John 11:47-52 (WEL) Then the chief priests and Pharisees assembled the Council and said, “What are we going to do, for this man does many miracles? 48 “If we let him alone, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and remove our place and nation.” 49 One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, “All of you know nothing, 50 “Or even realize that it is better for us that one man should die for the people and not that the whole nation should be destroyed.” 51 He didn’t speak this from himself, but being High Priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for that nation, 52 And not only for that nation but that he would also gather the children of God who were scattered abroad.
V47 Then the chief priests and Pharisees assembled the Council and said, “What are we going to do, for this man does many miracles?
Rather than face the obvious that Jesus is the Messiah. They harden their hearts in rejection of Him, disbelieving from their own wills.
The leaders should have heeded the prophets who predicted that these leaders would reject Jesus as their Messiah (Psalm 118:22 and Psalm 53:3).
Principle: Accept the obvious, especially when it has been prophesied.
V48 “If we let him alone, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and remove our place and nation.”
This is manipulative to cause panic among the leaders. It is to rouse them to join and kill Jesus. Their motive to tell this lie is to cause fear and panic, thus rallying the people to panic, not think, and violently protest. Note how the leaders lied and lied and lied. Compare Jeremiah 8:5-6.
Principle: Don’t believe everything you hear; test it by the words of truth—the Scriptures.
Principle: Many justify murder to solve a problem (Genesis 4:8, 2 Samuel 12:9-10, and 2 Samuel 20:9-10).
Comments:
Barclay (beware):
“With a few masterly strokes, John delineates their characteristics. First, they were notoriously discourteous. Josephus said of them (The Wars of the Jews 2: 8, 14) that: “The behavior of the Sadducees to one another is rather rude, and their intercourse with their equals is rough, as with strangers.” “You know nothing at all,” said Caiaphas (John 11:49). “You are witless, brainless creatures.” Here we see the innate, domineering arrogance of the Sadducees in action; this was exactly in character. Their contemptuous arrogance is an implicit contrast to the accents of love of Jesus.”
V49 One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, “All of you know nothing,
A rather sneering attitude of arrogance.
The Jews of this day accepted the High Priest’s advice as the word of God.
Principle: The Scriptures are the highest authority. Check the Bible first about your issue.
V50 “Or even realize that it is better for us that one man should die for the people and not that the whole nation should be destroyed.”
He was counseling the leaders that they should kill Jesus, then have the Romans kill them.
God turned the tables on these evil people when the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD.
On the spiritual level, Jesus is the Passover Lamb sacrificed to pay the penalty for sinners (1 Corinthians 5:7).
V51 He didn’t speak this from himself, but being High Priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for that nation.
John points out that God did exactly that. He took that High Priest’s advice and turned it into a good thing.
Probably nothing disturbed the Jewish leaders more than the resurrection of Jesus Christ as reported by the Roman soldiers (Matthew 28:11-15).
V52 And not only for that nation but that he would also gather the children of God who were scattered abroad.
Jesus is Messiah for Jews and Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6). All people need the Messiah, Jesus.
Comments:
(Holman Commentary):
“The arrogant Caiaphas made a prophecy far beyond his own understanding when he described the death of Jesus as an event in which one would die for many, particularly for the entire nation of Israel. We call this substitutionary (or vicarious) atonement. But Israel alone was not and is not the beneficiary. Jesus is our substitute as he is for all people. Unwittingly and in the providence of God, the high priest became a channel of divine revelation. Substitutionary atonement would reach beyond the Jewish nation to the “other sheep” of John 10 (Romans 9-11).”
We learn:
- The world of God rejecting people turns to violence even murder to “solve” what they consider to be a problem.
- The Jewish leaders were arrogant.
Questions:
- How do you handle those who disagree with you?
- Are you humble?