On Line Bible Study - For the Week July 23 - 29, 2012
Lesson 546
Killing Jesus at our Meetings ...
John 11: 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. 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 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 temple and our nation.”
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.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
I am going to step away from any attempt at 'exegesis' here and offer a thought on two of the lines from the above text.
First, the line: Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. (Verse 47.)
Killing Jesus at our Meetings ...
John 11: 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. 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 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 temple and our nation.”
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.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
I am going to step away from any attempt at 'exegesis' here and offer a thought on two of the lines from the above text.
I can't help but wonder about all the meetings church folks have - for finances, buildings, missions, worship, youth, education, to establish policies and review procedures. We have meetings of sub-committees who then report to committees which then report to church or parish councils.
The "Sanhedrin" was the Jewish court system, with each town having one. The "Great Sanhedrin" was equivalent to what we would call the 'Supreme Court'. It was comprised of 71 'judges', and met daily except on the Sabbath and festivals.
The word literally means 'sitting together'. It's important to discuss, communicate - to meet together. But I fear we inadvertently do at many of our church meetings what the Sanhedrin set out to do intentionally - muffle the voice of the Messiah to the point of extinguishing it entirely.
They plotted to take his life ...
I think I have mentioned the irreverent TV show "South Park" in a previous post. The character Kenny on that show dies in many episodes. "Oh no!" someone will shout, "they killed Kenny!"
I don't believe Jesus can physically die any more than once; I do believe his word, his teaching, his truth, grace, and message can be stifled and snuffed out over and over again. With no disrespect intended toward those of us (myself included) who call for one church meeting after another, I do fear at times our meetings both enable us and cause us to totally miss the point of Christ's message.
Is it another meeting we need, or more honest soul-searching?
As I write these words another shooting has occurred in the United States - this time at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin. Once again people lie bleeding and dying. It's happening in our malls, our schools, and our places of worship. Is there any meeting agenda that can put an end to violence and hatred? Is there any 'sitting' of human beings that can guarantee such a thing will never happen again?
The prophets (Amos and Hosea) speak of a "divine weariness" with regard to Israel's festivals and offerings. God sees endless worship and sacrifices, but no change in human behavior, and it's exhausting.
If our meetings for worship tire out the Almighty, I wonder what effect all our meetings for other reasons might have.
The plot is in play. John's gospel is about to go into a protracted and lengthy section leading up to what this 'meeting' was all about.
While we can't physically kill Jesus again, let's not kill the Christ-Spirit that dwells among us and within us!
posted by Mark D at 4:14 PM
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