Who was responsible for

the death of Jesus?

Lesson Two:The Envious

Leaders of Israel

• Envy (PHTHONOS): “the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others” (Vine)

• JEALOUSY is contentious rivalry toward someone who is trying and/or succeeding to take something/someone from you that you have.

• ENVY is when you want what someone else has and you don't currently have it.

• Envious of “equals” and especially those they once viewed as inferior.

WHAT IS ENVY?

Social causes of envy.

Psalms 73:1-3 (NASB)1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those

who are pure in heart! 2 But as for me, my feet came close to

stumbling; My steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the

arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Success of one is seen as a loss to others:

Mark 9:33-35 (ESV)33 And they came to Capernaum. And

when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"

34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about

who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the

twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." - cf. 3 John 9; Phil. 2:3

Celebration of Rivalry and Combat:

John 12:42-43 (NASB)42 Nevertheless many even of the

rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, lest they should be put out of the

synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the

approval of God.

The love of honor given by men:

The Leaders of Israel (Sanhedrin)

• They had religious and political authority to govern all the Jewish

people in Judea in N.T. times.• The council was comprised of chief

priests, scribes, and teachers; the majority were Sadducees and others

Pharisees, 71 members in all.• The high priest was the presiding

elder over the council (member “71”).

The Leaders of Israel envied Jesus’ SUCCESS.

30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?" 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.

John 7:30-32 (NKJV)

But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant.

Matthew 21:15 (NKJV)

17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.

Mark 11:17-18 (NKJV)

47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."... 53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.

John 11:47-48, 53

The envious seek to tear down and destroy others.

John 16:1-2 (NKJV)1 "These things I have spoken to you,

that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of

the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will

think that he offers God service.

OSTRACISM (Banishment, made an outcast)

Matthew 12:24 (NKJV)Now when the Pharisees heard it they

said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler

of the demons."

GOSSIP and SLANDER

Luke 7:34 (NASB)The Son of Man has come eating and

drinking; and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a

friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!'

GOSSIP and SLANDER

Proverbs 16:28 (ESV)A dishonest man spreads strife,

and a whisperer (a gossip) separates close friends.

GOSSIP and SLANDER

Luke 11:53-54 (NKJV)53 And as He said these things to

them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many

things, 54 lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.

PERSISTANT HOSTILITY

Mark 3:6 (NKJV)Then the Pharisees went out and

immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they

might destroy Him.

VIOLENCE & MURDER(e.g. 1 Kings 21 / Titus 3:3; 1 John 3:15)

Matthew 20:17-19 (NKJV)17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be

betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to

death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."

VIOLENCE & MURDER

Matthew 21:45-46 (NKJV)45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of

them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the

multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

VIOLENCE & MURDER

Matthew 26:3-5 (NKJV)3 Then the chief priests, the scribes,

and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who

was called Caiaphas, 4 and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.

5 But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the

people."

VIOLENCE & MURDER

Matthew 26:59-61 (NKJV)59 Now the chief priests, the elders,

and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to

death, 60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward 61 and said,

"This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in

three days.'"

VIOLENCE & MURDER

17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

Matthew 27:17-18

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips.

Romans 1:28-29 (NASB)

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV)

9 But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" 10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.12 Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?" 13 So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"

Mark 15:9-13 (NKJV)