The world is out to destroy the Christ of the Bible. Let’s use two key words to direct us in our consideration of this fact – “why” and “how.”
WHY did the Pharisees take counsel to destroy Christ?
I have to keep reminding myself that the Book of Matthew is not a chronological biography of Christ. The Holy Spirit has taken events and put them together one way in this book but differently in Mark and Luke. Then the Gospel of John is radically different from these Synoptic Gospels, because its purpose was specifically designed to magnify Christ’s deity from Heaven downwards and not the other way around. So l refresh our memories about Matthew 12 – It begins with Christ and the disciples on their way to a synagogue, walking through a grain field. The disciples plucked and “harvested” some of the grain, beginning to eat. They were immediately charged with breaking the Jewish laws of the Sabbath. But the Lord Jesus came to their defense, essentially pointing out that the heart of that law had not been broken. And besides, He said, I am the “Lord even of the sabbath day.” The second event in this chapter took place in one of the synagogues of the Jews. But it did not occur in the synagogue on that particular sabbath. Luke retells the account of the disciples’ breakfast in the grainfield – followed by Jesus’ response. Then in the next verse – Luke 6:6 – “And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.” What this tells me is that Matthew is grouping these three incidents together because they are related. In Matthew’s third event, the Pharisees went out of the synagogue after the healing of the withered hand – filled with fury, desiring to kill Christ Jesus. They were already at odds with the Lord over His earlier attacks on their traditions about the sabbath. Luke 6:11 says ”And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.” Ostensibly, the Jews wanted to destroy Him because they thought that He was guilty of breaking the fourth commandment – “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.” But ask yourself – even if you thought so, is this sufficient reason to kill someone? To kill Christ Jesus?
For one moment, I’d like to encourage you to use your wildest imagination. What would it take for you to kill someone? Self defense? What if someone was threatening to hurt or kill your spouse or child or grandchild? If a wounded police officer told you to use his handgun to shoot an attacker – would you do it? I suppose that some of the most timid among us, might kill someone under special circumstances. But wouldn’t our answers change if we began talking about planning, plotting, or conspiring to kill someone? Manslaughter and self-defense are much different from premeditated murder. And Matthew 12:14 is a discussion about murder under the disguise of an illegal execution..
Again, what was the motivation for the Pharisee’s growing hatred of Christ? What was the Lord Jesus doing which justified His murder? Without knowing the minds of these murderers – here are some possible explanations – With every miracle completed by our Saviour, the prominence and power of the Pharisees was diminished. Every time that Christ was given opportunity to speak in one of the synagogues, it meant that one of the Pharisees, scribes or lawyers, was not given that opportunity. And every time a Pharisaic type question was asked, and Christ gave a Biblical answer, contradicting the current opinion, the position of the Pharisees took a direct hit. Week after week, the influence of the Pharisees was dropping, and the popularity of Christ was growing. History gives us many examples of dictators who defended their authority by killing their opposition. One Biblical example was when Herod killed the children of Bethlehem. Taking up where Herod left off, the Pharisees wanted to protect their privileged position in society. AND I am convinced that it would be exactly the same if Christ was here today.
But something to consider in this regard is the kind of authority that the Pharisees had. At that time, the high priest and other senior priests were from the liberal sect of the Sadducees – theological opponents of the Pharisees. And even though there were some Pharisees on the Sanhedrim, the Jewish federal council, again there were more Sadducees than Pharisees. The influence and authority of these men plotting to take the life of Christ was not so much political as it was social and practical. It was the influence and power of the synagogue not the Sanhedrim, that Jesus was drawing from them. Christ was not have and did not want political power, but He did exert a spiritual and religious influence. Perhaps the fact that Pharisees didn’t run the government, prompted them to defend their limited stronghold all the more vigorously. But again, was this sufficient cause to slaughter Jesus of Nazareth?
If Christ was here today, I think that the President of the United States would be very nervous. But the leaders of other aspects of society would be more upset than the politicians. Hollywood film makers would see – or at least imagine – their profits dropping. If the miracle-working Christ was here today, it would demolish huge segments of pseudo-science and the educational system. Hundreds of heretical religious seminaries might collapse and thousands of religious leaders and false prophets would loose their profits. There would be hatred and perhaps murder contracts out on the life of Christ, from all over society. The hatred against Christ would be more social than miliary or political.
