The test was too great. The enthusiasm of those who had sought to take Him by force and make Him king grew cold. This discourse in the synagogue, they declared, had opened their eyes. Now they were undeceived. In their minds His words were a direct confession that He was not the Messiah, and that no earthly rewards were to be realized from connection with Him. They had welcomed His miracle-working power; they were eager to be freed from disease and suffering; but they would not come into sympathy with His self-sacrificing life. They cared not for the mysterious spiritual kingdom of which He spoke. The insincere, the selfish, who had sought Him, no longer desired Him. If He would not devote His power and influence to obtaining their freedom from the Romans, they would have nothing to do with Him.

Denne prøve var dem for stor. Begejstringen kølnedes hos dem, der havde villet tage ham med magt og kåre ham til konge. De erklærede, at denne tale i synagogen havde åbnet deres øjne. Nu var de revet ud af vildfarelsen. Efter deres mening var hans ord en direkte indrømmelse af, at han ikke var Messias, og at der ikke var noget jordisk at vente sig til gengæld, hvis man sluttede sig til ham. De havde hilst hans undergerninger med glæde; de higede efter at blive befriet for sygdomme og lidelser, men de kunne ikke føle nogen forståelse for hans selvopofrende liv. De brød sig ikke om dette hemmelighedsfulde åndelige rige, som han talte om. De hykleriske og de egenkærlige, som havde søgt til ham, havde ikke mere brug for ham. Hvis han ikke ville vie sin kraft og indflydelse til at befri dem fra romerne, så ville de ikke have noget at gøre med ham.