PM Home Bible Study Group; April 24, 2013
John 11:45-57
Theme: What man plotted against God’s Son, God used to accomplish our redemption.
(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
In the first half of John 11, we saw that the Lord Jesus demonstrated—in a profoundly public way—that He truly is “the resurrection and the life”; and that whoever believes in Him, “though he may die, he shall live” (see John 11:25). The raising of His friend Lazarus from the dead confirmed His identity to the people—and left the religious leaders who opposed Him in a state of fear and frustration.
In the 12th chapter, we find that the time of the Passover was drawing near. This is the third Passover in John’s Gospel—the first being the time when Jesus cast out the money changers from the temple (see 2:13ff), and the second being the time when Jesus fed the 5,000 (see 6:4ff). The third Passover would be the one in which Jesus would—Himself—be sacrificed as our Passover Lamb (see 1 Corinthians 5:7; also John 1:29). When Jesus came to Jerusalem this final time for the feast, we read, “Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.” (John 12:9). People were being drawn to Him; and the religious leaders had intensified their intention to kill Him. And amazingly, we also read, “But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus” (vv. 10-11). The passage we’ll be looking at this evening concerns the events that occurred between the raising of Lazarus and the beginning of the Passover. In it, we discover a picture of God’s sovereignty over even the wicked purposes of man.
Do you remember Genesis 50:20; and how we’re told there of Joseph’s word to his eleven brothers? He had been revealed to them after he had become a leading power in Egypt—long after his brothers had cruelly sold him into slavery. He was now in a position to serve them and keep them alive. And he told them, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” In a sense, that illustrates this evening’s passage. Men meant evil against the Son of God. But the very evil that they meant, God—in His sovereignty—meant for good and for the accomplishment of the salvation of many. In this passage, we learn that what man plotted against our Lord was used by God to accomplish His purpose for our salvation.
I. THE UNGODLY PRIORITIES OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS (vv. 45-48).
A. Note first the reaction of the people to the things that had happened. Jesus’ miracle of raising Lazarus was a very public event. When Mary had left her place of mourning in her home to go to where Jesus was (see John 11:31), many of the Jewish people who were there to comfort her had risen up and went with her. This was in God’s sovereign plan; so that many would be able to witness the raising of Lazarus. And so, in John 11:45, we read, “Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.” Later on, we’re told that many more would come to see Lazarus—and in doing so, would believe even more. It’s wonderful to see how God doesn’t hide our Lord, but displays Him out in the open for all to see and believe.
B. It’s then that we’re told, “But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did” (v. 46). It may be that those who told the Pharisees were simply wanting to report a miracle to them. It may even be that some hoped that the report of this miracle would result in a cessation of their opposition to Him and generate a faith in Him as a Teacher come from God. It could be that some had a question about the law with respect to Lazarus. (After all, according to the law of God through Moses, it was ceremonially defiling for a Jew to touch a corpse. But is it defiling to touch someone—or even eat with someone—who was a corpse a short while ago but is now one no longer?) But it may also be that some in the midst of those who witnessed the raising of Lazarus were on the side of those who were hostile to the Lord. We can only speculate about their reasons. But we don’t have to speculate about the response of the Pharisees and the religious leaders. John tells us, “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, ‘What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 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'” (vv. 47-48).
C. Notice the details of what they said:
1. They recognized that Jesus was working “many signs”. In John 10:41, the people said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” The signs were testifying so much to Jesus that He was even able to tell them, “though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know that and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him” (John 10:38). But they wouldn’t believe Him—even though they clearly saw the works. In fact, they believed that they had to put a stop to these works of His.
2. They were concerned that, if they didn’t stop Him, “everyone will believe in Him”. They were driven by a jealous concern that they would lose the devotion of the people. They themselves could do no miracles; and were even revealing that they were not true sons of Abraham by their murderous attitude toward Him (John 8:40). If things weren’t put to a stop, they would lose the respect of the people and their position of preeminence over them.
3. They were also concerned that they would suffer politically. Judah was under Roman occupation at this time. And even though they were permitted to carry on their traditions under the watchful eye of Rome, any disorder would result in the Romans coming down upon them. The Pharisees were no friends of Rome; and the priestly class—mostly occupied by those of the Sadducees—were favorable toward Rome’s puppet king Herod. Jesus was proving to be a disturber of the relative peace by which they both had managed to appease Rome; and they were fearful that the political order they had established would be disturbed; and that the Romans would step in and take away both their place and their nation.
D. Men of position and power often value their position and power more than the souls of those under them. They will often oppose the influences of the eternal Son of God on people in order to protect their temporal power structures. And in such cases, true faith and obedience to God proves to be the greatest possible threat to their hold on what they believe they have. But even then, they’re positions are not as secure as they think them to be; nor is their power by any means ultimate. As it says in Daniel 4:17; “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men”; all so that men may know—ultimately—there is no authority except from God (Romans 13:1), and that no one could have power over His people unless God Himself gave it to them (John 19:11).
