On a new page, miss the top two lines and list… As many reasons as you can why people liked Jesus

3.12 Who Opposed Jesus To know that Jesus had enemies To understand why people hated Jesus Evaluate whether Jesus deliberately upset them

Background Jesus grew up in Nazareth in Israel. At the time Israel was occupied by the Romans. Some Jews got on well with the Roman soldiers and leaders but others hated them. Although the Romans were in charge, they did let the Jewish leaders retain some of their power. For example, they could still have a trial to decide if someone should have the death penalty but they then had to ask the Romans for permission to do it.

Religious Leaders There were different religious groups amongst the Jewish leaders in Israel at the time of Jesus. Pharisees The word Pharisee means “separated one.” They were obsessed with not breaking God’s law. They thought that they were so good and righteous that they were “separate” from the ordinary people. They often made new laws to protect God’s law (although sometimes the new laws actually went against the original ones. They hated the Romans but were not usually violent against them.

Religious Leaders Sadducees These were rich leaders who often sent a lot of time in the temple. They had a lot of power and were prepared to get on with the Romans to keep their power and wealth. They agreed that God’s law was important but they rejected the new rules that the Pharisees made. They did not believe in heaven.

Religious Leaders Zealots These were a group who hated the Romans and tried to get rid of them. They started several revolts against them but the Romans won every time. In the largest of these revolts (after the time of Jesus) the Romans punished them by destroying the temple. It has never been re-built. People may have thought that Jesus was a zealot at first as he was the Messiah but Jesus made it clear that he would not support any rebellion.

Religious Leaders Pharisees Sadducees Zealots Hated Romans- made up new rules- separated ones. Sadducees Rich powerful- did not want to “rock the boat” (change)- did not believe in life after death Zealots Hated the Romans- violent against them Using the notes above to help you, answer the following questions. Describe the: Can you think of any reasons why any of these groups would have disliked Jesus.

Bible passages Use the following passages to answer the questions below. Mark 12:18-27 Matthew 9:10-13 Mark 12:13-17 Why do you think Jesus was hated by the Sadducees Pharisees Zealots Read Mark 2:3-12. Do you think Jesus deliberately annoyed the Jewish leaders or not? Explain your answer Can you think of a reason why Jesus might need enemies? Jesus was hated by the Jewish leaders but was he hated by the Romans. Read Matthew 27: 11-26 to help you. If Jesus was right in all that he said and he was perfect then how do you think people managed to hate him and think he was wrong?

Mark 12-Sadducees Marriage at the Resurrection  18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection[a] whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”  24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[b]? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

Matthew 9- Pharisees While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 12:13-Zealots Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar  13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax[b] to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”    But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”    “Caesar’s,” they replied.  17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”    And they were amazed at him.

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