Many Became Offended at Jesus

Many of the people therefore, when they heard these sayings, said, "Of a truth this is the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Shall the Messiah come out of Galilee? Doesn't the Scripture say that the Messiah will come from the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was from?" So there was a division among the people because of him (John 7:40-43). The Religious Establishment began to oppose Jesus and many were offended by Jesus.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue and stood up to read the Bible aloud to the congregation. And there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach Good News to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach freedom to the enslaved and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Isaiah 61:1-2). And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the rabbi, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. (Luke 4:16-22) And they said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?" And many hearing him were astonished, saying, "From where did this man get all of these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Miriam, the brother of Jacob, and Joseph, and of Judah, and Simeon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they were offended at him (Mark 6:2-3). And he said unto them, "You will surely say unto me this proverb, "Physician, heal thyself" and say "What we have heard you have done in Capernaum, do also here in your own country." And he said, "Truly, truly I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; but unto none of them was Elijah sent, except unto Sarepta, a city in Lebanon, unto a foreign woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, except a gentile, Namaan the Syrian" (Luke 4:23-27). And he could not do any miracle among them because of their lack of faith. So he departed from that place. And he was amazed at their unbelief (Mark 6:5).

Leaving Nazareth, he traveled to other towns and villages, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God. So he went about the villages in a circuit, teaching them (Mark 6:6).

The Pharisees looked upon his disciples and despised them in their heart, and called them common and simple men and spoke of them in derision as a motley rabble of farmers, whores, carpenters, stonemasons, fishermen, shepherds, day laborers, beggars, terrorists and brigands. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, "I thank thee, O Abba, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto little children: even so, Abba; for so it seemed good in thy sight." (Luke 10:21). (Abba is Aramaic for loving Father.)

And the religious leaders scoffed at him and said of Jesus, "Where has this man gotten all this wisdom when he has never studied?" (John 7:15). Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not my own, it is from the One who sent Me. If someone is sincerely seeking to do God's will, he shall know if my teaching is from God or whether I speak by my own authority (John 7: 16-17). Do not judge according to appearances but judge with righteous judgment (John 7: 24)." Jesus looked upon the Pharisees and spoke unto them, saying, "And why do you behold the speck that is in your brother's eye, but you don't perceive the plank that is in your own eye?"  How can you say to your brother, "Brother, let me pull out the speck that is in your eye," when you yourself cannot see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, cast out first the plank out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to pull out the speck that is in your brother's eye (Matthew7:3-5, Luke 6:41-42). For a good tree doesn't bring forth corrupt fruit; neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor of a bramble bush do they gather grapes. You brood of vipers, how can you say good things when you are evil? A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:43-45). I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you shall be justified and by your words you shall be condemned (Matthew 12:37). Whoever has will be given more and whoever has not, even that which he has will be taken away (Matthew 12:29). If I do not do the works of My Father do not believe me; but if I do, though you do not believe in Me, believe the works, that you may know that the Father is in me, and I in Him." (John 10:37).

Jesus said, "Beware, you who stand, lest you fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). The time is coming in which there will be trials and persecutions and many shall be offended at me and shall fall away. And you shall be hated by many because you bear my name but he who endures to the end, that one shall be saved (Luke 17:32). Remember Lot's wife." (Luke 17:32, Genesis 19:26).

And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, "Listen! Behold, there went out a farmer to sow seed. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and devoured it up. And some seed fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred." And he said unto them, "He that has ears to hear, let him hear. The sower sowed the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and took away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended and fall away. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, the mammon of iniquity and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred." (Mark 4:2-9, 14-20).

Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. Abide in Me, and I shall abide in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up, and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, where they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask for whatsoever you wish and it shall be granted unto you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and show yourselves to be my disciples. Just as My Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love. If you follow My instruction, you will abide in My love; just as I have followed My Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have told you these things so that My joy may indwell you, and that your joy may be made complete." (John 15:1-11).

There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, "He has a devil, and is mad; why do you listen to him?" Others said, "These are not the words of him that is demon possessed. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?" (John 10:19-21).

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, "Will you also go away?" Then Simon Kaipha answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." (John 6:66-69).

And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem spoke unto the people and said unto them, "He is possessed by the demon Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils he casts out devils." Then Jesus called them out, and confronted them and said unto them, "How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but is at an end. No man can enter into a strong man's house, and take his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Of a truth I say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost shall remain unforgiven, and is in danger of eternal damnation." He said this to them because they had spoken evil of him, saying "He has an unclean spirit and is demon possessed." (Mark 3:22-30).

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess." And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted (Luke 18:9-14)."

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither do you allow them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation (Matthew 23:13-14). Woe unto the Pharisees for they bind heavy burdens and very grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers (Matthew 23:4).Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity (Matthew 23:27-28). Woe unto you, Pharisees, for you love the best seats in the synagogues and loved to be greeted in the markets (Luke 1:43). Woe unto you, Bible scholars, for you have taken away the key of knowledge, you have not entered into knowledge yourself and prevented those whom were entered from going in there! (Luke 11:52) Woe unto them, the Pharisees! For they are like a dog sleeping in a manger of the cattle; for he neither eats, nor does he let the cattle eat" (Thomas 1:102).

"Take heed that you do not give your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you will have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does: That your alms may be in secret: and your Father which sees in secret Himself shall reward you openly (Matthew 6:1-4). Moreover when you fast, do not be as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; that you do not appear unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret: and your Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly" (Matthew 6:16-18). Woe to you Pharisees, you blind guides, who strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel (Matthew 23:24)! Woe unto you blind guides that lead the blind! And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch (Matthew 6:22-23). The light of the body is the eye: if therefore your eye be whole, your whole body shall be full of light. But if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23).

And Jesus said, "I have come into this world, that they which don't see might be made to see; and that they which see might be made blind."  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, "Are you saying that we are blind also?" Jesus said unto them, "If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, 'We see;' therefore your sin remains." (John 9:39-41)

Jesus spoke unto those who remained and followed him and said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15). I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and runs away: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep. The hired man flees, because he is a hired hand, and doesn't care for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." Then said Jesus unto them again, "Truly, truly, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheepfold. Others that have come before me were thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the Door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am come that you may truly live, and live life to the fullest (John 10:11-16, 7-10). For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost (Matthew 18:11). Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). If a man has an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not leave the ninety and nine, and go into the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more of that one sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish (Matthew 12:12-14). I say unto you, that likewise joy and great rejoicing shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents." (Luke 15:7-10).