The Pharisees rejected the Savior Matthew 12:1-21 : The Bible is plain in showing that it is wrong to fail to be as strict as God intents. But, the Bible also shows that it is wrong to be stricter than God intended us to be. The Pharisees desired to trap Jesus. They had no interest in learning truth. If they had desired truth they would have "read in the law" concerning the Sabbath. They would also have learned that, "the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:8)

The Pharisees asked, "is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Jesus showed that they were more concerned about a sheep needing help than a man needing help. They are without excuse, yet they rejected God's Son and sought opportunity to kill Him. "Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him." (Matthew 12:14) Their envy of Jesus led to spiritual blindness, and hardness of heart.

God described Jesus as "my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased." (Matthew 12:18) The Pharisees, through their blindness and prejudice, rejected Jesus -- their only hope. The blindness of the Pharisee lead to disobedience to the Lord's commands. "And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment." (1 John 3:23)

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