Perhaps the Pharisee’s hatred was fueled more by embarrassment and pride than by their loss of power. Maybe it was more about prestige than power. For example, when they accused the disciples of harvesting the grain on the sabbath, the Lord Jesus answered by pointing to Old Testament scriptures about David and the ministry of the priests. And the knife went in very easily with the words “”Have ye not read?” – “You teachers of the law ought to know these things.” When they pointed to the man with the withered hand, asking if it was lawful to heal him, the Lord Jesus reminded them that they had often broken their own interpretation of the law by taking their ox to water. When Christ implied that they were more kind to their animals than they were to their sick and dying neighbors, it was like salt thrown into a wound. There was Pharisaic pride involved in this issue, and Jesus was bruising it but good.
Another obvious consideration must have been those miracles of Christ. Their number was rising quickly. There were the physical, natural miracles – like stilling storms and changing the properties of people’s drinks. And then there were sick people healed; crippled people restored and dead people raised to new life. Some people might have tired to explain away each of those miracles, but it was getting harder and harder. Then we add the thousands of people who were being miraculously fed. Other than trying to tell people that Christ was doing these things through the power of Beelzebub, there was little else to say. The common man was not buying the Satan explanation. Christ must be put to death, thought the Pharisees..
Again, you may be thinking that all this is a boring waste of time. Jesus was crucified more than 2,000 years ago, and you appreciate the fact that it was as a sacrifice for sin. But who cares about the specific reasons that the Jews took Him to the Romans for crucifixion. My friend, the reason for considering these questions is because the world still hates Christ Jesus. His testimony against corrupt religion and its leaders remains the same. And He did work all those miracles, and those miracles still prove His deity and authority. He is still the Lord of sabbath and the Lord of salvation. What if Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came up to you this morning and told you that you are a sinner headed toward the Lake of Fire – how would you respond to Him? You still need Christ Jesus, as much as those highly religious Pharisees did.
Before we move on, there is one more reason why there was a conspiracy to destroy Christ. And for once, I emphasize the word “conspiracy” – something which I don’t often do. You may snicker at this, but I warn you not to do so. I don’t believe that the Jews had logical reasons for their murderous hatred of the Lord. I believe that there was an ardent, articulate, adversary who was pushing those Pharisees. It’s not my intention to delve deeply into the subject this morning, but let me say that God has had one adversary for about as long as creation itself. The illogical hatred of the Pharisees was fostered, fired and fueled by the Devil, who wanted nothing more than to thwart the eternal plan of Jehovah. Satan hated Christ more than the Pharisees did, and he was using those foolish men to accomplish his will.
So the Pharisees assembled a counsel against Christ, “HOW they might destroy him.”
Their first step in trying to destroy the Lord was to bring in some allies. Mark’s account of these same events says, “And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.” There are other verses which directly tie the Pharisees with the Herodians against Christ. And herein is something strange and yet common-place. The Herodians were almost the antithesis of the Pharisees. They were Jews who had sold themselves out to the Greeks and eventually to the Romans. They were secularists, whereas the Pharisees we highly religious. The Herodians were out on the left wing while the Pharisees were far to the right. Not all the Herodians were Sadducees and not all the Sadducees were Herodians, but there was a great deal of overlap. In just about everything, the Herodians and Pharisees were adversaries, but not when it came to the Messiah.
Jesus’ famous conversation about money grew out of the alliance of these enemies. “Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” The Pharisees controversy with Christ was religious, but for the Herodians the problem was political.
So the Pharisees assembled a counsel against Christ, “how they might destroy him.” If we didn’t have other scriptures to compare to this one, the word “destroy” might have several meanings. For some people it might have meant to destroy His reputation. Some might have been very happy just to keep people from hearing what He had to say. So they attempted to tell people that He was a winebibber and a glutton. “Look at him going to lunch with those rich publicans and sinners.” They failed to point out that Christ also went to lunch with influential scribes and Pharisees. Some tried to say that He was an ally of Beelezebub, working miracles in the power of Satan. And they constantly declared that Christ was a sinner – “Look at what He is doing on the Sabbath!” The Pharisees were not beyond the use of slander.
