The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 111

Vera. 49-52.-71ie counsel •f Oaiaphas. We have here recorded the witness of the onrthly to tho heavenly High PrieRt, of human guile to superhuman innocence and gooduoss, of worldly policy to disinterested benevolence, of perRnnal, se ]fish ambition to Divine nn<l nrdent love. The Sanhedrin ns a whole had testified to the reality of our Lord's mirnclcs; Caiapbas here testified to the sacrificial offering and the worl<l-wi<le mediation of Christ. And it may be noted that, not long after, Pilate bore witness to his Divine royalty. I. THE INTENTION OF CA!APIIAB IN HIS PREDICTION OF CHRIST'S VICARIOUS DEATH'. To understand this we must notice: 1. The character of the high priest himself. Caiaphas was a Sadducee, who is said to have bought his sacred office; he was the nominee of the Roman. authorities, and acted in public busin.ess under the influence of Annas, his father-in-law. We do not wrong him in deeming him pre-eminently a politician, whose aim was the maintenance of the existing order of things, and the repression of any popular di8play of feeling, and especially any symptom of disaffection or disorder. 2. The position of Jesus at this critical period of his ministry. His miracles, e.nd especially the raising of Lazarus, had produced a great impression ; the courage and hopes of his a.dheren.ts were raised; the number of his disciples and admirers was increasing, a.ad consequently the fears of his enemies were a.roused, and their hatred was intensified. Jesus was the great Figure in the view of all classes of the people. The hopes of some and the fears of others centred in the Prophet of Nazareth. 3. Such being the character of the high priest, and such the position occupied hy Jesus in the public estimation, it is evident what was the meaning of the remarkable language which Ce.ia.phe.s used. In their hearts, the Jewish leaders would have rejoiced if a. great Deliverer, such a.a they expected their Messiah to be, had risen up among them -had emancipated Israel from a foreign yoke, and had prcvided for themselves posts of honour and power under the new dynasty. But they saw that Jesus was not the Deliverer they hoped for. They thought it likely that his preachins and teaching -might lead to insurrection, which the Romans would certainly repress with severity. They preferred to retain such self-government as still lingered among them, such dignity and honours as were still allowed them, rather than risk the repression, the humi- liation, the subjection, to which an unsuccessful insurrection. would lead. Hence, the counsel of Caia.pha.s. He was for immediate, stringent, and violent measures. Having ino sympathy with the profound teaching and spiritual aims of Jesus, looking upon religion only in the light of statecraft, Ca.ia.pha.s ad vacated the ruthless destruction ot him who was the occasion of so much anxiety and selfish fear. His policy was to crush Jesus, to propitiate the Romans, and to keep his own position until the advent of the expected Deliverer. Let the innocent Jesus be sacrificed; but let the nation be saved, or rather the rulers, who ever thought more of themselves than of those whom they governed. After all, Jesus was but one, and they were many. With no care for truth, for righteousness, for religion, for God, the degenerate leaders of the chosen people sacrificed to worldly policy him whom the Father had consecrated and sent into the world. II. TlIE INTENTION OF Gon, PUTTING A DEEPER MEANING INTO TRE PREDICTION OF CAIAPHAS. It is true that genius often utters language which is susceptible of a. mean- ing far deeper than appears on the surface. But according to the interpretation of the evangelist, Caiapha.s, being high priest during that memorable year of sacrifice, was prophetically guided or overruled in his language. Thus it was foretold: I. That Jesus's death should have a. bearing upon others. It is true that no man dieth unto himself. But Jesus so lived and so died a.a to secure the salvation of those whose nature he assumed. For others he lived, e.nd for others he died. 2. That Jesus should die ,for his own nation. He ea.me to his own. He was sent to the lost sheep of the house .of Israel. .And though he was rejected an.d oa.st out, he did not die in vain, e.s fe.r as ;his own people were concerned. 'l'he first converts made after his ascension were for ,the most pa.rt Jews. The apostles were themselves Hebrews, and 80!lle of them were ,Qlinisters to the circuwcisioµ. Tnle, tli,e µo.tioµ a3 a whole refused the Saviour, a.nd JOBN,-H, l IU THE GOSPEL AOCORDl~G TO ST. .tOHN. (cR, ll.T, 1-6'7,