One of the saddest passages of the Bible is John 1:10-11.
He [Jesus, the Word] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.
After God’s many Old Testament preparations, how could His people fail to recognize Him? Those most familiar with the Scriptures hated Jesus the most. His worst enemies included the priests and lawyers (experts in the Law) and the scribes (who copied and taught the Scriptures). The main religious parties were the Sadducees (the Chief Priest’s party) and the Pharisees (the strictest interpreters of the Law). They were rivals, yet they joined forces against Jesus. They took away from the people “the key of knowledge” (Luke 11:52). How could they be so wrong? Jesus revealed their self-centered, self-serving approach to the Scriptures.
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you…. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (John 5:39-42, 44-47)
Though dealing with the Scriptures, these experts were focused on themselves. They studied, interpreted and taught to “receive glory”—recognition, fame, praise—“from one another.” Jesus read their hearts and saw no love for God there. Had they focused on pleasing God, they would have seen where God was pointing. Some 1,500 years before, “Moses wrote of Me.” Even Abraham, some 2,000 years before, saw Jesus’ day coming, and rejoiced (John 8:56).