“Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go.” They were ignorant of his divine character and mission because they had not searched the prophecies concerning the Messiah, as it was their privilege and duty to do. They had no connection with God and Heaven, and therefore did not comprehend the work of the Saviour of the world, and, though they had received the most convincing evidence that Jesus was that Saviour, yet they refused to open their minds to understand. At first they had set their hearts against him, and refused to believe the strongest proof of his divinity, and, as a consequence, their hearts had grown harder until they were determined not to believe nor accept him. {2SP 354.2}

"Om jeg også vidner om mig selv, er mit vidnesbyrd dog gyldigt, thi jeg ved, hvorfra jeg kom, og hvorhen jeg går; men I ved ikke, hvorfra jeg kommer, eller hvorhen jeg går." (Joh 8,14) De var uvidende om hans guddommelige (355) væsen og mission, fordi de ikke havde ransaget profeterne om Messias, således som de burde og havde så god anledning til. De havde ikke samfund med Gud og himlen, og derfor kunne de ikke forstå Frelserens værk. Selvom de havde set de klareste beviser på, at Jesus var verdens frelser, så nægtede de dog at oplade deres forstand for hans vidnesbyrd. De havde fra begyndelsen vendt sit hjerte fra ham og ville ikke tro de kraftigste vidnesbyrd om hans guddommelighed, og som en følge heraf blev deres hjerte mere forhærdet, idet de besluttede ikke at tro eller tage imod ham.