Priests and Rulers Continue Plotting

Picture: Priests and Rulers Continue Plotting 3TC 344.1

This chapter is based on John 11:47-54. 

News of the raising of Lazarus soon arrived at Jerusalem. Spies quickly supplied the Jewish rulers with the facts. They called a meeting of the Sanhedrin at once to decide what to do. This mighty miracle was the crowning evidence God offered that He had sent His Son into the world for their salvation. It was a demonstration of divine power sufficient to convince every mind that was under the control of reason and an enlightened conscience. 3TC 344.2

But the priests were only enraged by this new miracle. Jesus had raised the dead in the full light of day and before a crowd of witnesses. No trick could explain away such evidence. For this reason the priests were more determined than ever to put a stop to Christ’s work. 3TC 344.3

The Sadducees had not been so full of hatred toward Christ as the Pharisees were, but now they were thoroughly alarmed. They did not believe in a resurrection of the dead, reasoning that it would be impossible for a dead body to be brought to life. But by a few words from Christ, they were shown to be ignorant of both the Scriptures and the power of God. How could they turn people away from One who had successfully robbed the grave of its dead? They could not deny the miracle, and they did not know how to counteract its effect. After the resurrection of Lazarus, the Sadducees decided that only Jesus’ death could stop His fearless denunciations against them. 3TC 345.1

The Pharisees believed in the resurrection, and they could not avoid seeing that this miracle was evidence that the Messiah was among them. But from the beginning, they had hated Him because He had torn aside the cloak hiding their moral deformity. The pure religion that He taught had condemned their hollow claims to piety. They thirsted for revenge for His pointed rebukes. Several times they had tried to stone Him, but He had quietly slipped away. 3TC 345.2

To stir up the Romans against Him, the Pharisees had claimed that He was trying to undermine Roman authority. They had tried every false accusation to cut Him off from influencing the people. But their attempts had failed. The crowds who witnessed His works and heard His pure teachings knew that these were not the deeds and words of a Sabbath breaker or blasphemer. In desperation, the Jews had finally passed a decree that anyone who professed faith in Jesus would be expelled from the synagogue. 3TC 345.3

So Pharisees and Sadducees were more nearly united than ever before. They became one in their opposition to Christ. 3TC 345.4

At this time the Sanhedrin was not a legal assembly. It existed only by tolerance. Some of its members questioned the wisdom of putting Christ to death. They feared that this would stir up a revolt. The Sadducees, united with the priests in hating Christ, wanted to be cautious, fearing that the Romans would take away their high standing. 3TC 345.5

How the Holy Spirit Tried to Help Them

In this council, assembled to plan the death of Christ, the Witness who had heard the boastful words of Nebuchadnezzar and witnessed the idol-worshiping feast of Belshazzar was now impressing the rulers with the work they were doing. Events in the life of Christ rose up before their minds so distinctly that they were alarmed. They remembered when Jesus, as a child of twelve, stood before the educated doctors of the law, asking questions that amazed them. The miracle Jesus had just performed bore witness that He was none other than the Son of God. Perplexed and troubled, the rulers asked, “What shall we do?” There was a division in the council. 3TC 346.1

While the council was in its greatest perplexity, Caiaphas, the high priest, arose. Proud and cruel, arrogant and intolerant, he spoke with great authority and assurance: “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Even if Jesus were innocent, He must be put out of the way. He was lessening the authority of the rulers, and if the people were to lose confidence in their rulers, the national power would be destroyed. After this miracle, the followers of Jesus would likely rise in revolt. “The Romans would then come,” he said, “close our temple, and destroy us as a nation. What is the life of this Galilean compared with the nation? Is it not doing God a service to remove Him? Better that one man perish than that the whole nation be destroyed.” 3TC 346.2

The policy Caiaphas recommended was based on a principle borrowed from heathenism. The dim consciousness that one was to die for the human race had led to human sacrifices. So by the sacrifice of Jesus, Caiaphas proposed to save the guilty nation, not from transgression, but in transgression, so that they could continue in sin. 3TC 346.3

At this council Christ’s enemies had come under deep conviction. The Holy Spirit had impressed their minds. But Satan reminded them of the grievances they had suffered because of Christ. How little He had honored their righteousness! Paying no regard to their forms and ceremonies, He had encouraged sinners to go directly to God as a merciful Father and tell Him their wants. He had refused to acknowledge the theology of the rabbinical schools and hurt the priests’ influence beyond repair by exposing their evil practices. 3TC 346.4

Except for a few who did not dare to speak their minds, the Sanhedrin received the words of Caiaphas as the words of God. Relief came to the council; the discord ended. They resolved to put Christ to death at the first good opportunity. These priests and rulers had come entirely under Satan’s control, yet they were so deceived that they were well pleased with themselves. They thought of themselves as patriots seeking the nation’s salvation. 3TC 347.1

To prevent the people from becoming incensed and bringing on them the violence they were planning for Jesus, the council delayed carrying out the sentence they had pronounced. The Savior knew that they would soon accomplish what they intended, but it was not His role to hurry the crisis, and He left that region, taking the disciples with Him. 3TC 347.2

Jesus had now given three years of public labor to the world. Everyone knew His self-denial, selfless kindness, purity, and devotion. Yet this short period was as long as the world could endure the presence of its Redeemer. He who was always touched by human suffering, who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and comforted the sorrowful, was driven away from the people He had worked so hard to save. He who broke the sleep of the dead and held thousands spellbound by His words of wisdom was unable to reach the hearts of those who were blinded by prejudice and hatred and who stubbornly rejected light. 3TC 347.3