Matthew 21:46
“When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet.”
What does Matthew 21:46 mean?
The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus right then and there, but they held back because they were afraid of the crowd. The people around them believed Jesus was a prophet, a messenger from God, and they weren't willing to let him be taken away. Sometimes what stops injustice isn't courage on the part of the powerful, but simply the presence of those who care enough to bear witness. The leaders' fear shows us that even when people are determined to do wrong, they're often constrained by the voices and convictions of ordinary people around them.