Die For The People

Scripture: John 11:45-52 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.” 49 Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! 50 You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.” 51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. 52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world. (John 11:45–52 NLT)

The Jewish religious faith was a gift from God to his chosen people. It provided a way for them to grow in grace, to develop in their love for God and for other people, and to develop an identity as the people of God, on mission to introduce a loving God to a lost world. But through the centuries (It actually doesn’t take that long) the Jewish religion had drifted from its God-intended purpose. Judaism had become a system that gave more attention to itself – its financial structure, its hierarchy, its system of laws and rules, and its place in the complex interplay of Palestinian politics – than to its God-given mission.

Caiaphas, the top leader in Judaism at the time, said, “This is a no-brainer! Jesus is a threat to the system! His claim to be God’s Son is heightening the tension between our system, our nation’s king, and the Romans. We’ve got to get rid of him in a way that shows we Jews are aligned with and submitted to Herod and to Rome! It’s better for one man to die for the people than for the whole system to collapse and our nation be destroyed!” Prophetic statement: Jesus died for people, not the system!

Two things: 1) It’s dangerous both then and now to place alignment with a political ideology above the teaching and example of Jesus 2) God is still God! And his Kingdom is bigger than partisan politics, so I will sleep peacefully tonight!

Prayer:

Father, Thank you that Jesus was willing to die for us, the people! And thank you that we, the people, have the opportunity to live for him! Amen!