Daily Devotions
John
Another Passover feast
Text: John 11 : 45 - 57
ANOTHER PASSOVER FEAST
Jerusalem was busy once again, preparing for the great influx of faithful worshippers who would make their way to the Temple every year. Well over a million extra people would make their way to Jerusalem annually.
Jesus had always made it to Jerusalem every year since boyhood. The earlier trips were made with His parents. Those were quieter years. Ever since His public ministry began, Jesus made time to minister in Jerusalem, particularly during the Feasts.
John made a note about the Jews anticipating the Presence of Jesus at Jerusalem.
“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?'”
John 11:55-56
The Jews must have readied themselves for yet another confrontation with Jesus. They were already in the Temple precincts. Their eyes must have surveyed the crowds that came to the Temple. Many had already arrived in Jerusalem. The more religious ones felt that they must come at least a few days before the Passover so that they could purify themselves before they celebrated Passover. It seems so ironic that the common people could have such thoughts but the Jews only prepared themselves for another showdown with Jesus.
The question that the Jews discussed among themselves was whether Jesus would dare to turn up in Jerusalem at all. Some were probably convinced that He would not turn up for the Passover, for fear of what the Jews might do to Him. Others were equally convinced that He would always turn up, no matter the threat of the Jews!
EVERY PREPARATION MADE TO SEIZE JESUS
Every preparation was made by the Jews to arrest Jesus. The council they had with the High Priest in attendance must have emboldened them greatly. John made a note concerning their preparation.
“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.”
John 11:57
The stage was set. The Jews felt that they had made adequate preparation to seize Jesus. The question was whether Jesus would turn up. If He did turn up, would anyone betray Him and reveal His whereabouts to the Jews?
PAUSING TO REVIEW THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS
What had Jesus done to deserve such hatred from the Jews? It could not be His Character or Personality. Isaiah well described the kind of Person the Messiah would be.
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench…”
Isaiah 42:1-3
Jesus maintained consistently a life that was absolutely Spirit-filled! The Jews couldn’t fault His character no matter how hard they tried!
It couldn’t be His ministry either. Again, we are indebted to Isaiah for this description of the Messiah’s ministry.
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord…”
Isaiah 61:1-2
The works of Jesus, the sign-miracles that He performed blessed the lives of many! The poor heard the life-giving words of the Gospel from the lips of Jesus. The broken-hearted went away fully restored. The Jews knew that they could not fault the ministry of Jesus either.
What drove the Jews to plot the death of Jesus? We need to be reminded once again of the work of the devil. Let us recall what Jesus said on an earlier occasion.
“Why do you not understand My speech?
Because you are not able to listen to My word.
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father
you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,
for he is a liar and the father of it.
But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth,
why do you not believe Me?”
John 8:43-46
The culmination of the ministry of Jesus drew near to its inevitable end. Any fair-minded person would be able to distinguish between Jesus and The Jews.