Read and believe in Jesus

“You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that one Man should die for the people…” John11:50

The Gospel according to John

REVIEW – Jesus had finally arrived in Bethany. Lazarus was dead and in the tomb for four days. The sisters led Jesus to the burial cave that had a large stone covering the entrance. Martha protested for only a moment when Jesus said to take away the stone, thinking of decomposition. A simple reminder of seeing the glory of God moved her to obey. After Jesus prayed that the Jews observing would finally believe in Him, Jesus ordered Lazarus to come out of the tomb. And he did, amazing (shocking?) everyone. “Unbind him and let him go,” were Jesus’ words, and also His desire for all those enslaved in sin.

.

John 11:45-46

“Many of the Jews who had come to mourn with Mary and Martha saw what happened and believed in Jesus.” (How could they not??) But, as we discovered before, the Jews in Judea/Jerusalem had a ‘divided opinion’ about Him.

“Some of the Jews (who also witnessed the dead Lazarus emerge from the tomb) “went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.”

Sheesh! Did they get any “brownie points?”

.

John 11:47-53

It seems very casual at first that the Jewish leaders (chief priests/Saducees and Pharisees) called together the 70-member Sanhedrin, but this may be like calling the Supreme Court of the United States together during the summer recess. (Remember it is almost Passover.)

“What are we going to do?” Someone brings up, “This Man is performing many miracles.” (Yes, like raising the dead!)

“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!”

(Feel their panic and self-centeredness?)

Then the august high priest, Caiaphas, stands. “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.”

(John inserts here in his Gospel that Caiaphas ‘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 was the last prophecy from God for Israel.

So from that day on they made plans to put Jesus to death.

.

John 11:54

After raising Lazarus, Jesus stayed the Sabbath with His friends, then on Sunday, He went eastward to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there He stayed with His disciples.

(NOTE: This town is probably Ephron, located 4 miles northeast of Bethel and about 12 miles from Jerusalem.)

.

John 11:55-57.

And so Passover approached. Many people were flooding Jerusalem the week before to be “purified” for the sacred holiday.

They were looking for Jesus and asking one another, “What do you think? Will He come to the feast or not at all?” What if He does? What if He doesn’t?

The chief priests and Pharisees had given strict orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he should let them know, that they might arrest Him.

The mood was tense; people were watchful and jittery, guards were extra observant, and the religious leaders sat on pins and needles. Would Jesus try something spectacular? Would Roman soldiers flood their streets and take control?

(They were definitely NOT thinking of the meaning of Passover, and how God saved their ancestors from the death angel with a sacrificial lamb, whose blood stained their doors, allowing them to escape bitter slavery to an evil tyrant. )

.

2 Corinthians 5:21

"For our sake 
He made Him to be sin 
who knew no sin, 
so that in Him, we might become 
the righteiousness of God."