In Matthew 12, Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees is heated. Being perfectly God, Jesus was perfectly indignant about the spiritual state of Israel. Unbelief, and anti-belief in the case of the Pharisees, had served in leading the nation of Israel into religiosity and legalism, with the people striving to gain acceptance with their God, offering the same routine sacrifices, and promoting their own self-righteousness as a reason why God should look favorably upon them (Luke 18:11-12). Jesus’ anger is justified. The heart of Israel’s leaders had been publicly revealed with pride, corruption, and denial being its manifestation. Now that this critical moment had come into play, the offer of the kingdom would fall to the wayside with Jesus’ focus turning to the events surrounding the cross of Calvary…