He was not so much troubled by the passionate enmity with which many regarded Him, or the angry murmurings against Him and His word, as by indolence of mind, by obstinate, stupid adherence to commonplace inanities, by entire lack of perception, by indifference towards spiritual life.

At first the novelty and strangeness of His appearance had compelled attention, but that was over.

Whether the Prophet was old or new, it was all one to them.

One was just like another, they declared, and they remained indifferent.

"The hot and the cold," Jesus exclaimed one day, "I can accept, but those who are lukewarm I cast from Me.