Daily Devotions
John
The council of the ungodly
Text: John 11 : 45 - 57
THE COUNCIL OF THE UNGODLY
John carefully noted the people who made up the Council to plot the death of Jesus. This was not the Sanhedrin per se, but the members would be people who belonged to that Council. John soberly noted,
“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.'”
John 11:47-48
The “chief priests” was one group that made up this ungodly Council. The “Pharisees” made up the other group. These two groups of people were distinct groups. The former served in the Temple. Their work was the oversight of the Temple and all its religious ceremonies. The Pharisees were not priests. Some of them were trained in the Mosaic Law and they were considered legal experts. Some of them were called “lawyers”.
They raised the issue of what to do with Jesus! Nothing of what Jesus taught was brought up. This was not a theological academy in discussion of a Person who thought and taught differently.
About the only thing “theological” the Jews brought up was the fact that Jesus had performed “many signs”. They were not about to debate this issue. They had already concluded that Jesus was not from God but was in fact a sinner (John 9:16, 24).
What were the main concerns of the chief priests and the Pharisees? They may be delineated thus:-
1. That “everyone will believe” in Jesus.
2. That the Romans would intervene.
3. That they would lose their place as the religious leaders approved by the Romans.
4. That they might even lose their nation.
HOW WELL FOUNDED WERE THE FEARS OF THE JEWS?
The Jews met with a great sense of foreboding. They had no personal interest in Jesus at all. They were more concerned about losing followers to Jesus than they were concerned about the spiritual aspect of things.
Their concern about the Romans intervening had “political overtones”. The Jews knew that there were some who thought of Jesus as the Messiah-King. The Romans not understanding the finer aspects of the Jewish Scriptures might interpret Jesus as one who had political ambitions, and might well decide to crush any form of rebellion on the horizon.
The High Priest and the chief priests through careful negotiations arrived at their positions. It was not through great personal holiness that they enjoyed their positions. It was through conniving that the Jews held the positions they did. If the Romans came and saw a potentially violent situation, they might well decide to use force!
If the Romans were to come in, the whole nation might well be wiped out! The Romans were well known for the way they wanted to remind conquered nations that they were only subjects. Rome was the mighty conqueror!
The fears of the Jews were not well-founded at all! These fears were more their own attempts to justify their attacks against Jesus. Speculation, hypothetical reasoning seemed to be the order of the day combined with fear and hatred.
THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE HIGH PRIEST
There were many priests, some chief priests, and only one High Priest. His appointment as the highest ranking priest had to be approved by Rome. Vested in his office was not just a religious role, but a political one as well. Rome couldn’t understand the complexities of the Jewish religion. They vested some judicial authority to the High Priest. In matters pertaining to religion, the High Priest had a lot of power. He could order the arrest of people found deviant to their religious practices!
The evil Council that sat to discuss and deliberate the problem that Jesus posed included the High Priest, Caiaphas. Ever the scheming person that he was, he offered a solution to the problem of Jesus.
“You know nothing at all, nor do you consider
that it is expedient for us that one man should die
for the people, and not that a whole nation should perish.”
John 11:49-50
Caiaphas’ decision was to put Jesus to death. How they were going to go about that was not discussed at length at this point of time. The die was now cast! There was no turning back. It was either Jesus or the nation. As far as Caiaphas was concerned, Jesus was expendable. The nation of Israel must survive and live on, even if it meant the death of Jesus!
John solemnly reflected how the High Priest’s words affected the Council.
“Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death”
John 11:53
A PRACTICAL AND WISE RESPONSE
Jesus knew that the Jews hated Him and had begun to plot His death even more vigorously. His hour had not yet come. Thus He chose to withdraw once again.
“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.”
John 11:54