Instantly on getting the news Jesus “withdrew”—­for the third time withdrew to a retired desert place.  This had tremendous personal meaning for Him.  Nothing has occurred thus far that spells out for Him the coming tragic close so large, so terribly large, as does this.  He stays away from the Passover Feast occurring at this time, the only one of the four of His public career He failed to attend.

The Murderous Rejection.

This crisis leads at once into the final stage, the murderous rejection.  Jesus is now a fugitive from the province of Judea, because the death plot has been deliberately settled upon.  The southern leaders begin a more vigorous campaign of harrying Him up in Galilee.  A fresh deputation of Pharisees come up from Jerusalem to press the fighting.  They at once bring a charge against Jesus’ disciples of being untrue to the time-honored traditions of the national religion.  Yet it is found to be regarding such trivial things as washing their hands and arms clear up to the elbows each time before eating, and of washing of cups and pots and the like.  Jesus sharply calls attention to their hypocrisy and cant, by speaking of their dishonoring teachings and practices in matters of serious moment.  Then He calls the crowd together and talks on the importance of being clean inside, in the heart and thought.  Before all the crowds He calls them hypocrites.  It’s a sharp clash and break.  Jesus at once “withdrew.”  It is the fourth time that significant danger word is used.  This time His withdrawal is clear out of the Jewish territory, far up north to the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, on the seacoast, and there He attempts to remain unknown.

After a bit He returns again, this time by a round-about way, to the Sea of Galilee.  Quickly the crowds find out His presence and come; and again many a life and many a home are utterly changed by His touch.  With the crowd come the Pharisees, this time in partnership with another group, the Sadducees, whom they did not love especially.  They hypocritically beg a sign from heaven, as though eager to follow a divinely sent messenger.  But He quickly discerns their purpose to tempt Him into something that can be used against Him.  The sign is refused.  Jesus never used His power to show that He could, but only to help somebody.

The fall of that year found Him boldly returning to the danger zone of Jerusalem for attendance on the harvest-home festival called by them the Feast of Tabernacles.  It was the most largely attended of the three annual gatherings, attracting thousands of faithful Jews from all parts of the world.  The one topic of talk among the crowds was Jesus, with varying opinions expressed; but those favorable to Him were awed by the keen purpose of the leaders to kill Him.  When the festival was in full swing, one morning, Jesus quietly appears among the temple crowds, and begins teaching.  The leaders tried