All Christ's miracles were wrought to bless those whom these leading Jews neglected and despised, and refused to help. And He was beloved [by the common people] because He was the Restorer, the Great Physician. All His graces were light from heaven. In every good work He sought to lead them to accept Him as their personal Saviour. His life was fragrant, a savor of life unto life. He brought sunshine into the heart and home. They came to Him mourning, and left Him with songs of praise and glad rejoicing. He offered Himself to them that they might give Him a home in their hearts.
And yet they [the Jewish leaders] would not receive Him. While they claimed to keep the law, they denied it by their works. Having eyes they saw not, because of the ignorance that was in them through the hardness of their hearts. The impurity of their hearts, the defiling practices of their lives, their selfishness, their envy, their jealousy, their evil surmising, their transgression of the law of God, while they claimed to keep it, bore continual testimony as to their character. By the fruit the tree was known. Christ laid bare their true character. He declared that they were "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7). Again He says, "Ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God" (chap. 12:24).
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8). How would they see God?--in the way that Enoch saw Him. They had the privilege of walking and talking with God. By faith Enoch lived in the presence of God three hundred years. By faith he saw the faith of Jesus. He was taken into special favor with Him. The priests and rulers needed just such an experience as Enoch had. They needed a continual sense of the presence of God. O what riches of grace the Lord longed to bestow upon the favored people of God. It is represented in the call to the supper prepared for them, "All things are ready: come" (chap. 22:4).--Manuscript 96, Sept. 23, 1897, "The Jew's Rejection of Christ." TDG 275
When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most. Pr 102
If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. John 15:24 (New King James Version)