“I am sorry that you were not able to see and hear Jesus for yourself.”
“My desire was strong to do so: and I did my best to get as near as possible to personal observation. I sought reliable information from all quarters. There seemed to be no difference of opinion, even among his greatest enemies, as to the reality of his miracles.”
“What do you understand,” inquired another elder, “to be the general character of his teaching? How does he treat our Sacred Writings?”
“With the highest honor. It is agreed on all hands that no word has fallen from him that savors of irreverence toward the Law and the Prophets: on the contrary, he makes them final authorities on all matters of which they speak; and when he rebukes the leaders of the people it is in their name. He does not belong to the synagogue of Malus.”
“That is a great point in his favor,” said another. “But are his own manners and morals blameless in the view of the Law?”
“I must confess that I heard nothing to the contrary—not being able myself to see wrong in a religious teacher eating and drinking like other people, or in his being accessible to the lowly and sinful.”
“Have not I heard you say, brother Philo,” said Alexander to the preacher, “that the chiefs of the people charge Jesus with blasphemy? Blasphemy can hardly be considered a point of good behavior.”
“I spake as I heard,” said Philo. “Perhaps Simeon can tell us whether I heard correctly.”
“It seems,” said Simeon, “that Jesus has sometimes spoken of himself as the Son of God; and, in a mysterious way, of a certain unity between himself and his heavenly Father; and, probably, it is this lofty way of speaking of himself which has given occasion for the charge of which you speak.”