First Quarter 2005 Adult Sabbath School Lessons:
"His Wondrous Cross"
The Story of Our Redemption

Insights to Lesson 7:
Passage to Calvary
February 5-11

(Produced by the Editorial Board of the 1888 Message Study Committee)

The main theme of this week’s lesson is the rejection of Christ by the leadership of His church, a rejection that was so complete that it led them to crucify their only Savior. Ultimately the rejection of Jesus was responsible for the total destruction of the Jewish nation and the scattering of the survivors throughout the world.

As the Quarterly stated, the leaders of the church “weren’t interested in finding the truth; they were interested only in making the Truth go away.” “With all the evidence He had given through His ministry of His divine credentials, the leaders should have believed Him. Sadly, for them, they did not” (Wednesday’s lesson).

Using parables to teach of this coming destruction, Jesus tried to bring the leadership of His church to a knowledge of their sin (see Matt. 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 13:6-10). In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus foretold this complete rejection of Him, even after the overwhelming evidence of His divine credentials through His resurrection of Lazarus. “And he said unto them, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead” (see John 11:43-53, The Desire of Ages, pp. 537-542; Luke 16:31).

Corporate Responsibility

Later, Jesus laid corporate guilt at the feet of the Pharisees and scribes. “Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation” (Matt. 23:34-36).

The scribes and Pharisees were just as resistant to the idea of corporate repentance as many are today. When confronted with their guilt, they “took up stones to cast at Him” to kill Jesus and silence His witness against them (John 8:58-59; 10:24-31; please read the entire context of these two references). The leadership of the church prided themselves as more receptive and knowledgeable of truth than their forefathers had been, but Jesus knew their hearts. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers” (Matt. 23:29-32).

At Pentecost, Peter preached to them of their corporate guilt, and of Another who “rose from the dead,” giving indisputable evidence of their sin: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it” (Acts 2:22-24).

Three and a half years later, Stephen again brought before the leadership of the church their tangled history. This was God’s last plea for them to repent and accept the message He had sent to them through His Son. God knew that before He could bless His church with power, the leadership must recognize their guilt and repent. So He sent Stephen to show these men their corporate guilt: “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it” (Acts 7:51-53).

The Pharisees’ hatred and continued resistance to recognize their sin, was so complete that they immediately took Stephen out and stoned him to silence the witness against their wicked hearts. Each stone hurled at Stephen’s head was a stone laid upon their own grave. Forty years later, Titus razed Jerusalem, burning the city and the Temple to the ground, leaving nothing (Matt. 24:2, 15-19). The leadership’s final rejection of God’s last message of mercy brought to them by His chosen messenger, Stephen, resulted in an exact fulfillment of Daniel 9:26. “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.”

“Just Like the Jews”

The Quarterly asks: “What helped explain the blindness of the leaders toward Christ?” (Sabbath afternoon’s lesson). This is an excellent question and worthy of our time to examine the reasons behind the unconscionable treatment of our Lord and Savior. What we find will help us understand our present condition.

“The world was stirred by the enmity of Satan, and when asked to choose between the Son of God and the criminal Barabbas, they chose a robber rather than Jesus. The ignorant multitudes were led, by the deceptive reasonings of those in high position, to reject the Son of God, and choose a robber and murderer in His stead. Let us all remember that we are still in a world where Jesus, the Son of God, was rejected and crucified, where the guilt of despising Christ and preferring a robber rather than the spotless Lamb of God still rests. Unless we individually repent toward God because of transgression of His law, and exercise faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the world has rejected, we shall lie under the full condemnation that the action of choosing Barabbas instead of Christ merited. The whole world stands charged today with the deliberate rejection and murder of the Son of God. The word bears record that Jews and Gentiles, kings, governors, ministers, priests, and people--all classes and sects who reveal the same spirit of envy, hatred, prejudice, and unbelief manifested by those who put to death the Son of God--would act the same part, were the opportunity granted, as did the Jews and people of the time of Christ. They would be partakers of the same spirit that demanded the death of the Son of God” (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 38).

What caused the people to reject Christ?—“the deceptive reasonings of those in high position,” i.e., the leadership of the church. What spirit motivated the people to reject and crucify Jesus?--“the . . . spirit of envy, hatred, prejudice, and unbelief.” Preconceived opinions, pride of position, prejudice, political ambition, and fear of ridicule from those in authority hardened these men’s hearts. History was repeated more than 1800 years later.

