For more than a thousand years the Jewish people had awaited the Saviour's coming. Upon this event they had rested their brightest hopes. In song and prophecy, in temple rite and household prayer, they had enshrined His name. And yet at His coming they knew Him not. The Beloved of heaven was to them "as a root out of a dry ground;" He had "no form nor comeliness;" and they saw in Him no beauty that they should desire Him. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." Isa. 53:2; John 1:11.

I mere end tusind år havde jødefolket ventet på Frelserens komme. Deres lykkeligste forhåbninger havde drejet sig om denne begivenhed. I sang og profetier, i tempelritualer og bønner i hjemmet havde de bevaret hans navn. Og alligevel kendte de ham ikke, da han kom. Himmelens elskede Søn var for dem som "et rodskud af udtørret jord"; han ejede ikke "skønhed og pragt"; og de så i ham intet smukt, så de kunne synes om ham. "Han kom til sit eget, og hans egne tog ikke imod ham." Es. 53,2; Joh. 1,11.