The order given by the chief priests and Pharisees would make anyone who knew the whereabouts of Jesus without reporting Him, an accessory and liable to punishment, thus making arrest much more likely. Note that they wanted to arrest Him where He was lodging, so that they would not have to do so in public, particularly in the Temple, thus arousing the ire of those who were His followers.

Caiaphas and the other members of the Sanhedrin were so self-centered and absorbed in their own progress that they were blind to the true things of God. Here was the Messiah of God for Whom they had waited all their lives and He was proving himself to them by His miracles and by His words and yet they could not see Him for Who he was. They of all people should have been able to see, and yet they could not for two reasons. First, they had been walking in darkness for so long that they had lost their spiritual eyes, much as those fish who have lived their entire lives in a cave. The warning to us is to walk in the light as He is in the light. In other words, do what He says and seek Him with all of our hearts.

The second reason they couldn’t see Jesus as Messiah was that they didn’t want to. At the battle of Copenhagen, Admiral Parker, the commander of the British fleet, feared that Admiral Lord Nelson was suffering heavy losses and hoisted the signal to withdraw, but Nelson disregarded the order, putting his telescope to his blind eye and saying, “I see no ships.” Someone once said that “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” Oftentimes we choose not to see because we are afraid that if we do, we will have to change what we are doing or how we are doing it.

Every time Jesus speaks and every time He intercedes in our lives we are given two choices — but only two: we can either accept Him and what He says or we can reject Him and what He says. There is no other choice. Don’t be like Caiaphas. See Jesus for who He is and don’t try to make Him into something He’s not. Listen to what He tells you, even if it’s not what you want to hear or what you expect Him to say. Let Jesus be your Lord in all things. Amen.

The purifications took place in the Temple and as the people waited their turn, they gathered together in small groups, discussing the news of the day. Their second question listed here seems to indicate they are expecting a negative answer. Phillips translates it as, “Surely he won’t come to the festival?” They considered it unlikely that Jesus would come to the Passover in light of the circumstances, but they underestimated Him. When the time comes for Him to be there, nothing on earth could stop Him from coming.

Do we share the same resolve to do God’s will no matter what may happen to us? Oh, to have the courage of our Master!

This is nothing new (5:18; 7:19; 8:44,59; 10:39; 11:8) but they are now trying all the harder to accomplish it. The words of Caiaphas have made an impact on his hearers and they decide to follow his advice.

John 5:18  For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

John 7:19  Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”

John 8:44  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8:59  At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 10:39  Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

John 11:8  “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?”

What a wonderful God we serve! He takes the greatest crime ever committed on earth and turns it into the greatest blessing ever given.

We do not know for certain the exact whereabouts of Ephraim, but it was probably near Bethel (2 Chron 13:19), about 15 miles to the north of Jerusalem, in the remote, mountainous country bordering the desert where Jesus was tempted. His time had not yet come and Jesus knew exactly what He was to do and when. How? (John 8:29)

2 Chronicles 13:19  Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages.

John 8:29  The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

Since he was not far here from the place the devil tempted him to bow His knee and receive the kingdoms of heaven, Robertson wonders, “Is it mere fancy to imagine that the devil came to see Jesus again here at this juncture with a reminder of his previous offer and of the present plight of the Son of God with the religious leaders conspiring his death?” (RWP)

At any rate, in this most difficult time, Jesus has His disciples spend the time with Him. I am not sure who benefitted the most from this.

This is nothing new (5:18; 7:19; 8:44,59; 10:39; 11:8) but they are now trying all the harder to accomplish it. The words of Caiaphas have made an impact on his hearers and they decide to follow his advice.

John 5:18  For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

John 7:19  Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”

John 8:44  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8:59  At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 10:39  Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

John 11:8  “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?”

What a wonderful God we serve! He takes the greatest crime ever committed on earth and turns it into the greatest blessing ever given.

“the scattered children” = Caiaphas’ words are not enough and John amplifies what God was saying through that prophesy. The “scattered children,” if spoken by a Jew, would normally be taken to be the Jews of the Dispersion, but here it is meant to be all of God’s children, including the Gentiles (Gal 3:28, Col 3:11). Morris notes that “Sin scatters men, but salvation in Christ brings them together.”

