Few realize the full meaning of the words that Christ spoke when, in the synagogue at Nazareth, He announced Himself as the Anointed One. He declared His mission to comfort, bless, and save the sorrowing and the sinful; and then, seeing that pride and unbelief controlled the hearts of His hearers, He reminded them that in time past God had turned away from His chosen people because of their unbelief and rebellion, and had manifested Himself to those in heathen lands who had not rejected the light of heaven. The widow of Sarepta and Naaman the Syrian had lived up to all the light they had; hence they were accounted more righteous than God's chosen people who had backslidden from Him and had sacrificed principle to convenience and worldly honor. 417

Kun få forstår den fulde betydning af de ord, som Kristus sagde, da han i synagogen i Nazaret forkyndte, at han var Den Salvede. Han sagde, at han var udsendt for at trøste, velsigne og frelse de sørgende og syndefulde; og da han derefter så, at hovmod og vantro herskede i tilhørernes hjerter, mindede han dem om den gang i fortiden, hvor Gud havde vendt sig bort fra sit udvalgte folk på grund af deres vantro og oprørskhed og havde åbenbaret sig for dem i hedningelandene, der ikke havde forkastet det himmelske lys. Enken i Zarepta og syreren Naman havde levet efter det lys, de havde fået; derfor blev de regnet for mere retfærdige end Guds udvalgte folk, der var veget bort fra ham og havde ofret deres overbevisning for magelighed og verdens ære.