Sermon on the Mount

Chapter 32: The Centurion

Chapter 33: Who Are My Brethren

Chapter 34: The Invitation

Chapter 35: Peace Be Still

Chapter 36: The Touch of Faith

Chapter 37: The First Evangelists

Chapter 38: Come Rest Awhile

Chapter 39: Give Ye Them to Eat

Chapter 40: The Night on the Lake

Chapter 41: The Crisis in Galilee

Chapter 42: Tradition

Chapter 43: Barriers Broken Down

Chapter 44: The True Sign

Chapter 45: The Foreshadowing of the Cross

Chapter 46: He Was Transfigured

Chapter 47: Ministry

Chapter 48: Who Is The Greatest

Chapter 49: At the Feast of Tabernacles

Chapter 50: Among Snares

Chapter 51: The Light of Life

Chapter 52: The Divine Shepherd

Chapter 53: The Last Journey From Galilee

Chapter 54: The Good Samaritan

Chapter 55: Not With Outward Show

Chapter 56: Blessing the Children

Chapter 57: One Thing Thou Lackest

Chapter 58: Lazarus, Come Forth

Chapter 59: Priestly Plottings

Chapter 60: The Law of the New Kingdom

Chapter 61: Zacchaeus

Chapter 62: The Feast at Simon’s House

Chapter 63: Thy King Cometh

Chapter 64: A Doomed People

Chapter 65: The Temple Cleansed Again

Chapter 66: Controversy

Chapter 67: Woes On the Pharisees

Chapter 68: In the Outer Court

Chapter 69: On the Mount of Olives

Chapter 70: The Least of These My Brethren

Chapter 71: A Servant of Servants

Chapter 72: In Remembrance of Me

Chapter 73: Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled