popularity with the Galileans was declining because they realized He was not going to be a political or military Messiah. The Jewish religious leaders grew more and more hostile toward Him because He ignored their cherished traditions and claimed to be the Son of God. He stepped up His training of the disciples as He sensed the time of His death was drawing near. During the final year of Jesus’ earthly life, He concentrated His ministry in Judea, Jerusalem, and a region known as Perea. Situated east