Chapter 1: Called By God

Chapter 2: Triumphant Over the Jews

Chapter 3: Triumphant Over Pilate

Chapter 4: Trumped by the Risen Christ

The High Priest did more than offer sacrifices and supervise the Temple worship. His position, especially with the loss of sovereignty to the Romans in 67 BC and their client king (Herod the Great), became politicized and secularized. In effect, the High Priest was the Prime Minister of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council over Jerusalem. He had become the local government. Depending on the strengths and preferences of overlords, the power of the High Priest could also encompass the entire region of Judea, with some power over Jews scattered throughout the Roman world. But that’s a story for next week!

Suffice it to say, the High Priest did not limit himself to religious matters clearly accepted by all Jewish factions. Indeed, on many items of faith there was no agreement! Jesus of Nazareth was but one area of conflict.

In order to achieve his goals, Caiaphas had to cobble together either a coalition of the three most powerful forces in Jerusalem (Sadducees, Pharisees, Herodians) or he had to cunningly act without the knowledge of, or in the face of, the other factions.

His success in ostracizing Jesus of Nazareth from mainstream Jewish circles is an amazing victory over competing Jewish factions.

Chapter 2: Triumphant Over the Jews

The Factions

Look at the following passages and fill out the chart thumb nailing the three factions within the Judaism of Jesus’ day.

Sadducees

Pharisees

Herodians (Monarchy)

Resurrection

 no yes don't care

Angels

 no yes don't care

Human soul

 no yes don't care

Books of the Bible

 only books of Moses--Pentateuch all Old Testament don't care

Rightful Ruler

 High Priest Messiah Herod and Caesar

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” When he said this a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” Acts 23.6-9

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.”… [Jesus replied] But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord, ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Luke 20.27, 37-38

Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Mark 12.13-14

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. John 19.15

For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Mark 6.17-18

Which party was the most political?

Herodians

Which party was the “conservative” religious party?

Sadducees

Which party was the “innovative, liberal” religious party?

Pharisees

The Pharisees are the party that dominates modern orthodox Judaism today. The Herodian and the Sadducean parties became moot points when the Temple was destroyed and the nation of Israel vanished in 70 AD.

Which party do you think Jesus would be most compatible with (if you didn’t dig too far!)? Why?

Pharisees--they believed in all the Bible of their day, eternal life, angels and the soul.  They actually cared what the Bible said, though they were filled with work-rightoeusness.

There was one more religious faction in Judea, the Essenes. Because of the secularization and politicizing of the High Priesthood, they abandoned Jerusalem and set up their religious settlements in the Jordan River valley. They are probably the group that is responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls. If you picture them as the 1st century Jewish Amish, you might be on target. They played no role in the Jewish religious scene of Jesus’ day.

How to Not Get Rid of the Savior in Twelve Steps (The Divisions over Jesus of Nazareth)

“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

With these words John tells us more than we know. Throughout Jesus’ ministry there was division among the Jews. Let’s look at examples in John’s Gospel.

1. Initial Reaction

Early in his ministry Jesus is visited by a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish ruling council.

He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” John 3.2

2. Early Objection

Jesus healed a lame man on the Sabbath. The Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” John 5.10

3. Further Objections

In a discourse Jesus had claimed God as his Father.

For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. John 5.18

4. Subsequent Reaction

Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. John 7.12-13

5. New Objection

Jesus publicly accuses the religious leaders of trying to kill him.

“You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. John 7.20

6. Confusion

At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ? But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.” John 7.25-27

7. More Believing in Jesus and New Objection

On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Christ.” Still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived? Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. John 7.40-44

8. Breaking Ranks and Hardening Opposition

When even the Temple guards refuse to arrest Jesus, the Sanhedrin reviles them.

“You mean he has deceived you also?” The Pharisees retorted. “Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” John 7.47-52

9. Containment that Works

After Jesus heals a man born blind, the Pharisees try to debunk the miracle. The tack they take is to try to prove the man was not born blind. They call in his parents.

“We know he is our son,’ the parents answered, ‘and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.” John 9.20-22

10. The Power of Jesus’ Words

After Jesus’ Good Shepherd Discourse, John records,

At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?” But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” John 10.19-21

11. New Evidence Demands New Tactics

Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous 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 place 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.” So from that day on they plotted to take his life. Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. John 11.45, 47-54

But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him. John 11.57

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was (at Lazarus’) 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 putting their faith in him. John 12.9-11

12. Mounting Frustration and Fear

Caiaphas was quick to react to the events of Palm Sunday.

