The Plot and the Prophecy

John 11:47-57

 

INTRO: The great miracle has taken place.  Lazarus has been raised from the dead.  The Lord Jesus has manifested His Deity and His omnipotence.  A great crowd of Jews have witnessed the miracle, and none of them could deny what they had seen.  Verse 45 says, “Many of the Jews believed on him [Jesus].”  The picture of Lazarus coming out of the tomb, bound hand and foot, would not leave their minds.

How could they forget the mighty words of Jesus, “Lazarus come forth;” and then after the resurrection, “Loose him and let him go”?

At the news of such a miracle, the religious leaders should have rejoiced because Messiah had come, but that is not what they did.  The verses before us today show how the religious world reacted to the raising of Lazarus.

 

I.        VSS 47-52, THE PLOT AND THE PROPHECY

A.       Vs 47, As we turn from Bethany to Jerusalem, we see a wicked plot unveiled.

1. The gathering spoken of here is of the 71 member Sanhedrin, the religious supreme court, made up of Sadducees and Pharisees.

a. Their meeting place was “the stone chamber” within the temple grounds.

b. On their minds were the miracles of chapters 5, 6, 9, and 11: the healing of the impotent man, the feeding of the multitude, the healing of the man born blind, and the raising of the four day man, Lazarus.

2. The question before the council was: “What do we?  What are we going to do about this miracle worker?”

a. Note the total depravity and the desperate wickedness of the human heart.

1- A man four days dead has been raised and many witnesses attest to tit, yet, the chief priests and Pharisees refuse to believe that Jesus is Messiah.

2- “In the face of overwhelming evidence, they shut their eyes and refused to be convinced” (Ryle 330).

b. They admitted that He did many miracles, yet refused to believe.  Some people hear the glorious Gospel, yet refuse to believe.  Great is the power of unbelief.

1- Unbelief will send you to hell.

2- John 3:18, 36.

B.       Vs 48, Notice especially this: “The Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.”

1. “Our place.”  The religious leaders had been given considerable freedom in taking care of domestic and religious matters, and they were afraid of losing this place in politics.

a. “If we let Him thus alone all men will believe on Him.”

b. The Sanhedrin was saying: “We’ll be ruined; we’ll lose our place.”  They were afraid of losing their power: politically and religiously.  It is evident from history that the Sadducees dominated the Sanhedrin.  They did all they could to keep Rome happy.  As long as they could keep their wealth, social standing and authority they were willing to compromise.  They were afraid that Jesus was going to stir things up and that Rome would come down on them and they would lose all the worldly things that they loved.

c. Also by “place,” they meant the temple.  They were claiming for themselves that which belonged to God, and the presence of Christ, God’s Son, was a threat.

2. “Our...nation.”  Jesus claimed to be King of the Jews, and the Romans were sure to take notice of this and be suspicious.  “It never even occurred to them to ask whether Jesus was right or wrong.  Their only question was: ‘What effect will this have on our ease and comfort authority?’  And is still possible for people to set their own careers before the will of God?”  (Barclay 121-133).

a. Jesus taught, “My kingdom is not of this world;” and when the people tried by force to make Him king, He refused (6:15).  Yet, these men see Him as a threat.

b. The religious leaders knew if they lost their nation, then they lost their place.  This is the attitude the Lord foretold they would have (Luke 20:14).  What they feared would come upon them in 70 AD.  Not because of Jesus but because Rome would tire of the stubbornness of the Jews.

C.      Vs 49, The Sanhedrin has discussed the matter and now Caiaphas, the rude, manipulating, opportunist high priest, tells them: “Ye know nothing at all.”  In other words, “You don’t know what you are talking about.  You are ignorant on this question.”

D.      Vs 50, Caiaphas suggests that Jesus be killed for expediency’s sake.  “It is expedient for us!”– He must die.  Whether He is innocent or not, whether He is our Messiah or not– He must die. whether He is God manifested in the flesh or not– He must die.

1. Caiaphas spoke as politicians do today.  It is not a question of what is right with God; it is a question of political profit.

2. It does not matter what is right or wrong.  Friends, if being politically correct means going against God’s Word, I’ll have to be politically incorrect. 

3. As God’s children we should not fear what will happen if we do right, but rather fear what will happen if we do not do right.

E.       Vs 51, Here we see the politician becoming a prophet.  What Caiaphas said he said from wicked lips; yet, God used him as a mouthpiece just as He used Balaam to proclaim a great truth (Num 22:38).

1. In the eternal counsels of the Godhead, it had been decreed that Christ would die.

a. Caiaphas was but a link in the chain, a mouthpiece of the Spirit of God.  He was a prophet and didn’t know it (Acts 4:26-28).

b. From the human said, it was murder for political gain; from the divine side, the death of Christ was a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners ordained by God (Acts 2:23-24).

c. What Caiaphas meant to be cruel and wicked, God used for the good of His people.  Just as Joseph’s brothers thought to do him wrong, God used it for good (Gen 50:20).

2. “Jesus should die for that nation.”

a. During the tribulation period, God will gather a remnant of Israel.  They will be saved when they realize He died for them (Zech 12:10).

b. There is coming a day when Isaiah 53:4-5 will be very real to Israel as well as to the Gentiles.

c. What Caiaphas said would happen.  Jesus would die for the nation, and He would die for His elect throughout the world.

F.       Vs 52, Here is a verse that should cause us to rejoice!  Christ not only died for the Jewish remnant; He also died for the Gentile believers.  “Christ died not simply to make salvation possible, but to make it certain” (Pink 219).

1. That Christ died to make certain the salvation of those who believe is brought out in the following passages: Mt 1:21, 20:28, Titus 2:11.

2. I am glad that the scope of Christ’s death included Gentile believers (Jn 10:15-16).

 

II.       VSS 53-57, JESUS WITHDRAWS TO EPHRAIM

A.       Vs 53, Without a hearing, the Sanhedrin condemned Jesus to death.  The motioned passed with, I believe, at least two no votes: Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.  What they hoped to save by this action, they would lose (48).

B.       Vs 54, The murder had to be delayed because Jesus withdrew to Ephraim.  The hour of His death had not come.

C.      Vs 55, Ceremonial cleansing was important to the Jews.

1. Most of those who practiced this ceremonial cleansing knew nothing about inward cleansing.  Many who fast at Lent, party at Mardi Gras.

2. The same crowd that were strict about ceremonial cleansing would soon cry “Crucify Him!”

3. Little did they know that the true Lamb of God would die at this Passover.

D.      Vs 56, Jesus was the topic of many conversations.  The raising of Lazarus had stirred the people once again.

E.       Vs 57, The plot has been hatched; the decision has been made.  Jesus must die.  They knew He was out of sight.  They didn’t know where He was.  The order is given: “If you see Jesus report it immediately.”

1. Before Jesus could be arrested, He must be presented to Jerusalem as King at the triumphal entry.

2. All was going as God’s eternal decree stated.