The guilt of these leaders in Israel was not like the guilt of the ordinary sinner. These men stood under the most solemn obligation to God. They had pledged themselves to teach a "Thus saith the Lord" and to bring strict obedience into their practical life. Instead of doing this they were perverting the Scriptures. They laid heavy burdens upon men, enforcing ceremonies that reached to every step in life. The people lived in continual unrest, for they could not fulfill the requirements laid down by the rabbis. As they saw the impossibility of keeping man-made commandments, they became careless in regard to the commandments of God.

Disse israelitiske lederes skyld var ikke som almindelige synderes skyld. Disse mænd havde påtaget sig et helligt ansvar over for Gud. De havde højtideligt lovet at lære folket: "Så siger Herren," og at vise streng lydighed i det daglige liv, men i stedet for at gøre det fordrejede de skrifterne. De pålagde menneskene tunge byrder og påtvang dem ceremonier der greb ind i alle livets forhold. Folket levede i stadig angst, for de kunne ikke opfylde de krav, som rabbinerne stillede. Når de indså det umulige i at holde disse menneskebud, blev de ligegyldige med hensyn til at holde Guds bud.