With Dale Ratzlaff
John 11:47-57
Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. “If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they planned together to kill Him. Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.
The incidents described in this section immediately follow the raising of Lazarus, who had been dead four days. Jesus has given the Jewish leaders sign after sign that He is the long-awaited Messiah, even the Son of God. Now with eyewitness testimony delivered to them from those who were present and saw Lazarus, come from the tomb, they had a decision to make. Jesus said that He did not come to judge, but by His coming and presentation of the truth that very event put the Jewish leaders in the position where they had to make a decision. The issue was one that has to be faced by many of us today. Which will win out—truth, or power, prestige, or security?
Did the Jewish leaders know the truth of who Jesus was and is? Yes, they admitted that they did:
What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs.
They projected the result by doing nothing.
If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him.
Wow! What an admission! If true, and it was, what a glorious future the Jews would have had. Truth was triumphing. On the other side of the dilemma, however, was their power and position.
… And the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.
Their highest priority was “our place.” These Jewish leaders, some if not most of whom were members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews, cherished their standing in the community. After their own position, their next priority was “our nation.” The irony of their priorities is etched in detail by Josephus’ account recorded in The Wars of the Jews. The Jewish leaders turned against truth in order to save their position, power, and country. By so doing, they lost all of these things in the terrible slaughter of the Jewish people when their temple and city were destroyed in AD 70—a time of trouble such as never was.
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”
Caiaphas, who had been high priest from approximately AD 18–20, shows his discourteous, rough, and insulting character. Josephus states that when the Pharisees or Sadducees spoke to the common people, they were pious and dignified; however, in their private Sanhedrin meetings, their conversation with those of their own party was as barbarous as if they were strangers to each other (Josephus, Wars, 2,8, 14).
Caiaphas hated Jesus because He surpassed his own popularity. He would have liked to put Jesus to death. However, Caiaphas must place his evil intent into a plan that would hide his criminal intent. According to the reasoning listed above—that if they allowed Jesus to continue, the “Romans would come and take away both our place and our nation,” they must kill Christ in order to save the nation. That was a hellish thought with evil intent. Common sense would see that there was no validity to this scheme. This plan was nothing but cold-blooded murder or secret assassination.
However, John shows that even this wicked scheme was used by God.
Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
Somehow God is able to work through the wicked leaders of His people. The very nation that Caiaphas was seeking to save by putting Christ to death actually was offered salvation by Christ’s death. Not only was the death of Christ for the Jewish people, but it also inaugurated the new covenant mystery that the gospel no longer was only for the Jews. All peoples were to be gathered together into one group—the new covenant church.
“He prophesied”—God controlled his utterance. His wickedness is left wholly intact, his murderous intent and his cunning way of expressing it in order to bring the Sanhedrin to actions. Caiaphas is not forced in any way, but the words that come to his lips and that say just what he wants to say are words that also say just what God wants said in this assembly of the chief representatives of the Jews. They want to slay Jesus for their purposes; God will let them slay Jesus for His purpose. This John says, was not accidental but God’s plan. The best formulation that Caiaphas could find to meet the situation he faced was the very formulation God wanted him to find for a purpose of which Caiaphas never thought ( R.C.H. Lenski, Commentary of the New Testament, John, p. 829).
Here we see an example of biblical inspiration. Often the prophet knew he was speaking for God. The common format for a prophetic utterance included the words, “the word of the Lord…” This formulation is used over 250 times in Scripture. However, here we have a wicked man holding the office of high priest. Nevertheless, God used this man to speak His words. We cannot put God or His methods in the proverbial “box” thinking we know just how He works. He is sovereign, and while respecting the will of man, He works His will through men.
The raising of Lazarus from the tomb was a sign that could not be controverted. Rather than causing them to accept Jesus as the Messiah, however, it only increased their hatred of Him and hardened them in their decision of putting Christ to death. Knowing this fact, Jesus withdrew from Jerusalem. His time had not yet come, and He sought to avoid unneeded confrontation. Later, Paul would follow Jesus’ example when the Jews were seeking his life:
But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket (Acts 9:22-25).
Here we have examples showing that we should not unnecessarily place our self in harm’s way.
After spending some time with His disciples near the wilderness, we find the events pointing to the final week of Christ’s mission.
Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves.
At the time of Christ, attendance at the Passover was a yearly event for the most righteous, law-abiding Jews. While the Old Testament required the yearly attendance, many of the more liberal Jews felt that one must attend the Passover in Jerusalem at least once in their lifetime. Many went early as they had to purify themselves with various Levitical cleansing and sacrifices to be ready for the Passover blessings.
So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.
The pilgrims seeking Jesus were probably those who had witnessed His teaching, seen His miracles, and been impressed with His character. Their question is stated in such a way that the implied answer is that Jesus would not come to the feast. Understanding the plan of the chief priests and Pharisees to seize Jesus, they felt He would stay away for His own safety.
When one considers this section of John’s Gospel, we see the tragedy of the Jewish leaders. Jesus is soon to shed His blood as the Sacrificial, Passover Lamb for their redemption and the forgiveness of sin. They, in turn, express such hate, wanting to assassinate Him for His mighty works of love and mercy.
Application
- When we are presented with the gospel, and when we recognize that we cannot earn our way into God’s favor, and then understand that we are saved by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, we must make a choice. To not accept God’s grace, is to reject it.
- The chief priests demonstrated their priorities: their position and favor with the nation was a higher priority than the truth of Christ, their Messiah. We, too, demonstrate our priorities. Let us each examine them to see how we react to the truth. Do we put personal power, influence, and reputation over standing for the truth?
- Caiaphas’ hatred of Jesus limited his thinking. He saw only two alternatives: lose his power and influence as well as the future of the nation or kill Christ. There were many other alternatives He could have considered. So with us, often we see only two choices when more are present if we will seek God’s will in His word.
- God gives us the freedom to follow our will. Somehow, in God’s design, His sovereignty can work through our actions, as well as those of others to bring about His purpose. Thus we have the promise that is a favorite of Christians.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
- We should follow the example of Jesus and Paul and if our life is threatened, we ought to do everything we can to avoid being a martyr.
Prayer
Father, give me moral courage to choose righteousness and truth and to be willing to give up personal power and influence if that is necessary to follow your truth. Help me realize that even when I do not understand what you are doing in my life, I can rest in your sovereign grace. May I always value your sacrifice as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
In Jesus name. †
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