II. THE WICKED PLOT OF CAIAPHAS (vv. 49-50).
A. With all this in mind, we now come to the amazing words of prophesy unintentionally spoken by Caiaphas. He was said to be the high priest that year. High priests were permitted to hold their position by the Roman authorities; and so, men who wished the position would often compete for it or buy it. At this point, it had been given to Caiaphas. He was the man who was the son-in-law of Annas; before whom Jesus would later be brought bound after His arrest (John 18:12-14). Apparently Caiaphas was also present for Jesus’ trial (see John 18:28; Matthew 26:57). Caiaphas was the high priest who tore his clothes at the testimony of Jesus and declared Him guilty of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65). And so, as the Pharisees and the priests were gathered together in council after hearing of Jesus’ miracle, we’re told, “And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all . . .'” (v. 49).
B. According to the ancient historian Josephus, “the Pharisees are friendly to one another, and are for the exercise of concord and regard for the public. But the behavior of the
Sadducees one towards another is in some degree wild; and their conversation with those that are of their own party is as barbarous as if they were strangers to them” (Wars of The Jews, 2.166, AGES Library, 2006). Caiaphas—a priest within the Sadduccean party—would have probably been caught up with their characteristic rudeness; and hence the snippy manner in which he spoke. But he then went on to say, “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” (v. 50). He meant this in respect to the benefit of their position and the protection of their nation from the Romans. But as so often happens with ungodly men that God places in positions of power, their words mean far more in the purposes of God than even they realize!
III. THE SOVEREIGN PURPOSE OF GOD (vv. 51-54).
A. As it turns out, Caiaphas was an unwitting mouthpiece for God. This shouldn’t surprise us. God even spoke prophetically in the Old Testament through the ungodly prophet Balaam (Numbers 25ff). John explains to us, “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, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad” (vv. 51-52). As Isaiah writes—prophetically giving us the words of our Lord Himself;
“And now the Lord says,
Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,
To bring Jacob back to Him,
So that Israel is gathered to Him
(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
And My God shall be My strength),
Indeed He says,
‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Thus says the Lord,
The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,
To Him whom man despises,
To Him whom the nation abhors,
To the Servant of rulers:
“Kings shall see and arise,
Princes also shall worship,
Because of the Lord who is faithful,
The Holy One of Israel;
And He has chosen You” (Isaiah 49:5-7).
John’s explanation hints at the work that Jesus would do not only to save His own people, but to also gather the redeemed from out of among the Gentiles—making them one fold (see John 10:16). Truly, Caiaphas spoke far more truth than he ever could have understood!
B. And note, then, that these men—in their wicked plot—then went on to fulfill God’s purposes for His Son. We’re told, “Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death” (v. 53). They plotted, but God purposed! They meant it for evil, but God meant it for good! We’re told, “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” (v. 54). But it would not be long before He would make His triumphal ride from the country into the city to submit Himself to their hands—and to God’s sovereign purpose for our salvation.
IV. THE COMING TOGETHER OF PLOT AND PURPOSE (vv. 55-57).
A. Jesus’ absence had created a buzz. People were talking about Him. John tells us, “And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, ‘What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?'” (vv. 55-56). In the outworking of time, man’s plot was taking shape according to God’s plan.
B. And one of the great miracles of it all is how man’s plan was made to conform to the purpose of God. We’re told, “Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him” (v. 57). They would take any opportunity they could get. But in the end, God would give them only the opportunity that would fulfill His purposes.
1. In Matthew 26:1-2, Jesus told His disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” But Matthew also lets us know that right then, the religious leaders were planning to do something completely different than what Jesus had said. They were saying “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people” (v. 4, emph. added). They knew that many of the Jewish people who where beginning to believe on Jesus would be present for the Passover feast. And they didn’t want to risk creating the kind of commotion that would force the Roman authorities down on them. And so, they specifically purposed not to take Jesus during the feast, but to wait until the feast was over.
2. And yet, Judas came to those religious leaders—in the evil intention of his own heart, but under the sovereign rule of the Almighty God—to make an offer to them that changed their plans into conformity to God’s purposes (vv. 13-16). Judas sought an opportunity to betray the Lord into their hands (v. 16); and the sovereign Lord Jesus waited in the garden in order to give him that opportunity . . . on Passover night, just as He said.
3. This highlights to us who truly was in control. Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb. His death is the fulfillment of the Passover observance that God gave to His people long ago through Moses, in the book of Exodus (Exodus 12). He must and would be offered on the Passover, just as He said—and just as God the Father had purposed. Not even the plans of powerful men could change that.
* * * * * * * * * *
May God help us to remember that ungodly people may plot and scheme, but God’s purposes always prevail. God uses those wicked plots and schemes in order to accomplish His sovereign purpose. God even changes the plots of men mid-course, so that their plans conform to His will. The wicked people of this world—and even the devil himself—can never thwart the plan of God, but only fulfill it.
This is true even in so great a thing as the way in which our Savior died for us! How much more is it true in every other area of the lives of those He loves!