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Bible Dictionaries
Opposition
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or OPPOSITION—The reason for the opposition offered to Christ in proclaiming His Kingdom on earth was the hostility of the scribes, Pharisees, and others, who represented the religious element in the Jewish nation. The profession of religion was at that time fashionable among the Jews. To make a parade of religious observance was a sure passport to popularity, as the ostentatious display of wealth is in modern times. Christ decried this parade of religion as hypocritical. He inveighed against the Pharisees and scribes in no measured terms (see esp. Matthew 23). He told them that their profession was a sham and their religion worthless. He assured them that their lineal descent from Abraham, on which they prided themselves so much, gave them no special plea for acceptance with God. It was the spiritual descendants of the patriarch, who imitated his faith and listened to the teaching of God, who were the true Israelites, the inheritors of the promise. He insisted upon a religion of the heart, and not the outward and formal rites and observances, on which they laid such stress because they brought them into favour with men.
The Sadducees, with the leading priestly families at their head, had a special grudge against Jesus, on account of His cleansing of the Temple and condemnation of the traffic carried on in its courts,—a traffic in which they had a direct interest.
The opposition to Christ was so bitter as to be satisfied with nothing short of His death. It culminated in the illegal trial before the high priest and the Sanhedrin, and the arraignment before Pontius Pilate. Its strength is shown in the preference for the release of Barabbas to that of Jesus. Though the Roman governor fully realized that this opposition was dictated by envy, and that Christ was innocent of any thought of treason against the Roman government, yet he was afraid, from motives of personal interest, to give a decision in accordance with his convictions.
As far as the people, as distinguished from the ruling classes, were concerned, their final opposition, or at least indifference, to Jesus arose chiefly from the way in which He had disappointed their carnal Messianic expectations. See, artt. Popularity, Popularity of Jesus.
Christ in the Gospels warned His disciples constantly of the opposition with which they would inevitably meet (see esp. Matthew 24:9, Mark 10:30, Luke 21:12-16, John 15:20).
C. H. Prichard.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Opposition'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/o/opposition.html. 1906-1918.
