Faith and Doubt Collide

John 11:45-57.

We follow up the miracle raising of Lazarus, with the diverse reaction to this Divine event.

The reactions are stark in their contrast-

Many who saw the miracle, believed. One of the Apostle Johns favorite phrases, “They put their faith in Him...”, Expressing a new profound, true belief in Jesus.

The contrast comes from the “Others”

Others, who witnessed the very same miracle ...and immediately went to the Pharisees,

Suggests, they did NOT believe. Feeling more compelled to report the incident to the local authorities, These others simply refused to believe what their eyes were plainly telling them.

1- Faith Over Fear - Vvs- 45-48

This division of the witnesses is a stark reminder of the choice we all have to make:

To embrace the Life-Giving Power of Jesus Christ...or...Fall back into the fear of the unknown- The loss of control.

It stands as a firm reminder for us, that even in the face of the strongest opposition- We can depend on God’s Providence and eternal purpose.

The carry-over point from last week is that a firm belief in Jesus should lead us all to a fulfilled life, while fear only leads to us making destructive choices.

It cannot be overstated, the personal choice of responding to Christ with faith rather than fear.

This faith highlighted by the power of His miracles as the foundation of faith, as we put our trust in Him for our provision in life.

Fear overtook the Pharisees, and, for them, their concerns seemed valid:

There was a serious concern that their position of power and standing as the Religious authorities was being threatened, like never before.

This is a valid concern, for that was exactly what Jesus was doing.

The Roman empire tended to allow the local citizens of occupied areas to continue with whatever belief systems that were in place- As long as it did not challenge the Roman authority

The rising popularity Jesus’ Messianic claims were a direct challenge to Rome and the Pharisees main object to maintaining their position of authority was to Keep the Peace in Jerusalem.

The reference to “Our Place” in vs 48 is in regards to the Jerusalem Temple.

The Roman Empire had a proven track record of putting down rebellions- Before they even started- And the Sanhedrin was concerned about losing their place of worship as well as losing their nation entirely.

2- Divine Providence in Prophecy

John 11:49-52.

Caiaphas was the current High Priest in charge of the Sanhedrin- The Jewish High Council.

He worked alongside the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate for 10 years to form a somewhat uneasy peace in Israel.

For Caiaphas, the decision was simple, “...it is better for one man to die than entire nation.”

There is an unwitting Divine prophecy in Caiaphas’ words.

Though Caiphas was driven by fear to have Jesus’ martyred for the nation to maintain peace-

In truth, God used that fear to complete His final plan of the Messiah’s death to bring salvation-

Not just for a nation- but for all nations- For all people for all time.

This highlights Gods providence of His plan of redemption- Once and for all- The sacrifice of Death for Life.

In looking back in history- We know that the Roman empire DID overthrow the Jewish self rule in 70 AD, with the burning of the Temple.

What is missed by the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas in particular is that the saving had much less to do with the rescue of Israel from Rome than it did with the disturbing state of Israels Spiritual condition.

Caiaphas speaks of one man’s sacrifice saving not only the Jews in Israel, but also those scattered abroad- To the Jew that meant Jews living in the “Diaspora- or dispersion- the Gentile nations scattered around the Mediterranean Sea.

John is also alluding to those non-Jewish believers not yet exposed to the Truth of Salvation through the blood of Christ.

As in John 10:16

John 10:16 ESV

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

So the die is cast and the trap is set

John 11:53 ESV

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

3- Faith Overcomes Fear

John 11:54–57 ESV

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. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 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?” 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 Sanhedrins decision to plot to kill Jesus now crosses a boundary that violates the Law of Moses that these same Pharisees claim to hold so dear.

Exodus 20:13 ESV

“You shall not murder.

The pre-meditation of the plot to kill Jesus, makes the act a simple act of brutal murder- There is no other way to define it.

Driven by fear and a deep sense of self-preservation, these leaders of Judaism set out to violate one of the most sacred tenets of their faith.

I’m sure the word spread quickly, and Jesus must now, “Go to ground”

Since He knows the time is coming, and He is in total control of events, He will not let anyone or anything disrupt His mission.

Once again, Jesus relocates- Not so far away that He is out of touch, but by choosing Ephraim, about 12 miles north of Jerusalem, He is out of the reach of the Sanhedrin, but still close enough to travel to the city for the upcoming events of Passover.

We forget at times that Jesus was an orthodox Jew- And faithfully followed the requirements of attending the annual pilgrimage festivals.

As the Passover drew near, the mass of people coming from all over the country was filled with questions.

The stories had been passed around- Jesus was THE celebrity of His time.

Questions-

From the Pharisees-

“What are we to do?”

From the crowd- to each other

“Will He show up at Passover?”

What is in play here is the stark difference of how people will respond to fear and faith.

The Pharisees were in fear of losing their status, power and authority.

All that fear hidden behind the thin vail of trying to protect the Nation of Israel

The people were caught in the middle of this drama- Caiaphas was blunt, even to his fellow Temple leaders...

Vs 49, “You know nothing...”

Caiaphas was willing to hand over Jesus to the Romans, simply to appease them and maintain control.

Yet, in faith, Jesus Continued with God’s plan.

During the early days of Christianity, believers faced immense persecution. One prominent figure was Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, who was arrested at the age of 86.

When urged to renounce his faith and worship the Roman Emperor, he famously responded, 'Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He never did me any harm.

How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?'

Polycarp chose to face the flames rather than betray his Savior, reminding us of the true cost of discipleship.

Consider the plight of Christians in the Roman Empire, where many were fed to lions or wrapped in animal skins to be hunted by dogs.

A poignant example is the 2nd century story of Vibia Perpetua, a young lady of noble birth, of the city of Carthage, recently married with an infant child she was still nursing, despite her father’s pleas to recant her faith, chose to die rather than forsake Christ.

Her diary, written while imprisoned, reflects her unwavering spirit and commitment to Christ,

illustrating the profound sacrifice and hope that can emerge even in trials of utmost persecution.

The story of Stephen in Acts 7 serves as a powerful testament to sacrifice under persecution.

As he stood before the Sanhedrin, he confronted them with the truth of their actions, knowing it would likely lead to his death. In his final moments, he prayed for their forgiveness, embodying the love of Christ.

Stephen's willingness to lay down his life for the message of the Gospel exemplifies the ultimate sacrifice, showing us what it means to truly follow Jesus, even to death.

Even when faced the many fearful things of this world, we have the constant example of the self-giving love and ultimate victory over death, as our guide to overcoming our doubts and fears.

And one final point to reemphasize as we close this chapter.

Jesus is keenly aware of the other sheep, “Not of this flock”, who must eventually be included in the Good Shepherds flock.

The prophecy of Caiaphas reiterates this idea. Jesus was not only meant to die for a people but for all people- To bring the sheep scattered abroad, into the fold as well and make them all one flock, following the shepherd.

Jesus’ self-revelation to the Jews is now completed- He shows us all how His kingdom crosses all parameters of national, social, cultural boundaries of humanity.