HG119 John 11:45-54 You know nothing at all!
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45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
If we had lived in the days before Jesus’ coming we would have lived in days of hope and expectation had we been in the land of Israel. We would have been hearing stories from various leaders about a coming Messiah promised by God. Indeed we would have looked at some of the prophecies. It would also have been a confusing message as there would seem to be two Messiah’s coming for it was just nigh impossible to put the two strains of thought together.
It was when there were military occupations, and this happened a lot in Israel’s history, that there was a concentration upon a King coming and putting down his enemies but there were lingering doubts about the other prophecies which talked of one who would come and suffer. With the Roman Occupation their thoughts concentrated upon one who would come to deliver them from the oppression when Jesus turned up.
I often wonder about future prophecies for not everything fits so neatly – there are lingering doubts about the way certain things will come to pass – we don’t quite know how to put them all together – and when there are disasters in the world such as The Great Tsunami of 2004 or 9/11 or some wildfires and so on then our focus comes to the Apocalypse, the 2nd Coming, to a time of tribulation. There was nothing like war though that would look for hope.
And so it was when the Romans came into Israel – there was a visible threat on the streets – and there was a wondering about the coming of the Messiah. This was heightened by John the Baptist coming on the scene making a straight road in the desert, preparing and heralding the coming of one greater than he and all Israel heard with their ears pricked. There was an expectation growing.
From our standpoint of history we can look back at the event of the coming of the Messiah and understand that Jesus came as the Suffering Servant and wonder how the Jews, even today, do not realise that Jesus is the Messiah and that He will come again as the Glorious King that they were expecting the first time round.
Even so, the things that Jesus did on the way to the cross were glorious and this reading we have heard follows directly on the heels of Lazarus being raised from the dead. Jesus had told Martha that she would see God’s glory and did she! In this most powerful of miracles Jesus again proved who He is: not only the Messiah but Immanuel, God with us; God in the flesh.
45
We are told in verse 45 that many believed in Jesus because of this miracle. This is not surprising. It truly is remarkable that a man who had been dead for four days was now standing among them alive. There was no doubt that this had happened. And being in close proximity to Jerusalem, they also heard what had happened and many, no doubt, made the trip to see this man Lazarus for themselves, after all, he was well known in those parts already. Many from Jerusalem had attended the funeral. And now Jerusalem was beginning to buzz with the news that Lazarus is alive.
But John told us from the start of this Gospel to not get your expectations up:
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
But many of those who had been there with Mary put their trust in Jesus.
46
So, many believed, but here in verse 46, what is surprising is that there are those who went to tell the Pharisees what had happened. Why did they do that? Plainly they were looking to stir up trouble. They were so hard-hearted that they did not think rationally about the fact that someone who was dead was now alive and they did not reason how or why. No, they put these thoughts far from their minds in stubborn unbelief. Some people will not be convinced even if you prove 100% that something has happened. And indeed Jesus said this in his parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. A different Lazarus but interesting that Jesus would pick his name. The rich man who was now in hell said to Abraham send Lazarus back to warn his brothers and the reply was that they would not believe even if someone rose from the dead. Your initial reaction would be - that’s ridiculous - of course they would believe - but as we have heard in this passage today there were some who resolutely did not believe. Here was a Lazarus who was brought back from the dead. But they were the ‘don’t bother me with the facts’ people for they had already made up their minds. How sad. How true it is a work of God on the hearts of people that turn them to him - but even then people refuse and say ‘no’, I do not subscribe to the Calvinist teaching of irresistible grace. God’s grace was plainly shown here and they refused to listen.
47
And here in verse 47 there is no doubt in the minds of the chief priests and the pharisees that Jesus was performing miracles. None whatsoever. So, what did they do? Did they say: “Let us join this Jesus for plainly He is a Man of God”? No, not at all. They persisted in not taking serious the claims of Jesus in changing their hearts. They instead persisted in hating Him all the more. They didn’t deny his miracles, they denied the Christ instead, which is just plain stupid. They had already closed their minds to this possibility so they took council together. Even this is prophesied in the Old Testament:
1 Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
48
Why did they convene? Because they were worried about their position and livelihood. They were afraid that they were losing their authority over the people and losing it to Jesus. Jesus was being believed more than they were. And what if Jesus gets this big following and push Him to be king? Rome will get to hear about it and come and squash the rebellion and take away our place. They were afraid of Rome.
They decide it is better for Jesus to die instead. It is very interesting their choice in this matter. These particular Jews were the judges of Israel. But they did not judge on the basis of right and wrong, like they were supposed to, but on how Jesus affected them personally. They simply asked themselves what was going to do them the most good.
