John 11:45–57 Sermon

Sermon Text

John 11:45–57 ESV

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 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.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 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.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. 54 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. 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 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?” 57 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.

Outline

1. The Problem (v.45-48)

2. The Prophecy (v.49-52)

3. The Parting (v.54-57)

Introduction

Last week we looked into verses 38 - 45.

Jesus prepared what He was about to do with Lazarus who died because he was ill.

Being deeply moved about Mary and Martha weeping, He went to the tomb.

In verse 39, Jesus told them to take away the stone.

Then Martha had a concern about the odor since Lazarus had been dead four days.

Jesus replied by reminder her about what He said pertaining her brother.

John 11:40 ESV

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

He reminded her of the reason for what He was about to do with Lazarus being raised.

He would then follow with praying to the Father.

John 11:41 ESV

41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

For those who were standing around Him, He prayed openly so that they would believe that He was sent by Him.

Jesus wanted them to know that He had been sent so He prayed showing His obedience and priority to the Father. Which was a good example for us when thinking through about how we should pray.

After praying, Jesus would then display power when He said in verse 43,

John 11:43 ESV

43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”

We reminded ourselves of who was here speaking.

How Jesus here is God. The God who spoke existence into being.

How God the Son was calling Lazarus to come forth.

He called Lazarus to come out and (verse 44),

John 11:44 ESV

44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Then the miracle happened. And I am not talking about Lazarus. But the miracle of believing in verse 45.

John 11:45 ESV

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,

Outline

1. The Problem (v.45-48)

2. The Prophecy (v.49-52)

3. The Parting (v.54-57)

1. The Problem (v.45-48)

Read Verse 45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him

Read Verse 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

Notice first the many and the some.

Many believed. Which was the result of Jesus being revealed as the resurrection and the life during the raising of Lazarus.

People had just seen a man who was buried for four days raised from the tomb.

And as we covered before the reason for this miracle happening is found in verse 4.

John 11:4 ESV

4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Jesus gets the glory for the raising of Lazarus and the result after is that many believed (v.45).

But some, instead of believing and giving Jesus glory went to the Pharisees.

Again, this highlights that not everyone comes to faith. Even when seeing something like a man being raised from the grave after four days.

Some went to the Pharisees.

The Pharisees were a religious group in Judaism during the late Second Temple period (ca 100 B.C.–A.D. 70).

They were the most mentioned in the New Testament of the parties involved in Judaism.

The Pharisees were known most for their observance of the law but were also a political party. They dedicated themselves to ritual purity but were immoral due to their need to remain political and their refusal to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

They were outwardly religious. But inwardly they were corrupt which Jesus addressed in Matthew 23:26-28.

They were always plotting to arrest Jesus. So going to them about what Jesus had done was not so that they could testify. But rather it was to get them to do something about what He had done.

Mainly, to arrest Him so that what He had been doing would stop.

Many believed but some went to the Pharisees and told them what happened.

Their reaction again proved their denial, not of the miracles Jesus did, but of His claim and the purpose of the miracles.

Which was to reveal Jesus as the Messiah promised.

After going to the Pharisees we see in verse 47,

Read Verse 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.

Here we see that there were chief priests.

The chief priests were in charge of temple worship in Jerusalem, and they thought of themselves as the leading representatives of the Jewish people.

So you have the pharisees who were experts of the law and the chief priests who were in charge of temple worship, come together to discuss a problem.

The problem being that Jesus performed many signs.

Again, let us note that performed signs do not create converts.

When Jesus spoke to Lazarus to come out, it wasn’t Lazarus coming out that made people believe. It was Jesus calling out Lazarus that made people believed.

Jesus is the object and cause of faith, not Lazarus coming out of the grave.

Since Jesus is the object of faith to those who believe, He would be the object of hatred for those who do not believe.

And at the core of what is at work when one hates Jesus is a love for self.

Read Verse 48 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.”

This here shows us the problem.

The problem here is that instead of believing, they thought only about what they would lose. Which was both their place and their nation.

Jesus knew this about people apart from faith. And that is why the call to follow Him was not without a call for denial.

Matthew 10:38 ESV

38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 16:24 ESV

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Luke 14:27 ESV

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

1 Peter 2:21 ESV

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

The call to follow Christ leaves no room for someone to think about their place in the world.

It calls us to abandon what we deem as important when it comes to our place in the world. And the cares of this world.

They said “If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him.”

They thought that this was the worst that could happen. And it was because they thought about what they would lose.

The gospel call to follow Christ doesn’t hide what you would lose!

It actually highlights what you will lose. Which is self.

You will lose everything when it comes to your place in the world.

They were right to be afraid of this since they held self as the highest priority.

What we gain in Christ is Christ! And belief in Christ proves that we have been saved! Which means that we actually gain.

Because they did not believe they could not see that belief in Christ is gain.

This is what the chief priests and the pharisees were blind to.

They were blind to who this man was. This man was the Messiah promised.

Instead of believing they plotted against Him. Showing their condition before God.

What is amazing here is that even in their sinful rejection of Christ, God decided to use them any way to even speak rightly about Jesus Christ!

In verses 49 - 52, we see a prophecy that came to them through the High Priest Caiaphas who did not believe.

2. The Prophecy (v.49-52)

Read Verse 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all.

Caiaphas was a High-Priest.

