Effect of the resurrection

 

Division among the people           v45-57

“Then many of the Jews, which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him.”

This is at the very heart of this Gospel of John.   All the way through from beginning to end, there are those who believe, and those who do not; and as he says at the end, “…these things were written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and believing ye might have life through His name.”  Sprinkled throughout the gospel are the records of those who believed-2v11, v22, v23, His disciples; 4v39,v41, the Samaritans; 4v50, v53, the nobleman with all his house; 7v30-31 many of the people; 8v30-31 many believed; 10v42 many believed; 11v45 the Jews(generally thought to be the ruling class) believed; 12v11 many Jews believed; 12v42 many among the chief rulers believed;17v20 Jesus spoke about many “who shall believe on me through their word.”

Also recorded are those who did not believe, and so Jesus divided opinion in Israel, just as He will do, ultimately on a global scale.  Those who did not believe reported proceedings to the Pharisees.  There was now a clear dividing line between Jesus and the Pharisees.  This prompted a council meeting, a gathering in emergency mode, of the chief priests and the Pharisees to investigate what could be done about Jesus. They were in a quandary, they could not fail to act, for His popularity was increasing and this would have an undesirable effect on the Romans.  Caiaphas, the high priest, who was so not by Divine ordinance but by Roman politics, entered the discussion, putting a different perspective, which answered their dilemma.  In fact what he said was perfectly scriptural and it gave the rulers the ideal reason to kill Him-it’s predicted in holy writ.  This was said callously, and coldly, not in any sense, based on morality.  He said “Ye know nothing at all; not consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation perish not.  This spake he not of himself but, being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation.  And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad.”  He argued from expediency, justifying murder based on the predictions of Holy Scripture.  How easy it is to quote scripture when it suits us, this surely a case of handling the word of God deceitfully.  His ungodly approach worked, for it says “Then from that day forth, they took counsel together for to put Him to death.”  The decision was made, it was now only a matter of time. 

“Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness; into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples.”

Jesus knew of their decision, as He knows all things at all times, as we have seen throughout the book.  He knew that they had decided to kill Him, and so He took Himself away.  He did not court untimely danger, and He took His disciples out of harm’s way. He had come to Bethany from beyond Jordan in Bethabara to raise Lazarus from the dead-a distance of more than 20 miles eastward.  Again He moves away from Jerusalem this time some 20 miles northward, to the edge of the wilderness where He could rest with His disciples, before the trauma to come.  It is not without significance that the next verses speak about the Passover.

Verses 55-57 “And the Jews’ Passover was nigh at hand.  And many went out of the country up to Jerusalem, before the Passover, to purify themselves.  Then sought they for Jesus and spake among themselves as they stood in the temple, what think ye that He will not come to the feast?  Now, both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that if any man knew where He where, he should show it, that they might take Him.”

The scene was set, the die was cast, and Jesus would appear in His own time.