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After Jesus's refusal to submit to Pharisees' demands about the Sabbath, the battle now was set. Jesus vs. the Pharisees. The three-year war was marked by a continual war over the authority of Jesus. 

 

“No wonder He can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” (Matthew 12:24b) Jesus quickly refuted their claim by reminding them that “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive!” (Matthew 12:25-26).  

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He went on to say, “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.” (Matthew 12:33). And so, with men, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from an evil heart.” (Matthew 12:38). As Jesus’ eyes bored into the Pharisees, the unspoken question “What kind of fruit are you producing” silently echoed through the crowd. 

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