As Palm Sunday approaches I begin to look at the last few months of Christ ministry. Many events take place and not enough time to cover them all. However the one often mentioned at Easter time is the plot against Jesus by the Pharisees. The Pharisees were political in nature. They need for power as well as control is clearly seen in this passage. The fact Jesus popularity had risen meant that something had to be done to stop the rise in the teachings of Jesus, so they could gain their power back. What interesting to note is after the resurrection of Lazarus, those that did not believe went and told on Jesus. The plot already in place due to the correction Jesus gave the Pharisees anytime they showed hypocrisy to anything Jesus did or spoke. One can not lay blame only on the Jews at the time of Jesus for killing Jesus, or even the plot. For the Jews had no authority to crucify Jesus in the Roman Empire. It would take the religious political group as well as legal political system and the crowd. Defining the plot as starting is still short lived when one remembers the death of John the Baptist.

Let us examine this passage as the opposition of the religious leaders. Also note it was God’s design to also send his Son to the cross. If God is doing something that appears he is against us, think again it is the cross we have to carry for the world to see God’s divine power and nature of love. God’s purpose in redeem us is so we might be saved. Without proof that man could not destroy God or the Word of God, is seen through the resurrection. The prophesy of the Pharisee named Caiaphas came from God. The prophecy was true that one man would die for a nation. Yet Jesus died not just for a nation but the entire world. Yet from the political point the death of Jesus would perhaps stop an uprising among the Jews. It purpose to quiet the people that He was no God. After all Jesus did many miracles and the acceptance of Jesus as being a teacher was not hard it was the miracles and the transgression of the religious laws that was in question.

As the plot begins how do you ensnare someone to pay a price for the nation, seeking a time you can bring him to a religious trial. For the religious leaders had some authority over the people as far as civil law. Yet the accusation of Jesus transgressed even civil law and would have to then be taken to the higher courts of the land and before the governor and king of Israel at that time. How do you catch a man that seems to have the ability to disappear or avoid the guards of the temple? The plot begins to try and take Jesus by force. Jesus went into hiding, for it was not his time to die. He always managed to disappear when the soldiers desired to lay hands on him. Where did Jesus go after this prophecy concern his demise? Jesus went from Lazarus home to Ephraim, the tribe of one of the son of Joseph of the twelve tribes of Israel. He continues ministering to the people outside of Jerusalem away from the opposition of the Pharisees.

Jesus would not die until his appointed hour. Jesus would not be taken until his pointed time. Even when the soldiers finally are able to grab hold of Jesus to take him by force, they fall back at the power of God’s Spirit, demonstrating it was not by the religious leaders choice that He is taken, but the will of His Father. Was God destroying a religious leader who transgressed the laws, and rebuke the religious leaders. The appearance of Christ being a devil comes into question has in chapter ten of John. The crowd sought to know if Jesus was the Christ or if he was possessed. The argument was how could the devil do miracles. Yet we all know the physicians of our day do many miracles by the tools given them by God, but even sometimes they are surprised by the results. After all Jesus used mud and spit as some of his healing tools.

Yet Jesus would not show himself as the Christ except to the twelve before his death. After all he asked Peter who some said he was. And he said the Christ, and he made that claim himself as well. Yet no doubt that the crowd and disciples understood not the Jesus was not a political leader but a spiritual leader and subject to the will of man as well as His Heavenly Father. In truth we all are subject to the laws of our nation and our God. Jesus coming to teach how to live in a land that was not of God. Yet also demonstrating He was the Christ through the resurrection.

Jesus was more then just a religious guru. He was the promised and long waited for Messiah. To be so hated by the world and so loved by His followers and God. Jesus gave his own life for the people. God did not force him to give up his life. He came down to man to put his Father’s enemies under his feet. A demonstration of God’s power and authority despite what man will and can do. God has the final say. To know his death was even prophesy a year before his death as well as at the time of Isaiah, we can not forget it was for the greater purpose of showing God’s miraculous power. Let us not deny the power of the resurrection or the authority of God to raise up and destroy and to tear down and resurrect once more.

Dear Heavenly Father we lift up the cross as we head toward Mount Calvary, the place of Christ death and resurrection. In Jesus precious name, Amen.