With the people of that age the value of things was determined by outward show. As religion had declined in power, it had increased in pomp. The educators of the time sought to command respect by display and ostentation. To all this the life of Jesus presented a marked contrast. His life demonstrated the worthlessness of those things that men regarded as life’s great essentials. The schools of His time, with their magnifying of things small and their belittling of things great, He did not seek. His education was gained from heaven-appointed sources, from useful work, from the study of the Scriptures and of nature, and from the experiences of life—God’s lessonbooks, full of instruction to all who bring to them the willing heart, the seeing eye, and the understanding heart. {8T 222.3}

For den tidsalders folk var tingenes værdi bestemt ved det ydre. Da religionen havde aftaget i kraft, havde den tiltaget i pomp. Den tids lærere søgte at opnå respekt ved udskejelser og praleri. Til alt dette viste Jesu liv en tydelig forskel. Hans liv demonstrerede at disse ting var værdiløse, ting som mennesker ellers betragtede for at være livets store nødvendigheder. Han søgte ikke sin tids skoler, med deres ophøjnelse af små ting og forklejnelse af store ting. Han blev uddannet fra himmelsk-udpegede kilder, fra nyttigt arbejde, for at studere skrifterne og naturen og fra livets vidnesbyrd - Guds lektiebog, fuld af belæring for alle som bringer det villige hjerte til dem (223), det seende øje og det forstående hjerte.