-
In what ways did Jesus anger the religious leaders during His three years of public ministry within the walls of Jerusalem and along the shores of Galilee?
-
His life showed a way (the way) to be alive with Him without the following the rules of the religious leaders of the time. He freed His followers by Grace (free) and He paid the price for them
-
Jesus challenged their authority by providing people with a means that no other religious faith could promise to anybody, Jesus offered himself as a source of forgiveness and life. Jesus spoke against the religious leaders and performed miracles others could not.
-
He claimed to be God, he performed many miracles and spoke against the religious leaders
-
To put it short & sweet; He challenged the way they did things as they were not the way to the Father. By doing this He challenged their authority and threat their powerful grip on society.
-
I have always loved how Jesus “challenged” them upon their accusations of him ! The kind of gracioius “rebuke” that Jesus gave them, stirs my soul ! ( I love everything about how he did it). They believed themselves to be Holy, and they were so caught up in practicing their holiness, they failed to truly “see” the holy God right in their midst . I have often thought about how I would’ve loved to have been there, and witness it all taking place first hand. I think they were jealous. Ate up with jealousy of the miracles Jesus was performing ( that they could not) and for the very fact that he could confound them ( despite all their collective wisdom) The very words that Jesus spoke, made the “wise” dumb . They didn’t want others following him. They wanted to stroll around in their robes and sit in the choice places, and appear that they were holy and doing what was right in the sight of God, all the while their hearts were far from God. So, they ultimately accused him of blasphemy out of their jealousy- in the attempt to get people to stop following him and get back to what was “holy”. They wanted Jesus done away with ( out of sight/ out of mind) because he was a problem for them. I have often prayed to be able to rebuke people who act this same way, and to be able to rebuke in the way Jesus did, “cool/ calm ” knowing the truth was cutting them to the very core. I believe that’s why the bible makes it clear that the Word is sharper than any two edged sword. Truth Hurts.