and jewish independence cause(he was a jew afterall) but that he told the romans his kingdom was in heaven not an earthy one was a valid statemnt he had no kingly ambition and he was not a rebel leader. Remember "Jesus said to them, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."? Agreed that the pharisees and herod felt threatened and forced the roman hands to kill him making use  lexicographic confusion over 'messiah'. As with his zealot followers, 2 things are quite clear:

1)Why should herod and the pharisees fear a preacher? Sublime moral teachings could hardly shake herod's kingship; the zealots saw great potential in jesus and rallied around him, thus a large threatening movement was formed.

2)He didnt explicitly claim to be messiah. Probably he never outrite denied it becos he didnt want to dampen his followers' enthusiasm.

 Jesus was a sublime moral teacher. Calling him son of god to me is quite alrite as a title. His 5 loaves of bread&2 fishes was an act of communal sharing to help the poor israelites.