Sermons Preached By Jesus’ Enemies
“IT IS EXPEDIENT THAT ONE MAN SHOULD DIE FOR THE PEOPLE”
Sermon Text: John 11:45-53. Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.
Lord, this is Your Word and these are Your words. Guide us by Your truth; Your Word is truth. Dear Lord, draw us and all people to Yourself, by drawing us to Your cross. Never let us forget that You are the one Man who died for all the people of the world. You atoned for all sins as our Substitute. When we doubt our salvation and worthiness in Your sight, comfort us with this truth that You atoned for all our sins. Amen.
Dear people loved by God, whom He gathers together by the preaching of the cross: Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you, in truth and love. Amen.
This reading begins right after the raising of Lazarus. People had come to comfort Mary and Martha for their brother’s death. But Jesus raised him from the dead, so here it says many of those people “believed in Him.” They came to be comforters, they went away believers in Jesus. This upset the Pharisees.
The Pharisees and chief priests call Him “this Man,” which is like saying “this fellow” or “this dude.” Even though they admit that He “works many signs,” miracles, they don’t believe in Him. Not even His miracles convince them. They’re not even really about God or faith at this point. Their concern is that “the Romans will come and take away our place and [our] nation.”
How worldly this thinking is. It’s materialistic, concerned with this life only, keeping what you have. It’s about control. So in that vein the high priest, Caiaphas, speaks up and says: “It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”
“Expedient” is an interesting word. Caiaphas doesn’t mean that it’s good for one man to die for the people. It isn’t “good,” though in some versions they use that word, that he says it’s “better.” Caiaphas is saying it’s useful, practical, it’s convenient or advantageous – but not morally right. This is what some call “Machiavellian” (or in another context, the “Chicago way”) – that the end result justifies the means. This might be a sordid thing but it’s for a good cause in his view, their survival as a “nation” that Rome lets exist. This is political, tactical, useful, cynical. Expedient.
Oh that Caiaphas, we think. Yet how often do we pretend something is good, or OK, that actually isn’t morally good? Or we approve of it or tolerate it. How often do you have a materialistic attitude about life, only concerned with the bottom line or the latest crisis. We are all about control too. You’re most in distress when some result isn’t assured or pre-determined, when you are not in control. Like Caiaphas you do what’s good for you, look out for number one. Is this what Christians are? As worldly as anyone? Often, yes. You are a sinner too. But what do you do with your sins? What can you do?
This is why this statement of Caiaphas – “It is expedient that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish” – is a great sermon, and not at all what he intended. Caiaphas didn’t intend to preach the love of Jesus, but he did. Because what do you do with your sins?
God said in Ezekiel “the soul that sins shall die,” and in Romans “the wages of sin is death.” There’s nothing you can do but regret your “errors and failings,” what God knows of your “innermost thought, the words you have spoken, the deeds you have wrought,” as we sing tonight (ELH 575:3). In this respect we have no power at all to control our destiny.
But what did Caiaphas say? “It is expedient that one Man should die for the people.” That Man is Jesus. Not just “that man,” or Caiaphas sneering at this “Man” He had heard of whom He was so easily consigning to death. No, this is the God who became Man for you and for everyone, to die for all.
To Caiaphas it was “expedient.” But not to the Father; not to Jesus. No cynicism there. There was nothing convenient or practical about it. During Lent we hear in detail how Jesus suffered, how He was betrayed and denied by friends, how He was mocked and insulted, beaten and whipped and tortured, shouted at and jeered, and nailed to a cross and in constant agony until He died. None of it was convenient. But was it for a good end? Was it for God’s good purpose? Yes. He drank to the full “the cup of scorn and dread” (ELH 302:3) which you deserve due to your sins. Jesus says, “All this I suffer for your good.”
That’s what Caiaphas’ sermon says: that His death was “for the people,” that is, instead of everyone. The death that you deserve because of your sins, Jesus died that death instead of you so that you will not die but live. This is “atonement” – that He paid your ransom price, He suffered so you won’t suffer eternally as you deserve, He died the death you deserve, your sins are paid for, died for by Him and the blood He shed for you. He is not just any man. He is “the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1Tim 2:5-6).
But is it really true in your case? Caiaphas was talking about that nation, the Jewish people. But what Jesus did is for you, for everyone in the world.
For John comments, by divine inspiration, that Caiaphas unknowingly “prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.” This is a new view of the world that we are seeing.
Because Jesus died for all, all people in the world are seen as His scattered children – He wants all of them as His children, His salvation includes all. “Of this fruit, so pure and sweet, the Lord invites *the world* to eat, to find within this cross of wood the tree of life with every good” (ELH 302:4). His death gathers us into one people – this is His Church, whom the Holy Spirit “calls, *gathers,* enlightens and sanctifies by the Gospel.”
So what do you do with your sins? You bring them to Jesus. He died for them, to forgive you. His death is for you, as your Substitute. Just as Caiaphas – against his will, but according to God’s will – preached. Amen!