Jesus did not come into the world to lessen the dignity of the law, but to exalt it. The Jews had perverted it by their traditions and misconceptions. They had made it a yoke of bondage. Their meaningless exactions and requirements had become a by-word among all other nations. Especially was the Sabbath hedged in by all manner of senseless restrictions which made that holy day almost unendurable. A Jew was not allowed to kindle a fire upon the Sabbath, nor even to light a candle on that day. The views of the people were so narrow that they had become slaves to their own useless regulations. As a consequence, they were dependent upon the Gentiles to do many services which their rules forbade them to do for themselves. {2SP 160.1}

Jesus kom ikke til verden for at vanhellige loven, men for at forherlige den. Jøderne have forvansket den ved sine sagn og falske begreber. De havde gjort den til et trældomsåg. Deres meningsløse fordringer og bud var blevet til et ordsprog blandt andre nationer. Især havde de omgivet sabbaten med en mængde urimelige indskrænkninger, som gjorde den hellige dag næsten utålelig. En jøde måtte ikke tænde ild på sabbaten eller engang tænde et lys på den dag. Folkets begreber var blevet så snævre, at de var blevet slaver af sine egne unyttige regler. Som en følge heraf var de afhængige af hedningerne for at få udrettet mange gerninger, som deres egne regler forbød dem selv at udføre.