Reaction to the Raising of Lazarus
John 11:45-57
In John 11 we have seen how the Lord Jesus demonstrated—in a profoundly public way—that He truly is “the resurrection and the life”; and that whoever believes in Him, “though he may die, he shall live” (see John 11:25). This most significant sign that Jesus performed brought out strong reactions from those who experienced it. The raising to life of His friend Lazarus after being dead for four days caused many who saw this miraculous sign to believe—and left the religious leaders who opposed Him in a state of fear and frustration.
At the end of John 11, we find that the time of the Passover was drawing near. This will be the third Passover in John’s Gospel—the first being the time when Jesus cast out the money changers from the temple (John 2:13ff), and the second occurring near the time when Jesus fed the 5,000 (John 6:4ff). The third Passover will be the one in which Jesus would—Himself—be sacrificed as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7). The passage we’ll be looking at this morning concerns the events that occurred between the raising of Lazarus and the beginning of the Passover. In it, we see the various responses to Jesus’ raising of Lazarus. These responses demonstrate the sovereignty of God even over the wicked purposes of man.
Do you remember Genesis 50:20; and how we’re told there of Joseph’s word to his eleven brothers? He revealed himself to them after he had become a leading power in Egypt—long after his brothers had cruelly sold him into slavery. He was now in a position to serve them and keep them alive. And he told them, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” That statement illustrates what happens at the end of John 11. Here we will see powerful but frightened men plot evil against the Son of God. But the very evil that they meant, God—in His sovereignty—meant for good and for the salvation of many.
45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.
46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.
47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.
48 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.”
49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,
50 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.”
51 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,
52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.
54 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.
55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.
56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think–that He will not come to the feast?”
57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.
In this passage we first see that there was a mixed response to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
1. The mixed response to the raising of Lazarus (John 11:45-48).
As we have seen happen throughout the Gospel of John, those who witness this amazing sign of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead have two dramatically different responses. Many find the evidence compelling and they believe in Jesus. Others do not.
Jesus’ miracle of raising Lazarus was a very public event. There were Jews from Jerusalem in Bethany mourning Mary and Martha over the death of their brother (John 11:18-19). When Mary had left her house to go to where Jesus was, many of the Jewish people who were there to comfort her had followed her (John 11:31). So there were many who witnessed firsthand the raising of Lazarus.
Notice here that the response of the people to this miracle is quite different from the response of the Pharisees to our Lord’s healing of the man born blind in John 9. In the case of the blind man’s healing, the Jewish leaders sought to disprove the miracle. In chapter 11, no one disputes that it is indeed Lazarus who has been raised from the dead. No one even attempts to challenge the claim of those present that he has really died and been dead for four days, after which he is raised. No one challenges the fact that it is Jesus who raises him. The facts are clear and unquestioned; but the conclusions reached are dramatically different.
A. Those who believed. (John 11:45).
The first reaction of the people is that many believed, “Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.” In John 12, we’re told that many more would come to see Lazarus—and in doing so, many more would believe (John 12:9-11). This is what we would expect as the result of this powerful miracles isn’t it? Many believed. Jesus had said that was the purpose of the miracle, “that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4), and “that you may believe,” (John 11:15). Jesus had prayed before He raised Lazarus, “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.” The sign had accomplished its purpose. God was glorified through His Son and people believed. They believed that Jesus was sent by the Father.
Jesus did not simply want people to believe that He was able to raise Lazarus from the dead. He wanted more than this. He wanted them to see the great truth behind this miracle. He wanted them to see that no one could have performed the miracle that He had just performed unless the Father had, in fact, sent Him into this world. He wanted them to believe that He is “the resurrection and the life.”
But that is not the only reaction to the miracle. We also see,
B. Those who went away (John 11:46).
“But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did,” (John 11:46). We don’t know all the motives of this group. It may be that those who told the Pharisees were simply wanting to report the miracle to them. But it may also be that some who witnessed the raising of Lazarus were on the side of those who were hostile to the Lord. I think it is significant that the verse says they “went away.” Most of the time in the gospels when people believe, they stay with Jesus. They want to follow Jesus. But these leave.
C. The Chief Priests and Pharisees (John 11:47-48).
We don’t have to speculate about the motives and priorities of the Pharisees and the religious leaders. John tells us, “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’” (John 11:47-48).