Galatians 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:11  Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

It was thought that the High Priest was God’s spokesman and he would prophesy on His behalf (Num 27:18-21). In actuality, what Caiaphas meant as “a piece of cynical, political realism” (Morris) was used by God to speak of a much more wonderful and profound truth. Note that it is possible to prophesy and not know the significance of what you said. Do you think Caiaphas would fit in the category described by Jesus in (Matt 7:21-23)? God can use bad men to prophesy (Num 23:5) and He can use men to do it without knowing they are doing so(John 19:19-22). Note that if God can use an evil, self-centered man like Caiaphas, He can use you!

Numbers 27:18-21  So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him.  Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence.  Give him some of your authority so that the whole Israelite community will obey him.  He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by enquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

Matthew 7:21-23  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Numbers 23:5  The LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this message.”

John 19:19-22  Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.  The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews’, but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”  Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die a substitutionary death; not one for himself, but for others. This was fulfilled (Gal 3:13, 2 Cor 5:14, Rom 5:6).

Galatians 3:13  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

2 Corinthians 5:14  For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

Romans 5:6  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

“realize” (NIV) = “consider” (KJV) = dialogizomai = to reason it out, to reckon up your accounts. He is saying that they are incapable of working it out that this certain course of action is the best one to take.

“for you” = they are not concerned about what is right or wrong and they are not really concerned over the nation as a whole; their major concern is that their position as the privileged, ruling class is being threatened and his course of action will help to preserve that. McGarvey says of Caiaphas, “Expediency, not justice, is his law.” (TFG)  It is ironic that instead of preserving their nation and their position, this very decision would lead to its destruction. This happened in 70 A.D., several years before the writing of John’s gospel, and Barclay observes that “all who read it would see the dramatic irony in the words of the Sadducees.”

Edersheim notes, “This was the last prophecy in Israel; with the sentence of death on Israel’s true High-Priest died prophecy in Israel, died Israels’ High-Priesthood. It had spoken sentence upon itself.” (Life ii, 326)

Caiaphas was high priest from about 18 A.D. to 36 A.D. Though the office was originally for life, the Romans were in the habit of changing high priest from time to time as suited their needs. In fact, in the hundred years before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. there were a total of 25 high priests, which means they served an average of 4 years.

Josephus observes that the Sadducees were “even among themselves, rather boorish in their behaviour, and in their intercourse with their peers are as rude as to aliens.” (qt’d in Morris) This is quite evident by the rudeness displayed by Caiaphas in his opening phrase. There is an emphatic double negative in his statement which has Barclay include in his translation “You are witless, brainless creatures.”

“that year” has special significance because all of history revolves around it. “That year” was the year Christ died for all of mankind. “That year” was the year that the high priesthood passed from man to Jesus. It is strange indeed to note that the last high priest before Christ took over the role forever, was a man so self-centered and immoral as Caiaphas. How sad that the line of Aaron should end in such a man.

“everyone will believe in him” = apparently many are placing their faith in Jesus, even with the threat of excommunication. The raising of Lazarus has forced their hand; they cannot allow Jesus to keep on doing what He is doing or even larger numbers of people will start following Him. Their use of the word “everyone” is an exaggeration which depicts the strength of their fears.

“our place” = probably the Temple (as in Acts 6:13-14, 21:28) but could be their individual seats on the Council. Perhaps the most significant word here is “our”. The religious leaders considered the Temple of God and the Jewish nation to be their special property.

Acts 6:13-14  They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.  For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

Acts 21:28  shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.”

These Jewish leaders are concerned that the actions of Jesus may get many to follow Him and that He will act like they think the Messiah will act which will result in the Romans upsetting the way things are being done. Notice the order in which they place the two things they are in fear of losing. First is their “place” which is where they make their living and are able to exert their power, and the second is their nation. Their first priority is to preserve their job and their second is to save their nation, much as politicians today. It is a temptation today for paid pastors and staff, or any who are serving God in any capacity, to fall into the trap of considering our callings to be our jobs and to try to preserve them at all costs. Let God be God and let His will (not yours) be done.

It is a great irony indeed, that at the time of the writing of this gospel, Rome had come and taken their place and their nation in 70 A.D. What Caiaphas and the other religious leaders had been so fearful of and had tried their best to prevent had instead come to pass and was even caused by their actions to try to prevent it (Mark 12:1-12).

Mark 12:1-12  He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.  He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.  “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’  “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’  So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.  “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.  Haven’t you read this scripture: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;  the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes’?”  Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.