“See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” John 12.19

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. John 12.42-43

Summarize the Twelve Steps in the chart below

Action For Jesus

Reaction Against Jesus
Nicodemus “Prophet of God”

Jesus a sinner, for he breaks the Sabbath (by healing a man)
Jesus Claims to be Son of God

He deceives the people (intimidation starts)
People Concluding Jesus is the Christ

He is demon-possessed
Leaders Believing in Jesus

No Savior from Galilee--laity supporting Jesus excommunicated
Lazarus Raised from the Dead

Kill Jesus
Many Believing in Jesus

Arrest Jesus and kill Lazarus, too
Palm Sunday

Kill Jesus--leaders supporting Jesus excommunicated

Where had the twelve steps gotten Caiaphas?

Nowhere.  The "whole world" was following Jesus.  All Caiaphas' efforts had backfired.  At best he was confronted by a cowed majority of the people who secretly supported Jesus and a sizable minority within the very ruling circle who were keeping their mouths shut.

Who seems to be the leader of the anti-Jesus party in the Sanhedrin?

Caiaphas

Who seems to be the leader of the pro-Jesus party in the Sanhedrin?

Nicodemus

The line charts the course of the conflict between Caiaphas and Jesus. Can you line up each event?

a Jesus' Interview with Nicodemus

b Man healed on the Sabbath

c Jesus protests they are trying to kill him

d Jesus heals man born blind

e Good Shepherd discourse

f Lazarus raised from the dead

g Palm Sunday

How to Kill a Popular Savior

By Wednesday of Holy Week Caiaphas had been checked in his efforts to kill Jesus. He had despaired of winning all the people over to his cause.

Matthew tells us about a key meeting of the Sanhedrin.

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” Matthew 26.3-5

When was Jesus not going to die, according to Caiaphas’ plans?

During the Feast (that week)

What happened to change the timetable?

Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. Luke 22.4-5

Judas offered to show them where Jesus went at night where there were no crowds present.

“When no crowd was present.” It was amazing to see how efficient Caiaphas was once he had Jesus arrested. Count the hours and see what happens at each one.

A Jesus arrested

B Jesus privately before Annas

C Jesus privately before Caiaphas

D Peter denies Jesus as he goes to full trial

E Trial before the full Sanhedrin

F Jesus before Pilate

G Jesus crucified

About when did Jesus enter into Caiaphas’ custody?

11 pm

About when was Jesus nailed to the cross?

9 am

What time does a city start to come alive?

9 am

How did Caiaphas kill Jesus “during the feast” but “when no crowd was present?”

when the whole town was asleep or just getting started in the morning

Why is it wrong to picture the whole city of Jerusalem screaming for Jesus’ crucifixion before Pilate’s judgment seat?

They weren't there!  They were getting started in the morning.  Probably only the Sanhedrin and their cronies were crammed into Pilate's courtyard.

What had happened to the pro-Jesus party?

For Appearances’ Sake

Caiaphas had what he wanted—Jesus in his power. Yet he also had a group of pro-Jesus sympathizers in the very ruling council. He had to keep up appearances, transparent though his efforts were. You can see how close Caiaphas was to his goal of getting rid of Jesus. He gets sloppy.

Go through the proceedings of Jesus’ trial and note what is at variance with the Bible and compare Jesus’ trial with what anyone would consider a fair trial.

Jesus’ Trial

Fair Trial

Matthew 26.59

false witnesses

 no false testimony

Exodus 20.16

Matthew 26.60

Condemned ahead of time

 don't deny justice

Exodus 23.7

Mark 14.57-59

Don’t agree

 must be established by two witnesses

Deuteronomy 19.15

Matthew 26.63

High priest

X

Mark 14.63

Tears clothes

 don't tear clothes

Leviticus 21.10

Matthew 26.67

Hit Jesus

X

Exodus 20.13

Mark 15.1

Early morning

X

Luke 23.2

Change charges

 no false testimony

Exodus 20.16

A Lesson for Life

Caiaphas thought he was fighting, not only for his own position, but also fighting for the very existence of his ruling party’s way of life. As such, anything was permissible. There are voices in our country that say much the same thing. Discuss whether the ends justify the means in terms of torture of prisoners, suspension of civil rights, political spying and vigilantism.

The end never justifies the means.  Prisoners are to be treated humanely, according to the Geneva Convention and (if American citizens) under American law.  The constitution, save for times of dire crisis, guarantees civil rights.  Political spying beyond the rule of law and vigilantism is never permitted.

Next week: Triumphant Over the Romans

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