July 23, 2023

Recruiting A Nation of Judas’s

“So they were seeking for Jesus, and were 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 was to report it, so that they might seize Him.”  John 11:56-57 (NASB)

            As I have mentioned, the workplace can be a hazardous environment. It seems there is no end to the dog-eat-dog mentality. I witnessed it yesterday. A friend shared with me his concern at is job. He told me work was a really bad place at times. Those who were in charge, wanted more power. Those who didn’t listen, were considered trouble makers, would never see promotions, or would eventually be forced out. He seemed so discouraged. I can still remember the look on his face 24 hours after. He knew if you weren’t on their side, they’d employ anyone they could to make sure you either quit, or were forced out. Even if they were the ones who needed to go…

            “Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it,” A whole city influenced by the religious leaders set out on one mission; to find Jesus and report Him. They wanted Jesus caught, and they employed every Jew. The nation was being manipulated to becoming Judas’s. These religious leaders had powerful influence over the Jews, they could use the power of excommunication as means to manipulate the average Jew. This excommunication would ultimately lead to a Jew to becoming an outcast. This action would destroy the average Jew’s life. It all would have been accomplished by telling the people it was in the best interest for their country (vs. 49-50). This still happens today. “It is the way of worldly-minded politicians to measure all things by the standard of profit and gain, not by that of truth, righteousness and justice; and this, while in most cases the prosperity of the country is declared to be the grand reason for such a course, though in reality they are actuated by nothing but selfishness. —Osiander:”[1] The Sanhedrin had settled how they would kill Jesus. It wasn’t going to be by assassination, but by legal process. This process would ultimately involve the Romans, for no death penalty could be executed without their authority. This killing of Jesus however would parallel the whole sacrificial system of Passover, when a lamb was killed so that the death angel would Passover their home. Little did they understand the implications of this process. The Lamb of God would be slain for the sins of mankind (John 1:29). “Yet ironically while all Jerusalem was gripped in a state of upheaval, this Lamb of God was removed from the chaos and intrigue as he waited for the hour of his destiny outside the “Holy” city. But intriguingly John notes that the people had come to “sanctify” or “cleanse” (hagnizein, 11:55) themselves while their leaders had indelibly stained themselves as they ruthlessly plotted the death of the blameless Son of God. The Festival Cycle had thus come to its predictable end!”[2]

            Jesus was undeterred from His mission in the Father’s will, even with His short trip away. Nothing would stop this, even in the face of all the potential Judas’s (even in His group). How well would you say you are standing, when the Judas’s of the day are looking to find you at fault? Are you faithful, or fall into the trap of manipulation? Which one will you choose?

[1] Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John (pp. 367–368). Logos Bible Software.

[2] Borchert, G. L. (1996). John 1–11 (Vol. 25A, pp. 367–368). Broadman & Holman Publishers.