The Nationalists

Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
"What are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation."
Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. (John 11:47-52 NIV)

The rulers planned to kill Jesus to preserve the temple and the nation (John 11:48). But in the end, they destroyed the temple and killed the nation that they wanted to preserve.

The Jews were just the first nation to think like that. Many nations that followed did the same because they were afraid that Christianity will take over their culture, their beliefs and their religions and persecuted the Christians for this reason.

Many people are also like that. They do things which kill themselves, thinking that it would be good for them.

Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (John 15:20 NIV)