You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.
Jesus is gaining students and the religious leaders don’t like it. They voice their concern over His growing popularity - If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him.
They are wrong in thinking this would be a bad outcome. They are actually opposing God’s Will. For God sent Jesus into the world for that everyone might believe in Him and be saved.
And they make another misjudgment. They think if Jesus replaces their authority with His own, the nation of Israel will perish. They fail to see God is the one who protects the nation and not them.
Based on these two false premises, they make a calculated decision. They plot to take Jesus’ life
In this terrible moment, Caiaphas, the high priest, gives a fateful prophecy.
You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.
In this Caiaphas is both right and wrong!
He is wrong in thinking that killing Jesus will save the nation. It won’t. In only a few years after Jesus’ death, Rome will burn Jerusalem to the ground.
But unknowingly, and for reasons he doesn’t understand, his prophecy is absolutely right. For Jesus has been sent by God to do exactly what he said – One man, Jesus, will die for the sins of all the people!
He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
They plotted to kill Jesus because they were afraid of their position being taken away.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me many do similar today. They refuse to believe in God and His Son Jesus because "without a God" they themselves are in the drivers seat of their lives. They get to do what they want and please themselves and are responsible to no one. They refuse to believe because if they do, then they know they will have to change.
Sadly, their outcome will also be similar - Jerusalem burned, and so will the eternal fire.
In what areas of our lives are we still trying to be the boss?