then they’ll decide whether he’s been sent by God or not. That would be all very well if they were, so to speak, neutral observers; but there is no neutrality when you’re faced with prophecy, or national crises, or huge challenges to an entire way of life. In their weighing up of Jesus, many of them have settled it in their minds that there are certain things which they do not want God to be saying to them; and if Jesus says those things, then they will rule him out of consideration right away.
