The truth spoken by Jesus collided with their prejudices and customs, and they cast it from them, hardening their hearts against it. They refused to listen to the teachings of Christ, because those teachings directly condemned their cherished sins. Had the Son of Man come flattering their pride and justifying their iniquity, they would have hastened to do him honor. Said Jesus, “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” Pretenders, who could present no evidence of divine authority, might arise, who by prophesying smooth things, and gratifying the vanity of the rich and unsanctified, might secure their firm allegiance. These false prophets would lead their followers to eternal ruin. {2SP 171.2}

Jesu ord kom i strid med deres fordomme og vaner, og de forkastede ham og forhærdede sine hjerter imod ham. De nægtede at lytte til Kristi undervisning, fordi han fordømte deres yndlingssynder. Dersom Guds Søn havde smigret deres stolthed og billiget deres ugudelighed, så ville de snart have æret ham. Jesus sagde: "Jeg er kommen i min Faders navn, og I tager ikke imod mig; hvis en anden kommer i sit eget navn, ham vil I tage imod." Bedragere, som ikke kunne give noget bevis på guddommelig myndighed, skulle fremstå, som de ville få hjælp og understøttelse ved at profetere behagelige ting, som smigrede de riges og vanhelliges forfængelighed. Men (172) sådanne falske profeter ville lede sine efterfølgere til evig fordærvelse.