Instead of apologizing for the act of which they complained, or explaining His purpose in doing it, Jesus turned upon the rulers, and the accused became the accuser. He rebuked them for the hardness of their hearts, and their ignorance of the Scriptures. He declared that they had rejected the word of God, inasmuch as they had rejected Him whom God had sent. "Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of Me." John 5:39, R. V.

I stedet for at gøre undskyldninger for det, som de beklagede sig over, eller forklare sin hensigt med at gøre det, vendte Jesus sig mod rådsherrerne, og den anklagede blev til anklageren. Han dadlede dem for deres hjerters hårdhed og for deres mangel på kendskab til Skrifterne. Han sagde, at de havde forkastet Guds ord, eftersom de havde forkastet den, som Gud har udsendt. "I ransager Skrifterne, fordi I mener i dem at have evigt liv; og det er dem, som vidner om mig." Joh. 5,39.