But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
The chief priests in council with the rulers decided that Lazarus must be put to death as well as Jesus. He had lain dead four days with his body decaying, yet at the word of Jesus he stood before them alive and well in the vigor of manhood. They plotted against him because his return from the dead and his testimony that Jesus was the Son of God were drawing crowds to Bethany and leading many to believe. Rather than accept this powerful evidence of Christ's divinity and Messiahship, they set their hearts to resist all light, showing what unbelief does when it hardens the heart beyond softening.
Setting and Murderous Plot
Six days before the Passover Jesus stopped at the house of Lazarus in Bethany on His way from Jericho to Jerusalem to attend the feast, seeking rest and refreshment. At the supper He sat at table with Lazarus whom He had raised from the dead on one side and Simon of Bethany whom He had healed of leprosy on the other, while Martha served at the table and Mary earnestly listened to every word from His lips.
The raising of Lazarus had drawn crowds to Bethany to see Jesus and Lazarus and had increased public interest and excitement. Many were coming to the feast to see the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus himself urged the people to consider what they would gain by putting Christ to death.
In hasty council the chief priests consulted with the rulers, scribes and Pharisees and decided that Lazarus must die as well as Jesus. Lazarus had lain dead four days with his body beginning to decay, yet by a word from Jesus he had been called back to life and health. He stood before them in the vigor of manhood praising the great Restorer.
They could bring no charge against Lazarus. They could not deny or answer his clear and convincing living testimony. Unable to prevent the effect of the miracle, they laid plans to remove Lazarus secretly so less publicity would attend Christ's death. They also judged it dangerous to seize Jesus openly and planned to take Him secretly by craft and carry through a quiet mock trial. They reasoned the end would justify the means, deliberately leaving Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea out of their councils lest their murderous designs be opposed, trusting that fickle public opinion would turn in their favor once He was condemned.
Motives and Hardened Unbelief
The plot to kill Lazarus was driven by the fact that his return from the dead and his testimony that Jesus was the Son of God were drawing people to Jesus and leading many to believe in Him. His restored life stood as powerful testimony to Jesus' miraculous power, and the leaders determined to silence that witness rather than let it win converts. They feared the crowds gathering to see Lazarus would believe in Jesus, and that the resulting excitement and testimony would disrupt their influence and weaken their authority. They sought to suppress the evidence and the public interest surrounding the miracle in order to preserve their hold on the people and their national power.
They judged it dangerous to seize Jesus openly because since the raising of Lazarus the sympathies of the people were greatly in His favor. They reasoned that if Jesus were executed while Lazarus remained alive as a witness of His power to raise the dead, the mere existence of a man who had lain four days in the grave with his body beginning to decay yet had been called back to life and health by a word for humanity's benefit would sooner or later create a reaction. That reaction would bring disaster upon themselves for sacrificing One who could do such a miracle, especially if the people lost confidence in their rulers and the national power was destroyed. Lazarus's restoration was powerful evidence of Christ's divinity, miraculous power, and identity as the Messiah and Son of God, yet instead of accepting it they tried to silence its witness. Even the testimony that might have convinced people that Jesus was the Messiah only moved them to remove the witness.
Exasperated by the honor shown to Jesus and confronted with overwhelming evidence of His divinity, they were driven by envy, prejudice, hatred, and unbelief to seek the death of a man whom divine power had rescued from death. They could bring no charge against Lazarus and could not deny or answer his clear and convincing living testimony. Rather than admit undeniable evidence they plotted murder, setting their hearts to resist all light and closing their minds against it. The decision shows what men do when separated from God, when unbelief takes possession of the mind and hardens the heart beyond softening and resists the power that could soften it.
The chief priests in council with the rulers decided that Lazarus must be put to death as well as Jesus. He had lain dead four days with his body decaying, yet at the word of Jesus he stood before them alive and well in the vigor of manhood. They plotted against him because his return from the dead and his testimony that Jesus was the Son of God were drawing crowds to Bethany and leading many to believe. Rather than accept this powerful evidence of Christ's divinity and Messiahship, they set their hearts to resist all light, showing what unbelief does when it hardens the heart beyond softening.
Setting and Murderous Plot
Six days before the Passover Jesus stopped at the house of Lazarus in Bethany on His way from Jericho to Jerusalem to attend the feast, seeking rest and refreshment. At the supper He sat at table with Lazarus whom He had raised from the dead on one side and Simon of Bethany whom He had healed of leprosy on the other, while Martha served at the table and Mary earnestly listened to every word from His lips.
The raising of Lazarus had drawn crowds to Bethany to see Jesus and Lazarus and had increased public interest and excitement. Many were coming to the feast to see the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus himself urged the people to consider what they would gain by putting Christ to death.
In hasty council the chief priests consulted with the rulers, scribes and Pharisees and decided that Lazarus must die as well as Jesus. Lazarus had lain dead four days with his body beginning to decay, yet by a word from Jesus he had been called back to life and health. He stood before them in the vigor of manhood praising the great Restorer.
They could bring no charge against Lazarus. They could not deny or answer his clear and convincing living testimony. Unable to prevent the effect of the miracle, they laid plans to remove Lazarus secretly so less publicity would attend Christ's death. They also judged it dangerous to seize Jesus openly and planned to take Him secretly by craft and carry through a quiet mock trial. They reasoned the end would justify the means, deliberately leaving Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea out of their councils lest their murderous designs be opposed, trusting that fickle public opinion would turn in their favor once He was condemned.
Motives and Hardened Unbelief
The plot to kill Lazarus was driven by the fact that his return from the dead and his testimony that Jesus was the Son of God were drawing people to Jesus and leading many to believe in Him. His restored life stood as powerful testimony to Jesus' miraculous power, and the leaders determined to silence that witness rather than let it win converts. They feared the crowds gathering to see Lazarus would believe in Jesus, and that the resulting excitement and testimony would disrupt their influence and weaken their authority. They sought to suppress the evidence and the public interest surrounding the miracle in order to preserve their hold on the people and their national power.
They judged it dangerous to seize Jesus openly because since the raising of Lazarus the sympathies of the people were greatly in His favor. They reasoned that if Jesus were executed while Lazarus remained alive as a witness of His power to raise the dead, the mere existence of a man who had lain four days in the grave with his body beginning to decay yet had been called back to life and health by a word for humanity's benefit would sooner or later create a reaction. That reaction would bring disaster upon themselves for sacrificing One who could do such a miracle, especially if the people lost confidence in their rulers and the national power was destroyed. Lazarus's restoration was powerful evidence of Christ's divinity, miraculous power, and identity as the Messiah and Son of God, yet instead of accepting it they tried to silence its witness. Even the testimony that might have convinced people that Jesus was the Messiah only moved them to remove the witness.
Exasperated by the honor shown to Jesus and confronted with overwhelming evidence of His divinity, they were driven by envy, prejudice, hatred, and unbelief to seek the death of a man whom divine power had rescued from death. They could bring no charge against Lazarus and could not deny or answer his clear and convincing living testimony. Rather than admit undeniable evidence they plotted murder, setting their hearts to resist all light and closing their minds against it. The decision shows what men do when separated from God, when unbelief takes possession of the mind and hardens the heart beyond softening and resists the power that could soften it.