As we continue our study of the Gospel of John, we pick up at verse 45 of chapter eleven. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John writes:
“Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our Temple, and our Nation.” Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was the High Priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole Nation perish.” John 11: 45-50.
Many of the people who had seen this miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead, believed Jesus was the Messiah, and accepted Him. But, it is sad to see how the people who are locked into their own belief, or mindset, refuse to see truth and life in Christ no matter what He says or does. The Lord Jesus had just raised a man to life that had been dead for four days, and their first thoughts were of themselves, and their agenda. Instead of rejoicing in what had been done, and believing the words Jesus had spoken around, and during this event, they called a Meeting to discuss what to do about it. That is ‘man made religion’. That is refusing to be led by the Holy Spirit. What loss is ours when we will not open our minds and hearts to Christ.
But as given to us in Romans 8:28, here is truth: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” What the High Priest Caiaphas said, and put into motion to kill Jesus, was what was needed to fulfill the Grand Plan of Salvation. One person would die for us all. Because of their laws, certain things needed to be put in place for that to happen as it did, when it did.
The remainder of that chapter, verses 51 thru 57 talks of Jesus taking His disciples away from Judea to another region, and working from there until time for the Jewish Passover. He was not ready to allow them to capture and kill Him. There is a time that what is to come, will come.
In the meantime, let us hear the Words of Jesus, and the Messages He sent by Paul, and His first Disciples, and live the Abundant life in Him, each day because we believe, and allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit. Let us be totally present each day, giving Him all that we are, allowing His beautiful love to bring life and the power of His light to the world to us and through us.