The Results from the Resurrection
Faith and Finks (45-46)
Right away we see again how Jesus divides the crowds. And in verses 44-45 we see how people respond to this miracle – we see faith and we see finks. Notice verses 45-46, “Therefore, many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.”
There were 2 kinds of people in that one crowd. Both saw the same miracle, both listened to Jesus shout for Lazarus to come out, both watched as the dead man came out of the grave alive. The first group was the group of faith – they were people who saw Lazarus come out and they believed when they witnessed it.
The second group of people saw the same miracle, but, rather than putting their faith in Jesus they run and tell the Pharisee’s what Jesus has just done. Verse 45 says, “But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.” They know the Pharisees hate Jesus – that’s public knowledge (7:25), and they hate Jesus too. Their actions helped get Jesus crucified.
They saw the miracle the same as the first group of people, but what they saw in the miracle was different. The first group saw the glory of God because they believed in Jesus. This group saw an opportunity to turn Jesus in to the Pharisees because they rejected Him.
You know what? Every time someone saw or heard Jesus they made a decision about Him. they either decided to believe in Him or they decided to reject Him There was never any neutrality when it came to a decision about Jesus.
And that’s how it is today. Every time someone hears about Jesus they make a decision whether they realize it or not. Either they choose to believe in Him or they choose to reject Him. There is never any riding the fence with Jesus
Pharisees and Fear (v47-48)
Next we see that Jesus causes Fear among the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin. Verses 47-48 say, “Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. ‘What are we accomplishing?’ they asked. ‘Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 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.’”
The Sanhedrin was the highest court in Israel and was answerable only to the Roman governor. It was made up of 70 members. They made the decisions concerning religious and civil matters in the nation of Israel. This very powerful body of men was finding their power threatened by Jesus.
And as we look at these verses we can see that they are afraid of Jesus. They’re afraid of losing their power. The first part of verse 48 says, “If we let Him go on like this everyone will believe in Him…” The more people believed in Jesus the stronger His political clout could have become. More of the nation would be loyal to Him rather than to them. Their power with the people was being threatened by Jesus’ growing popularity.
But, not only that, they were afraid of the Romans and what they might do. If Jesus got too popular that would mean a possible uprising against Rome. The Sanhedrin was afraid Rome might see that and take action against them by removing them from power; by taking away their place (referring to the temple); and removing their nation.
You know Jesus Christ makes people afraid to this day. Like these Pharisees and Sadducees people today are afraid of what they will lose if they decide to actually follow Christ. People don’t want to trust Him as Savior because they like their life so much they don’t see the life Jesus offers could be any better. But Jesus says in the very next chapter “The man who loves his life will lose it but the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
I love my reputation. I love being my own man making my own decisions for me. I love not answering to anyone. I love my autonomy. I love my life!
… No you don’t really! You think you do but truth be told and the mask was taken off you are afraid, ashamed and totally insecure. That is how it is for someone who is separate from Christ. He will build up everything about himself that he possibly can to feel confident.
But when Christ comes along He threatens those fake things about us. He says you can’t have me and them. You have to trust Me enough to throw those lies you’ve created aside and you will find that My love washes your fear away. My power takes your guilt away. My life takes your insecurity away. But only when you deny yourself – deny those things you have made up to protect yourself – only then can I come in. If any man would come after Me he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.
Are you concerned about your Reputation with other people? Are there certain pleasures you enjoy but you know are compromises with sin? Is your life What are you afraid ofNot pushing yourself to grow in personal holiness but instead enjoying the carefree lazy, not accountable to anyone
The Solution (49-50)
In verse 49 we are introduced to Caiaphas, “Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, ‘You know nothing at all!’” Caiaphas was appointed high priest by the Roman government about 15 years before and would serve for another couple years after Jesus’ crucifixion.
Caiaphas was of the party called the Sadducees. They didn’t believe in angels or the resurrection. The Sadducees were more politically motivated and did not care for religious things as much as their opponents the Pharisees did. Where the Pharisees were angry with Jesus for breaking all their religious laws, the Sadducees were angry that He threatened their political position in Israel and with Rome. And that’s what drove the Sadducees – power.
Josephus, the Jewish historian said this about them, “The behavior of the Sadducees one toward another is in some degree wild and their conduct with those who are of their own party is as barbarous as if they were strangers to them.” And if that is how the Sadducees treated each other, how might they treat someone like Jesus - a threat to their power?
In verse 50 Caiaphas offers the solution, “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” The solution is that Jesus must die. In order to save the nation of Israel Jesus must die Caiaphas says. Jesus is growing too popular. He is getting too much of a following. It doesn’t matter what miracles He has done to prove that He has the power of God, these men are so blinded by their pride, their fear, and their greed that they just ignore all the evidence. Jesus said in chapter 14, “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.” They wouldn’t listen to Jesus’ words, and they wouldn’t pay attention to the miraculous works that He did.
