Dear Rapaire your reply
"And JN roundly criticized those who kept the letter of the (Jewish) law but not the spirit."

..is not that exceptional since most Rabbais would agree with it, and even in those days most Jews would have agreed as well. So it appears that is was not just about religion, it HAD to have been about other things. Perhaps money, perhaps power, perhaps revolution. Read again the reported reply 'give to Rome...'

I think the man started off with a scriptural plan but things got out of hand and he ended up sincerely believing things that proved to be false. He knew that he was NOT G_d. "the Father etc"

Born and reared a Jew the man went through all the rituals.
He knew and taught the Jewish Law, many called him Rabbai. He was then a Jew. He believed his mission was for the Jews, ALL of them. His entire life was Jewish - about them, about their society and for that alone. Anything else is makebelieve or simply evil.