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to the book of John. John breaks down into three parts. 
You've got a prologue in chapter 1, verses 1 to 18, and then the 
public life of Jesus. Some refer to it as the Book 
of Signs, from 119 to chapter 12 in verse 50. And then you've 
got the Book of the Passion, beginning in chapter 13 at verse 
1 to the end of chapter 20, and then there's an epilogue in chapter 
21. So this morning our focus will be on verses 47 to 57, the 
judicial decision to murder Jesus. The religious leadership in Israel 
had already expressed a desire to murder the Lord Jesus. They 
hated him, they despised him, they wanted to get rid of him. 
This is the official sort of meeting of this council or Sanhedrin 
to make this their decree, to make this their plan. But I want 
to back up and read beginning in verse 38, the resurrection 
of Lazarus from the dead. So John 11 at verse 38, then 
Jesus again, groaning in himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave 
and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, take away the stone. 
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, Lord, 
by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days. 
Jesus said to her, did I not say to you that if you would 
believe, you would see the glory of God? Then they took away the 
stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus 
lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you 
have heard me. And I know that you always hear 
me. But because of the people who are standing by, I said this, 
that they may believe that you sent me. Now when he had said 
these things, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And 
he who had died came out, bound hand and foot with grave clothes, 
and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 
loose him and let him go. Then many of the Jews who had 
come to Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in 
him. But some of them went away to 
the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief 
priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, what shall 
we do? For this man works many signs. 
If we let him alone like this, everyone will believe in him. 
And the Romans will come and take away both our place and 
nation. And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, 
said to them, 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 the whole nation should perish. Now this he did not say 
on his own authority, but being high priest that year, he prophesied 
that Jesus would die for the nation and not for that nation 
only, but also that he would gather together in one the children 
of God who were scattered abroad. Then from that day on they plotted 
to put him to death. Therefore Jesus no longer walked 
openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near 
the wilderness to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with 
his disciples. And the Passover of the Jews 
was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before 
the Passover to purify themselves. Then they sought Jesus and spoke 
among themselves as they stood in the temple. What do you think, 
that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief priests 
and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where he 
was, he should report it, that they might seize him. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our God and 
Father, we thank you for your written word. We thank you for 
the blessed truth that we find herein. And though this is a 
dark chapter in the history of man, the judicial decision to 
put to death the only righteous man that ever lived on this earth, 
it nevertheless is the theology communicated. is what we find 
throughout the scripture. The one for the many, the blessed 
Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 
He died in our stead. He was raised for our justification. He lived a life of perfect obedience 
for us men and for our salvation. We rejoice that this godless, 
wicked Caiaphas nevertheless prophesied and preached the truth 
even during the time when they were going to murder Jesus Christ. We pray that you would guide 
us now by the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit We pray that 
you would forgive us for all sin and everything that darkens 
our understanding, and may we stand again in awe at what Christ 
has accomplished on behalf of us, and the reality that He went 
to these lengths to save us from our sin. And we pray in Jesus' 
name. Amen. Well, as I said, as we 
come to this particular section, chapters 11 and 12 are somewhat 
of a transition. So we move from the Book of Signs, 
the public ministry of Jesus, to the Book of the Passion, wherein 
Jesus suffers and dies for our sins. 11 and 12 are transition. They move us, or move the narrative, 
and we'll see that here specifically at the end of chapter 11. We 
see the stage set for the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. So 
I want to look at what the Sanhedrin does here under two considerations. 
First, the meeting of the Sanhedrin in verses 47 to 52, and then 
secondly, the decision of the Sanhedrin in verses 53 to 57. 
Now make no mistake, this is the biggest crime that's ever 
been perpetrated in the history of mankind. Jesus is described 
by the Apostle in the book of Hebrews as holy, harmless, and 
undefiled. As we move our way through the 
Pentateuch in our Wednesday night Bible study, we note that one 
of the primary requisites with reference to sacrifice is that 
the animal's sacrifice must be without blemish. He must not 
be lamed, he must not be maimed, he must not be blind, but he 
must be the best of the flock. Well, that was typological. It 
pointed forward to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of 
the world. When it came to save us from 
our sins, God didn't reach down into His flock and pick the maimed. He didn't pick the blind. He 
didn't pick the lame. Rather, he picked the best, the 
son of his love, the only begotten son, the son who has his nature. And that son, that word became 
flesh and dwelt among us so that we might indeed go to heaven. 
So God sends the best, and men reject him. Men despise him. Men plot to destroy him. So as 
we work our way through this narrative, it's not to promote 
or to indict one specific group. We ought to see ourselves here 
as well. But in a sense, when we come 
to this first century context, they crucified the Lord of glory. These were Jerusalem sinners 
that Peter addresses on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 
2. Jesus Christ was righteous and Jesus Christ was executed 
by these godless men. So let's look first at the meeting 
of the Sanhedrin. Notice before we look at the 
meeting of the council, verses 45 and 46 set the stage for that. So at the resurrection of Lazarus, 
we see the two-fold response in verses 45 and 46. Then many 
of the Jews who had come to Mary and had seen the things Jesus 
did believed in him. It's one of the purposes for 
the signs in the Gospel of John. It is so that we might believe 
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing 
in His name we might have everlasting life. So that's the positive 
impact or effect upon a people that saw the signs that Jesus 
orchestrated. But then notice in verse 46, 
some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things 
Jesus did. Now, I don't think for a moment 
that this group went and said to the Sanhedrin or to these 
Pharisees, oh, you ought to believe. He's a wonderful man. He's a 
glorious being. He does these wonderful signs. 
