Blue Rocks Chapel 6/23

Controversy and Conflict

We are in the section of the Gospel according to Matthew where there is growing controversy over the identity of Jesus because of the words He’s speaking and the things He’s doing, and therefore growing conflict with the powers that be, the religious establishment.

Chapter 11 starts with a story of John the Baptist in prison

And then Jesus talks about how the people and religious leaders rejected John because he was hyper-religious and strange

They are rejecting Jesus because He loves “sinners” and hangs out with them.

But these “sinners” have been rejected by the religious establishment and thereby believe they have been rejected by God.

Then Jesus pronounces curses like a prophet of old over cities in Israel that have “seen” most of Jesus mighty works and have failed to believe in who He is.

Seeing is not believing

Then chapter 11 ends with Jesus inviting all the down trodden, rejected, those beat up by “religion” either trying to do so much to make God happy and never knowing if they’ve ever accomplished the task or those who are “sinners” and kicked out of the system. He’s also inviting those beat up by life to come to Him and He will give them rest..

Chapter 12 begins with the Pharisees, the religious leaders, watching Jesus and His disciples like hawks, trying to bust them for doing something wrong so they can discredit Jesus.

They are watching and catch them picking and eating grain heads on the Sabbath, controversy and conflict.

Sabbath, means “cease and desist” a day of rest from normal labors, a day to reconnect with family and of course devote to God and reflect on His goodness, His work in creation and to just delight in the Lord. It lasted from Friday evening, say 6pm to Saturday evening at 6pm.

It’s the 4th Commandment given by God to Moses for the people.

Burdensome day of don’t do these things.

Jesus tells a story from the Old Testament about King David when he was on the run for his life from King Saul, and they ate bread from the temple that only the priests should eat, but they were starving, a greater need and mercy was in order.

Then about how the priests must “work” to offer sacrifices on the Sabbath, they “work” because it’s a greater need, a priority.

Then Jesus declares He is greater than the Sabbath, in fact He is Lord of the Sabbath or the God of the Sabbath. Thats controversial

Jesus then heals a man with a cripple hand on the Sabbath in the synagogue. Considered a “work” on the Sabbath by the Pharisees, but Jesus considers it a good act of mercy and compassion which is never bad to do. Controversy and conflict continues to grow

At this point, the Pharisees are conspiring on how they might destroy Him, the Bible says in , they want to destroy Him because they don’t understand Him and He doesn’t match their “incorrect” expectation of who He, the Messiah, is supposed to be.

The next major story is Jesus healing a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute. This amazes the crowds and said “could this be the Son of David” a Messianic term, could this be the Messiah?

But the Pharisees, who already have rejected Jesus and are trying to “destroy” Him, hear of it they accuse Him of having healing power given to Him by the devil, basically.