The function of the high priest was to oversee and administer the sacrificial system.

The high priest alone was allowed to go behind the curtain of the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:2).

He offered the sin offerings of animals who’s blood was brought into the sanctuary of the temple (Lev. 4:3–21).

The high priest was responsible for all the sacrificial activities that took place in the temple.

This was Caiaphas. A high priest here in our text.

So being amongst the chief priests and the pharisees, Caiaphas responded to what they said in verse 48.

John 11:48 ESV

48 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.”

He told them you know nothing at all.

Verse Read Verse 50 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.”

What Caiaphas was saying here is that they didn’t realize that it was better for them that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.

So still he was thinking about their need to remain as they were.

He was right in that it was better for Jesus to die than the whole nation.

But it wasn’t rightly understood, because the nation would not be destroyed because of the Romans which was their concern in verse 48, the nation needed an atonement that would wash away their sin. Which Jesus would do.

It was better that Jesus would die because of what the High Priest Caiaphas said in a prophecy he spoke. Even though he did not understand it.

We know Caiphas rejected Jesus because in Matthew 26, we see Caiaphas asking Jesus a question after being seized and brought to him.

Caiaphas asked,

Matthew 26:63 ESV

63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”

Matthew 26:64–65 ESV

64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy.

So it is clear that Caiaphas didn’t believe. But we find that he was used to prophecy something true about Jesus.

In fact verse 53 says that he did not say what he said about Jesus of his own accord.

Read Verse 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation

We have to remember that the position of the high priest was to reveal the will of God to the people as he sought God for them.

Here, we see a prophesy given to a man who refused to believe in Jesus.

Within the sovereign plan of God, He can used anyone to say anything He desires.

It shows us that God can use a man not favorably but sovereignly to communicate His will to others.

It shows us that prophesy is not by itself a stamp of approval on a person’s ministry.

What Caiaphas lacked was a genuine, saving faith in Christ.

The prophesy was not of his own accord. It was true of Jesus despite the high priest and his denial of Christ. Because God is sovereign and will do what He pleases. Which here included speaking through a man who denied the Son.

What he said of Jesus was not of His own accord. But rather it was correct and given from God.

Read Verse 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

For Caiaphas this may have meant those of Israel who have been scattered. But for God, Jesus dying for a nation, included the Gentiles who are considered children of God because of faith.

So the high priest here correctly prophesied even though he had not believed in Jesus.

And it shows that even with this prophesy being spoken and true about Jesus, they still made plans to put Him to death.

It shows us the hardness of their hearts.

That is why I give thanks to God for giving me a covenant heart!

After seeing a man raised from the grave, called out by Jesus and even after a prophesy spoken about Jesus dying for a nation and for those scattered, they made plans to put Him to death. Which we see in verse 53.

Verse 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

Because of this Jesus would part from them and go to Ephraim.

3. The Parting (v.54-57)

Read Verse 54 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.

Ephraim was roughly about 17 miles north. About 6 hours walk from where they were.

Jesus no longer walked openly among the people there because of their plans to put Him to death. It wasn’t His time.

Read Verse 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.

There are three recorded Passovers in the gospel of John. This one here being the last of them.

The Passover was a major festival held in the spring to commemorate Israel’s deliverance from Egypt.

In verse 55 we see that many went up to purify themselves for the Passover.

The concern for ceremonial purification before the Passover was given in Numbers 9.

This was done to avoid ceremonial defilement so that one could faithfully observe the Passover since it was commanded by God to be observed.

So many went to Jerusalem and looking for Jesus.

Read Verse 56 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?”

John 12 has Jesus returning to Bethany six days before the passover which was only 2 miles from Jerusalem.

Jesus in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (which happens after) had a large crowd that recieved Him with palm trees and cried Hosanna. This would happen later in John 12.

So Jesus did go back to Jerusalem eventually but He’d go back to be arrested and tried. And He did this because His time at that point of time had come.

Which is what the chief priests and Pharisees wanted.

We see this in verse 57.

Read Verse 57 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.

This would actually happen in chapter 18 after His high priestly prayer.

Remember John 10:18?

John 10:18 ESV

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

The chief priests and the pharisees didn’t take His life without God telling the Son to lay it down.

Which He would eventually do later in the gospel of John.

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The men here who made plans to put Jesus to death shows us how evil and sinful man is apart from saving grace.

It took God to show His love for us who were sinners and dead in our sins, it took His desire to show His love by sending His Son for us to believe.

We saw clearly here that even after witnessing a miracle like raising someone from the dead, apart from God working in the hearts of people who are lost, one cannot be saved.

Many believed. But there were some who went and told people who wanted to kill Jesus what Jesus had done.

Miracles never saved anyone. It was always Christ, the object our faith, who brings salvation to us by laying down His life as a substitute for our sins.

He became a curse for us in order that we who were cursed in sin could be cleansed.

By His resurrection, He justified us. Declaring us righteous before the Father which made us acceptable and able to worship God favorably.

Jesus did all the work necessary for sinners who had hardened hearts to become children of God. Given a new heart that desires to please Him.

He alone caused us to walk in His statutes!

This passage today shows us man apart from saving faith. Man who wanted to kill Jesus because they wanted to keep what they had in the world.

But it also shows us that Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, it shows us that He is the object and cause of our faith.