The people of Jerusalem and their rulers didn’t recognize Jesus. By finding him guilty, they made the words of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath day, come true.
I used to say insulting things about Jesus. I tried to hurt his followers, and I even used violence against them. But God had mercy on me because I did those things without knowing any better. I wasn’t a believer.
But they still don’t understand; to this day, the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. The veil has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
God didn’t reject his people, the ones he knew ahead of time. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the story of Elijah? Elijah complained to God about Israel and said,
The high priest and the whole Council could tell you this themselves. I even asked them to write official letters to their friends in Damascus so I could go there and bring Jesus’ followers as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
They replied, “We haven’t received any letters from Judea about you. And none of our people who have come here from Judea has reported or said anything bad about you.