The chief priests were mostly Sadducees. The Sadducees rejected things like Angels, miracles or the resurrection (Acts. 23:8). Unlike the Pharisees, they would work with the Romans in order to get what they wanted. The Pharisees and Sadducees were generally antagonistic to each other, but when they had a common purpose they could work with each other. They both had a common purpose in being against Jesus. So when the Pharisees received the news about Lazarus’ resurrection, they “gathered a council,” probably an unofficial meeting of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews.
They topic of their meeting was, “What are we doing?” or as the NKJV states, “What shall we do?” This expression by the chief priests and the Pharisees was the outflow of total frustration. They had tried to persuade individuals not to follow Jesus through threats and intimidation. They had challenged His teachings in public forums; some of them had even on several occasions tried to arrest Jesus or stone Him to death. But in spite of all these things, the influence of Jesus continued to grow. They are totally frustrated.
Notice that they acknowledge that Jesus was working “many signs”. Jesus had done many miracles publically. The signs He did were such powerful evidence of His identity that Jesus had said to them, “though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know that and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him,” (John 10:38). The words that they speak are incredible, almost beyond belief. They express no doubt about the power of our Lord, or the legitimacy of the signs He has performed. They do not deny that the evidence in support of His claims is piling up. In fact, they virtually admit that it is all true. But they wouldn’t believe Him—even though they clearly saw the works. In fact, they believed that they had to put a stop to these works of His.
Their fear was that, if they didn’t stop Him, “everyone will believe in Him”. They thought Jesus was a false teacher, leading people astray. So I imagine that they convinced themselves they were protecting the ignorant people from this dangerous teacher. But behind their words it is easy to spot their priority. They were driven by a jealous concern that they would lose the devotion of the people. If things weren’t put to a stop, they would lose the respect of the people and their position of preeminence over them.
They were also concerned that they would suffer politically. Judah was under Roman occupation. And even though they were permitted to carry on their traditions under the watchful eye of Rome, any disorder would surely result in the Romans coming down upon them. Jesus was proving to be a disturber of the relative peace by which they had managed to appease Rome; and they were fearful that the political order they had established would be disturbed; and that the Romans would step in and take away both their place and their nation.
This group had a vested interest in the system as it was and they were afraid of losing it. If the people believed in Jesus as Messiah, they feared that the Romans would intervene and they would lose their power and their comfortable living through controlling the temple.
That brings us to:
2. The wicked plot of Caiaphas (John 11:49-50).
In these verses we meet Caiaphas, the epitome of a political maneuverer, yet even He is subject to the sovereign will of God. He was said to be high priest that year, that is, while these events were taking place, he was in power. High priests were permitted to hold their position by the Roman authorities; and so, men who wished the position would often compete for it or buy it. At this point, it had been given to Caiaphas. He was the son-in-law of Annas; before whom Jesus would later be brought bound after His arrest (John 18:12-14). All the various Biblical references to Caiaphas as well as other historical accounts present him to be a very shrewd and calculating opportunist. And so, as the Pharisees and the chief priests were wondering “What shall we do?”, Caiaphas, interjects, “You know nothing at all . . .” (v. 49).
Caiaphas, the high priest spoke with the characteristic rudeness of the Sadduces. But after he insulted their intelligence, he then went on to offer his solution to the problem of Jesus, “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” (John 11:50). Caiaphas’ premise was that if the nation followed Jesus, then the nation would be destroyed by Rome. Therefore, it was better for Jesus to be destroyed than for the whole nation. Jesus must die.
Think of the irony of these words of the High Priest. Jesus has just raised a man from the dead, and so they decide the best way to counteract our Lord’s ministry is to kill Him, the One who is life. Are you kidding me? These Jews might do well to “wake up and smell the coffee.” These people are so threatened, so much in a state of panic, that they are not thinking clearly at all. The best way to be rid of one who can raise the dead is to put Him to death? Their rebellious unbelief has blinded their reasoning.
If you drop down to John 11:53 you see that they all agreed to Caiaphas’ plan: “Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.” The council entered into a conspiracy to murder Jesus. There was no charge brought against Jesus. There was no trial. There were no witnesses and no one present to defend Him, yet they condemned Him to death.
But as so often happens with ungodly men that God places in positions of power, Caiaphas’ words and his evil plot meant far more in the purposes of God than he realized.
So we see,
3. The sovereign purpose of God (vv. 51-54).
Caiaphas was acting according to his own calculated plan to get rid of Jesus whom he considered his enemy. Yet, God was doing something else at the same time. As it turns out, Caiaphas was an unwitting mouthpiece for God. John explains to us, “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” (vv. 51-52).
