-THE PEREAN MINISTRY

-The Jewish Council Gathers & Plots Against Jesus

-John 11:47-54

-The Jewish council did not deny the raising of Lazarus but conceded that Jesus had been

  performing many miracles.  In response, they asked, “What are we doing?” (vs 47, NAS).

            -Their desire to kill Jesus was already present.  With the raising of Lazarus it seems to take

             on a more vigorous expediency with which they try to justify (in their own minds) their

             plans.

-They feel that if they don’t do something to eliminate Jesus that all would believe in Him and

 His resulting popularity would invoke the wrath of the Romans.

            -Even in their attempts to justify sinful actions the selfishness of the Jewish leaders can be

             clearly seen.  In truth, they were not concerned for the people but for themselves.

            -“Their motivation in killing Jesus is spelled out perfectly.  They were afraid of losing their

             position of power and wealth, and, with characteristic blindness, identifying themselves as

             ‘the nation’ (Coffman, 1975, pgs 286-287).

            -“They feared then that the Romans would, by removing them, take away the last vestige of

             civil and ecclesiastical authority, and then eventually obliterate the national life”

             (McGarvey/Pendleton, pgs 527-528).

-Caiaphas, the high priest at that time, spoke in favor of putting Jesus to death.  His line of

 thought was this:  It would be better for one person to die for the preservation of the nation

 rather than the nation be overthrown.

            -However, there was a greater significance in the words of Caiaphas – a significance

             unrealized by him.

            -“The expression of ‘not of himself’ is a very common Hebrew idiom for ‘not of himself

             only.’  God had a meaning in his words different from his own.  In earlier, better days the

             high priest had represented the divine headship of the nation, and through him, by means of

             the Urim and Thummin, the inspired oracles and decisions had been wont to come.  This

             exalted honor had been lost through unworthiness.  But now, according to the will of God,

             the high priest prophesies in spite of himself, as did Balaam and Saul, performing the office

             without the honor” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 528).

-In verse 52, John explains further that the sacrificial death of Jesus would be for those of all

 nations.

-Feeling justified in their sinful intentions, the Jews actively sought to put Jesus to death.

-Knowing their hate-filled intentions and the Divinely prescribed timeframe for that which was

 to come, Jesus withdrew from Jerusalem “...unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city

 called Ephraim...” (vs 54).