"The authorities of the church were not blind to the work which Zwingli was accomplishing; but for the present they forbore to interfere. Hoping yet to secure him to their cause, they endeavored to win him by flatteries; and meanwhile the truth was gaining a hold upon the hearts of the people. GC 176.1"
"And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:"
The EGW passage describes the church authorities initially refraining from interfering with Zwingli's work, hoping to win him over. This has a thematic parallel to Acts 5:38, where Gamaliel advises caution, suggesting that if the work is not of God, it will fail on its own.
"“You will make every exertion,” they said, “to collect the revenues of the chapter, without overlooking the least. You will exhort the faithful, both from the pulpit and in the confessional, to pay all tithes and dues, and to show by their offerings their affection to the church. You will be diligent in increasing the income arising from the sick, from masses, and in general from every ecclesiastical ordinance.” “As for the administration of the sacraments, the preaching, and the care of the flock,” added his instructors, “these are also the duties of the chaplain. But for these you may employ a substitute, and particularly in preaching. You should administer the sacraments to none but persons of note, and only when called upon; you are forbidden to do so without distinction of persons.”— Ibid., b. 8, ch. 6. GC 176.3"
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings."
Both passages deal with the issue of tithes and offerings, and the corruption of religious leaders in prioritizing financial gain. The EGW passage directly quotes instructions to collect revenues, mirroring the concern about robbing God in Malachi 3:8.
"Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself."
Both passages address the corruption of religious leaders who prioritize financial gain over spiritual matters. The EGW passage describes the instructions given to Zwingli to focus on collecting revenues, while 1 Timothy 6:5 warns against those who suppose that gain is godliness.
"Zwingli listened in silence to this charge, and in reply, after expressing his gratitude for the honor of a call to this important station, he proceeded to explain the course which he proposed to adopt. “The life of Christ,” he said, “has been too long hidden from the people. I shall preach upon the whole of the Gospel of St. Matthew, ... drawing solely from the fountains of Scripture, sounding its depths, comparing one passage with another, and seeking for understanding by constant and earnest prayer. It is to God's glory, to the praise of His only Son, to the real salvation of souls, and to their edification in the true faith, that I shall consecrate my ministry.”— Ibid., b. 8, ch. 6. Though some of the ecclesiastics disapproved his plan, and endeavored to dissuade him from it, Zwingli remained steadfast. He declared that he was about to introduce no new method, but the old method employed by the church in earlier and purer times. GC 176.4"
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."
Both passages describe a figure explaining scripture, drawing from the text itself to reveal deeper meaning. Zwingli's statement echoes the method described in Luke 24:27.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,"
Both passages describe a calling to preach the gospel and a focus on scripture. While Luke 4:18 is a direct statement of Jesus's mission, Zwingli's statement in EGW's passage echoes a similar dedication to preaching the gospel and drawing from scripture.