Some of the men who saw Lazarus raised to life after he had been dead four days, went to the chief priests and leaders in Jerusalem to tell them what He had done. Those leaders, they knew, wanted to kill Jesus.
Why the Leaders Felt Threatened
When those men heard of that great event they met to decide quickly how they could take Jesus; they said, “What do we? for this man doeth great miracles. If we let Him alone, all will believe Him; and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
They knew Jesus did many miracles, but they would not believe He was from God, because they had not believed the Scriptures which told of Him. They hated Him because He had spoken truly against their evil ways. But they knew many of the people believed Him to be the Messiah who had been promised, and might try to make Him King.
Wicked and Faithful High Priests
The leader of those men of Jerusalem was Caiaphas, the high priest, which was the highest office of Israel, higher even than a king.
We are told in the book of Hebrews that the Lord Jesus is now Himself the great High Priest to care for all God’s people. He is not on earth, but in Heaven.
“We have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” (Heb. 4:14; 7:25-2614Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Hebrews 4:14)
25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:25‑26)).
Caiaphas did not care for God’s words or believe him. He should have known the writing of the prophet that it was the time for the Great Messiah to appear. In addition he should have known that no nation could have power against Him when King, for it is written, “Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him” (Psa. 72:1111Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. (Psalm 72:11)).
Caiaphas said, “Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient (most necessary) for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” That “one man” was Jesus.
Blessing
Yet in spite of Caiphas’ own hatred of the Lord Jesus, it is written here that his words were really a prophecy from God — a prophecy of blessing! That blessing was not only for the people of that nation, but for the entire world, by the death of Christ. Except for His death, all must perish. But because He then took God’s punishment against sin, all who accept Him become “children of God,” which is far greater than to be kept as one nation of earth.
Further Meditation:
1. Why were the Jewish leaders unable to see and to believe the miracles that Jesus did?
2. What other men in the Bible were able to state correctly the Scriptures or God’s words without any real living faith in the person that they spoke of?
3. If you are interested in the work that the Lord Jesus does as our High Priest today, then you would no doubt enjoy the recording Christ’s Intercession as High Priest and as Advocate by R. Thonney.