When Power Becomes Poison
The third reason the religious leaders of Jesus’ day rejected him was their lust for power and control.
The religious leaders had twisted something beautiful into something brutal. God's law—meant to guide His people toward life—became a weapon in their hands. They didn't shepherd God's flock. They dominated it.
In Matthew 23 we see Jesus exposing this:
"They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger." (Matthew 23:4)
They created burdens too heavy to carry. Rules upon rules and traditions stacked on top of traditions. Then they stood back and watched people struggle, never lifting a finger to help. Why? Because helping wasn't the point. Control was.
The Sabbath regulations are a good example. God had given the Sabbath as a gift—a day of rest and worship. But the Pharisees turned it into a minefield. You couldn't carry a handkerchief. They had transformed joy into fear.
When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He exposed their hearts. In Mark 3, Jesus stood in the synagogue with a man who had a withered hand and the Pharisees watched and waited for an opportunity to accuse Him. Jesus asked them: "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm?" They remained silent. Then He healed the man. And the Pharisees immediately went out to plot how to destroy Jesus.
Think about that. A man was healed, and their response was murder. Why? Because Jesus had dared to act without their approval. They demanded absolute submission. Their love of control ran so deep that they chose murder over truth.
After Jesus raised Lazarus from death, the chief priests gathered in panic. John 11:48 records their fear: "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him."
Notice those revealing words: "if we let him." They believed they controlled who could teach or heal. Jesus threatened their grip, so He had to die.
While this should shake us to the core, the same temptation lurks in our hearts. We can start loving God's Word but slowly shift to enforcing personal preferences and making people prove their loyalty.
But Jesus showed us a different way. He had all authority in heaven and earth. Yet He washed feet. He touched lepers. He welcomed children. He said in Matthew 20:28, "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
True spiritual authority looks like a cross, not a throne. It looks like Jesus kneeling with a towel, not standing with a whip.
The Pharisees rejected Jesus because He exposed what they really loved. Not God or people, but power itself. They couldn't worship the One who came to give freedom.
Remember: Jesus came to free us from those who love ruling over us, offering instead a Kingdom where the greatest become servants of all.
May Christ's servant-heart transform how you lead and follow.
Father, You alone deserve our worship and submission. Forgive us when we crave control over others more than we desire to serve. Thank You for Jesus, who wielded infinite power with perfect love. Make us more like Him in how we use whatever influence You give us. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Song: King of Kings