Friday, March 23, 2007

John 11:45-57 (The Message)
The Man Who Creates God-Signs
45-48That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus. The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body. "What do we do now?" they asked. "This man keeps on doing things, creating God-signs. If we let him go on, pretty soon everyone will be believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and privilege we still have."
49-52Then one of them—it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that year—spoke up, "Don't you know anything? Can't you see that it's to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?" He didn't say this of his own accord, but as Chief Priest that year he unwittingly prophesied that Jesus was about to die sacrificially for the nation, and not only for the nation but so that all God's exile-scattered children might be gathered together into one people.
53-54From that day on, they plotted to kill him. So Jesus no longer went out in public among the Jews. He withdrew into the country bordering the desert to a town called Ephraim and secluded himself there with his disciples.
55-56The Jewish Passover was coming up. Crowds of people were making their way from the country up to Jerusalem to get themselves ready for the Feast. They were curious about Jesus. There was a lot of talk of him among those standing around in the Temple: "What do you think? Do you think he'll show up at the Feast or not?"
57Meanwhile, the high priests and Pharisees gave out the word that anyone getting wind of him should inform them. They were all set to arrest him.

This passage follows after the passage we read yesterday when Jesus raised Lazarus back to life. Many people were with Jesus when he called Lazarus out of the tomb. People had come to mourn with Mary and Martha, and there were probably people with Jesus, following him around to hear his teachings. A lot of people saw what Jesus did. There were two reactions to Jesus’ action. After seeing Jesus raise Lazarus to life, some people started to believe in him. Others decided to be tattle-tales and went and reported Jesus’ actions to the religious leaders, the Pharisees.

The Pharisees were afraid of Jesus. Jesus was different. He was teaching radical lessons in radical ways. The Pharisees knew that if more people began following Jesus, less people would be following the Pharisees, and they did not want to give up their power. They also did not want their teaching to be proven wrong.

As a result of their fear, the Pharisees began to plot to murder Jesus. They sent word that they wanted Jesus arrested, then they would have him killed.

Do you ever wonder how Jesus felt, knowing that people were planning to arrest him and kill him? It is like Jesus’ face being on a “Wanted” poster, hung up in all the prominent market places. He could no longer go out in public, but stayed in a desert town with his disciples until the right time.

In many countries around the world, followers of Jesus experience what he once did. There are Christians who have to hide because the government and the police have their names on “Wanted” lists. Some governments, like the Pharisees do not want people to believe in Jesus. Take a few minutes to pray for Christians around the world who, on a daily basis, hide because they might be arrested, and even killed.