Prophets and Scribes

We're reading Between the Testaments for New Testament class, and I came across something interesting in the chapter on Pharisees and Scribes. It says that after the prophets disappeared, there was no one representing God on earth to teach His word. The priests in the temple also became lax in their duty to teach the Law to the people, so there was a void to be filled. This void was filled by the scribes. They didn't actually have any priesthood authority, so they weren't able to officiate any ordinances, but anyone could study the Law and give his interpretation.

This new class of scribes ended up evolving into groups such as the Pharisees and Sadducees. This desire to come to know the Law and share that knowledge with others definitely wasn't a bad thing. If not for the scribes, perhaps Jerusalem would have been in an even worse state in Jesus day. They taught the people the Law of Moses, and taught them the importance of obedience. However, sometimes interpreting too much could cause spiritual blindness, as mentioned in the scriptures: "they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand" (Matt 13:13) This can be seen in the scribes' interactions with Jesus (John 9:41). Because of this spiritual blindness these scribes persecuted and killed many of God's chosen servants (John the Baptist, Simon, and even Christ).

Interestingly, we see a similar parallel in our day. After Christ and the apostles were killed the world entered a state of apostasy similar to that between the Old and New Testament periods. There were no prophets upon the earth to lead the people (because the people had rejected and killed them all), so man was once again left to his own devices. Eventually, when the time was right God again restored the fullness of His Gospel through one of his chosen servants: the Prophet Joseph Smith. However, when young Joseph shared his experiences with the people he met opposition from the scribes of our day:

Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active in the before mentioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.
I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me. (JS-H 1:21-22, emphasis added)

I'm grateful that we live in a day where living prophets again walk the earth. I'm grateful that we have the word of God, and that we are permitted to read it and interpret it for ourselves. However, I'm also grateful that the Lord has sent His servants to be guideposts in leading us back to Him. Otherwise it's just the blind leading the blind.