Tag Archives: Jesus

Jesus and the Pharisees: John 12:17-19

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This is our thirty-ninth study. Please click HERE for an introduction to this study.

John 12:17-19

Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

Observations

The common people were amazed at Jesus’ miracles and wanted to meet Him. In contrast, the Pharisees wanted to kill Him. They were so discouraged that Jesus was taking away their popularity.

Application

Beware if those who are discouraged at people who are doing good things. For some of our leaders, it matters not what good they do. It only matters to them whether they are profiting from it.

Jesus and the Pharisees: John 11:55-57

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This is our thirty-eighth study. Please click HERE for an introduction to this study.

John 11:55-57

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?” 57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.

Observations

The people wanted to see Jesus because of His good words and miracles. The Pharisees wanted to arrest Him and kill Him. Why? Because they were jealous of His popularity among the people.

Application

Beware of the jealousy of religious leaders. Know that there is competition even among religious and Christian leaders. If you see it pray against it. It is a terrible evil.

Jesus and the Pharisees: The Raising of Lazarus, John 11:44-48

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This is our thirty-seventh study. Please click HERE for an introduction to this study.

John 11:44-48

The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

Observations

This passage, the raising of Lazarus, reveals much about the Pharisees. It tells us that they were only interested in their high place in society and their popularity among the people. They needed the people to believe in them. It also tells us that they knew that Jesus was doing miraculous works, and in that they must stop Him so that they would maintain power. So it was all about their standing and power. They had to be number one. Jesus was a great threat to them.

Application

Be on the lookout for those in authority who seek power for themselves. Avoid them and confront them if you can.

Jesus and the Pharisees: Luke 19:38-40

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This is our thirty-second study. Please click HERE for an introduction to this study.

Luke 19:38-40

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Observations

When Jesus’ followers were praising Him as they came to Jerusalem, the Pharisees were offended. They didn’t think He deserved praise because they didn’t think He was the Messiah. But Jesus rightly did not stop their praise. He instead referred to the Psalms, saying that even the stones will praise Him (see Ps 96:11 and 98:7-9).

Application

Those that don’t believe will naturally be offended when believers praise Him. But all those who truly believe will be joyful and join the praises.

Jesus and the Pharisees: No servant can serve two masters (Luke 16:13-15)

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This is our thirtieth study. Please click HERE for an introduction to this study.

Luke 16:13-15

13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.

Observations

When Jesus set forth the principle, you cannot serve God and money, the Pharisees sneered at Jesus, because they believed that their own riches justified themselves before God. And this, their self-righteousness, was their downfall.

Application

The love of money is idolatry. Money is useful only if it is used to benefit His kingdom—otherwise it will be our downfall. Therefore, let us stay away from any thought of getting rich for our own good. Let us despise that idea.

Jesus and the Pharisees: from Luke 15:1-7

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This is our twenty-ninth study. Please click HERE for an introduction to this study.

Luke 15:1-7

Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Observations

In this parable the Pharisees though that the sinner had to seek God and His forgiveness—to earn the right to be in His presence. But God turns it all around. He is the one who reaches out to the sinner, to befriend the sinner in order to save him. God loves every one of his created ones, even those who are not yet found (saved).

Application

We all have a lot of work to do to bring the lost back into the fold. We must do whatever it takes to bring them to salvation. We must be a friend to them.

Jesus and the Pharisees: from Luke 13:31-33

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This is our twenty-seventh study. Please click HERE for an intro to this study.

Luke 13:31-33

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day — for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

Observations

The Pharisees were not being kind to Jesus by warning Him of Herod. As John MacArthur noted in his bible notes, “They hoped the threat of violence from Herod would either silence Him or drive him back to Judea.” Jesus’ comment of “that fox,” was a bold statement of fact and indicated that Herod was crafty. The Pharisees were probably astonished at His boldness. As for Jesus, He was not at all intimidated by Herod or slowed down in His mission.

Application

We ought to be steadfast in our  ministry like Jesus, willing to continue regardless of the threats of the world.

Jesus and the Pharisees: from Luke 11:53-12:3

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This is our twenty-sixth study. Please click HERE for an intro to this study.

Luke 11:53-12:3

53 When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.

12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

Observations

In verse 53 and 54, the reason why the Pharisees were so angry at Jesus is because of Jesus’ earlier rebuke of them—His “woes” on them. And so, they were plotting against Him to catch Him off guard. But Jesus, being always on guard, was more concerned with His disciples that they be on their guard against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. He knew that they were always hiding something, they were always not being truthful. And so, He told them that in the judgment everything will come out, all that is hidden will be made known.

Application

We are always to be on our guard against unbelievers like the Pharisees. People like them are always hiding something; they are always whispering something. They are not to be trusted. But in the end, everyone will find out the truth. No one will get away with anything.

Jesus and the Pharisees: from Luke 11:37-44

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This is our twenty-fifth study. Please click HERE for an intro to this study.

Luke 11:37-44

37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give what is inside [the dish] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.”

Observations

The Pharisee noticed right away that Jesus did not wash his hand before meal time. Yes, growing up we all were taught that we should wash our hands. But that is not as important as having a clean heart and mind. And tithing is also important, but not as important as loving God. And the way people see us and respect us is also important, but the way God sees us is most important. And it should be important to us to always be cleansed of sin and to have a right relationship with Him.

Application

Beware of people who are like Pharisees, who always look to impress others, but care not what God thinks. They care about how they look on the outside, but inside they are dead, dead to God.

Jesus and the Pharisees: from Luke 7:28-35

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Jesus and the Pharisees: from Luke 7:28-35

This is our twenty-third study. Please click HERE for an intro to this study.

Luke 7:28-35

28 “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”  29 And when all the people and the tax-gatherers heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. 31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 “They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another; and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ 33 “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!’ 35 “Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Observations

Jesus here observed the Pharisees’ childish behavior. They rebuked His behavior of eating and drinking with sinners in order to befriend them. But they also rejected John’s more rigid behavior of abstinence, a behavior that they said Jesus should have. This reveals that they were rejecting anyone who was a true believer in God. They were revealing their pagan nature.

Application

We should be able to judge whether a person is a true Christian or not by their attitude toward good Christians. A pagan, like the Pharisees will always have a negative attitude toward any true Christian; they will always find something wrong with them.