This may surprise some that God would use Caiaphas in such a way, yet this was appropriate. Caiaphas was the High Priest even if he arrived at that office improperly in an ungodly manner and was not of the proper lineage. But God is not limited by man or man’s sin. Part of the historic role of the High Priest was prophecy (Ex. 28:30). God used him accordingly.
Consider who God used in times past. Balaam was a wicked man who plotted to curse God’s people, yet God used Him to prophecy a blessing on Israel (Numbers 23, 24). And speaking of Balaam, didn’t God even use a donkey to rebuke Balaam? (Numb. 22). It should not really surprise us then that God could and would use Caiaphas for His own purposes even though they were in direct opposition to Caiaphas’ own intent.
It is incredible that Caiaphas became a prophet, but what he prophesied is even more incredible. Jesus was going to die for the nation. The preposition here means, “in behalf of.” It is the idea of substitution. Jesus would die as the substitute for the nation. Substitution is at the heart of the Christian gospel. The death I should have died for my sin, Jesus died for me, in my place, in your place. All the wrath of Almighty God against sin was poured out on Jesus Christ on the cross.
Isaiah prophecies of this:
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He [was] wounded for our transgressions, [He was] bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace [was] upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked–But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor [was any] deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put [Him] to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see [His] seed, He shall prolong [His] days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, [and] be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:4-12).
The substitution in verse 51 is specifically for nation of Israel, but then verse 52 expands the scope of the substitution to include all “the children of God who were scattered abroad.” John’s explanation hints at the work that Jesus would do not only to save His own people, but to also gather the redeemed from out of among the Gentiles—making them one fold (see John 10:16). Truly, Caiaphas spoke far more truth than he ever could have understood!
It’s the same truth of which Isaiah writes—prophetically giving us the words of our Lord Himself;
“And now the Lord says,
Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,
To bring Jacob back to Him,
So that Israel is gathered to Him
(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
And My God shall be My strength),
Indeed He says,
‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Thus says the Lord,
The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,
To Him whom man despises,
To Him whom the nation abhors,
To the Servant of rulers:
“Kings shall see and arise,
Princes also shall worship,
Because of the Lord who is faithful,
The Holy One of Israel;
And He has chosen You” (Isaiah 49:5-7).
They plotted, but God purposed! They meant it for evil, but God meant it for good! We’re told, “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 11:54). But it would not be long before He would make His triumphal ride from the country into the city to submit Himself to their hands—and to God’s sovereign purpose for our salvation.
4. Plot and purpose come together (John 11:55-57).
Jesus’ absence had created a buzz. People were talking about Him. John tells us, “And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, ‘What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?’” (John 11:55-56). In the outworking of time, man’s plot was taking shape according to God’s plan.
And one of the great miracles of it all is how man’s plan was made to conform to the purpose of God. We’re told, “Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him” (v. 57). They would take any opportunity they could get. But in the end, God would give them only the opportunity that would fulfill His purposes.
In Matthew 26:1-2, Jesus told His disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” But Matthew also lets us know that right then, the religious leaders were planning to do something completely different than what Jesus had said. They were saying “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people” (Matthew 26:4). They knew that many of the Jewish people who where beginning to believe on Jesus would be present for the Passover feast. And they didn’t want to risk creating the kind of commotion that would force the Roman authorities down on them. And so, they specifically purposed not to take Jesus during the feast, but to wait until the feast was over.
And yet, Judas came to those religious leaders—in the evil intention of his own heart, but under the sovereign rule of the Almighty God—to make an offer to them that changed their plans into conformity to God’s purposes (Matt. 26:13-16). Judas sought an opportunity to betray the Lord into their hands (v. 16); and the sovereign Lord Jesus waited in the garden in order to give him that opportunity . . . on Passover night, just as He said.
This highlights to us who truly was in control. Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb. His death is the fulfillment of the Passover observance that God gave to His people long ago through Moses, in the book of Exodus (Exodus 12). He must and would be offered on the Passover, just as He said—and just as God the Father had purposed. Not even the plans of powerful men could change that.
May God help us to remember that ungodly people may plot and scheme, but God’s purposes always prevail. God uses those wicked plots and schemes in order to accomplish His sovereign purpose. God even changes the plots of men mid-course, so that their plans conform to His will. The wicked people of this world—and even the devil himself—can never thwart the plan of God, but only fulfill it.
Jesus always causes a decision. The same question that faced the Jewish leaders is the question each of us must face. “What shall we do?” (John 11:47). Either you believe in Christ Jesus, that He died for sins in your place and was raised to life for you or you will die in your own sins. The question is the same question that Jesus asked Martha, “Do you believe?” How will you answer today?