49-52
Caiaphas, the High Priest, speaks up and basically gives them a put down: You numbskulls! You idiots! You ignorant people! He then presents them with two scenarios: Jesus leads a rebellion, Rome comes and destroys us or we get rid of Jesus. Jesus dies or the nation dies. He presents two extreme views as if these were the only choices available. The others had already been browbeaten and they were certainly not going to answer back to the High Priest and suggest a more reasonable view. Caiaphas was forcing them into a decision. But was that the reality of the time? Rome certainly had not threatened. And the daft part of it is that by killing Jesus they killed the nation too. Killing Jesus did not stave off the attack from Rome when it came. Jesus makes it clear later on that Jerusalem will be sacked by Rome because they did not recognise their Messiah (Matthew 23:37-38). A direct causal link. 1,100,000 Jews perished in the attack and about 100,000 were made slaves in AD70.
But what is remarkable about this evil statement made from the evil heart of Caiaphas is that God also made it a prophecy, God speaking through this man who completely unknowingly spoke God’s Word into the situation.
50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”
God turned what was meant for evil to speak His very Word. This is mind boggling.
John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Plot to Kill Jesus
You want to know how God wrote the Word of God? He arranged the words that He wanted His prophets to write. Did you know that? Did you know that every single solitary word in this book in its original autograph was inspired by God without error? Not the thoughts in here alone, but every word was written by God. Just like He arranged the words in Caiaphas’s mouth, He arranged the words in the minds of the prophets and writers who wrote this book.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
You see the prophets knew about Jesus and what was to happen to Him even if the people to whom they prophesied did not know for he does nothing without first revealing it to his prophets. Here the prophets knew that Jesus would suffer and that glory would only arrive in the 2nd advent..
How about that! They had the Spirit of Christ – the Holy Spirit was living in them and, what shall we say, how about us?
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
We have the Holy Spirit which means that we also can know and hear God speak.
John the Baptist, one who was born with the Holy Spirit already indwelling him knew what was to happen too for he declared: Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
And, this is what Caiaphas had unknowingly said too. That one should die for the nation vicariously, in their place, and not only for Israel but for all who would become sons of God. In much the same way as previous prophets they predicted the death of the Messiah such as Isaiah in chapters 52 and 53.
How did the Jews miss such clear prophecies?
Hear these words:
3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
Who else could this be speaking of?
Caiaphas fulfilled the counsel of God without knowing it. Did this make Caiaphas a believer because He spoke God’s Word? No, not at all. Balaam’s donkey spoke too.
Jesus did die for Israel and for the gentiles saving many but because they were obedient to Caiaphas they did lose their nation and place until 1947 for the blood shed at the cross of Calvary. How ironic and how sad.
It truly is amazing that Jesus would do this for us, to save us, to be counted like us, yet was without sin. Yet death could not hold Him down because He was wholly righteous.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
It is clear that death should not be the end but that death itself had to be defeated to accomplish deliverance from the power of the law and of sin for the wages of sin is death –now there is no penalty to pay for Jesus paid in full: it is finished and the Resurrection is confirmation of that fact.
Scripture should move us, convict us, motivate us: it is completely reliable, God’s speaks His word to us today, God is faithful, and more than anything Scripture shows us a God who really cares about the state of human beings and the mess they are in and proved His love in sending us Jesus as a suffering servant to reconcile us to him – what more could we ask for?
He has also shown us that there is a time when things will be wound up and the things that we now see, smell, hear, touch and taste will no longer be in existence. He has prophesied about the future laying down some clear markers for us to watch out for – a time when he really will come in glory and every eye will see.
53ff
In today’s passage the time was not yet right for them to take Jesus but it was not long until Passover when the Lamb of God would be sacrificed. Then it will be time for Him to be delivered into the hands of men and fulfil all the prophecies of the Suffering Servant.
The faith of the disciples and Mary, Martha and Lazarus was built up and strengthened for the day that this would happen and we are also strengthened in our faith and trust in Jesus for He came in the fulfilment of time fulfilling so many Old Testament prophecies - the One who had come to save us and deliver us from the power of a wicked heart, from Satan, from hell and reconcile us to the living God.
The event that caused the chief priests and pharisees to meet was the rising from the dead of Lazarus. “Here is a miracle”, Jesus says, “that proves I AM who I have said I AM. Now there is now no more sitting on the fence. You have to decide to be for Me or against Me” and it is the same unwavering, uncompromising challenge made to us. If He is who He said He is and did the things that this Bible says He did then the time has come to be for Him completely or against. The council voted to kill Him. If Jesus is not truly our Lord and Saviour then we are with the crowd that said crucify Him, get rid of Him? Which shall it be?