No, they ratted him out. They coughed him up. They want 
to see the Sanhedrin. They want to see the leadership. They want to see action taken. 
against this Lord Jesus Christ. And that brings us to the meeting 
of the council in verses 47 to 48. Notice in the first place, 
they gathered together. Verse 47a, then the chief priests 
and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, this is the word that 
I'm referring to, Sanhedrin. It was the official council in 
Israel at that particular time. And as we move through the narrative, 
we will see that foundationally, they had a problem with Jesus 
at the level of theology. They disagreed that he was the 
Messiah. They disagreed that he was the Son of God. But practically, 
their problem is political. They're afraid of the Romans. 
They're afraid of what's going to happen to them. It's expedient 
for us. Not what's lawful, not what's 
righteous, not what's just, but what's expedient for us. What 
godless men these were. And Edward Plank defines or describes 
the Sanhedrin this way. The Sanhedrin was a ruling council 
or senate. Although it was limited in authority 
by the Romans, they didn't have absolute authority. That's why 
they had to go to Pilate to seek a death order in terms of the 
execution of Jesus. They didn't have that authority. 
They were not given that power by the Roman government. But 
back to this statement. So it was a ruling council or 
senate. Although it was limited in authority by the Romans, it 
was the highest authoritative and governing body in first century 
Judaism. It was the final authority and 
primary decision-making body in all major administrative and 
judicial roles in Jewish self-governance. The Council was able to be called 
on on short notice and was frequently the place where religious politics 
took place. So again, theologically, they 
disagreed. He's not the son of God. He's 
not the Messiah. He's not the one prophesied in 
the Old Testament. But politically, they did not 
want this man going about, engaging in his particular signs, because 
it might bring trouble upon their heads. And so as far as they 
were concerned, let's get rid of him. So notice that, this 
deliberation of the council in verses 47b to 48. Notice they 
don't even refer to him anymore as Jesus. They will later, I'm 
sure, but it's this man. It's almost like it was too distasteful 
to take the name Jesus upon their lips. These are godless, vile, 
wretched men. This man. They're distanced from 
him. They don't want anything to do 
with him. As far as they are concerned, he is a threat that 
must be neutralized. Notice the question concerning 
their conduct. Then the chief priests and the 
Pharisees gathered a council and said, what shall we do? For 
this man works many signs. They couldn't deny that. They 
couldn't obscure that. They couldn't remove that from 
the consciousness of the people around them. And add to the signs 
that he had done up until this point, the resurrection of a 
dead man from the grave was certainly a capstone in terms of his signs. They were so threatened by this 
that in chapter 12 we see they actually want to murder Lazarus. What was Lazarus' crime? He was 
raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine selling 
that one. Notice in chapter 12 at verse 
9, now a great many of the Jews knew that he was there and they 
came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see 
Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. It'd be an oddity, 
wouldn't it? It'd be a strange thing. It'd 
be like going to the circus and seeing the bearded woman or seeing, 
you know, the various things that, well, I mean, the circus 
you don't need to go to anymore. You kind of get that all over 
society nowadays. But it would be a bit of an oddity 
that you'd want to see a man who had been dead, a man who 
had been four days in the tomb. I'd want to see him. I'd want 
to see him and hear him and talk to him and say, you know, what 
was it like? One of the brothers actually, just by way of a quick 
sideline here, he says, you know, you mentioned how Lazarus would 
not, you know, how Lazarus came forth. But if Lazarus was in 
heaven at that time, he wouldn't want to come back. We don't know 
that Lazarus was in heaven. There's a lot of theories on 
Lazarus. Did God just give him a bit of a dreamless sleep? Because 
honestly, brethren, if I was in heaven, I wouldn't want to 
come back from the dead. If I was in heaven, I wouldn't 
want to come forth from the grave. I don't think you would either. 
So I take the position that most likely God suspended whatever 
he did in terms of Lazarus. Not soul sleep, but he just put 
him to some sort of a sleep for at least that four-day period. 
So it wasn't the case that he had been worshiping God Most 
High in his presence, and now he's got to go exit the tomb 
and live out the rest of his life. With reference to this, 
he would be a bit of an oddity that persons would want to see, 
and the Jews know this, the Jewish leadership. So verse 10 tells 
us that the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 
because on account of him, many of the Jews went away and believed 
in Jesus. Again, we're not dealing with, 
you know, guys that are concerned with theological accuracy. We're 
not dealing with guys that, you know, have a bit of a difference 
in terms of who the Messiah of Israel is. They're not, you know, 
a question of interpretation on the prophet Isaiah 53. These 
are godless men. These are threatened men. These 
are men that are small. These are men that are cowards. 
These are men that are weak. These are men that oftentimes 
lead. In fact, when we look at this 
particular situation, we'll learn that dumb tyrants aren't a new 
thing in the 21st century. There's always been dumb tyrants 
and they've always been there to tyrannize people under them. 
So notice they recognize as many signs and then they express the 
concern that they have in their hearts. Notice the effect upon 
the people. It says, for this man works many 
signs. If we let him alone like this, everyone will believe in 
him. We can't have that happen. We 
don't want everybody to believe in him. We don't want everybody 
to actually think he's the Messiah. We don't want everybody to actually 
believe that he is the man that the prophet Isaiah wrote of, 
that one who was wounded for our transgressions, that one 
who was chastened for our peace, that one who was the one who 
brought salvation to life. We don't want everybody to believe 
in him. Because if everybody believes 
in him, then it will create what's called a messianic fervor, sort 
of an excitement. Oh, he's the Messiah of God. 
He's the one sent by God. Well, what would that mean practically 
to the Sanhedrin? Well, they express that here 
in verse 48. Notice, if we let him alone like 
this, everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come 
and take away both our place and nation. the messianic fervor 
would present a challenge to the Roman Empire. He'd be seen 
as a king. He would be seen as a potential 
threat to the Roman Emperor, and therefore he must be crushed. 
Now, intriguingly, the very thing they fear happens. The very thing 
happens as a result of their having murdered Jesus. But it 
wasn't the Romans, it was the Romans instrumentally, but it 
was Jesus bringing judgment to bear upon these wretches in AD 
70, when Jerusalem was surrounded by the Roman armies and when 
its temple and city was decimated. So the very thing they fear does 
actually come to pass. And intriguingly, it comes to 
pass because of the charges they laid against Jesus in John 19. They say, we have a law. And 
this man offended it or broke it, 19.7, because he made himself 
the son of God. And then they equate that with 
being a king. And it's that which seals the 
deal for Pontius Pilate to execute Jesus. Same thing in Luke chapter 
23, verses one and two. It wasn't theology. It wasn't 
justification by faith. It wasn't what Moses taught or 
believed. You know what they did in Luke 23, verses 1 and 
2? This man forbids paying taxes to Caesar. And this man asserts 
that he himself is a king. You cannot let this man live 
in light of those admissions or in light of that sort of delusion. 
They deliver him up for the very thing that they fear in this 
context. So their fear is politically 
motivated. It would not be good for us if 
the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. Gill says the Romans will come 
against us with their powerful armies, interpreting the setting 
them up as Messiah to be an instance of rebellion against Caesar and 
his government and take away both our place and nation. That 
is, we'll destroy the temple, their holy place, the place of 
their religion and worship, and their city, the place of their 
habitation. and lay waste their country and 
take away from them that little share of power and government 
they had, and strip them both of their civil and religious 
privileges." Which they had a lot of. They had a lot of civil and 
religious privileges as subject to the Roman Empire. But it wasn't 
absolute. It wasn't without end, it was 
limited, and they were having to fulfill certain things so 
that they would not lose what they possessed in terms of self-governance. So that's the meaning of the 
Council. Now notice the prophecy of Caiaphas in verses 49 to 52. You have the declaration of his 
prophecy in verses 49 to 50, and then the explanation of his 
prophecy in verses 51 to 52. You need to appreciate, as we 
move here through Caiaphas's prophecy, that sometimes wicked 
men spoke a lot better than they knew. Sometimes wicked men in 
the scriptures, in the gospel narratives, spoke a lot better 
than they knew. I often cite the example in Luke 15. Luke 
15, 1 and 2, all the sinners, all the tax collectors draw near 
to Jesus to hear Him. And then the Pharisees and the 
scribes, they look down their noses and they say, this man 
receives sinners and eats with them. Isn't that the glory of 
the gospel? Isn't that the beauty of God 
is in Christ reconciling the world to himself? Isn't it most 
blessed that he saves us through his precious blood and through 
his glorious life to bring us to the marriage supper of the 
Lamb? Isn't that what we proclaim? This man does receive sinners. So they said it in a pejorative 
way. They said it in a way of insult. 
They said it in a way of, this man is beneath us. This man is 
below us. This man is riffraff. He is the 
one that the rabble likes. Well, praise God, what they express 
is the absolute truth. Caiaphas functions that way in 
this particular passage. He speaks better than he knows. He doesn't get the theology. 
He doesn't understand. That's why John explains it for 
us in verses 51 and 52. But notice the prophecy, the 
declaration in verses 49 to 50. 49 says, in one of them, Caiaphas 
being high priest that year. Now, high priest office was not 
a yearly thing. It was a lifetime sort of appointment. 
You were connected to Aaron, you were a Levite, and you functioned 
in that capacity. Some suggest that by the time 
of Jesus in the first century, it had been something that priests 
would pay for. they would pay for the prerogative 
to be the high priest at that particular year. Whether that's 
the case or not, I'm not really sure, but the idea is that this 
was a corrupt people. It certainly wouldn't shock me, 
and it certainly wouldn't surprise me to know that they were jockeying 
for position and paying somebody off so that they could function 
as high priest for a particular year. So Caiaphas is there. Notice, being high priest that 
year said to them, you know nothing at all. The way that he addresses 
this and the way that he goes with what he's about to say is 
really telling, again, in terms of their godlessness and lawlessness. 
You know nothing at all. The solution is easy. What shall 
we do to prohibit people from believing in him? What shall 
we do to prevent the Roman Empire from crushing us and destroying 
our place and nation? The solution's right there, guys. 
We kill him, we destroy him, we fake charges against him and 
deliver him up to our oppressors so that they can execute him 
and rid us of the problem. The arrogance of Caiaphas here 
is very telling as to the wickedness of the situation that Jesus faced 
in the first century, not unlike what Isaiah faced, Not unlike 
what Jeremiah faced, not unlike what all the prophets beforehand 
had faced. In fact, in Luke 13, Jesus says, 
I've got to go to Jerusalem because it's not possible that a prophet 
dies outside of the city. It was corrupt. It was defunct. It was devoid of any saving power 
from God. They were wretches. So he says, 
you know nothing at all. The solution is so easy. And 
he speaks to the expedience of it. Notice in verse 49 again, 
you know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient 
for us. Again, brethren, you would think, 
or you'd like to think, that the highest judicial, political, 
and religious body in Israel would ask the question, is it 
legal? Is it lawful? Is it just? They don't care. It's expedient 
for us, us guys that have this position here in the Sanhedrin 
in Jerusalem in the first century. That's all they care about. They're 
not about justice. They're not about the advancement 
of the kingdom of God. These are wretches that are trying 
to game the political system to remove their enemy. And this 
is how they go about it. So, the expedience of killing 
Jesus. Verse 50. Nor do you consider 
that it is expedient. That means it's helpful for us. 
It's beneficial for us. It serves our purposes. It advances 
our cause. Not the cause of God and truth. 
They don't care about that. 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. Again, he speaks better 
than he knows, right? Just like those scribes and Pharisees 
in Luke 15. This man receives sinners and 
eats with them as if it's an insult. Well, brethren, as the 
blood-bought children of God, you know that that is what the 
gospel is about. It's that the one man dies for 
the many. It's that the righteous one gives 
up his life for the unrighteous many. In fact, Peter uses that 
language in 1 Peter chapter 3 with absolute clarity. He says, for 
Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, 
that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, 
but made alive by the Spirit. So the solution of the high priest 
is to kill him. The proposal of the high priest 
is it will save the nation. And so the accuracy of the high 
priest is seen in the theological commentary that John provides 
for us in verses 51 and 52. In fact, go back to John 2 for 
just a moment, you'll see that John does this. The gospel writers 
weren't just historians. We often look at the gospel narratives 
as just history. It's like we look at the Old 
Testament history as just history. It's theological history to the 
core. If you just approach Judges or 
Ruth or Samuel or Kings or Chronicles as if it's a history book and 
not as if it's theological history, then you're missing the point. 
Well, if you approach the narratives concerning our Lord Jesus Christ 
as simply biography, simply a historical sort of a re-telling of what 
this man from Nazareth did, you don't get it. You don't get the 
point. So notice in John 2, an example 
of John the evangelist, John the apostle, John the theologian, 
commenting for the benefit of his readers. So in John 2, Jesus 
cleanses the temple. And then notice in verse 18, 
so the Jews answered and said to him, what signs do you show 
us since you do these things? Jesus answered and said to them, 
destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. And 
the Jews said, it has taken 46 years to build this temple, and 
will you raise it up in three days? Come on. You're that good 
of a craftsman? You think we could destroy the 
temple, give you a hammer and nails and all that you stand 
in need of and you're going to build it in three days? It's 
a bit of a conundrum, a bit of an enigmatic statement. Well, 
here comes John to tell us what he's talking about. Verses 21 
to 22. but he was speaking of the temple of his body. Therefore, 
when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that 
he had said this to them, and they believed the scripture and 
the word which Jesus had said." So going back to John 11, you 
see John's explanation of Caiaphas' prophecy in verses 51 and 52. One commentator says, these words 
have one meaning, according to the intention of Caiaphas, and 
another according to the explanation of the evangelist. It's got the 
prophecy made, and now we're going to get the prophecy explained, 
and for the blood-bought child of God, it makes perfect sense. 
It resonates with us because this is, in fact, what occurs. 
The just for the unjust. The one for the many. The holy, 
harmless, and undefiled for the unholy, harmful, and thoroughly 
defiled. The one dies for us. That's the 
essence of the prophetic statement. Notice the origin of Caiaphas's 
words, verse 51. Now this he did not say on his 
own. He didn't just come up with this. 
It wasn't like he was infinitely wise, but John explains, being 
high priest that year, he prophesied. He spoke according to God. Now 
that shouldn't surprise Bible readers. God spoke through Balaam's 
ass to that prophet for prophet. God spoke through that prophet 
for profit who was wicked and vile and ultimately reprobate. God spoke to kings in the Old 
Testament that weren't Israel's kings. God can use means to bring 
glory to himself. In fact, the psalmist in Psalm 
76 10 says, even the wrath of man shall praise you. So in Luke 
15, they say, this man receives sinners and eats with them. What 
is that? It's the wrath of man that praises God. When Caiaphas 
engages in this prophecy, just remove the threat, the perceived 
threat, let's liquidate him, let's neutralize him, let's stop 
his heart from beating. He is nevertheless in that hatred 
or wrath bringing praise to God for the very way that God brings 
glory to himself in the saving of sinners by his son, the Lord 
Jesus Christ. So the origin of his prophecy 
is from on high. The Lord used Caiaphas to teach 
the truth concerning the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. And 
notice the accuracy of Caiaphas' words. It says in verse 51, being 
high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the 
nation. He's Israel's Messiah to the 
Jew first and also to the Greek. Isn't the promise of God throughout 
the Old Testament that there would be one who would come? 
He would be a man born of a woman, Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15. He would function as an animal 
sacrifice or in a similar manner to the animal sacrifices. Remember 
when Abraham and Isaac look and they see that ram caught in the 
thicket? It answers to what Abraham had told Isaac in terms of God 
providing for himself a sacrifice. And then you get to the prophets 
and you get more facets, you get more explanation, you get 
more information concerning the coming of the Son of Man. And 
he would be Israel's Messiah. And that's what is highlighted 
here in Caiaphas' prophecy. But notice it doesn't stop there. 
Now this he did not say on his own, but being high priest that 
year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and 
not for that nation only, but also that he would gather together 
in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Brethren, 
our brother read Isaiah 42 or 49 at the outset of worship. 
Interestingly, 42 and 49 at verse 6 say the same thing. It's about 
the servant of Yahweh. It's about the Messiah of God. 
It says it's too small a thing. It's just a small thing for you 
to raise up the tribes of Jacob, but I'm going to give you as 
a light unto the Gentiles. The nations of the earth will 
see the power of God Most High as Messiah comes for salvation, 
not just to the Jews in Israel at the first century, but also 
to the Gentiles outside, those scattered abroad, those on the 
confines. And this is part of John's theology 
throughout John's gospel. If you turn back for just a moment 
to John 3.16, John 3.16, oftentimes in John, the word world means 
Jew-Gentile. The word world means Jew and 
Gentile. Revelation 5.9 is a great expression 
of that. Every tribe, every tongue, every 
people, every nation, that's the world, or at least in one 
sense that John uses it. John 3.16, God so loved Israel 
that he gave his only begotten son. It's not what it says. God 
so loved what? He loved the world that he gave 
his only begotten son. What about John 4, when Jesus 
has saving dealings with that Samaritan woman? And then the 
Samaritans come to learn about Jesus themselves, and what do 
they understand? According to 442, he's the savior 
of the world. You mean even Samaritans? Yes, 
even Samaritans that were looked down upon by Israel in that first 
century setting. Well, actually goes way back 
in terms of their history together. As well, notice in John 10. John 
10, the Good Shepherd discourse. John 10, specifically at verse 
16, Jesus says essentially what Caiaphas is saying here. John 
10, 16, and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them 
also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will 
be one flock and one shepherd. Gentile inclusion in the covenant 
promises of God. And then look over at John 12, 
specifically at verse, let's say verse 17. Therefore the people 
who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised 
him from the dead, bore witness. For this reason the people also 
met him, because they heard that he had done this sign. The Pharisees 
therefore said among themselves, you see that you are accomplishing 
nothing. Look, the world has gone after 
him. That's their threat, their problem. They don't say, oh, just the 
Israelites that have a messianic expectation are coming to him. 
No, his ministry exceeds that. It's every tribe, every tongue, 
every people, every nation. And then on the heels of that, 
notice in verse 20, now there were certain Greeks among those 
who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip 
who was from Bethsaida of Galilee and asked him saying, sir, we 
wish to see Jesus. The fear of the Sanhedrin is 
that the world will come. So John, the evangelist, tells 
us that's precisely right according to verse 20. And then drop down 
to verse 27. Now my soul is troubled, and 
what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, 
but for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify your 
name. Then a voice came from heaven saying, I have both glorified 
it and will glorify it again. Therefore, the people who stood 
by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said an 
angel has spoken to him. Jesus answered and said, this 
voice did not come because of me, but for your sake. Now is 
the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will 
be cast out. And if I am lifted up from the 
earth, will draw all peoples to myself, draw all men to myself, 
all, draw all nations to myself. Doesn't mean all without exception. It means all without, what's 
the word I'm looking for? Distinction. Thank you. Just 
jumped out of my head. So not all without exception, 
but all without distinction. Every tribe, every tongue, every 
people, and every nation. So Caiaphas is right, isn't he? Caiaphas is speaking truth. Even 
the wrath of man shall praise you, Psalm 76, 10. We're seeing 
that demonstrated in this particular passage. So he's absolutely spot 
on. So the death of the one would 
fulfill the Old Testament typology. Christ would accomplish penal 
substitutionary atonement for all those whom the Father had 
given to him. Again, if you asked Caiaphas, is that what you mean? 
He'd say, well, no, that's not what I mean, but it is what he 
said. It is what he said. So God can 
take what these men said and give us the explanation that 
what they said is absolutely positively true, and we rejoice 
in that. John Gilligan says, this prophecy 
suggests that Jesus was to die, not merely as a martyr to confirm 
with his blood the doctrine he preached, nor only as an example 
of courage and meekness and patience and love. See, if you do that 
to the death of Christ, you're messed up. You need to repent. Not that there isn't an example 
of courage. Not that there isn't an example 
of love. Not that there isn't an example 
in it. That's not the primary emphasis. 
It's penal substitution. It's the day of atonement. It's 
Leviticus 16. It's the cutting of the one goat's 
throat and presenting that blood in the Holy of Holies and taking 
that other goat and laying your hands on it, confessing your 
transgressions, and then sending it out in the wilderness. It's 
not feeling, it's not emotion, it is glorious truth, glorious 
doctrine. He goes on to say, but for, or 
in the room instead of his people, as their surety, giving his life 
a ransom and himself a sacrifice to the justice of God for them, 
thereby fulfilling the law and satisfying it and appeasing the 
wrath of God on their account. So Caiaphas, again expressing 
his wrath, his enmity, his anger, his disgust with the Son of God 
by nature, nevertheless speaks truth. And John clarifies that 
for us. That brings us, secondly and 
finally, to the decision of the Sanhedrin in verses 53 to 57. Notice the plot to kill Jesus 
in verses 53 and 54. I mean, wouldn't it be nice if 
somebody in the Sanhedrin would have said, you know, that's not 
a good idea. Perhaps we shouldn't go absolutely 
contrary to God's law. Doesn't Deuteronomy talk about 
due process? Doesn't it demand two or three 
witnesses before we make these kinds of judicial decisions? 
But of course not. This is perfect. Sure, we've 
got a need. It's all about us. It's our position. It's our safety. It's our money. It's our livelihood. We've got 
to get rid of him to protect what is ours. That's the mentality 
that you see here in the passage. So they accept the political 
strategy according to verse 53. Then from that day on they plotted 
to put him to death. They received the recommendation 
from Caiaphas without any question. Nobody says, but, but, but, but 
Caiaphas. This seems a bit like mob rule. It seems a bit unorthodox for 
the guys who are supposed to be legislating according to the 
law of God. But of course they just receive 
it. See, when it's all about you, brethren, when it's all 
about them, when it's all about narcissism, when it's all about 
protecting one's own business or power or glory, Anything goes. If the history of mankind has 
taught us that, anything that is perceived to be a threat for 
wicked men is a threat to be neutralized. Wicked men like 
their wickedness. Wicked men like their money. 
Wicked men like their power. They like their prestige. They 
like their control of others subordinate to them. So again, 
there's nothing new under the sun. When we survey the modern 
political scene, it ought not to be the case, wow, this is 
the first time this has ever happened. Look at the history 
of the world, both religious and simply political. It's been 
the way it is. It's just part and parcel of 
depraved man. And another thing that depraved 
man typically does is find the most depraved among them and 
elect them to leadership over them. I don't know what that 
predilection is in us. We'll find the worst of the lot 
and we'll appoint them. It's crazy, but it happens all 
throughout history. So the council plots to put him 
to death. As I said, they've already wanted 
to kill him. Chapter five, verses 16 and 17. They wanted to kill 
him, why? Because he, being a man, made himself equal to God. And 
he broke the Sabbath. You cannot do that and expect 
to live. Chapter seven, Jesus doesn't want to go to Jerusalem. 
Why? Because he knows that the Jews are gunning for him. They 
want to kill him. 719, when he begins to discourse 
with them, he says, you want to kill me. In chapter 8, after 
that discourse in the temple, what do they do? When he says, 
before Abraham was, I am. They pick up stones to throw 
at him. Chapter 10, after the Good Shepherd discourse, what 
do they do? They pick up stones to throw at him. So they've already 
expressed the intention of their heart. This is the decree now 
that is consistent with their power as the judicial body in 
Israel at this time. This is the issue, or this is 
the sort of determining issue, at least from the human perspective, 
of when they decide to kill Jesus. It's the meeting of the Sanhedrin. And this plot is better rendered 
this way. They reached a decision about 
a course of action. They resolved, they decided. 
Gill says, this they resolved upon before there was any legal 
process, before any crime was charged upon him, or any proof 
given, or he was heard what he had to say for himself. This 
is a tragedy. This is a travesty of anything 
and everything that is to be associated with a judicial process. And I always like to look at 
it this way, and I hope to remind you of this. This is the lengths 
to which our Savior went in order to redeem us from sin. How would 
you respond in His place? Not guilty. I didn't do anything. I'm being framed. You guys have 
neglected the law. He doesn't do that. As a lamb 
before its shearers is silent, so did the Son of Man not open 
his mouth. He doesn't do what we would do. He goes through it, he takes 
it, and it's for us and for our salvation. Notice the avoidance 
of the Jews by Jesus, specifically in 1154. Therefore, Jesus no 
longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into 
the country near the wilderness to a city called Ephraim, and 
there remained with his disciples. That doesn't mean he was afraid, 
doesn't mean he lacked courage. It means that he's not on their 
timeframe, they're on his timeframe. Look in John 12 again, verse 
27. Now my soul is troubled, and 
what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this purpose I came to 
this hour. He's known of the hour. He's 
known of the timing. He's known of the decree of God 
relative to his sufferings and death. And here in 1154, it wasn't 
time for him. So he avoids them. He goes to 
this region called Ephraim, or this city called Ephraim, and 
there he's with his disciples. And then the passage ends on 
the setting of the passion in verses 55 to 57. Think way back 
to last Sunday morning. We looked at Matthew 20, 28. 
We looked at a lot of other things, but in Matthew 20, 28, Jesus 
says, just as the son of man did not come to be served, but 
to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. I tried to 
explain, perhaps it was faulty, perhaps it'll be a good reminder 
for you, that that is not only a theological statement in terms 
of redeeming his people from their sins, he came not to be 
served, but to serve, and he gave his life a ransom for many. 
But it also orders the gospel narrative in terms of geography. Jesus is going to Jerusalem there 
in John 20. Why is he going to Jerusalem? 
Because he did not come to be served, but to serve and to give 
his life a ransom for many. Why would he go to Jerusalem 
when he knows they're gunning for him? Because this is the 
purpose for which he came. The hour was now upon him and 
he undertakes on our behalf to do what was obligated of him 
concerning the salvation of his people. So this is what we see 
here as well. Notice in chapter 12, one and 
following, where does Jesus come? He comes to Jerusalem. Why is 
that? Because the hour was now. Notice, 
in terms of the setting of the Passion, it references the Feast 
of Passover. This is significant, not just 
because, well, it was Passover time. This is the third Passover 
in John's Gospel. He's referred to Passover in 
John 2, Passover in John 6, and here the significant Passover 
in terms of the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. So 
what is the significance of Passover for the Lord Jesus? Well, John's 
told us. Behold the Lamb of God who takes 
away the sin of the world. The sacrificial system was all 
about the feast days in Israel. The Passover lamb was sacrificed 
so that the children of Israel could eat it in commemoration 
of their redemption out of Egypt. Do you know that John is portraying 
a new exodus? Christ as the Son of God brings 
that Exodus to his people the way Yahweh does in the book of 
Exodus in the Old Testament. You've got the original where 
God brings the children of Israel out of Egypt by his power and 
might. You've got the new Exodus recorded 
in the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, who brings us out 
of the bondage of sin through his power, through his might, 
and through the deliverance wrought by his life and death. So it's 
very significant that the Passover be observed by our Lord here. Notice in verse 56, and again, 
some of the study we've been doing back in Exodus and Leviticus, 
I think, I hope is helpful for all of us now as we move our 
way through some of these references in these gospel narratives. Notice 
in verse 56, then they sought Jesus and, oh, I'm sorry, verse 
55 again, the Passover of the Jews was near, And many went 
from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify 
themselves. That was the practice. Three 
feasts in Israel demanded that you leave your home and you come 
to Jerusalem on that particular day of the feast. And what would 
they do? They'd purify themselves. We keep seeing this in Leviticus 
in the sacrificial system. What's the point? Impure man 
can't draw near a pure God. If there's no sacrifice, there's 
no access into the presence of Yahweh. So this was the custom. 
Now that brings this search for Jesus in verse 56. Then they 
sought Jesus and spoke among themselves as they stood in the 
temple. What do you think? That he will not come to the 
feast? It's hard to know if these were searchers in the right sense 
or searchers in the wrong sense. Based on what we've already seen 
in verses 45 and 46, probably searchers in both senses. There 
probably were those people that wanted to see Jesus, the man 
who raised Lazarus from the dead. If you wanted to see Lazarus, 
the man that was raised from the dead, how much more would 
you want to see the man who actually raised him from the dead? That 
beats the bearded lady at the circus every day of the week. 
But as well, they could have been there to rat him out. To 
cough him up, to give him over, to fess him up. And the text 
seems to lean that way as it ends on the corruption of the 
leaders in verse 57. You think we're the first surveillance 
state that's ever lived? Do you think we're the first 
ones that have ever had persons diming out their neighbors? We 
heard a wonderful presentation yesterday. Absolutely wonderful. I'm not going to mention the 
brother. I'm not going to mention the name of the country. Just 
read your email on Friday. You'll know the main players. 
This brother was amazing. One of the ways that the commies 
exercise pressure is by shaking down individuals and calling 
upon them to rat out their neighbors. In other words, we know what 
you're doing is wrong, but we won't, in the kindness of our 
heart, put you in jail this time, but tell us what your neighbor's 
doing. That's a surveillance state tactic. That's what these 
guys are doing. John MacArthur makes the great 
observation. The plotters ensured that the 
whole city was filled with potential informants. Look at verse 57. Now, both the chief priests and 
the Pharisees had given a command that if anyone knew where he 
was, he should report it, that they might seize him. Rat out 
your neighbor. Give up the holy and harmless 
and undefiled one. Send him to us. Tell us that 
he's there so we can swoop down and seize him and carry out our 
nefarious deed of putting a righteous and just man to death. Brethren, 
there ain't anything new under the sun in terms of the political 
machinery that we see in a fallen world. Well, in conclusion, and 
by way of a bit of application, you're gonna probably say, yeah, 
well, we already got this, but we shouldn't muse on the wretchedness 
of the Jews here. There's suppression of the truth. 
They knew he did many signs. The culminating one, the resurrection 
of Lazarus from the dead. So what is their response? Let's 
kill Lazarus. Let's hide the evidence. Let's 
get rid of him. If people wanna come and hear 
from Lazarus, this guy who was stinking dead in the tomb for 
four days, what's the response? Let's get rid of him. We'll just 
cut his throat and throw him out in the ditch, and then we'll 
deny it ever happened. We've gotten rid of the evidence, 
so therefore, these men were godless. They're cowardice in 
terms of the Romans. The cowardice in terms of the 
Romans. There's a Samson-Jesus parallel here. We're going to 
see a bit more about that tonight. I need another week or two in 
terms of the next section in Ephesians. But there is a Samson-Jesus 
parallel. Remember, Samson was a judge 
in Israel. Well, the Philistines want to 
come and take Samson. Guess who gives him up? Judah. Judah comes to Samson and says, 
you know, Samson, we don't want you rocking the boat here. We 
don't want your troublesome antics among us. We're quite comfortable 
with the oppression of the Philistines, with the culture of the Philistines. We prefer that, Samson, than 
you crushing them. It's the same thing with Jesus. 
We quite like these captors. We quite like these slave masters. 
We quite like these Romans. Sure, we don't have our freedom. 
Sure, we don't have our independence. Sure, we don't have everything 
that we should have because we're created in the image of God, 
and he's extremely beneficent, and he's extremely gracious, 
and he's extremely kind. We don't want all that. We want 
what we've got in terms of the Romans. So what is the answer? 
Let's give up Jesus. It's just simpler that way. Just 
more judicious, more expedient for us. As well, the abuse of 
their office. The abuse of their office, that's 
an unfortunate reality that we've accepted today. We just expect 
political leaders to abuse their office. You know what, brethren? 
It's really not supposed to be that way. It's just not. You'd 
like to think that out of a Sanhedrin somebody would say, you know, 
Caiaphas, you're wrong. Caiaphas, you're not supposed to do that, 
rather than just angrily tweet about Caiaphas. actually stop 
the wickedness that is going on around us. They ignore the 
law of God, due process. They plan the murder of an innocent 
man. They command the citizenry to 
participate in and be complicit in this act. This is the kind 
of stuff that led John Knox to say or make the declaration that 
resistance against tyrants is obedience to God. Just because 
the government says, give up Jesus, just because the Sanhedrin, 
well, they issued a decree, they gave us a command, therefore 
we must submit. No, not when it's contrary to 
the good purposes and plan of God Almighty, not when it's contrary 
to the light of nature that you don't just put, good people to 
death. You can't do that, even apart 
from the Bible. We just go in terms of the law 
of nature, in terms of the light of general revelation. You're 
not supposed to just kill people. I know that seems odd. I know 
that seems amazingly strange, but you're not. There should 
be actual due process. The problem in our nations in 
the West isn't that the government kills people. They kill the wrong 
people. They kill the innocent. They 
kill the babies. They kill the elderly. They kill 
the infirm. All the while, murderers and 
vile people run our streets rampantly. So when it comes to these sorts 
of things, we don't just go along to get along when the godlessness 
of a judicial body says, give up the only innocent man that 
has ever been. No, no, we're not going to do 
that. We'll hide him in our basement. As well, we see here the sovereignty 
of God. The high priests spoke concerning 
what was beneficial for them, the Sanhedrin. But in that, he 
was speaking what was beneficial for us. The one for the many, 
the just for the unjust, the righteous son of God for the 
wretched sons of man. The high priest saw the necessity 
of the one dying for the many, and the sovereign God fulfilled 
his purposes through these lawless men. Turn to Acts 2. Acts chapter 
2. We're almost done. Acts chapter 
2. Two places in Acts. 2.23 and then again in 4.27 and 28. 
But notice in 2.22. Men of Israel, hear these words. 
Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, 
and signs, which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves 
also know. Him, being delivered by the determined 
purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless 
hands, have crucified and put to death. See what Peter does 
not do there? Well, I'm going to try to explain 
to you about sovereignty and about responsibility. He preaches 
both. God's sovereign, and you're wicked. 
God ordained this, and your hands are lawless. God ordained this, 
and you're wicked. That's what he does there. But 
Peter, if God ordained it, then how can we be held culpable? 
Well, we refer him to Romans 9. Who are you, old man, to question 
God? Shall the pot ask the potter, why hast thou made me like this? 
No, of course not. Notice in Acts chapter 4, an 
apostolic prayer meeting. They acknowledge what's happening. 
They see what's going on. And in verse 27, for truly against 
your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and 
Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were 
gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined 
before to be done. So back to our text, when Caiaphas 
speaks, he does not speak on his own authority. He, as high 
priest, as a public person, is speaking truth. That truth comes 
from God. God can use crooked men to bring 
about straight things. God can use wicked men to bring 
about truthful things. God, as I said earlier, can use 
Balaam's donkey to communicate truth to a prophet for profit. And then finally, we ought to 
appreciate the theology of the cross built into this section. 
This section explains for us everything we're going to see 
in chapters 12 to 20. Everything we see is according to what Caiaphas 
says here. Not according to, specifically, 
but it is consistent with what Caiaphas says. Why is Jesus delivered 
up? So that we might have everlasting 
life. The theology of the cross is 
built into this prophecy, and it helps us as we navigate the 
book of the Passion. When we get to chapter, you know, 
19, and we ask the question, why is this happening? Because 
the one just man must die for the many unjust men. The one 
righteous man must give his life as the blemish-free sacrifice 
from God Most High in order to cleanse us from our sins. Because 
that Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world. This is the 
rationale. This is the explanation. This 
is why Jesus came into this world. And if you have not come to him 
in faith, look to him in faith. And if I be lifted up, I will 
draw all men to myself. He speaks of lifting up in John 
three, just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so must the son 
of man also be lifted up. What's the point? Look to him 
and have everlasting life. believe on him and have everlasting 
life. And if by grace you have, stand 
in awe that he went through this kangaroo court so that he could 
free us from the wrath and fury and judgment of God most high. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the beauty 
of the gospel narrative and even how you use godless men to advance 
your holy and your righteous and glorious cause. We thank 
you for what Christ went through on our behalf. and we thank you 
for so great a salvation. We saw that day of atonement 
on Wednesday night, we see the significance of blood atonement, 
we see the significance of the removal, the expiation of sin, 
and Jesus Christ, as Lamb of God, answers to those things, 
and we rejoice in that. We ask that you would bless our 
church, bless us as individuals, cause us to grow in the grace 
and knowledge of our Savior, that that knowledge might stabilize 
and comfort and steady us in this present evil age. And we 
ask through Jesus Christ the Lord, amen. Well, you can turn 
in your hymn books, and we'll close by singing 568, doxology 
in praise to our triune God. 568, we'll stand together. is is The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ 
and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you 
all. Amen. God, go with us now. We pray 
that you would bless this day. Help us to call it a delight 
and cause, bring glory to your great name. Bless the preaching 
of the word throughout this earth. May it run swiftly and be glorified. 
And we pray through Christ the Lord. Amen. We'll close with 
a brief time of meditation.