BOB EWELL LEAVE A COMMENT EDIT
The Sanhedrin. The religious ruling body of the Jews. They’ve been after Jesus for some time, including this odd reaction to the raising of Lazarus. You’d think that if someone brought a dead guy back to life, it would be worth investigating to see what we might be missing. But no:
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”…So from that day on, they plotted to take his life. (John 11.45 – 48, 53, NIV)
Six days before the Passover (read, six days before Jesus’ death), Jesus comes to Bethany, home of Lazarus:
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. (John 12.9 – 11, NIV)
So here we are after the arrest:
At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.” (Luke 22.66 – 71, NIV)
Jesus is in front of the men with whom he’s had an adversarial relationship from the outset, (See, for example, Matthew 23.) and Jesus doesn’t back down. And he doesn’t really get angry even though it has to be really upsetting that these are the men who are supposed to be representing his Father to the people.
What are you seeing as you meditate on this scene?
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. (John 9.39 – 41, NIV)