Make Them One
John 11:45-57
Key Verses 51-52
He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
Previously we study the last miracle among 7 miracles, Miracle of resurrection. Jesus clearly demonstrated that He is the Resurrection and the life. Jesus surely is the Christ and the Son of God. Today we will study about 4 things based on the response of the people about this miracle.
(1) Response of Faith
(2) Response of Unbelief
(3) Sovereignty of God in the wickedness of men.
(4) Effect of Jesus’ death: Bringing believers together and Oneness of Believers.
May God bless us to believe in Him, His sovereignty and oneness of believers! Amen.
1. Read verses 45-46. What did many of the Jews do after seeing what Jesus did? (45) However, what did some of them do? (46) How would ‘you’ respond after seeing the resurrection of Lazarus?
Read verses 45-46.
ANSWER
45. Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.
46. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
What did many of the Jews do after seeing what Jesus did? (45)
ANSWER
45. Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.
* Previous Jesus’ Miracle: Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. (Jn 11:43-45) Lazarus who had been dead for 4 days, walked out of the grave after Jesus’ command. Many People saw him walking, talking and eating some food.
* Response of Faith. Raising Lazarus clearly showed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. (Jn 20:31) Because only God can give the dead to the new life. This miracle helped them to know who Jesus was, namely the Son of God and Christ. Therefore, they put their faith in Him
However, what did some of them do? (46)
ANSWER
46. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
* Response of Unbelief. Despite the impressive miracle of Jesus, some people did not believe in Jesus. They did not believe in Jesus after seeing Him to raise the man who had been dead 4 days. You can show them all the truth of God, still they would not respond to the truth. Unbelieving people do not care about the truth and willingly walk away from the truth.
* The Reasons for unbelief. (Why did not they believe in Jesus?)
1) Because they did not listen to Moses and the Prophets. (Lk 16:31) They only listen to the legalistic human traditions. How easy for us to cling to human traditions rather than the word of God.
2) Because they loved the darkness more than the light. (Jn 3:19,20)
3) Because they were completely blind to the spiritual things. (2 Cor 4:4)
4) Because they were dead spiritually. (Eph2:1,5) Unbelief has no capacity to come to Jesus unless God draws him. (Jn 6:44,65)
Unbelief has no capacity to perceive the truth apart from the grace of God.
* The Actions of Unbelief.
Unbelievers come together to increase their unbelief, to justify their unbelief.
Rather, they went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
* What can we do for the unbelief?
They need God’s grace, God’s divine intervention in order to come to Jesus. (Jn
6:44,65) This is the reason why we should always pray for the unbelievers before
preaching the gospel. It is God who prepares the hearts of unbelievers.
How would you respond after seeing the resurrection of Lazarus?
ANSWER
* Application:
Apostle John wrote this book in order to help us to know Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. He continuously showed this contrast between the belief and unbelief through the book of John. (Jn 1:10-13, 2:11, 2:23, 3:18, 4:39, 4:53, 6:66, 6:69, 7:31, 8:30, 9:38, 10:42, 12:11,42)
This is the last miracle among 7 miracles which were written to reveal who Jesus was. He is challenging us to make a decision of faith or walk away from the truth with unbelief.
What would you do? Believe in Jesus and have eternal life.
2. Read verses 47-48. What were the chief priests and the Pharisees’ response after hearing what Jesus had done? (47) What was the main concern of Sanhedrin members? (48) How did they misunderstand Jesus? (Jn 18:36)
Read verses 47-48.
ANSWER
47. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 48. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
What were the chief priests and the Pharisees’ response after hearing what Jesus had done? (47)
ANSWER
47. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs.”
* They called an emergency meeting of the Sanhedrin. They acknowledged that Jesus did many miraculous signs. (v47) They even heard Jesus saying, ‘believe the miracles’ (Jn 10:38)
* But they did not even try to believe any of His numerous miracles which he had performed. They were completely blind to the spiritual things. (2 Cor 4:4) They did not show any sign of faith. Now, they did not even consider the possibility that Jesus might be the Christ. Instead of recognizing Him, they decided to get together and talked about what to do with Him.
What was the main concern of Sanhedrin members? (48)
ANSWER
48. “If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
* Main Concern:
* One: They believed that everyone would believe in Jesus. They even agreed that the miracles done by Jesus were believable. But they did not want to believe in Him. They were jealous of Jesus.
* Two: They worried that the Romans might come and take away their positions in their nation. They were concerned about their political, economical, religious positions.
They were not concerned about people’ and their spiritual conditions. They became the slave of fear. Fear of losing their job/ their privilege.
How did they misunderstand Jesus? (Jn 18:36)
ANSWER
John 18:36
“Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."
* Their misunderstanding about Jesus.
One, They misunderstood that Jesus planed to be a political leader. (political Messiah)
Two, They misunderstood Jesus would not be able to overcome the power of Rome.
* Bases of their judgment.
They judged based on their political, economical, social positions. How this
situation affects our income, our refutation, our comfort.
