Seven Miracles - Pt 24

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our lace 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 understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. (John 11:38-44 ESV).

The underlying circumstance is very important to understand before we get too deep into the applications. Lazarus has been raised from the dead by the omnipotent word of Jesus (v. 44). Many people witnessed this first hand. Some believe in Jesus; some run off to tell the Pharisees what he had done. What happens next shows the fear that finally brought Jesus to his execution (vv. 47–48).The “Council,” or the Sanhedrin, was the equivalent of our Supreme Court. This is no longer mere mob violence as we saw in earlier chapters, where they were about to stone Jesus. What’s at stake is not the truth. The goal of this council is survival. They saw Jesus as a direct and immediate threat to their survival as a nation. Jesus has now become one to be feared as a destroyer, not one who came to save them. In response to this threat Caiaphas, the high priest, pronounces the judgment. Little did he know he was merely another tool in God’s hands to accomplish the ultimate purpose of Jesus (cf. vv. 49¬–50. Though the others wanted to go slowly and watch how things unfolded, Caiaphas rebukes them and then says, Here’s the solution: kill him. Better that one die so the nation won’t. We kill him so that the Romans won’t kill us. Substitute Jesus for us. This is the key of substitutionary atonement. He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. This becomes the basis for our strength in hard times, for our comfort in the face of our own sin, and, for our confidence that God keeps his promises. It sets the course for our large-heartedness when you are tempted to be narrow and self-centered; and, for our joy in the very personal and particular love that God has for us in Jesus. That’s why we can sing “Amazing Grace”!