“Having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘[It] does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say Here it is … because the kingdom of God is within you.’”
Luke 17:20
Jesus very much affirmed the goodness of the law (see Matthew 5:18). But He diagnosed the problem with the religion of His day, and the leaders didn’t like it. What God’s people needed, Jesus taught, was not mere self-improvement and rule-keeping, but to be changed from the inside.
This is why John’s ministry of baptism offended the religious elite. Why would Jewish people need to repent and be baptized if they were already the people who were right with God? Jesus urged them to see that the Scriptures all pointed to Him. Jesus was the renewal movement they were looking for. He would atone for the sins.
This teaching threatened religious leaders’ hold on power and was an assault on their desire for spiritual rejuvenation. When Jesus declared He was the very Son of God, it was blasphemy in their ears. The Sadducees levered their power to convince Pilate to crucify Jesus; the Pharisees were among the crowd shouting for His execution.
The skeptic and the self-righteous person in you and me can often forget that we are not much different.
This is why John’s ministry of baptism offended the religious elite. Why would Jewish people need to repent and be baptized if they were already the people who were right with God? Jesus urged them to see that the Scriptures all pointed to Him. Jesus was the renewal movement they were looking for. He would atone for the sins.
This teaching threatened religious leaders’ hold on power and was an assault on their desire for spiritual rejuvenation. When Jesus declared He was the very Son of God, it was blasphemy in their ears. The Sadducees levered their power to convince Pilate to crucify Jesus; the Pharisees were among the crowd shouting for His execution.
The skeptic and the self-righteous person in you and me can often forget that we are not much different.
Scripture Focus
John 14:5-14
Insight
Jesus died for Pharisees who thought they didn’t need Him, for Sadducees who opposedHim, and for you and me, in need of grace.
Bible In A Year
- Deuteronomy 3-4
- Psalm 81
- Acts 2
