Whereu, in Jesus' day it was the corrupt religious leaders that led the opposition to Jesus. Nothing has changed. In later generations courageous men risked being burned at the stake to make the Bible available to the common people. Now that the Bible is the most widely available publication in mankind's history efforts are made to try to discredit it through pseudoscience and other forms of propaganda.
It was foretold in the OT that the Messiah would be rejected by his people.
(Psalm 118:22) The stone that the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
Jesus raised the issue in attempt to bring some to their senses.
(Matthew 21:42) Jesus said to them: “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone that the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone. This has come from Jehovah, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Peter also applied Psalm 118:22 to Christ, showing that he was “the stone” rejected by men but chosen by God to become “the head of the corner.”-Acts 4:8-12
Paul too drew on the OT scrolls to prove Christ was the promised Messiah.
(Acts 17:2, 3) So according to Paul’s custom he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying: “This is the Christ, this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.”
The facts of history confirm this preaching work led to Christianity spreading like wildfire among those "rightly disposed".
(Acts 13:48) When those of the nations heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah, and all those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers.
In these "final part of the days" we are seeing a similar response. Those worshiping Jehovah today number into the millions, which is more than at any time in history. This is just as foretold.
(Isaiah 2:2) In the final part of the days, The mountain of the house of Jehovah Will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, And it will be raised up above the hills, And to it all the nations will stream.
