Legislation against the laws of freedom will destroy a nation. John 11:51-57

John 11:51 Now this he did not say on his own initiative; but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,

 

In verses 51 and 52 we have the parenthetical observation of John. This is to show that he knew Caiaphas and what Caiaphas was really saying.

 

Caiaphas did not entirely understand the implications of his remarks. John in retrospection sees a prophetic significance of the remarks of Caiaphas which were not intended to be prophetic.

 

While Caiaphas was motivated by political expediency his comment went deeper than he realised.

 

From the human viewpoint the policy of Caiaphas is brutal murder but from the divine viewpoint the death of Christ is going to be efficacious sacrifice.

 

Caiaphas himself actually predicted a policy that was going to be beneficial beyond anything he could dream, but he wasn’t thinking of that.

 

Caiaphas predicted that Jesus should die for the nation.

 

This is retrospection on the part of John but it is to show that John realises who and what Caiaphas was and what he meant.

 

But the implication and the way he said it turned out to be a prophecy and a very accurate one because the very words that he used - a)poqnhskw[apothnesko] and u(per[huper] - are the very words which indicate the true death of Christ for the people.

 

As an unbeliever Caiaphas didn’t have a clue as to what was implied, he merely wants to get rid of Christ.

 

John 11:52 and not for the nation only, but that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

 

Verse 52 records John’s comments, the truth of the matter. “Not for that nation only” - a reference to the doctrine of unlimited atonement.

 

This is the comment of John as a true prophet, not of Caiaphas as a predictor.

           

“that he should gather together in one” - aorist active subjunctive for a purpose clause of sunagw[sunago]. This is the same word used for the gathering together of the Sanhedrin.

 

The true sunagwis the one that Christ will gather, all believers into heaven forever.

 

Aorist tense is constative. Active voice: Christ will do it. The subjunctive mood: this is a purpose clause. This is the purpose of the death of Christ - to “sunagwin one.” That is what the cross will do in 30 AD.

           

Notice how John describes the recipients of sunagw- “the children of God.” Believers, Church Age believers.

           

“that were scattered abroad” - perfect passive participle of diaskorpiazwwhich refers to the Gentiles scattered over the entire earth, lost and without hope. Ephesians 2:11-17.

 

John 11:53 So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

 

This means that Caiaphas’ policy was adopted. The majority of the Sanhedrin was in agreement - eliminate him.

 

They could not agree as to how since the Lord’s popularity demanded cunning. They would wait upon an opportunity and when it came they would jump on it.

 

Unfortunately, the opportunity comes from one of the Lord’s own, Judas Iscariot.

 

John 11:54 Jesus therefore no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

 

The Lord no longer walked around in freedom. This is not because He is in fear. The Lord knows that it is the program of the Father for Him to die on the Passover, that is what the Passover is - freedom through the death of the lamb. [blood on doorposts]

 

He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

 

So He takes His disciples, for they are under His authority, and He is going to teach them more, and repeat to them what they have learned in a quiet place.

 

What the disciples need right now is doctrine. Their lives are going to take a drastic turn very soon and they need to be prepared for it.

 

The word of God is always given before we need to apply it and in their lives, if they are to survive the coming call on their lives along with the persecution they are going to have to apply doctrine.

 

The principle is that doctrine is learned in quiet so that we can apply it in the storms of life.

 

It’s also interesting to note here that Christ would have no peace amongst the Jews, but has to go away from them, about 10 miles north on the borders of Samaria were He was not bothered.

 

John 11:55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country [regions] before the Passover, to purify themselves.

 

Naturally the Jews are purifying themselves to celebrate the Passover, all of which points to Jesus Christ.

 

They go through all these rituals but without doctrine they miss the reality that it all points to the one that they desire to kill.

 

John 11:56 Therefore they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another, as they stood in the temple, "What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?"

 

If it weren’t so tragic it would be a comedy.

 

They all understand Caiaphas’ policy [vs. 57] and imagine that Christ is too afraid to show His face, but wonder if He will.

 

Enough time has gone by that the entire region knows about the resuscitation of Lazarus. They see the drama in all of this while they blindly go about the temple rituals for cleansing and preparation.

 

This is the stupidity of mankind without Christ. They are without hope and lost in this world.

 

The negative mh[me] tells us that they assume He will not come.

 

They are in the temple. All of these sacrifices speak of Christ but that doesn’t mean anything to them. All of the purification rights involve sacrifices and hundreds of animals are being sacrificed daily, day in and day out, and they are all speaking of Jesus Christ. And these people are standing around in the ceremonial centre of Judaism and they have no doctrine on the inside, they are all speculating about Jesus. They are interested in whether Jesus will come to Jerusalem or not and they are missing the whole point.

