SunMessenger said:
If Jesus succeeded then they may lose power. If He was killed then they could go on.
This is a common theme in emerging religions. You mentioned the example from Jesus' time.
Muhammad had similar problems with the Quraysh in Mecca (and some others).
The Bab, the Prophet-Herald of my religion, was martyred in a way very similar to Jesus, in that the religious leaders of His time pressured the government to kill Him.
Baha'u'llah, the Prophet-Founder of my religion, spent most of His life in a succession of exiles and imprisonments for the same reason: the religious powers that be, if He succeeded, would be out of a job.
And so it continues today. The mullahs and ayatollahs in Iran continue to persecute the Baha'is there, again, because they cling to their desire for power, wealth and prestige.
Plus ca change, la meme chose.