NOTES for Joh 11:45-57
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. |
46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. |
47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. |
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. |
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, |
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. |
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; |
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. |
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. |
54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. |
55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. |
56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? |
57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him. |
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Jesus performs an unprecedented miracle: the raising of Lazarus. This event, however, is perceived by people very differently: for some it becomes a sign of God's blessing, and for others, a dangerous manifestation of extremism. The Pharisees fear that this strange preacher from Judea, by His miracles, will attract the people to Himself and start an uprising that will be suppressed by the Romans, thereby putting an end to political freedom and religious life. Their earthly logic is entirely understandable: common sense suggests acting exactly as they did, sacrificing one person in the interests of the majority.
At times the Lord proposes that we do something that does not fit within generally accepted frameworks. His plan can appear insane to us, contradicting our ideas about the order of the world. It is hard for us to accept that His will can involve the disruption of familiar peace and quiet, the loss of what was achieved with hard labor, even death - and death on a cross. But precisely this "final" fall of Jesus, from the Pharisees' point of view, became salvation for the whole universe, because divine arithmetic differs from earthly arithmetic.
Readings for 18 May 2026
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