Who were the main opponents of Jesus during his earthly ministry?
During His earthly ministry, the primary opposition to Jesus came from the Jews of His day, especially the Pharisees, with whom He had most to do. Their pride in their lineage as children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob fueled their resistance to Him.
Les explains that the great opposition to Jesus of Nazareth during His earthly ministry came from the Jews of His day, especially the Pharisees, with whom He had most to do. They were proud of their lineage and genealogy. They were not the children of Esau or Ishmael; they were the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This pride in physical descent contrasted with John 1:13, which describes believers as born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.