This statement it amazing and I want to show us the 2 meanings of Caiaphas’ Statement.
First, Caiaphas spoke on his own free will and he meant something very specific. Jesus needed to die in order to save the nation. But he was speaking of saving the nation politically from Rome. Remember they were afraid Rome would see this Jesus revolution going on and think that the Sanhedrin can’t control things and so Caiaphas was afraid the Romans would intervene and remove everyone from power and just directly rule over Israel themselves. Caiaphas was willing to murder the Son of God to keep his power.
John’s Parenthesis (51-52)
But there was more going on in Caiaphas’ statement then even he knew. In verses 51-52 we see John insert a parenthetical explanation of this prophecy that Caiaphas unwittingly spoke. Notice two things.
First, that it says Caiaphas did not speak on his own. The Holy Spirit superintended what was said. This is how all prophecy comes about. In 2 Peter 2:21 it says, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Listen, Caiaphas spoke on his own free will with malicious intent to kill Jesus for political reasons, but, Caiaphas spoke exactly what God wanted him to speak for spiritual reasons. Amazing!
Here we have again a certain principle in Scripture. It’s important: What man intends for evil God uses for good.
You know another great place to see this? Turn to Genesis 50:20. While you’re turning there let me set the stage. Joseph is the youngest of Jacob’s 12 sons. When Joseph was younger his brothers hated him and they schemed together to sell him into slavery to get rid of him.
Well, as it turned out, God enabled Joseph to do something that made him very valuable. He could interpret dreams. To make a long story short he ends up in Egypt and because of his ability to interpret dreams Pharaoh makes Joseph the 2nd most powerful man in the nation. God gives Joseph the meaning of one of Pharaoh’s dreams and that a severe famine is coming. Because of this Egypt is able to prepare for this famine. When the famine comes it is so bad that Joseph’s brothers are sent by their father to Egypt for help. It is then that they find Joseph has become more powerful than they ever could have imagined.
And as they are standing there looking at Joseph they become painfully aware that they are covered in guilt. The terror they felt that their innocent brother might possibly now take his revenge on them for their evil betrayal crushed them. What will Joseph do? Look at chapter 50 verse 18…
This is the sovereignty of God at work in the affairs of human beings. What men intend for evil God intends for good. When Caiaphas intended Jesus to be killed for evil reasons, God was intending the very same thing but for good – for the salvation of all! Where Caiaphas was speaking about the political future of the nation of Israel, God sovereignly used that wicked man’s own evil words to speak a prophecy about the spiritual future of the nation. Their spiritual future depended entirely on Jesus dying.
Jesus came as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The Jews offered sacrifices according to the law. God gave them the law to follow so they could be in a right relationship with Him. But, the law was temporary; Jesus came as the fulfillment of the law and to be the end of the law. He came to die once for all time for the sins of man. He came so that men could look to Him for salvation and not to religious works or living a good life.
Secondly, this salvation was not only for Israel. Verse 52 says, “and not only for that nation but for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” Not all Jews lived in Israel. Many were scattered throughout other nations. But, even more than that, John was saying that the Holy Spirit was indicating that salvation was going to go out to all nations. There would be no discrimination when it comes to the gospel. The doors would be thrown wide open to all men everywhere that they might come into the household of God. Jesus said as much in chapter 10 verse 16, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them in also.”
And making them one is what Jesus was doing. Turn to Ephesians 2:11-19 please.
The power of the cross is the power that overcomes barriers of hostility. It overcomes prejudices, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness. In the cross of Jesus Christ all these things are demolished and enemies become brothers and sisters because of the reconciling work of Christ. Jews and Gentiles, who hate each other, now, in the Church of Jesus Christ, are in common fellowship with one another because of Jesus Christ’s death – which was planned right here by the Sanhedrin.
Do you see how that principle applies? What man intends for evil God intends for good. Always there is the sovereign work of God in the lives of people – even when evil comes into our lives.
Conclusion: Looking for Jesus (v55-57)
So the council officially decides that Jesus needs to die and they begin to brainstorm how to do it. Then we see the Biblical Mapquest as it tracks Jesus’ movements again to another location. Let’s read verses 54-57………..
I just want to end with highlighting verse 56. It says that the people kept looking for Jesus. They were in town for the Passover Feast, this is the 3rd one Jesus was at in John’s Gospel. Many were there early to purify themselves for the feast. They were busy with their religion but they kept looking for Jesus. They were busy with their rituals but they were looking for Jesus Christ. They were carrying their loads, they were carrying their burdens, they were carrying their sins, they were carrying their guilt but they were looking for Jesus Christ.
Are you looking for Jesus Christ?! What are you carrying? What are you doing? Are you looking for Jesus Christ? Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened. Ask and it will be given to you. Are you looking for Jesus Christ?
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