The Pharisees Plot

By Mary Vee
John 11:28-45

A tomb in Jerusalem
Photo by Mary Vee

Mary and Martha's brother, Lazarus, died. They put him in a tomb with spices. But when Jesus arrived, he performed a miracle, raising Lazarus from the dead.

...Some of the Jews went to the Pharisees and complained about what Jesus did.  

When the Pharisees heard the news, they called a meeting, inviting the Sanhedrin.

In the discussion, they said, "What should we do? Here is this man performing many miraclous 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."

Caiaphas served as the high priest at this time. He listened to the arguments then said, "Think about this. Wouldn't it be better for one man to die for the people than the whole nation perishing from Roman hands?"

Caiaphas didn't openly tell the Pharisees and Sanhedrin he'd prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation and all the scattered children of God, or that his death would unite them, making them one. 

"There is only one thing we can do. We must find a legal way to take his life."

The men at the meeting agreed.

Jesus, God's Son, knew what the men planned. He no longer moved about publicly in Jewish villages and cities. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim where he stayed with his disciples.

Come back to read the next part.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.