Why They Hated Jesus – Envy
April 15, 2008
Dear Friends,
It has been said that “Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius.”(1) Think how often jealousy plays in Bible stories. Cain killed Abel in a fit of jealousy. When Joseph was loved better than his brothers, they flew into a rage plotting to kill him and eventually selling him into slavery. Haman is thrown into a fit of apoplexy by the king’s honoring Mordecai. Saul was envious of David as the women sang their song “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” As a result, he sought to kill him. In each case, the lesser was jealous of the greater. The path to self-improvement for the “lesser” is replaced with the destruction of the “greater.” The writer of the Proverbs was dead on when he said “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?” (27:4)
When Jesus came on the scene, the Pharisees were used to being held in high esteem. They were used to being the last word on religious matters and seldom – if ever – were challenged on their opinions. Sure, they were challenged each other. The Pharisees would challenge the Sadducees on the resurrection of the dead and they might argue amongst themselves on the subject of when a man might divorce. However, the average lay person – the unschooled – would not dare to challenge the Pharisees on religious matters. They ruled the Jewish religious world even if their collective character would easily place them in the category of “lesser.”
It is helpful to keep in mind that Jesus was not the first challenge to their religious supremacy. John the Baptist was the first to condemn the Pharisees. Imagine their surprise when this wild man said to them “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” (Matt. 3:7-8) When the ministry of Jesus’ quickly followed on the heels of the John’s, the Pharisees were in no mood to be challenged.
You will notice in the Gospels that there is an increase of animosity over Jesus’ three and a half year ministry culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus by the Pharisees. The more popular Jesus became, the more the Pharisees tried to stop him. The more people talked about Jesus, the more they tried to find some flaw in his theology or his practice. Ultimately, finding no flaw in Jesus, they found their answer in political intrigue, false witness and scheming. His superiority was his execution order.
Very few people take criticism and correction well and the Pharisees were no exceptions. Jesus said, “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” (John 7:7) It is incrementally harder to take correction if you have staked your reputation and self-esteem on being an instructor to others. Coupled with the fact that Jesus held none of the requisite “degrees in divinity” from their schools, he was loathsome to them. The result is that they hated Jesus because of their pride and its accompanying symptom – jealousy. Even Pilate in his brief encounter with Jesus could spot the obvious. “He [Pilate] knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.”
The Pharisees considered themselves to be the best of the best when it came to religion. Rather than celebrating someone who eclipsed them in good works and in Bible knowledge, they sought to destroy him. There are few things as dangerous as religious zeal coupled with pride, ignorance and envy. Jesus would feel their wrath for his “sin” of excellence.
Have a great week,
(1) Fulton J. Sheen
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