“An unwillingness to yield up preconceived opinions, and to accept this truth, lay at the foundation of a large share of the opposition manifested at Minneapolis [1888 General Conference Session] against the Lord’s message through Brethren Waggoner and Jones. By exciting that opposition, Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them. The enemy prevented them from obtaining that efficiency which might have been their’s [sic] in carrying the truth to the world, as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of Pentecost. The light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world” (Selected Messages, vol. 1, pp. 234-235; Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1575).

The record is clear. If “opportunity [were] granted” we would also “be partakers of the same spirit that demanded the death of the Son of God.” “The books of heaven record the sins that would have been committed had there been opportunity” (SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1085).

“When the Jews took the first step in the rejection of Christ, they took a dangerous step. When afterward evidence accumulated that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, they were too proud to acknowledge that they had erred. So with the people of our day who reject the truth. They do not take time to investigate candidly, with earnest prayer, the evidences of the truth, and they oppose that which they do not understand. Just like the Jews, they take it for granted they have all the truth, and feel a sort of contempt for anyone who should suppose they had more correct ideas than themselves of what is truth. All the evidence produced they decide shall not weigh a straw with them, and they tell others that the doctrine is not true, and afterward, when they see as light evidence they were so forward to condemn, they have too much pride to say ‘I was wrong’; they still cherish doubt and unbelief, and are too proud to acknowledge their convictions. Because of this, they take steps that lead to results of which they have never dreamed” (1888 Materials, pp. 169-170; emphasis supplied).

A Dangerous Step

It was “dangerous” for the Jewish leadership to take that first step in rejecting Christ, but their pride would not allow them to “acknowledge that they had erred.” We today are no better. We “do not take time to investigate candidly, with earnest prayer, the evidences of the truth, and [we continue to] oppose that which [we] do not understand.”

It is often stated that we can not be held accountable for something that took place long ago in history: “I wasn’t there” or “I would not have acted the same,” are the common complaints against the idea of corporate responsibility and the need of corporate repentance. However, we have this counsel from the inspired pen: “ . . . [we] are accountable for the evil which may result in consequence of neglect to do [our] duty. We are just as accountable for evils that we might have checked in others, by reproof, by warning, by exercise of parental or pastoral authority, as if we were guilty of the acts ourselves” (Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 516).

Corporate responsibility is a reality. Because he failed to act upon his convictions, Pontius Pilate was just as guilty of Jesus’ death as if he had personally nailed Him to the cross. “When existing evils are not met and checked, because men have too little courage to reprove wrong, or because they have too little interest or are too indolent to tax their own powers in putting forth earnest efforts to purify the family or the church of God, they are accountable for the evil which may result in consequence of neglect to do their duty” (ibid.; see also Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 578).

Parallels to Rejection of the 1888 Message

At the Minneapolis General Conference in 1888, God sent two men as His elected delegates to give a message to His church. This message was of such a character that, if it had been accepted, it would have turned the whole world upside down. Unfortunately, we acted “just like the Jews.”

“Men professing godliness have despised Christ in the person of His messengers. Like the Jews, they reject God's message. The Jews asked regarding Christ, ‘Who is this? Is not this Joseph’s son?’ He was not the Christ that the Jews looked for. So today the agencies that God sends are not what men have looked for. But the Lord will not ask any man by whom to send. He will send by whom he will” (Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 472; 1888 Materials, p. 1651; emphasis supplied).

In part, we rejected the 1888 message because we couldn’t tolerate the messengers God had chosen to bring the “most precious message” of Christ and His righteousness to the church (Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 91, 92). “Just like the Jews,” we thought that the message would be presented in a different package and in a different manner. The rejection of the 1888 messengers and their message was just as dangerous to the men of the 1888 era, as was the rejection of Christ when He walked this earth in person. The danger remains.

“I would speak in warning to those who have stood for years resisting light and cherishing the spirit of opposition. How long will you hate and despise the messengers of God's righteousness? God has given them His message. They bear the word of the Lord. . . . But there are those who despised the men and the message they bore. They have taunted them with being fanatics, extremists, and enthusiasts. Let me prophesy unto you: Unless you speedily humble your hearts before God, and confess your sins, which are many, you will, when it is too late, see that you have been fighting against God. . . . I have no smooth message to bear to those who have been so long as false guideposts, pointing the wrong way. If you reject Christ's delegated messengers, you reject Christ” (Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 96-97).

