Having committed themselves to a course of opposition to Christ, every act of resistance became to the priests an additional incentive to pursue the same course. Their obstinacy became more and more determined. It was not that they could not yield; they could, but would not. It was not 62 alone because they were guilty and deserving of death, not alone because they had put to death the Son of God, that they were cut off from salvation; it was because they armed themselves with opposition to God. They persistently rejected light and stifled the convictions of the Spirit. The influence that controls the children of disobedience worked in them, leading them to abuse the men through whom God was working. The malignity of their rebellion was intensified by each successive act of resistance against God and the message He had given His servants to declare. Every day, in their refusal to repent, the Jewish leaders took up their rebellion afresh, preparing to reap that which they had sown.

Da de havde bundet sig til at følge modstandens vej mod Kristus, blev enhver genstridig handling en ekstra udfordring for præsterne til at fortsætte ad samme vej. Deres stædighed blev stadig mere afgjort. Det var ikke det, at de ikke kunne give efter; de kunne godt, men de ville ikke. Det var ikke blot, fordi de var skyldige og fortjente døden, ikke blot fordi de havde ladet Guds Søn dræbe, at de var afskåret fra at blive frelst. Det var, fordi de væbnede sig i trods mod Gud. De blev ved med at forkaste lyset og lod sig ikke overtale af Ånden. Den magt, som er herre over ulydighedens børn, arbejdede i dem og fik dem til at mishandle de mænd, ved hvem Gud virkede. Ondskaben i deres oprørskhed blev forstærket ved hver følgende modstandshandling mod Gud og det budskab, han havde givet sine tjenere at forkynde. Ved hver dag at nægte at omvende sig fornyede de jødiske ledere deres oprør og beredte sig til at høste, hvad de havde sået.