1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

in shame, in disesteem.True, they should have studied the Scriptures properly.It might be said that they were not at fault in makingthis mistake; in one sense that might be true. On theother hand, however, we are to remember that their difficultyreally was pride of heart, and a know-it-all spirit.They lacked humility, and therefore were not teachable.The "Israelites indeed," who did accept Jesus' Message,doubtless had similar misunderstandings of the prophecies,but they were open to conviction and ready to be led andguided, and to these the Master's teachings were attractive,blessed, wonderful. They were guided graduallyto the correct understanding of each feature of the DivinePlan as it became due, and thus they became ready for thePentecostal blessing in due time, and manifested themselvesas part of the Elect, which God was choosing tobe the Bride of Messiah, and joint-heir in His Kingdom.NO SIGN BUT THAT OF JONAHOur lesson tells that Jesus sighed deeply and said,"Why doth this generation seek after a sign?" and refusedto give them a sign, and departed for the other side of theLake. Saint Matthew (16:1-4) gives a more detailedaccount of this question and its answer. Jesus called theattention of the Pharisees to the signs that He was givingin abundance to them, and then said that there would beone great sign given that nation; but it was not givenuntil Calvary. That "sign" did have a great effect uponthousands of Jews, as is evidenced by the account inActs of the thousands who were baptized on PentecostR5111 : page 313Day, and subsequently, upon hearing Saint Peter's preachingrespecting the death of Jesus, His three days in thetomb and His resurrection on the third day.Jesus cited the sign of Jonah, that as he was (portionsof) three days and nights in the belly of the fish, so theSon of Man would be a similar period in the earth, andas Jonah came forth, so the Son of Man would come forth.We leave it for Higher Critics to fight out amongstthemselves the proposition they raise in opposition to ourLord's statement. According to Higher Critics, Jesus andthe Apostles were badly deceived, in every sense of theword; but according to Jesus and the Apostles, the HigherCritics are badly deceived. We prefer to stand by theWord of God, let who will take the "wisdom of men."THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEESAfter entering the boat Jesus cautioned His disciplesagainst the doctrine of the Pharisees--He likened it toleaven--yeast. Leaven is a ferment, which spreads, especiallyin dough for bread. God's Word is Truth, thebread upon which His people are to feed. But they are to