45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?” 57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.
The Pharisees reaction to this miracle of miracles is rather crazy. They don't deny the miracle - that would be ludicrous. It was a very public miracle. Everybody knew Lazarus was actually dead. And everyone could see that he was now alive. They couldn't deny the miracle so instead, they deny Jesus, which is even more ridiculous.
The key to that is really in v40 from yesterday. Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
If you believed. Similar to that verse back in John 7:17 If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
If we're closed minded, no miracle will teach us anything. We cannot be convinced of something we don't want to be convinced of. But when we're willing to be open to what God is going to show us, if our motives are pure and honest - He will honour that and He will show us the truth and we will see His glory.
I also find v50 interesting, because that's exactly what Jesus did for us on the cross - Jesus took the punishment for the whole nation (the whole world!) and died in our place. Prophetic words from an unbeliever - it's amazing how God can use anyone to accomplish His purposes.
Tomorrow's scripture focus: John 12:1-11
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