The New Testament Witness to Christ and His Kingdom, Student Workbook, SW13

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T H E N E W T E S T A M E N T W I T N E S S T O C H R I S T A N D H I S K I N G D O M

b. Jesus was a magnet for opposition among weird groups which disagreed with each other.

3. Opposed Jesus later in Jerusalem; with the Pharisees, they sought to entangle Jesus in his teaching, Matt. 22.15-21

4. They conspired to trap Jesus, Mark 12.13.

F. Common traits of Jesus’ contemporaries who opposed his public ministry

1. They all, in one way or another, related to Jesus because of how they viewed him vis-a-vis their agenda in light of Roman rule.

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2. Viewed Jesus as a threat to the status quo; none of his opponents advocated him as the true Messiah

3. Felt that the overthrow and destruction of Jesus would benefit the Jewish nation in its relationship with Rome

4. Received Jesus’ implicit and explicit rebuke and critique for not understanding the times (the root of his opposition was spiritual blindness), Luke 12.54-56

5. Elevated power, money, and position above a genuine desire to care for others, or recognize the obvious signs of Jesus’ Messiahship

6. Jesus often warned against the unhealthy influence of their teaching, which was compared to “leaven.”