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Priests and Rulers Continue Plotting
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“The Romans would then come,” he said, “close our temple, and
destroy us as a nation. What is the life of this Galilean compared
with the nation? Is it not doing God a service to remove Him? Better
that one man perish than that the whole nation be destroyed.”
The policy Caiaphas recommended was based on a principle
borrowed from heathenism. The dim consciousness that one was
to die for the human race had led to human sacrifices. So by the
sacrifice of Jesus, Caiaphas proposed to save the guilty nation, not
from
transgression, but
in
transgression, so that they could continue
in sin.
At this council Christ’s enemies had come under deep conviction.
The Holy Spirit had impressed their minds. But Satan reminded
them of the grievances they had suffered because of Christ. How
little He had honored their righteousness! Paying no regard to their
forms and ceremonies, He had encouraged sinners to go directly to
God as a merciful Father and tell Him their wants. He had refused
to acknowledge the theology of the rabbinical schools and hurt the
priests’ influence beyond repair by exposing their evil practices.
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Except for a few who did not dare to speak their minds, the
Sanhedrin received the words of Caiaphas as the words of God.
Relief came to the council; the discord ended. They resolved to
put Christ to death at the first good opportunity. These priests and
rulers had come entirely under Satan’s control, yet they were so
deceived that they were well pleased with themselves. They thought
of themselves as patriots seeking the nation’s salvation.
To prevent the people from becoming incensed and bringing on
them the violence they were planning for Jesus, the council delayed
carrying out the sentence they had pronounced. The Savior knew
that they would soon accomplish what they intended, but it was
not His role to hurry the crisis, and He left that region, taking the
disciples with Him.
Jesus had now given three years of public labor to the world.
Everyone knew His self-denial, selfless kindness, purity, and devo-
tion. Yet this short period was as long as the world could endure the
presence of its Redeemer. He who was always touched by human
suffering, who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and comforted the
sorrowful, was driven away from the people He had worked so hard
to save. He who broke the sleep of the dead and held thousands