But, we must judge based on the divine truth. Is it right (true) or is it wrong? Is it
helpful (spirit-reviving) or destructive? Even if we lose our income, our
refutation, our comforts.
3. Read verses 49-52. What was the suggestion of Caiaphas regarding Jesus? (49-50) How did God use the high priest to fulfill His purpose? (51-52) What does it mean to make Jewish nation and scattered children of God one? (52)
Read verses 49-52.
ANSWER
49. Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50. You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51. He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52. and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
What was the suggestion of Caiaphas regarding Jesus? (49,50,53)
ANSWER
49. Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50. You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 53. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
* Background of high priest
Caiaphas was high priest from A.D. 18-36 (son-in-law of Annas, High Priest from A.D. 6-15). The high priesthood was a lifelong position passed on to one's children (Exodus 28) But in Jesus time, it was sold to the highest bidder after the Romans became the conquerors because of the lucrative trade in the temple area.
(1) One man die for the people.
One, The OT View for this concept.
1. One person could affect the whole. (Gen 3 Adam/Eve; Joshua 7:1 Achan).
2. Sacrificial system: the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16),
One animal bore the sin of the nation.
This becomes the Messianic concept behind Isaiah 53.
Two, The NT View for this concept.
1. Adam/Christ typology (representative principle) reflects this concept.
(Rom5:12-21,1Cor15:21,22)
(2) Problems of Caiaphas’ suggestion
Two extreme wrong views of the situation:
Either Jesus die or we all/Nation die.
Right view of the situation;
Believe in Jesus and we all live.
(3) Problems of Caiaphas
Arrogant/Prideful (v49; you know nothing at all, v50; you do not realize)
Selfishness: (v50; it is better for you (and me))
Murderous (v50; one man die, v53 take his life)
(4) Problems of Spiritual leaders
Who should be spiritual leaders in the church? (1,2 Timothy, Titus)
Everyone thinks ‘I should be a leader’
We should pray that God may raise up the men of God who take after His own heart.
How did God use this high priest to fulfill His purpose? (51-52)
ANSWER
51. He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation,
52. and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
(1) God used Caiaphas to prophesy that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation.
1. God declared the effect of Jesus’ death in Caiaphas own words.
God put a prophecy through the mouth of Caiaphas.
God twisted his words of blasphemy into words of prophecy.
Caiaphas made a prophecy and did not even know it.
2. God is sovereign. (Psalm 103:19)
God used wicked people like Caiaphas without violating his own wicked
will.
God used Rome to fulfill His salvation works (birth, death).
(2) Jesus died for the Jewish nation and for the scattered children of God (gentile nations)
1. Jesus died not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles.
Jesus died for the children of God.
Jesus died for His sheep. (Jn 10:11)
2. Jesus’ death is atoning sacrifice not only ours but also for the sins of the whole
world. (1Jn 2:2)
Salvation is open to everyone who believes in Jesus. (Jn 3:16)
(3) Application; Do you believe that God is sovereign in everything including your own life?
God is sovereign (almighty and good)
Therefore, we can believe that God works for the good of us in all things. (Rom
8:29)
What does it mean to make Jewish nation and scattered children of God one? (52)
ANSWER
52. “and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.”
* Jesus died to bring all the scattered children of God together and make them one.
Jesus’ death will bring a unity to believers. (Jn 10:16)
Jesus prayed that the Jews and Gentiles, all of them might be one. (Jn 17:21)
All believers are one body of Christ regardless of their race, education, economic
status. (Eph 3:6)
* Application
How can we be one according to the Bible?
What should we do in order to be one with other believers?
4. Read verses 53-57. Where did Jesus and his disciple stay? (54) Why? (53,57) What did many do when it was almost time for the Passover? (55) What did they do for Jesus? (56)
Read verses 53-57.
ANSWER
“54. Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. 55. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?” 57. But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.”
Where did Jesus and his disciples stay? (54)
ANSWER
54. “Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.”
* A village called Ephraim: This town may have been located close to Bethel in Samaria (II Chr. 13:19). Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews.
Why? (53,57)
ANSWER
53. “So from that day on they plotted to take his life.” 57. “But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.”
* Because the Jews tried to arrest and kill him.
And His time did not come yet.
And the way he should die was not to be stoned.
Jesus must be hanged on the tree to save us from the curse of God.
* Because Jesus continuously focused on training his disciples in the last time of his ministry.
What did many do when it was almost time for the Passover? (55)
ANSWER
55. “When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover.”
* Cleansing outwardly for the Passover.
Keeping the law was their second nature.
What did they do for Jesus? (56)
ANSWER
56. “They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?”
* They kept looking for Jesus.
They were waiting for Jesus in the temple area.
This was not pure spiritual desire to know Jesus.
* Because of the orders from the chief priests and Pharisees.
If anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they
might arrest him.
In conclusion, God used the wicked High priest to prophecy the effect of Jesus’ death. God who used wicked high priest is sovereign. God who makes the Jew and Gentile one is full of grace and truth. May God richly bless us to be one in Jesus Christ so that we can bring all the glory to Him.
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