James and John be ignorant?

Christ was no young visionary thinking this and imagining that, the child of His age responding to the current hopes and ambitions of His people, and finding bitter disillusionment at the end of His life. He was the Son of God walking in the light along a path long laid down for His feet in Moses and the Psalms and the Prophets to a triumphant conclusion that should bring to pass every desire of His Father's heart, and vindicate the love and wisdom of His great act of Creation. God was in Christ; His Word had taken possession of His mind: though the Son of Man's feet were in Galilee the head of the Son of God was in Heaven, and the unseen was as visible to Him as it had been to Micaiah or Ezekiel. For what they saw He believed, as we may also do.

Before we take our leave of Jordan's waters, there remains one topic to consider more fully. It was said by Lord Acton that 'All power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely'. There is in fact no test of character as final as the acquisition of power. Then is the soul displayed in its true colours, and its real desires are uncovered for all to see.

The carpenter of Nazareth lived in obscurity with but little chance of attracting anyone's attention, or indulging any ambitions that His soul might cherish, beyond those possible to a village tradesman. But now the Son of God was to issue forth with all power in Heaven and earth! What kind of a showing would He make? How would he appear when no inward desire could be withheld, no course of conduct however magnificent or wayward be opposed? Then shall we see that inward soul of God and discover for ourselves the secrets of the Divine Nature. All will be laid bare before the world when God comes forth in power. When power came his way, the house-painter of Austria revealed himself in his true colours: how would the the carpenter of Nazareth fare under the same pitiless exposure of His soul?