SURFACE MEANINGS
The religious leaders of today who do not have revelation knowledge will make the very same mistake the Pharisees made. They will make the false assumption that their knowledge of the FACTS of scripture is the same as knowing the DEPTHS of scripture. You can see this fatal mistake in the case of the Pharisees concerning John the Baptist:
"The disciples asked him [Jesus], 'Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?' Jesus replied, 'To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.' Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist." Matthew 17:11-13
The Pharisees knew the fact about the Spirit of Elijah coming, but they totally missed the spiritual essence of that important prophecy. As a consequence, they who were the so-called "defenders of the faith" became the "persecutors of the faith!" Don't make this same mistake. Spiritual facts are not the same as spiritual Truth, and spiritual Truth does not come through Hard Study, but is given by the Holy Spirit to those who are humble. God resists the proud and those who are wise in their own eyes, as scripture clearly teaches:
"At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." Matthew 11:25,26
