If Christ had called attention to the Pharisees, and had extolled their learning and piety, they would have hailed Him with joy. But when He spoke of the kingdom of heaven as a dispensation of mercy for all mankind, He was presenting a phase of religion they would not tolerate. Their own example and teaching had never been such as to make the service of God seem desirable. When they saw Jesus giving attention to the very ones they hated and repulsed, it stirred up the worst passions of their proud hearts. Notwithstanding their boast that under the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev. 5:5), Israel should be exalted to pre-eminence over all nations, they could have borne the disappointment of their ambitious hopes better than they could bear Christ's reproof of their sins, and the reproach they felt even from the presence of His purity.

Hvis Kristus havde vendt opmærksomheden mod farisæerne og havde prist deres lære og fromhed, så ville de med glæde have tiljublet ham. Men når han talte om Himmeriget som en nådens gave til hele menneskeheden, så forkyndte han en side af religionen, som de ikke ville finde sig i. Deres eget eksempel og deres egen lære havde aldrig været sådan, at den kunne gøre det til noget attråværdigt at tjene Gud. Når de så Jesus tage sig af netop dem, som de hadede og afskyede, vakte det de værste lidenskaber i deres hovmodige hjerter. Skønt de pralede af, at under "Løven af Judas stamme" (Åb. 5,5) skulle Israel ophøjes til at herske over alle folkeslag, så kunne de lettere have udholdt at se deres ærgerrige håb blive skuffet, end de kunne tåle Kristi irettesættelser for deres synder og den bebrejdelse, som de følte ved blot at være i nærheden af hans renhed.