CAIAPHAS' PROPHECY

John 11:47-54 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we, for this Man doeth many miracles? If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples.

Although many Jews believed Jesus to be the promised Savior, the Son of God, because of the awesome resurrection of Lazarus from the grave, still some remained obstinately opposed to Jesus' deity. Those that disbelieved Jesus went directly to the Pharisees and told them of this event (See Vss. 45-46 above). Immediately a special council of the enraged Jewish leaders was called to assemble. In three short years, what started out as doubtfulness among these leaders about the man called Jesus, soon became bitter animosity, then strong feelings of enmity, and finally, as it had become mutual hostility, they openly discussed hatred among them for Jesus Christ. With the popular following that Jesus was now getting, there seemed to be an alarming crisis growing within the Jewish nation. Because of this crucial unrest among the people, an urgent meeting of the members of Jewish council, the Sanhedrin, was called. It seemed that the thought among them was that if something was not done to quell His popularity, the whole nation of Israel would soon become followers of Christ Jesus. They needed to act quickly and decisively, therefore, when assembled they began asking among themselves, What do we, for this Man doeth many miracles?

Their question seems to lead one to think that these leaders that denied Jesus to be the Savior, believed He was capable of performing miracles. Yet they continued to oppose Him because He jeopardized their supremacy and self-righteous authority among the Jewish people. This they justified by often attributing His miracles to Satan (See John 8:48,52; 10:20). They probably even used God's commandment to Moses regarding the "prophet" or "dreamer of dreams" referred to in Deuteronomy 13:1-5, as justification to seek the death of Jesus. They further complicated their question by surmising that if we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him. These leaders thought that if Jesus was allowed to continue demonstrating His miraculous powers, all Jews would soon become His followers. And what is worse, they thought that if the Jewish people rebelled against their authority, the Roman army would put down, what may be assumed as anarchy, and take over their nation and put an end to their Jewish leadership.

Caiaphas, the high priest, criticized these anxious Jews by saying, Ye know nothing at all, that is, you don't understand how a situation like this can be dealt with, silenced, and put to rest. As recorded in verses 50-51, we find Caiaphas' solution to their crisis was to have Jesus put to death. By slaying Jesus, he said, the whole nation perish not. Caiaphas' advice was, that with Jesus dead, the people would return to Jewish leadership, no anarchy would take place, and the Roman armies would not remove them from power and take over the complete rule of their nation. Here is where Caiaphas unknowingly made an astounding prophecy that would affect the entire world. The words that he spoke before the Sanhedrin, spake he not of himself. Instead of advising the Jewish leadership on how to silence Jesus and destroy the effect of His teaching, Caiaphas spoke the prophetic will of God. Indeed, Jesus was to die in order that the whole nation of Israel would not perish. And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Not only was the hope of eternal salvation through the death of Christ Jesus spoken of for the Jews, but for all people of the world - both Jew and Gentile. Caiaphas' prophecy was fulfilled three days before the Day of Pentecost. Jesus was crucified, but in His death He fulfilled the will of His Father in heaven. With Him, salvation was resurrected from His grave.