As man, Jesus Christ died young, at the age of thirty-three. His years on earth were few.
He spent thirty years in His home village, and in the final three years He went out into the world, proclaiming the Kingdom of God.
Why did His public ministry last only three years?
The religious leaders of Israel waged such a relentless campaign against Him that, humanly speaking, it was impossible for Him to go on living. Indeed, the fact that He was able to preach for even three years was an “achievement” in itself.
This is a “detail” we tend to pass over.
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SECTION IV
2. Envy–Murder
Envy drove Christ’s opponents to plot His death. The following are examples.
It was winter, during the first year of Jesus’ public ministry. The Lord was teaching in the synagogue on a Sabbath. He healed a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees could not bear it; they were so enraged that they could no longer remain in the synagogue. They went outside, held a council, and decided to put Christ to death (Mark 3:1–6).
The following March or early April, during the second year of His public ministry, Christ travelled to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. On the Sabbath, He healed a sick man who was paralyzed (John 5:8). As a result, they conspired against Him and decided to put Him to death (John 5:16).
Later that same year, toward the end of September, during the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus again travelled to Jerusalem and taught in the Temple. He declared, “You know Me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on My own authority” (John 7:28). They attempted to arrest Him, but no one could lay a hand on Him (John 7:30). Afterwards, they picked up stones to kill Him, but He passed through their midst and left the Temple.
Again, during that same year, at the beginning of December, during the Feast of Dedication, Jesus travelled to Jerusalem once more. While He was teaching in the Temple, they again picked up stones to stone Him. They also tried to arrest Him, but He slipped through their fingers.
Then, after He had raised Lazarus from the dead, the chief priests and Pharisees convened an emergency council and once again reached the same verdict: to put Jesus to death (John 11:53).
“You are seeking to kill Me,” the Lord said to them (John 7:19).
When the pilgrims saw Jesus in the Temple, they said among themselves, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill?” (John 7:25).
Acting in accordance with His human nature, Jesus did not wish to travel openly in Judea (John 7:1). He went to Jerusalem privately (John 7:10) and at times withdrew from public view (John 11:54).
However, acting in accordance with His divine authority, He did not fear His opponents. The people remarked in amazement, “Here He is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to Him!” (John 7:26), as they watched Him speaking with those who sought His death.
Wishing to protect His disciples, Jesus strictly ordered them not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah (Matthew 16:20). He did the same with the crowds, warning them not to make Him known publicly (Matthew 12:16).
This climate of hostility affected even the leaders of the people, for “many even among the authorities believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42).
In the midst of such a toxic atmosphere, Jesus continued the work entrusted to Him by His Father.
The hostility shown toward Him became so intense that, from a human standpoint, it was impossible for Him to remain in Judea any longer; the only seemingly inevitable outcome was death.
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