Lazarus Come Out From Your Paranoia

“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 signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 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. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.” 

John 11:47-53 NIV 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.11.47-53.NIV)

One day at work, I made a small error. It cost the company nothing. It merely inconvenienced someone for a few days. 

But as that person was the Personal Assistant of the chairman of a major corporation, my name was mud and my career was toast for about a year. 

Until I stumbled across an error someone else had made. It was a big one. It stood to cost the company a fortune in financial penalties. I spotted it. I fixed it. Suddenly I was the hero. 

I always knew the truth was somewhere between the two extremes. I was neither villain nor hero. 

I was just me. 

Watching how other people react to your predicament can be interesting.  

When I was afflicted with a stroke despite not having any of the comorbidities that could lead to one, it understandably caused a lot of shock and fright. When we put it on social media, I got a lot of well wishes. People whom we hadn’t heard from in years appeared to offer their prayers and their best wishes. 

It was nice. 

But, of course, there were others who said nothing at all. At least, not to me directly. 

Here we see the reaction to Jesus healing Lazarus. 

Now, any reasonable human being would be delighted and amazed by this. It was the greatest miracle their side of Jesus’ own resurrection. 

But these people are not reasonable human beings. And they are far from happy. 

To them, what had happened was the worst news possible. It would have been better for them if Lazarus had stayed dead. Jesus was always a threat to their position and power base. This miracle made Him even more of a threat. 

In fact, their insidious plotting went further: 

“Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.” 

John 12:9-11 NIV 

(Read the full passage at: https://bible.com/bible/111/jhn.12.9-11.NIV)

I find this utterly astonishing for three reasons. 

Firstly, who. 

It’s the High Priest. Taking the life of an innocent man was profoundly illegal (Exodus 23:7). There was no way such a man should be plotting to take the life of another just because He is inconvenient. 

Secondly, what. 

Let’s consider the logic of this. Jesus has just proven Himself to be the Lord of life and death. He had raised a man who had been dead for four days. What do they think would happen with Jesus if they killed Him? It just didn’t make sense! 

Thirdly, and most profoundly, why. 

The plot is to prevent Jesus from being a threat to them. The High Priest did not want anyone to undermine his position. 

Yet all his plotting was in vain.  

Because the One he was opposing was God Himself. Even the high priest’s own plotting was part of God’s plan. The very murderous threats, the shocking injustice of the false accusations, the glaring injustice of the trial, the barbarity of the sentence – the absolute worst that the High Priest and his acolytes could do – every last bit of it was part of God’s plan. 

The High Priest would eventually die. 

Jesus Christ reigns in Heaven forever. 

Which is why we should never fret or worry about the opinions of others, especially those who have no idea what they are saying and no role in our recovery. They are nothing but background noise. 

The One whose opinion matters the most is God Himself. He is the One we should aim to please above all. 

And He loves us. 

In the end, that’s all that matters. 

Because His plan will take place, and none can prevent it.