Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things (Mark 6:34).
Crowds are like sheep, following whatever or whoever. Both Jesus and the pharisees knew this. Crowds are not always the brightest. In the last 60+ years, social scientists and psychologists have studied crowd behavior in order learn and manipulate buying behavior. Political scientists have likewise studied crowd behavior in order to manipulate voter response. All of them conclude that crowds can be manipulated. Using the right buttons (usually related to emotions such as anger, fear, insecurity, etc., people generally (but not always) respond in predictable ways. As Jesus believed, people are like sheep.
THE PHARISEES
The Pharisees sent officers to take Jesus and bring him back as a prisoner, however, after hearing Jesus, the officers were impressed by what he said and did not take him. When they told the Pharisees that they didn't bring Jesus and why they didn't, the Pharisees got angry and said, "This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God's curse is on them" (John 7:49)!
The Pharisees looked down on the crowds for 2 reasons:
1. They did not know the Law.
2. They followed Jesus. They believed that the reason they didn't like Jesus was because they knew the Law better than the crowds, but in reality there were other reasons they didn't like Jesus, such as:
a. Jesus posed a threat to their preeminence.
b. Jesus did't believe right; he disagreed with them in several areas of the Law.
c. Jesus didn't do it right; he became good friends with bad people and helped them out.
d. The Pharisees were jealous of Jesus' popularity.
Over the years, the Pharisees developed a faith better suited for professionals. It took time and energy to be able to reach the goals and demands for individual piety that they strove to reach. It took time and energy that only certain people could accomplish, people who spent their days studying small details about the Law, pouring over words, striving to understand details about the Sabbath, about what is or what is not unclean, and the proper amount to tithe.
JESUS
Jesus read the same Law, but he took it from the professionals and gave it to the common and poverty bound people. Jesus' focus was more on community, forgiveness and mercy. Like the religious leaders, Jesus viewed the crowds as sheep; but whereas the Pharisees despised the crowds for their lack of knowledge in the Law and following Jesus, Jesus had compassion on the people, knowing that with proper guidance they were awesome.
Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things (Mark 6:34).
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