So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and
said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will
come and take away both our land and our nation.” John
11:47–48
Jesus’ public ministry had two primary effects upon the people. For
many, they were coming to believe in Him and were hanging on His
every word. They sought Him out and began to understand that He was
the promised Messiah. This was the response of faith. But the
reaction of the chief priests and the Pharisees was far more
worldly. In the passage above, we see a group of religious leaders
who are completely consumed with worldly concerns to the point that
these concerns drown out all matters of faith.
As the Sanhedrin convened and discussed what they should do,
Caiaphas, the high priest that year, spoke up and gave advice that
perfectly depicts this worldly vision. He said, “You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should
die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not
perish.” Caiaphas and many other religious leaders at the time
appeared to be far more concerned with their worldly status and
power than they were with matters of true faith and eternal
salvation. If they were men who deeply loved God and sought only
His holy will, then they would have rejoiced that Jesus’ ministry
was so fruitful in the lives of the people. They would have offered
thanks to God, day and night, for the privilege of seeing the
prophecies of old about the Messiah come to fruition before their
own eyes. They should have had joy and gratitude, and they should
have allowed those spiritual blessings to grow within them and give
them the courage they needed to go forth and die with our Lord if
necessary. But instead, they chose their comfortable lives and
worldly status above the truth, and they decided that Jesus needed
to die.
One beautiful truth to reflect upon within this context is that God
uses all things for His glory and for the salvation of those who
believe. With this meeting of the Sanhedrin, these men began to
plot the death of Jesus. Eventually they used deceit, manipulation,
intimidation and fear to accomplish their goal. But even though
from a worldly perspective these misguided religious leaders “won,”
from a divine perspective, God used their evil to bring about the
greatest good the world had ever known. Through their malice,
Jesus’ passion and death gave way to the new life of the
Resurrection.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that God is able to use all things
for our good. Be it in the midst of corruption, persecution,
discord, sin, illness or any other evil in life, when we turn to
God in faith and surrender, He is able to transform all things and
bring forth an abundance of good fruit through them if we only let
Him and trust in faith. Prayerfully surrender over to God, today,
any of the above concerns that have affected you, and allow
yourself to believe the simple truth that nothing can keep you from
the glorious fulfillment of the will of God. All things can help
toward the salvation of your soul and end in God’s eternal
glory.
My glorious Lord, You were loved by many but also hated by some.
Those with power and authority could not see beyond their worldly
ambitions, so they began to plot against You. Give me the grace,
dear Lord, to see every act of evil inflicted upon me as an
opportunity for You to bring forth good. You are glorious, dear
Lord. May You be glorified in all things. Jesus, I trust in
You.
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Featured image above: The Chief Priests Take Counsel Together
By James Tissot, via Brooklyn Museum
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