So the chief priests
and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, "What shall we do? This
man is performing many signs ..." So from that day on they planned to put him to
death.
What do we expect of our leaders? What do we deem as our
"rights" for which we hold leadership accountable? Freedom? Security?
Prosperity?
Having witnessed Jesus’ many miracles, some of the Jews looked to
Jesus as their leader. They expected him to lead them forth to freedom from Roman rule.
Other Jews turned to the chief priests and Pharisees, expecting that their leadership had
the power to provide some security under Roman rule.
The chief priests and Pharisees turned not to God for their leadership,
but to their own counsel. Fear permeated their deliberations – fear of losing their
influence among the Jewish people. They saw Jesus as a threat, not only to their place of
authority but also to the entire Jewish nation.
The Romans would see Jesus’ acts as rebellion against Roman rule.
The Romans surely would put down such rebellion by destroying the chief priests and
Pharisees and crushing the Jewish nation with even greater taxation and oppression. The
entire nation would lose even the limited freedom, security and prosperity that existed
under present Roman rule.
So what could the chief priests and Pharisees do to protect themselves?
Could their authority be preserved? Could their nation be saved? Caiaphas, the high
priest, answered their concern: "You do not understand that it is better for you to
have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed." Jesus
should die for the nation.
From that day on they plotted his death.
Prayer: Dear God, be with us in our times of trial. When it seems the
very foundations of our lives are threatened, send us your presence. Bring us comfort.
Lend us your strength. Amen.
