The ministry of Christ was in marked contrast to that of the Jewish elders. Their regard for tradition and formalism had destroyed all real freedom of thought or action. They lived in continual dread of defilement. To avoid contact with the "unclean," they kept aloof, not only from the Gentiles, but from the majority of their own people, seeking neither to benefit them nor to win their friendship. By dwelling constantly on these matters, they had dwarfed their minds and narrowed the orbit of their lives. Their example encouraged egotism and intolerance among all classes of the people.

Kristi gerning var en udpræget modsætning til de jødiske ældstes. Deres hensyntagen til overleveringer og formalisme havde ødelagt al frihed for tanke eller handling. De levede i en bestandig rædsel for besmittelse. For at undgå berøring med "de urene" holdt de sig på afstand ikke blot af hedninger, men af største delen af deres eget folk, idet de hverken søgte at hjælpe dem eller at vinde deres venskab. Ved bestandig at beskæftige sig med disse anliggender havde de forkrøblet deres sjæl og begrænset deres virkefelt. Deres eksempel tilskyndede til egenkærlighed og utålsomhed inden for alle samfundsklasser.