The religious conceptions of the people, how ever, having been dulled by ceremonial formalism and hardened by political misfortunes, it was inevitable that such a teacher and worker as Jesus would not find acceptance siiith their reli gious leaders, in whom this condition was most realized, nor with that portion of them most under the influence and control of these leaders. For this reason Jesus had selected Galilee as the place for llis constructive work. The people of the north were less ecclesiastical and more receptive to such a message as Ile had to deliver and such a mission as Ile had to perform. For this reason also more time was given by Jesus to the Galilean tours than to the Jerusalem visits, while during those visits Tie avoided controversy which would lead to open conflict with the peo ple's leaders. In fact, it was the likelihood of such conflict that prevented Jesus' attendance at the second Passover of His ministry (-John vii. 2). If as the Messiah Ile must give His message to the religious centre of the land, and if the desire of winning that centre to the king dom of God must have been great in proportion as the centre held in itself the people's future, yet it was clear that such winning of men to the kingdom was more probable in Galilee than in .Jerusalem and Judea. On this principle lie had done the greater part of Ills work and spent the greater part of His time in the northern por tion of the country. And yet the fact of hostil to Jesus among the Jerusalem leaders not only early manifested itself in that city; but, as their representatives from time to time went into Galilee and came in contact with .Jesus' work,
it showed itself even there—on one occasion (Mark iii. 1-6) the Pharisees going so far as to take counsel with the Herodians against Him. In fact, all the political parties were opposed to Him, and came gradually to combine in persecu tion of Ilim. The offense which united them was the spiritual character of His mission; though, under the leadership of the Pharisees, the main point of attack, both in Jerusalem and in Galilee, was the free and independent attitude Jesus maintained toward the ceremonial regula tions of the law, particularly those which gath ered around the observance of the Sabbath; in addition to which, bitter resentment was aroused in Jerusalem by the claims He there made to special relationship to God.
As His popularity with the multitude in creased, and this hostility to Him among the leaders grew in strength, it became necessary for Jesus to meet the issue thus raised. This lie did by placing before Ifis Galilean following the true religious character of His mission (John vi.). It was delivered in the synagogue at Ca pernaum just after the feeding of the five thou sand, a wonder work which had aroused the grow ing enthusiasm to the highest pitch. leading them to a seeming determination to force Jesus, as the nation's Messiah, into a political revolu tion against Home. The effect of the discourse was confusing to their false views of Jesus and benumbing to their superficial devotion to His Cause. In fact. it broke His influence with them and practically ended His work in Galilee.