“this mob” the religious leaders of the day held great contempt for the common people, whom they called “the people of the earth”. Note the following statements:

“one of the people of the earth is one that has moral excellencies, but not intellectual ones; that is, there is in him common civility, but the law is not in him;” (Maimon. in Pirke Abot, c. 2. sect. 5. & c. 5. sect. 7.)

“they that are without knowledge are the multitude.” (Abarbinel in proph. post. fol. 473.)

The Pharisees believed that they could earn their salvation by obeying the Law and they had discerned 613 commandments in that Law to which they added all of the oral traditions which interpreted the scripture. All of this they tried to keep. “It is small wonder that ordinary, pious people, like the crowd of pilgrims, simply gave up the task. Their knowledge of the Bible could not be compared with that of the Pharisees. And because it could not, their practice could not be the same as that of these zealous exponents of the traditions. Inevitably then the crowds failed to comply with what the Pharisees thought of as necessary rules, and thus came under severe condemnation.” (Morris 433) They thus, in the eyes of the Pharisees, became “cursed” as Deut 27:26 states.

Deut 27:26  “Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

Barclay states, “Their plea was: ‘Nobody who is spiritually and academically of any account has believed on this Jesus. Only ignorant fools accept him.’” And yet the real fools were not the common people at all, but the Pharisees. The reason for this is that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who consider themselves wise (1 Cor 1:21). Self-denial was difficult for the Pharisees and the rulers since they thought themselves to be their own gate into heaven because of their own righteousness which they had tried so hard to earn. With knowledge and self-righteousness come pride (1 Cor 8:1) and self-reliance and Jesus was teaching the exact opposite of these things (Mat 16:24). God requires of us that we forsake our always-insufficient righteousness and die to self so we can live in Him (1 Cor 1:26-29).

1 Cor 1:21  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

1 Cor 8:1  Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

Mat 16:24  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

1 Cor 1:26-29  Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no-one may boast before him.

The Pharisees were religious, dedicated, knowledgeable, and self-reliant. Beware if you start falling into their trap. Barclay cautions that “It is indeed a terrible thing when a man thinks himself either too clever or too good to need Jesus Christ — and it can happen yet.”