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Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation." And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.
Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
- John 11:45-54
For a clear perspective on today's reading, one must include the readings of the past several days. On Saturday, we read that Jesus was sent for by Mary and Martha, telling Him that Lazarus was ill. Jesus delayed His trip to Bethany, declaring that "this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." In Monday's reading, Jesus reached Bethany and was greeted by Martha and Mary sat in mourning. Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." Martha then told Mary that Jesus, "the Teacher," was calling for her and she rose and went out to meet Him. Yesterday, we read Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there." Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?" Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."
Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation." Those from the temple in Jerusalem who were mourning with Mary speaks to the Pharisees about what has happened at Bethany. Here, my study bible suggests that the leadership acknowledges Jesus' signs and are concerned that the Romans will intervene militarily if a popular movement around Jesus gains momentum and threatens the established order.
And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. My study bible tells us: "Caiaphas, being high priest of Israel, is given through his office the authority to speak prophetically. Caiaphas means only that the death of Jesus would spare the nation from Roman intervention. But the greater prophetic meaning of his words is that the death of Jesus will be for the salvation of the Jewish people and many others throughout the world."
Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples. Jesus is aware of the plot against Him, and remains, for the time, away from Jerusalem and the leadership.
The leaders decide to get rid of Him, and the reason is simple: the Romans may believe He is establishing a great kingdom, a movement, and come and take away everything, even the places of the leadership. Jesus has not preached revolution, He doesn't have an army, but nevertheless Caiaphas speaks in a prophetic capacity because of his office as high priest. Many commentators historically reflect the note in my study bible, that Caiaphas, in spite of himself and the meaning he perceived, did prophesy truthfully. Jesus will bring many together, the "children of God" who were scattered abroad, children from "many nations." Ephraim, the name of the place to which Jesus has withdrawn near desert country, has the meaning of great fruitfulness, applied to an Old Testament figure through whom the meaning was many offspring, descendants of Joseph in Egypt. A later descendent was Joshua, who would lead Israel into the promised land. St. Augustine, once again referring to the power of good to use even evil things for good purpose, writes, "We are here taught that the Spirit of prophecy used the agency even of wicked people to foretell the future. The Evangelist, however, attributes this power to the divine sacramental fact that he was pontifex, that is, the high priest" (Tractates on the Gospel of John 49.27.20). However we may look at it, the ironies abound in our text. The Romans themselves are seen here by Origen as symbols of the Gentiles who will be brought under one yoke in Christ (as they rule the Gentile world). Eventually the Romans will conquer the city, destroying the temple and scattering the people. Caiaphas' prophecy, made with one intention on his part, will have the opposite effect. But it seems quite clear that this seventh and final sign in John's Gospel, the raising of Lazarus, is the stupendous act that seals Jesus' fate with the leadership. He is now gathering followers very close to home: this one man must die because He, in fact, brought another to life from death. Ironically it is His death that will bring many, many more into one Church. Caiaphas' plan that Jesus should die for the nation had the effect desired, but with opposite results. And ultimately, it comes down to a question of faith: who are you going to believe? It becomes a question of whether or not one puts faith in Christ, wherever He is leading, despite one's fears of doubt or loss or outcome. I think, overall, the way we need to see this text, as it is written, is that Jesus is the pivot point. Do we follow in faith? Or do we reject His call? There are many issues at play here that we could point out: scapegoating, selfishness, and a rejection of all the good that Jesus has done. But ultimately, even a prophecy given with "wrong intent" becomes a true prophecy because of the power that is at work here. In our lives, we may find ourselves in the same place as Caiaphas, powerfully fearing what we have to lose. But Christ gives birth to a Church, a new family around Himself, one made up of those from every nation, Jew and Gentile. This new people, this outcome, centers around one thing: our love for Him.
