Introduction: If you read my devotionals daily then four days ago you will have read what caused what you are reading about today. Lazarus was raised from the dead!
The background: Step one! Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Taken a step further: So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, Their Reasoning: “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” ‘Sanity’ Prevailed! But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” Caiaphas meaning one thing, hit the truth – accidentally! He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. The murder plan begins to fall into place! So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
Somehow the plan was leaked! Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
God calls the people together. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. Who were the ‘they’ who were looking and whispering? They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him. Murder Planned – awaiting the opportunity!!
Proverbs 6: 16-19 – There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Prayer: Help me to learn from Your Wisdom as it written in Your Word!
As I read it! 