The message of Jesus challenges the people and their leaders. The announcement of the kingdom indicates that God has a different purpose for life than what the people expect. They together with their leaders are busy defining the rules. They want to know exactly what is allowed and what is not allowed, what is legal and what is illegal. It was no more easy in Jesus day than in our own to determine what is legal and what is illegal.
Life is always ambiguous.
The enemy of life is always ready to take advantage of the ambiguities in life in order to enslave us rather than to give us life that we seek. The Pharisees came to Jesus in order to test him. We know that they were already plotting how to kill Jesus. Their questions were sinister and designed to entrap him. Don t forget that Jesus has already been hard hit by the news that John the Baptizer has been executed by King Herod.