Christ's mission was not understood by the people of His time. The manner of His coming was not in accordance with their expectations. The Lord Jesus was the foundation of the whole Jewish economy. Its imposing services were of divine appointment. They were designed to teach the people that at the time appointed One would come to whom those ceremonies pointed. But the Jews had exalted the forms and ceremonies and had lost sight of their object. The traditions, maxims, and enactments of men hid from them the lessons which God intended to 35 convey. These maxims and traditions became an obstacle to their understanding and practice of true religion. And when the Reality came, in the person of Christ, they did not recognize in Him the fulfillment of all their types, the substance of all their shadows. They rejected the antitype, and clung to their types and useless ceremonies. The Son of God had come, but they continued to ask for a sign. The message, "Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," they answered by demands for a miracle. Matt. 3:2. The gospel of Christ was a stumbling block to them because they demanded signs instead of a Saviour. They expected the Messiah to prove His claims by mighty deeds of conquest, to establish His empire on the ruins of earthly kingdoms. This expectation Christ answered in the parable of the sower. Not by force of arms, not by violent interpositions, was the kingdom of God to prevail, but by the implanting of a new principle in the hearts of men.

Kristi gerning blev ikke forstået af hans samtidige. Den måde, han kom på, svarede ikke til deres forventninger. Den Herre Jesus var hele det jødiske samfunds grundvold. Dets imponerende gudstjenester og ceremonier var forordet af Gud. Hensigten med dem var at undervise folket om, at der, når tidens fylde kom, ville fremstå en, som disse ceremonier pegede hen til. Men jøderne havde ophøjet anordningerne og ceremonierne og glemt deres betydning. Menneskers overleveringer love og forordninger skjulte for dem de lærdomme, som Gud havde ønsket at bibringe. Disse regler og overleveringer blev en hindring, der afholdt dem fra at forstå og udøve sand religion, og da modbilledet kom, i Kristi person, kunne de i ham ikke se opfyldelsen af alle deres forbilleder virkeliggørelsen af alle deres skyggebilleder. De forkastede modbilledet og klyngede sig til deres forbilleder og nytteløse ceremonier Guds Søn var kommet, men de blev ved med at bede om et tegn. Budskabet: "Omvend jer, thi Himmeriget er kommet nær" besvarede de med at kræve et mirakel. Kristi evangelium var en anstødssten for dem, fordi de forlangte tegn i stedet for en frelser. De ventede, at Messias skulle bevise sine påstande ved at udføre mægtige erobringer og oprette sit rige på jordiske rigers ruiner Disse forventninger blev besvaret af Kristus i lignelsen om sædemanden. Ikke ved våbenmagt, ikke ved voldshandlinger skulle Guds rige vinde fremgang, men ved, at nye principper blev sået i menneskenes hjerter