The Reason They Decide To Kill Jesus
John 11:45-57
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
The news of the raising of Lazarus provokes the Jewish leadership to have a damage control meeting. What’s at stake is the delicate agreement the leaders have with the Romans, namely that the Romans will allow the Jewish leadership a certain level of autonomy and authority, so long as they keep the peace among the people. With more and more people beginning to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Jewish leaders realize He will have to be dealt with once and for all, or else they will lose their position and possibly their nation.
This is how Caiaphas the chief priest puts it:
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish” [John 11:49–50].
John the author can’t believe what Caiaphas has said:
51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad [John 11:51–52].
THOUGHT FOR GOOD FRIDAY
Without knowing it, Caiaphas has preached the gospel. I hope today’s Good Friday services help us all better experience the joy of Easter Sunday and the reality of the empty tomb.
