"Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner." Matt. 3:12. This was one of the times of purging. By the words of truth, the chaff was being separated from the wheat. Because they were too vain and self-righteous to receive reproof, too world-loving to accept a life of humility, many turned away from Jesus. Many are still doing the same thing. Souls are tested today as were those disciples in the synagogue at Capernaum. When truth is brought home to the heart, they see that their lives are not in accordance with the will of God. They see the need of an entire change in themselves; but they are not willing to take up the self-denying work. Therefore they are angry when their sins are discovered. They go away offended, even as the disciples left Jesus, murmuring, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?"

Sin kasteskovl har han i hånden, og han skal gennemrense sin lo og samle sin hvede i lade. Matt. 3,12. Dette var et af de tidspunkter, hvor gennemrensningen skete. Ved sandhedens ord blev avnerne skilt fra hveden. Mange vendte sig bort fra Jesus, fordi de var alt for forfængelige og selvretfærdige til at tage mod dadel, alt for verdslige til at ville leve et liv i ydmyghed. Der findes mange, som stadig gør det samme. I dag bliver sjæle sat på prøve, ligesom disse disciple blev det i synagogen i Kapernaum. Når sandheden rammer hjertet, ser de, at deres liv ikke stemmer overens med Guds vilje. De indser nødvendigheden af en fuldstændig forvandling; men de er ikke villige til at påtage sig denne selvfornægtende opgave. Derfor bliver de vrede, når deres synder bliver opdaget. De går fornærmede bort, akkurat ligesom disciplene forlader de Jesus, medens de mumler: Det er en hård tale; hvem kan holde ud at høre på den?