WHY DON’T TODAY’S JEWISH RABBI’S BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST IS THE PROMISED MESSIAH THEY HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR? [1 of 3] As human beings, we don't like to admit we’re wrong, especially when we must confess to being hopelessly sinful. Our human nature loves power and control, while we also want to feel special, important, and valuable. Knowing this, we should not be surprised when the Bible tells us humans had a similar mindset two thousand years ago, during a time of widespread religious hypocrisy and corruption—like today. So, the love and pursuit of power and control—mixed with religion—was also pervasive way back then. With all this in mind, is it possible that those rabbi’s accused Jesus and His followers of idol worship because they feared Christ’s ministry would cause them to lose power and status? Historical researchers located about twenty ancient sources, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, Josephus, and rabbinic writings that detail how absolutely corrupt Israel’s religious leaders were during that time of the Second Temple. They wanted Jesus dead, even though He let them know He hadn’t come to abolish God’s laws; He said He came to fulfill them. What Jesus did reject were the manmade traditions invented and hallowed by the rabbi’s of Christ’s day. Those were called the “oral law.” But Jesus knew that tradition just produces religion, and religion distances us from God.