Year 2, Week 35, Day 4 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 35, Day 4

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Luke 17; John 11.

Today’s reading consists of two chapters from two separate Gospel accounts, which contain unrelated events surrounding Jesus’ ministry and teaching; and yet, while the events themselves do not parallel each other, they seem to occur in about the same timeframe. As Jesus nears closer to His last trip to Jerusalem, Luke 17 focuses on vital instructions for His disciples: “And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it…so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation” (Luke 17:22-25). John 11 also is set in the context of Jesus nearing Jerusalem for His final time: “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him” (John 11:55-57). And even though Jesus will soon be arrested and crucified, He makes it clear, through bringing His friend Lazarus back from death, who He is: “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26a).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the High Priests statement: “But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:49-50). Caiaphas utters what should be seen as a prophetic word. A word that he did not entirely understand the full import of what he was saying. Caiaphas thought he was saying what would be most politically expedient for himself and his power: “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him…So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (John 11:45-48). The increased popularity of Jesus was perceived as a grave threat to the Jewish religious establishment. In addition, the Jewish leaders expressed that Jesus’ teachings and miracles were putting them at risk with the Roman government. The Jewish leadership has the opportunity to embrace a leader who could free them from Rome, in addition to everything else he could do for them. Instead, they choose to maintain the status quo, in which their nation is subject to Caesar. They choose to protect a building, the temple, whose significance derives from its connection to the hope of God’s kingdom. Instead of welcoming the ruler of this kingdom, they desire to kill him. 

As Caiaphas coordinates his next move, thinking he was bolding communicating what he perceived as the best course of action, John inserts an important clarification: “He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad” (John 11:51-52). Caiaphas rejects Jesus and seeks to pursue his own cause by killing Jesus. Inadvertently, Caiaphas predicts the fulfillment of God’s cosmic purpose to accomplish salvation in Jesus, not just for the Jews but for all of God’s people. Caiaphas prophesied the substitutionary work of Jesus: “it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” Caiaphas understands something altogether different by his choice of words, but the true import of Caiaphas words reflect a Divine design. Concerning prophecy, the Apostle Peter would later explain: “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

Caiaphas’ words stimulated the Jewish leaders to mobilize their efforts to apprehend Jesus and kill Him: “So from that day on they made plans to put him to death” (John 11:53). With the Passover soon approaching, efforts were coordinated to be on the lookout for Jesus: “Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him” (John 11:57). While they are fully responsible for their actions, it never seems to occur to them that it was Passover and they were searching for the One whom John the Baptist proclaimed: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Their wicked intentions were coupled with God’s saving purposes: “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:22-23).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe