John 11:45-57

Read John 11:45-54 The Sanhedrin decides to kill Jesus

Verse 47 says that the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the “council” or “Sanhedrin.”  Sanhedrin is a Greek word meaning “coming together,” but in the time of Jesus it was also the name of the 71-member council in Jerusalem that served as the highest Jewish court.  The Sanhedrin was more than just a court; it also had administrative functions, including the management of the Temple, and it had a police force to enforce its rulings.  It included the chief priests, the elders of Jerusalem’s leading families, and leading members of groups such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, so it had representatives from both the aristocracy and the leading religious factions in the community.

The Council now meets more formally, but at least some members of the Council have been working on a less formal basis to stop Jesus since chapter 7, when they sent guards to arrest him (7:32).

Many members of the Council had reasons to oppose Jesus.  The Pharisees objected to his unwillingness to submit to their microscopic applications of the Law.  The Sadducees did not believe in life after death, so Jesus’s raising of Lazarus from the dead would have been particularly galling for them.  And verse 48 expresses the concern of the chief priests and the leaders.  According to verse 48, what do the leaders fear will happen if Jesus is not stopped?

Why would they think that the Romans would destroy their nation if too many people followed Jesus?

They might have thought that Jesus would foster a political rebellion.  But even if they understood that this was not his goal, they still might have been concerned that the people might try to turn him into a political messiah anyway, and start a rebellion that would bring the Romans down on the whole nation.  Ironically, in the end it was a rebellion by Jews who were not Christians that ultimately led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel.  Note: Many Christians in the early church thought that the destruction of Jerusalem was a punishment of the Jews by God for their rejection of Jesus, but that implies a vindictiveness on God’s part that is not necessary: the leveling of Jerusalem by the Romans can be explained as a natural outcome of political cause and effect in a fallen world where tyrants seek total domination and rebels are willing to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of freedom.

The high priest in Jerusalem was appointed by the Romans, and the Jewish historian Josephus tells us about Caiaphas.  He was appointed by Pilate’s predecessor and served as high priest for 18 years, from AD 18 to 36.  His father-in-law Annas had been the high priest from AD 6 to 15.

In verses 49-50, Caiaphas offers a solution to the “problem” posed by Jesus.  What does he suggest?

When Caiaphas says that it is better for one man to die instead of the whole nation, he only means it in a political sense.  John says in verse 51 that Caiaphas’s statement was prophetic in a religious sense.  What does John mean?

It is not clear what the “dispersed” or “scattered” children of God in verse 52 is referring to.  It could be a reference to the Jewish diaspora scattered across the Roman Empire.  It could be a reference to the “other sheep” in other folds that Jesus mentions in John 10:16, who are all meant to be part of Jesus’s one flock.

In John 10:16, Jesus says he has other sheep in other folds.  Here in 11:52, we have an image of Jesus gathering the scattered children of God together.  In 17:20-26, Jesus prays for the people who will learn about him through the preaching of his disciples.  What do you think God’s vision is for the vast flock of people that make up the Body of Christ?

How does Caiaphas’s prophetic statement actually describe Jesus’s role in gathering God’s children together into one?

In verse 53, what is the result of Caiaphas’s proposal to the Council?  What do they decide to do?

People often interpret the work of the Sanhedrin in very political terms: these men saw Jesus as a political threat to their positions, so they opposed him.  What caution does that give us as we deal with the politics of our own societies?

Some of the 71 members of the Council were probably focused on selfishly protecting their own political power, but others may have felt that it was their patriotic duty to do whatever was necessary to protect the nation.  Patriotism is generally considered a good thing, but their patriotism led them to commit a terrible crime against Jesus.  How do people in our nation face similar risks, and what can we do to make sure patriotism is used for good and does not lead to evil or sinful actions in our day?

Verse 53 tells us that from that day on, the leaders of the Council planned to kill Jesus.  They thought their only choice was to do something evil (kill a man) to avoid something more evil (the destruction of their nation).  As Christians, how do we avoid the moral compromise of doing things that are evil to achieve what we think is good?

Jesus withdraws from Jerusalem to Ephraim (verse 54), which was around 10-15 miles north of Jerusalem – a one-day journey on foot.

Jesus spends some time with his disciples in Ephraim.  What do you think he does with them there?

Read John 11:55-57 Jesus leaves Jerusalem, and people wonder if he will return for Passover

John tells us in verse 55 that Passover is approaching again.  John identifies 3 separate Passovers that Jesus attended in Jerusalem (John 2:13; 6:4; and 11:55).  This is one reason why scholars think Jesus’s public ministry lasted around 3 years.

Why do people go to Jerusalem early, before the Passover (verse 55)?

People go to Jerusalem early to purify themselves.

The Old Testament required that people not be unclean at Passover (2 Chron. 30:1-3, 15-18).  One of the common reasons why a person might be unclean is because they came into contact with a corpse.  That is one of the causes of impurity specifically mentioned in the Old Testament (Num. 9:6-12).  This may sound odd to us in the 21^st century, when the average person may have little contact with dead bodies.  But there were no ambulances, first responders, or funeral homes in Jesus’s time.  Everyone faced times when they had to move corpses and prepare and transport bodies for burial, so anyone could find themselves “unclean” as Passover approached.

Verse 57 explains why Jesus decides to leave Jerusalem.  What is he facing?

John heightens the tension by describing the conversations people are having as Passover approaches (verse 56).  What are the people doing and saying?

They are looking for Jesus and discussing with each other whether he will come for Passover.

The people in Jerusalem were wondering if Jesus would be there for Passover.  We sometimes find ourselves wondering whether Jesus will be there for us when we face difficult times.  How do you think he would answer?

Take a step back and consider this:

The Sanhedrin’s chief priests and political leaders were so afraid of the power of the Roman Empire that they could not see the power of God at work in their midst.

We, too, sometimes become so focused on the powers that loom over our heads that we fail to see God, who has all power and is holding us in his hands.  The powers of this world are temporary and fleeting – they will pass away.  God is eternal and is always watching over us – and his love will persist as he continues to work in our lives forever.

What earthly powers or challenges loom in your lives, and how do they appear to obscure the presence of God?

How can you focus more fully on God and put your trust in him, even when you are facing challenges that demand your attention and seem to be unstoppable?