the word, they put in place of the word itself. Their teaching had
no power to quicken the soul. The subject of Christ’s teaching and
preaching was the word of God. He met questioners with a plain, “It
is written.” “What saith the Scriptures?” “How readest thou?” At
every opportunity, when an interest was awakened by either friend or
foe, He sowed the seed of the word. He who is the Way, the Truth,
and the Life, Himself the living Word, points to the Scriptures, saying,
“They are they which testify of Me.” And “beginning at Moses and
all the prophets,” He opened to His disciples “in all the Scriptures the
things concerning Himself.” John 5:39; Luke 24:27.
Christ’s servants are to do the same work. In our day, as of old,
the vital truths of God’s word are set aside for human theories and
speculations. Many professed ministers of the gospel do not accept
the whole Bible as the inspired word. One wise man rejects one
portion; another questions another part. They set up their judgment
as superior to the word; and the Scripture which they do teach rests
upon their own authority. Its divine authenticity is destroyed. Thus
the seeds of infidelity are sown broadcast; for the people become
confused and know not what to believe. There are many beliefs that
the mind has no right to entertain. In the days of Christ the rabbis
put a forced, mystical construction upon many portions of Scripture.
Because the plain teaching of God’s word condemned their practices,
they tried to destroy its force. The same thing is done today. The
word of God is made to appear mysterious and obscure in order to
excuse transgression of His law. Christ rebuked these practices in His
day. He taught that the word of God was to be understood by all.
He pointed to the Scriptures as of unquestionable authority, and we
should do the same. The Bi
