John 11:45-57
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
Reflection Questions
John 11:45-53
• What were the two responses of those who witnessed Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead?
• How was it possible for two groups of people to see the same thing and respond in such drastically different ways?
• What was the real motivation behind the chief priests’ and the Pharisees’ opposition to Jesus (v.48)?
• To what extent is it still true to this day that people resist Jesus mainly because he threatens their autonomy and security?
John 11:49-52
• Although he would probably give a different meaning to his words, Caiaphas, “who was high priest that year,” unwittingly prophesied that Jesus “would die for the nation.” What can I learn about how God works from the fact that he was faithful to the office of high priest till the end, although Caiaphas was faithless?