(REFLECTIONS ON John 11:45-57)

The chief priests and the Pharisees were waiting for the Messiah, the one that would restore Israel. However, the chief priests and the Pharisees had their own expectations for the Messiah, and wanted the Messiah to be someone that fit within their expectations and structures.

They expected someone who would uphold the Law of Moses, restore Israel politically, and strengthen the religious system, that is their religious system. In other words, the Messiah had to operate within the boundaries they understood and controlled.

However, Jesus came, and quickly shook things up by healing on the Sabbath, challenging interpretations of the Law, and spoke with an authority that far exceeded established religious institutions. Rather than fitting within their structure, Jesus seemingly possessed authority over the temple, the Law, and even life itself.

Rather than manage the Messiah in their religious system, Jesus required submission to the kingdom of God. That is why the Jewish leaders feared Jesus and wanted to kill Him,

48 “If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and if the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

The Pharisees and chief priests were concerned about the Romans because Judea was under Roman governance. Rome allowed the Jews a limited level of religious self-governance, but rebellion would be punished and political revolt could result in Rome removing Jewish leadership.

Their concern was survival and loss of their institutional power. According to Caiaphas, the high priest that year, killing Jesus would save the whole nation, because it would preserve their position and institutional power under the Roman Empire.

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

However, what they didn’t realize was that killing Jesus, was not only their earthly plan to uphold their religious institution, but was God’s will, and that Jesus’ sacrifice was God’s plan of salvation and life.

The conspiracy to kill Jesus was to take care of this perceived political and religious threat, but in doing so, this would lead to a kingdom greater than their religious institutions, greater than the Roman Empire, and greater than all the kingdoms of the earth.

Today’s Scripture reminds us that Jesus did not come as the Messiah to serve our political ambitions or religious institutions. He came as the Christ to establish the kingdom of God. The real question is not whether Jesus fits into our expectations, but whether we are willing to surrender our expectations and submit to His kingdom and His will.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: John 11