M
ost of those who had come to visit the sisters and had seen what Jesus did, had faith in him. But amazingly, the hearts of others were hardened. They ignored the voice of the Spirit as he spoke to them in answer to the prayer of Jesus. These went to the religious authorities and told them what Jesus had done. Predictably, they called a meeting. That is what religious authorities do. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. It was obvious that they felt they were accomplishing nothing where Jesus was concerned. “Here is a man performing outlandish miracles. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then Pilate and his thugs will come and take away both our authority and our political control.”
Caiaphas the High Priest spoke up, “You are ignorant of history as you are lacking in pragmatism! You know nothing at all! Don’t you realize that it is better that one man die than the whole nation perish?” As it is with self-absorbed persons, it was Caiaphas who was ignorant. He was not remotely aware that he was speaking prophetically. Jesus would indeed die for the Jewish nation, and not merely for that nation but also for every soul in the entire world, in order to bring them together and make them one. Caiaphas had none of this in mind. Murder entered his heart and into the hearts of his lackeys.
It is a thing to be noted. From this day forward in the events of our Lord, his death was certified. From this day forward, the Jews began to lay their insidiouis plans -- plans that provided human history with it blackest day. Jesus seemed to sense this ominous spectre because we ceased to move among the Jews. Instead we withdrew to once again to Peraea, near the village of Ephraim, where Jarud had found us. In my musings I wondered, Is it easier to raise one from the death and decay of the body, or is it easier to raise one from the hideous corruption of moral morbidity?
