Superstition, tradition, bigotry, and idolatry ruled the world. The Jews alone claimed to have a certain knowledge of God, and they were so exclusive, both socially and religiously, that they were despised by every other people. The high wall of separation which they had raised made the Jews a little world to themselves, and they called all other classes heathen and dogs. But Jesus committed to his disciples the scheme of making known their religion to all nations, tongues, and people. It was the most sublime enterprise ever intrusted to man—to preach a crucified and risen Saviour, and a full and free salvation to all men, both rich and poor, learned and ignorant—to teach that Christ came to the world to pardon the repentant, and to offer them a love high as heaven, broad as the world, and enduring as eternity. {3SP 237.3}

Overtro sagn, hykleri og afgudsdyrkelse herskede i verden. Jøderne påstod, at de alene havde den rette kundskab om Gud, og de var så indskrænkede, både hvad samfunds livet og det religiøse liv angik, at ethvert folk foragtede dem. Den høje skille væg, som de havde opført bevirkede, (238) at jøderne levede ligesom i en lille verden for sig selv og de kaldte alle andre mennesker for hedninger og hunde. Men Jesus gav sine disciple fuldmagt til at forkynde deres religion for alle hedninger, tungemål og folk - forkynde, at Frelseren var korsfæstet og opstanden, og at alle mennesker, både rige og fattige, lærde og ulærde, havde fuld og fri adgang til frelsen; at lære, at Kristus kom til verden for at skaffe de angerfulde nåde og tilbyde dem delagtighed i en kærlighed, der var så høj som himlen, så udstrakt som verden, og som skulle vare i al evighed. Dette var det ædleste foretagende, som nogensinde var blevet menneskene betroet.