compel humans to do his bidding (23:37; 26:37–45, 53).16 On the contrary, he calls humans to repentance in view of the gracious nearness of God’s kingly Rule (4:17). The upshot is that the conflict on which the plot of Matthew’s story turns is that between Jesus and Israel. Israel in Matthew comprises two larger groups: the Jewish crowds and their leaders. As the reader quickly discovers, until the passion the crowds are generally well-disposed toward Jesus. Jesus’ conflict with them is over whether