Reputation is a powerful thing – for both good and evil. Some people will do anything – anything – in order to maintain a reputation which they don’t deserve. Others will do anything they can to bestow a reputation on someone, whether deserved or not. You and I, as professed Christians, need to be careful not to besmear our reputations, but at the same time not to be obsessed with them either. Christ wasn’t overly concerned with His reputation. As the eternal Son of God He was infinitely above the opinions of men.
“Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.” They tried casting doubt about Jesus’ character and ministry. They tried diluting His message, while filling it with various kinds of fluff or lies. They attempted misdirection – pointing away from the obvious in an attempt to confuse people.
“Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. “ The word “destroy” might have different meanings, but the intention of the Jews was clear – they wanted Him dead. Ironically, this council was taking place on the sabbath, which undoubtedly broke their own laws. Their hypocrisy is so obvious that it is hardly worth mentioning. They were plotting murder – in the minds of most men, there are few crimes more heinous. Who are the real sinners here? Matthew 27:1 describes a later council – “When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.” The chief priests were Sadducees and perhaps Herodians. And then many of the elders of the people were Pharisees. Together their hatred had been growing and growing until nothing but the death of Christ would satisfy them.
In John 11 we read about the resurrection of Lazarus from his brief experience with death. A person would think that this would be some of the greatest news ever to be heard. To many people this would automatically raise the idea that Israel’s Messiah had come. Even if a person didn’t know Lazarus, just to think that someone could raise the dead would be wonderful. “Let’s make him the Surgeon General, or head of the CDC or director of the drug administration.” “Let’s bring him into Jerusalem riding on a white donkey; let’s cast palm branches before him.” “Let’s anoint him king and set him on David’s throne.” Sadly, to those corrupted religious and political leaders such ideas never crossed their minds. When the resurrection of Lazarus should have convinced the world that Jesus was the Christ… “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.”
There were a number of reasons why they hated Christ, and they tried a number of ways to murder Him.
Ultimately, those evil men came up with a plan, and they executed it through the Romans.
Their “how” to destroy the Lord Jesus was to accuse Him of sedition against the government. As you may remember, Pilate, the Roman governor, wanted nothing to do with the problem, but the Jews entrapped him and squeezed until he was forced to order Jesus’ execution. The High priest, along with the leaders of the Pharisees were overjoyed when they heard the order. Satan may have been rubbing his hands together in the anticipation of diabolical victory. But none of them knew the sovereign control that Jehovah had over the entire situation.
The corrupted Jews were yearning for the death of Christ. But through THAT death was the only means to eternal life. As Peter put it in his sermon on the Day of Israel’s greatest Pentecost – Christ, “being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” – This is the Messiah and the Saviour.
A few days later, after another notable miracle, Peter again was able to declared the name of Christ. “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
Not only did Jehovah overthrow the wicked hatred of the Pharisees against Christ, by raising Him from death, but that death and resurrection are key ingredients in the salvation of the Lord’s elect. The blood which Christ shed on the cross was the blood of the atonement – God’s perfect sacrifice. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sins – and for perfect remission there was the necessity of the perfect sacrifice. Christ Jesus was, and still is, that sacrifice.
If Jesus was walking among us this morning, teaching, preaching and proving His deity as He did two thousand years ago, I think that He would be the most hated man in the world. Some would still love Him, but the vast majority of humanity would hate Him and wish for His death. But just as God gave faith and repentance to many in Israel 2,000 years ago, He is still giving faith and repentance today. There are still a few who are willing to hear what Christ has said and who believe Him. There are still a few who will cast themselves down before the risen One – trusting in His grace and accepting His salvation. There are still a handful who are willing to live in repentance before God, and to believe on Christ for forgiveness and eternal life.
The Jews yearned for the death of Christ, not knowing that God had ordained His death for the salvation of hundreds of thousands of sinners. Are you one of those repenting, believing sinners? Or are you still on the side of Pharisees, Sadducees and Herodians – still on the losing – and dead – side? Repent before God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.