Willful Rejection of Truth Condemned
Our Lord was accused by the Jews of Sabbath breaking. There were many grounds on which He might have claimed exoneration, but He forbore to use them. He dwelt on these things very lightly, lest He should direct men's attention to Himself, His one aim being to bring glory to His Father. In utter self-oblivion; in distinct refusal to act on His own authority-that is, to come in His own name; with the one desire to reveal the inner source of His life, Jesus said, I am come in my Father's name, John 5:43. Let us learn not to be too careful of our own reputation, standing, or honor; but to live at first-hand, taking our orders and the power to fulfill them direct from Christ. Too often we consult this man's opinion and that person's whim, and our course becomes tortuous and uncertain. What new interest we should take in the Pentateuch, if we really believed! John 5:46.