In The Bronze Bow, why is Simon convinced that Jesus is the Messiah?

Simon is a zealot, working towards the cause of Israeli
freedom. However, in contrast to Daniel, Simon's work is in knowledge and love, not in
violence. Daniel wants revolution; Simon wants peace and acceptance of love. Jesus
affects Simon much more strongly than Daniel, because Simon already accepts parts of his
philosophy. When Jesus creates bread, the villagers are ready to crown him king, but
Jesus refuses, and that is what makes Simon think that Jesus is the true
Messiah.

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"You've seen him caring for those people -- the
ones so low that no one, not I or anyone else, cared what happened to them. When I see
that, I know that the God of Israel has not forgotten us. Or why would He have sent
Jesus to them, instead of to the rich and the learned? Like a shepherd, he says, who
will not let any of his sheep be lost. I'm a poor man, and ignorant, but I know now that
with a God like that I am safe."
(Speare, The Bronze Bow,
Google Books)

It is the
empathy and love of Jesus, not the violence and theft of Rosh, that is important to
Simon. In Simon's eyes, a true God does not send destruction to enemies, but instead
gives them the tools to change their own minds of their own free will. Jesus is one such
tool. The miracles that Jesus performs, such as the bread and healing the sick, are
simply earthly manifestations of God's love of all men. Simon accepts this along with
the love he already feels and accepts Jesus as Messiah, while Daniel, still consumed by
hate, takes much longer.