12:14 Plotting to Kill Jesus When Jesus began to call attention to the Jewish leaders’ inadequate repentance and their lack of compassion, the result was that the religious leaders decided they needed to kill Jesus. His miraculous healings were less significant to the leaders than the fact that he was breaking long-standing religious traditions by working on the Sabbath. Jesus was directly challenging the authority of the religious leaders through both his teachings and his actions. The people wanted the blessings Jesus brought, but the leaders didn’t want to lose their control by changing either their beliefs or their lifestyle. So instead, they plotted to kill him.