What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.
They could only see the signs Jesus performed as things that increased his popularity and therefore made him dangerous. They did not consider the signs in themselves, what they meant, or what they implied about Jesus. Because of this, even the raising of Lazarus was not something that moved them to appreciation or awe. It was instead one more dangerous fact that they wanted to suppress, even by killing Lazarus again if necessary. These Judean leaders only saw Jesus as one more instance of the archetype of militant who claimed to be the messiah. Many followed them too, making them dangerous, since the Romans often violently crushed their movements. As leaders, the Judeans did not spend the time or effort to distinguish the individual case. They responded to Jesus as though he were just one of many, as though they could know him without really considering his unique message. Why did they not take the time to reassess Jesus when he was even able to raise someone from the dead? Most likely it was their desire to maintain power that made them reluctant to think and quick to act, even with oppressive violence.
“You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish.”
Caiaphas thought he was suggesting that the death of Jesus would save the people of his nation from Roman violence. What he said was prophetic and true, but not in the way he thought. The death of Jesus did not in fact save Jerusalem from destruction in 70 AD. However, his death did mean that not only the nation but even the world need not perish. Because of his death all the dispersed children of God could be gathered into one. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Ezekiel:
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.
I will make them one nation upon the land,
in the mountains of Israel,
and there shall be one prince for them all.
Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.
Jesus was indeed the one who would sit upon the throne of David as the one prince for them all. He was the "one shepherd for them all". It was he made made with them an everlasting covenant of peace and put the sanctuary of his real and abiding presence among them forever. God was not limited by the hostile and foolish intentions of those who opposed him. Even their freely chosen sinful acts would ultimately redound to his praise. For their own reasons they desired to kill Jesus. But Jesus followed the will of his Father in letting himself be handed over to them for reasons that were entirely those of his Father and himself. The Judean leaders wanted to take him and destroy him. But he was the one who handed himself over into their power. That power exhausted itself in attempting to destroy Jesus and was itself destroyed in the process.
It is somewhat reassuring to know that Jesus can use even our mistakes for his glory. But, clearly, it is even better to avoid such mistakes. If we reject him it is not necessarily game over, not even for us, since, as long as life lasts, there is hope. This is fortunate, since even when we do come to faith in him we still often reject his specific invitations for how we are to uniquely follow him in our own lives. But although we might ultimately be saved, and brought back to his will for us, and although God will certainly be glorified, such resistance is inimical to our souls. Why delay entering into the peace Jesus died to give? Why not instead fully commit ourselves to his eternal covenant?
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
Darrell Evans - Trading My Sorrows
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