 

Their eternal salvation is at stake. The word mhassumes a negative answer; they assume Jesus will not come. They assume that Jesus is afraid to come and the attribute to Jesus their own attitude—they would be afraid to come. It never occurs to religious types that Jesus is far above them and infinitely superior.

 

John 11:57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him [piazo = to seize violently].

 

“had given orders” - pluperfect of didomi,[didomi] the verb for giving. The pluperfect is the past perfect and it means to set up a law.

 

 

Plus the noun in the accusative plural, e)ntolh, [entole] to indicate they had to pass a series of laws.  One law wasn’t enough. They had to pass another law, e.g. anyone who harbours this person will be considered as a traitor. Then, if anyone knows where He is they must come and tell us, that is the law!

 

They are using legislation. They legislated His death. This is not only firm policy, it is law!

           

Legislation was designed under the laws of establishment for one thing only—to protect the freedom, the rights, the property and the living of law-abiding people. It was never designed to violate freedom of a few for the common good or greater good.

 

[ex: Executive order 9066 which formed internment camps during WWII for Japanese Americans. Despite this order there were still over 75 % of Japanese American men willing to fight for the US, and out of them the 442^nd Infantry was formed.

 

The 442nd Infantry, formerly the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United States Army, was an Asian American unit composed of mostly Japanese Americans who fought in Europe during World War II.^[1] The families of many of its soldiers were subject to internment. The 442nd was a self-sufficient fighting force, and fought with uncommon distinction in Italy, southern France, and Germany. The unit became the most highly decorated regiment in the history of the United States armed forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients. The motto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was “Go for broke.”]

 

John 11:57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him [piazo = to seize violently].

           

 

“if anyone knew” - aorist active subjunctive of ginwskw[ginosko] which means to know by observation; “where he is,” not where he were. This is the present tense of e)imi.[eimi - where He is presently].

           

“that” - purpose clause; “he should report it” - mhnuw[menuo] means to disclose a secret. How do tyrants stay in power? By getting people to disclose a secret.

 

In Nazi Germany the Nazi’s were able to recruit Jews to be overseers of the Jewish displacement to concentration camps with promises that they would be spared; they weren’t.

 

You see the same repetition of history for those who wish to attain and maintain power by their own power lust.

           

Then the plan is to take Him publicly and violently.

 

In John 11:55-57 the time of the Passover is at hand. This is about a month after the Lord raised Lazarus.

 

To get an overall idea of the ministry of Jesus Christ, which now will come to an end, let’s go back and look at where we’ve been in the Gospel of John, which records places the Lord occasioned that the Synoptic gospels do not.

 

Winter A.D. 26 to spring A.D. 27: the first journey of Jesus to Judea in order to be baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus made His first disciples and then returned to Galilee where He worked His first miracle - making wine at the wedding feast of Cana. John1:19 - 2:12.

 

Spring to winter A.D. 27: The early ministry of Jesus in Judea (about 8 months). The second journey of Jesus to Judea; His first Passover in Jerusalem takes place (John 2:13,23). For the second time Jesus returns to Galilee (John 4:35).

 

Winter A.D. 27 to spring A.D. 29: The principle ministry of Jesus in Galilee (about 17 months). The Synoptic writers offer a detailed account of this. John mentioned that this period was broken by Jesus’ third journey to Judea for an unnamed holiday (thought by many to be the Passover, John 5:1). Then He returns to Galilee for the next Passover. This period is from John 4:43 - 6:71.

 

Spring to fall A.D. 29: Jesus once again ministers in Galilee (about 6 months). He traveled to Decapolis and the countryside of Caesarea Philippi. John 7:1.

 

Fall to winter A.D. 29: Jesus’ later ministry in Judea (about 3 months), which is related to two journeys to feasts in Jerusalem. Jesus traveled for the fourth time through Judea and went to the feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. For a fifth time Jesus traveled to Judea; this time for the feast of Dedication. This period is from John 7:2 - John 10:39.

 

Winter A.D. 29 to A.D. 30: Jesus ministered in Perea for 3 months, returned to Judea to Bethany to raise Lazarus (6^th time in Judea) and then went north to teach His disciples for one month in Ephraim on the border of Samaria.

 

Now in John 12 Jesus has returned to Judea for His final time, which would be His seventh.

 

Seven in the scriptures speaks of perfection and fulfillment. Christ enters Judea for the seventh time perfect (impeccable) and ready to fulfill the final act of God’s plan for His life.

 

And it begins with a going away party thrown by His friends.