Why do the Pharisees want to destroy Jesus and why is Jesus so angry with them? In a word, Religion. Religion is various forms of “If I perform, if I obey, I’m accepted.” Therefore, the Pharisees had added multiple rules on top of the Sabbath command, in order to make sure they were very good and God would have to love and accept them. However, trying to achieve your own worth through who you are or what you do is like being on an endless treadmill of performance. We can never be good enough, open-minded enough, or tolerant enough for God to accept us through our works. Both religion and irreligion are endless, producing unrest. The gospel of Jesus is something else entirely. Because on the cross Jesus said “It is finished” we can rest in Him forever. He has lived the life we should have lived and died the death we deserve to die. Because through Jesus God is satisfied with you, you can be satisfied with life. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, bringing deep rest and acceptance to all who’s faith is in Him.