In Jerusalem, some members of the High Council decided on killing Jesus. They sent an order for his arrest, and threatened Jewish believers with expulsion from the synagogue and the exclusion from God’s blessing if they persisted in following Jesus. Spies from the Council roaming around Galilee began to search and enquire about Jesus. No wonder the crowds withdrew from him for their choice was persecution from the nation’s leaders, or an indefinite salvation found in Jesus. They chose the here rather than the hereafter, preferring their own security to God’s gift.
Kule Yerusalemu baadhi ya wajumbe wa Baraza Kuu tayari waliamua kumwua Yesu. Walituma agizo la kumfunga, tena wakawatisha waumini wa kiyahudi kwamba watatengwa na Sinagogi na hivyo kukatwa na baraka za Mungu, wakinang’ania kumfuata Yesu. Wapelelezi toka barazani wakizunguka Galilaya wakaanza kumtafuta na kumwulizia Yesu. Basi haishangazi kwamba, makutano waliondoka kwake, maana chaguo lao sasa ikataka kuleta mateso toka kwa viongozi wa taifa, au wokovu wa mashaka ambao labda utapatikana kwake Yesu. Hivyo walichagua ya karibu kuliko ya mbeleni, wakipendelea usalama wao zaidi kuliko zawadi kutoka kwa Mungu.