The rejection of the message which the Lord sent through Elders Jones and Waggoner insults the Holy Spirit and brings guilt upon us. Confession and repentance are necessary steps in removing this guilt and removing the barrier that was erected between the church and its Savior. “The words and actions of every one who took part in this work will stand registered against them until they make confession of their wrong. Those who do not repent of their sin will, if circumstances permit, repeat the same actions. I know that at that time the Spirit of God was insulted” (1888 Materials, pp. 1043-1044; MR, vol. 15, pp. 83-84).

“If we place ourselves in a position that we will not recognize the light God sends or His messages to us, then we are in danger of sinning against the Holy Ghost. Then for us to turn and see if we can find some little thing that is done that we can hang some of our doubts upon and begin to question! The question is, has God sent the truth? Has God raised up these men to proclaim the truth? I say, yes, God has sent men to bring us the truth that we should not have had unless God had sent somebody to bring it to us. God has let me have a light of what His Spirit is, and therefore I accept it, and I no more dare to lift my hand against these persons, because it would be against Jesus Christ, who is to be recognized in His messengers” (Sermons and Talks, vol. one, p. 141; see also 1888 Materials, pp. 595-596).

The Great Controversy and 1888

Both the Cross and 1888 are demonstrations of the great controversy between Christ and Satan (see: 1888 Message, An Introduction, p. 54). Wherever the truth is presented, Satan will be there diligently working to bring in opposition in an attempt to thwart the acceptance of the truth. Why? because he knows that acceptance of truth ultimately will bring about his eternal destruction. Therefore, Satan is fighting a battle for his very existence and it’s a battle to the death. Is it any wonder that he fights so fearlessly against truth?

That the message of Christ and His righteousness as presented through Elders Jones and Waggoner at that General Conference Session in Minneapolis is still being rejected is made manifest through three main issues: (1) the continued resistance to the fact that Christ took upon His sinless nature our sinful nature (but never assumed our sinning nature); (2) that many leaders in the church are still teaching that we can never overcome sin this side of the second coming of Christ; and (3) the refusal to believe that when Christ died He died AS all humanity--as corporate Man--paying the penalty for every person’s sin; Jesus justified the whole world through His death on Calvary. The good news is, God has already given this gift of redemption to every person on earth.

“It is a grievous sin in the sight of God for men to place themselves between the people and the message that He would have come to them as some of our brethren are now doing. There are some who, like the Jews, are doing their utmost to make the message of God of none effect. Let these doubting, questioning ones either receive the light of the truth for this time, or let them stand out of the way, that others may have an opportunity of receiving the truth, that the wrath of God may not come on them because they are bodies of darkness, when He desires them to be bodies of light” (from an article titled: “An Appeal for Acceptance of the Message of Christ’s Righteousness,” MR, vol. 11, p 286; also 1888 Materials, p. 406).

Promise of Corporate Repentance

The call for repentance in Revelation 3:19, is a message to the leadership of the church. Corporate repentance is recognition that we would have committed the very same sin had we been given the opportunity. We are just as guilty for rejecting Christ as were the Jews when they stood in Pilate’s judgment hall and screamed “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” Correspondingly, we are just as guilty, as if we had personally been there, for rejecting the message of Christ and His righteousness when the Lord sent His “most precious message” in 1888 through Elders Jones and Waggoner.

Far from being some onerous task, corporate repentance will bring a blessed experience into the lives of God’s people, individually and corporately. It is this alone that will open the storehouse of heaven and pour out the blessing of the Latter Rain.

“Those who realize their need of repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, will have contrition of soul, will repent for their resistance of the Spirit of the Lord. They will confess their sin in refusing the light that Heaven has so graciously sent them, and they will forsake the sin that grieved and insulted the Spirit of the Lord. They will humble self, and accept the power and grace of Christ, acknowledging the messages of warning, reproof, and encouragement. Then their faith in the work of God will be made manifest, and they will rely upon the atoning sacrifice” (1888 Materials, p. 695).

When the church has finally surrendered to God and accepted the full message of Christ and His righteousness then, with the power of the Latter Rain, evangelism such as the world has never known will take place as the world church does the work it was called to do in proclaiming the message of the mighty fourth angel of Revelation 18:4. Then the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary will be complete and the Bridegroom can come to claim His bride (19:6-9). May the Lord hasten that glad day, is our prayer.

—Ann Walper

Read the study notes for lesson 8