Two thousand years ago: the setting in Judea, a leavened relic of a Roman province once known as Judah; in fact a thousand more years before, a respected United Kingdom of Israel. Yet Solomon’s kingdom was split, David’s power long lost, Moses’ Law long debated and Abraham’s history much distorted.

Temples destroyed. Temples rebuilt.

Religion becomes something of a unifying tradition of ruling God’s people with political compromise and Levitical leverage.

The faithful expected a Messiah in some generation. Jewish leaders beholden by tribute to Rome’s rich rulers gripped tightly the tenuous reins of the rule of Jerusalem.

Jesus, or for that matter any man making claim as the promised Messiah, was a threat to everything their traditions had accomplished and every high official with religious power.

Matthew 15:

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.”

He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

The Messiah Jesus always had words of hope and blessing for the common disciples who received God’s word. Yet Jesus boldly disputed the motives of religious rulers. He challenged their traditions. Jesus knew them and exposed their hypocrisy before their followers, as had John the Baptizer before Herod had beheaded him.

Jesus challenged their self-serving interpretations of the Bible. He asked them if they knew their Bible? He told them that they were not like David, not like Moses and not like Abraham. Above all Jesus told the religious rulers that they did know know God, our heavenly Father.

Into a culture which lifts up the father as the revered head of the family this is high insult. Into a religious culture which claims one God as Father of their nation this borders on blasphemy – at least blasphemy against who the religious leaders claim as God as Father who gives them all authority over God’s people.

Jesus’ three earthly years of controversial teaching have nearly come to an end. Many miracles have proven this Messiah of God and no learned religious leader has been able to trip Him up. But once more they try.

John 8:

21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

… 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” …  28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me…”

30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Once again, Jesus gives hope to the disciples of His true teaching. But not all believe, especially the religious leaders who must bow down humbly before God and accept the truth of scripture.

What is it they do? Besides opposing the very Messiah to His face, they twist truth just as they do in their false leading of those who support their Temple – NOT God’s Temple, but Herod’s Temple; for it was Herod the Great, friend of Rome and only half Jewish, who rebuilt the Temple of tradition.

33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

If you are a religious leader who suspects you could be standing before the Messiah of God, is this the impertanence you offer before the Lord?

Further, is it even true what the Pharisees have claimed?

How can a Jew pretend to ‘have never been enslaved to anyone?’ The history of the Hebrew people proves more the opposite: in Egypt, in Babylon… Do these religious leaders claim to be offspring of Abraham and not know their own history?

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

To be continued…

This is introduction to the series: Abram, Sheik of Ur