I

The Jewish Pharisees used the law of Moses

to condemn Jesus.

They did not seek compatibility with Jesus,

but diligently followed the law to the letter,

to the extent that—after having charged Him

with not following the law

and not being the Messiah—

they ultimately nailed the innocent Jesus to the cross.

What was their substance?

Was it not that they didn’t seek the way of compatibility with the truth?

They obsessed over each and every word of Scripture

while paying heed neither to God’s will

nor to the steps and methods of God’s work.

II

They were not people who sought the truth,

but people who rigidly clung to words;

they were not people who believed in God,

but people who believed in the Bible.

They were watchdogs of the Bible.

In order to safeguard the interests of the Bible,

to uphold the dignity of the Bible,

and to protect the reputation of the Bible,

they went so far as to nail the merciful Jesus to the cross.

This they did merely for the sake of defending the Bible,

and for the sake of maintaining the status

of each and every word of the Bible in people’s hearts.

They preferred to forsake their future and the sin offering to condemn Jesus,

who did not conform to the doctrine of Scripture, to death.

Were they not all lackeys to each and every word of Scripture?

Were they not all lackeys to each and every word of Scripture?

from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. You Should Seek the Way of Compatibility With Christ